SEWING MACHINE AND OTHER TTEADLES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Steel, Manufacturer, Charles Hance Binns,
Collector, Adam Steinmetz, junior, Stone Cutter, Charles Aerlus Spring,
Manufacturer, and William Albert Nichols, Attorney at Law, all of the City
and County of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, one of the United
States of America, for an Invention of "SEWING MACHINE AND OTHER
TTEADLES."
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Robert Steel, Charles Hance
Binns, Adam Steinmetz, jr., Charles Aerlus Spring, and William Albert
Nichols at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd November
1880.
ROBERT STEEL, Manufacturer, CHARLES HANCE BINNS, Collector, ADAM
STEINMETZ, junior, Stone Cutter, CHARLES AERLUS SPRING, Manufacturer, and
WILLIAM ALBERT NICHOLS, Attorney at Law, all of the City and County of
Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, one of the United States of
America. "SEWING MACHINE AND OTHER TREADLES."
The nature of our Invention consists in the combination of a treadle with the
table top of a sewing machine by means of pivots on which it oscillates, and a coil
or other spring which assists during each revolution of the crank in returning the
treadle from its backward to its forward position, and which holds it in the latter
position when the machine is not at work, as hereinafter fully described.
In the accompanying Drawing which make a part of this Specification,-
Figure 1 is a front elevation of our improved sewing machine treadle and devices
for connecting it with the table-top of a sewing-machine.
Figure 2 is an edge view of the same.
Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section on an enlarged scale of the bracket C,
barrel D,.pin a, and the upper part of the coil spring E.
Figure 4 is a cross section taken on the dotted line x, x, of Figure 3.
Figures 5 and 6 are respectively a front and end views of the barrel D, showing
a modified form of adjusting the barrel by means of the ratchet wheel G¹³ and
pawl h.

page_text: Figure 7 is another modification, in which the bracket C and barrel D are in a
single piece.
Like letters of reference in all the Figures indicate the same parts.
A represents the table top of a sewing machine, and B, the treadle connected
there with by means of the bracket C and centre pin a. The treadle is provided
with two arms band b² at its upper end, and the bracket which is confined by
means of screws to the underside of the table top A has vertical arms c, c¹, c², and
cs, which project from its underside to provide for a pivotal connection of the
treadle to adapt it for an oscillating movement, which is effected by the arm b of
the treadle terminating with a pin, which has its bearing in the arm c of the
bracket and the arm b¹ of the treadle connecting with the centre pin a, which is
supported by the arms c', c, and cof the bracket, the arm b' fitting between the
arms and c³. On the said centre pin is also arranged the barrel D between the
arms and of the bracket. E is a spring which is confined at one end to the
barrel D coiled around the same, and confined at its other end to the upper end of
the treadle, as more clearly seen in the enlarged sectional view, Figure 4. The
object of the spring is to assist in returning the treadle in cach revolution of the
driving wheel F from its backward to its forward position, shown in Figures 2
and 4, and also for retaining it in the latter position when the inachine is not at
work; the treadle being connected with the driving wheel by means of the
connecting rod G, pin H of the wheel, and pivot H¹ of the trendle.
By means of the devices above described, the treadle is operated with much less
power than ordinary treadles, and hence we construct it with a single pedal
arranged about equidistant from the ends of the machine, as represented in
the Drawing so as to admit of the operator sitting squarely or nearly so with the
needle, thus avoiding leaning to one side, incidental as in the ordinary mode of
using both feet, which posture, as is well known, is very prejudicial to health.
To provide for a quick and accurate adjustment of the spring E to any desired
tensile strength, the centre pin a has a screw connection with the arm c¹ of the
bracket C, as shown in Figure 3, so that by placing a wrench on the head of said pin
and turning the pin in the proper direction, the requisite adjustment of the barrel D
may readily be made to regulate the strength of the spring. In order to avoid the
necessity of the longitudinal movement of the barrel D, which would bring the
spring out of line with the plane of oscillation of the treadle B, the pin a is provided
with a splined which slides in the longitudinal groove e in the said barrel;
as the pin is moved longitudinally by its axial adjustment, and said barrel fitting
accurately between the arms c¹ and c' of the bracket C, the normal position of
the spring in relation to the oscillating movement of the treadle is accurately
maintained.
The arm c' has a groove e¹ somewhat larger than the spline d for the passage of
the spline in bringing the pin a into its connection with the bracket C. The pin is
held securely in its lateral position by means of the jam nut f.
A modification in the axial adjustinent of the barrel D is shown in Figures 5
and 6, in which the pin a has a stationary connection with the bracket C, and the
barrel turns freely thereon and is provided with a ratchet wheel G¹ at one end,
with which the pawl h engages when the barrel is turned in the proper direction
for its axial adjustment by means of a wrench placed on the opposite end of the
barrel, which is of the proper form to receive the wrench, as represented in said
Figures. The pawl is hung on the pin j, which projects from the arm c' as
represented.
If desired, instead of the barrel D having an axial movement it may have a
fixed position with the bracket C by any suitable means, one of which is shown in
Figure 7, in which the barrel and bracket form a single piece of casting.
The bracket C may be made in sections, if desired, instead of in one piece, as
represented in the Drawing.
A spiral spring may be placed on the barrel D in lieu of the coil spring E, one
end being confined to the barrel, and the other end to the treadle, so as to operate

page_text: upon the treadle in a similar manner to the coil spring; we however, prefer the
latter spring, it being more durable than the other, as the strain thereon is in the
longitudinal direction of the fibres, while there is much lateral strain on the fibres
of a spiral spring, and consequently a weakening of the spring when subjected to
the rapid movements of a sewing machine treadle.
We have represented our improvement as applied to a sewing machine as it is
especially adapted to that purpose; we contemplate, however, using it for
purposes to which it is adapted.
other
any
What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,-
First. The combination of a coil or equivalent spring with the table top
of a sewing or other machine, and the upper end of an oscillating or swinging
treadle, one end of the spring being confined to a barrel connected with the
underside of the table top, and the other end to the upper end of the treadle to
assist at each revolution of the driving wheel in returning the treadle from its
backward to its forward position, and also for the purpose of retaining it in the
latter position when the machine is not at work, substantially as described.
Second. The combination of the treadle B, having arms b and b¹, bracket C,
centre pin a, barrel D, and coil spring E, substantially in the manner described,
and for the purpose set forth.
Third. The combination of the centre pin a having a spline d, with the barrel D
having a longitudinal groove e, so that, as an axial adjustment is given to the
barrel by turning the pin in the proper direction to regulate the tensile strength
of the spring E the spline is caused to slide in the groove e, thus avoiding the
necessity of the barrel having any longitudinal play between the arms c' and c³ of
the bracket C to keep the spring in line with the plane of oscillation of the treadle,
substantially as described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Robert Steel, Charles Hance Binns, Adam
Steinmetz, junior, Charles Aerlus Spring, and William Albert Nichols,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Sixteenth day of October, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty.