IMPROVED MECHANISM FOR OPERATING AND REGULATING THE MOTION OF SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an Invention of "IMPROVED MECHANISM FOR
OPERATING AND REGULATING THE MOTION OF SEWING MACHINES." A com-
munication from abroad by Duryea S. Van Wyck, of Fishkill Plains, in the
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Clark at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd May 1880.
WILLIAM CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Patent
Agent. "IMPROVED MECHANISM FOR OPERATING AND REGULATING THE MOTION
OF SEWING MACHINES." [A communication from abroad by Duryea S. Van Wyck,
of Fishkill Plains, in the County of Dutchess, State of New York, United States
of America.]
The object of this Invention is to provide a device whereby power can be more
conveniently applied to a sewing machine, and whereby the motion of the needle
bar may be checked at will without arresting the motion of the treadles or the
momentum of the balance wheel.
The Invention consists of a seat and treadles arranged so that the operator can
easily apply the weight of the body upon the latter, of novel attachments for
slackening and tightening the driving belt, and for arresting and restoring motion
to the needle bar, all of which are hereinafter fully described.
In carrying out this Invention the footboard of the machine extends forward
more than usual for the convenient pivotal attachment of long treadles, which are
provided with sheaves journalled in slots in their rear ends. Belts are passed
around these sheaves to transmit motion to eccentrics which have peripheral
grooves, and are fixed on the driving shaft. These eccentrics are preferably cast
together with their connecting sleeve for the sake of economy and convenience of
fitting. The balanced wheel is keyed as usual on the driving shaft, and is provided
with a deep peripheral groove on one side for the driving belt. Pivoted on the
inside of the frame above the periphery of the combined balance and driving wheel
is a lever, whose handle or long arm extends forward within easy reach of the
operator, and which is furnished with a tightening pulley or "idler" adjustably

page_text: secured to the inner face of the lever by means of a bolt that passes through a
curved slot of the said lever, and is secured therein by a nut. The long arin of
this lever is held up by a spring that is made fast to the top of the frame, while
from the opposite end of said lever a rod projects upward through the top of the
frame and engages with one end of a brake shoe, whose other end is secured by a
staple to the frame, and which brake shoe rests upon a spring that operates to
force said shoe upward against a friction pulley, which is keyed on the end of the
needle bar. A treadle is pivoted at the bottom of the frame within easy reach of
the foot of the operator, and connected by means of a rod with the long arm of the
lever, so that the operator may force the shoe against the pulley and thus arrest
the motion of the needle bar of the machine. By the same movement of the lever
the tightening pulley is withdrawn from contact with the driving belt, which will
consequently run freely and loosely on the pulley of the needle bar, while the
motion of the treadles and driving or balance wheel of the machine continues.
When running the sewing machine and giving motion to the needle bar the
tightening pulley is so adjusted in the slots of the lever, and said lever is in such
a position that said pulley presses against the driving belt to give said belt a
proper operative hold upon its pulleys. But should it be desired at any time to
arrest the motion of the needle while arranging the work beneath it, the operator
has but to press slightly on the treadle in order to apply, as before stated, the
brake shoe to the pulley, and to withdraw the tightening pulley from the belt.
When the lever is thus pulled down a stud on the face of the said lever engages
with a spring catch pivoted in a lug on the legs of the sewing machine, and the
lever is thereby held in its retracted position. This catch is operated by a spring,
one end of which is in contact with a leg of the sewing machine, while the free end
extends to within reach of the operator who sits on the stool, so that he may by
simple sideway motion of his knee against said spring withdraw the catch from
the lug of the lever, so that the spring shall operate to elevate the long handle of
said lever and thereby cause the motion of the needle bar to be resumed.
The stool, which is fixed on the foot board, has an adjustable seat, which is
pivoted by means of a lug secured on the underside of said seat, and a pin to the
bevelled head of a screw that turns in the top of the stool frame. Sitting on this
stool, when its seat is inclined forward, the operator can press with nearly the
whole weight of the body upon the driving treadles and move his feet, and thereby
operate the mechanism herein shown with much less fatigue, and with a more
extended and free motion than would otherwise be possible.
It will be observed that a special feature of this device is the continuous motion
of the balance wheel and, driving shaft while the motion of the needle bar is
checked.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by 4
the said William Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd November
1880.
WILLIAM CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Patent
Agent. "IMPROVED MECHANISM FOR OPERATING AND REGULATING THE MOTION
OF SEWING MACHINES." A communication from abroad by Duryea S. Van Wyck, 4
of Fishkill Plains, in the County of Dutchess, State of New York, United States
of America.
The object of this Invention is to provide a device whereby power can be more
conveniently applied to a sewing machine, and whereby the motion of the needle

page_text: bar may be checked at will, without arresting the motion of the treadles or the
momentum of the balance wheel. The Invention consists of a seat and treadles
arranged so that the operator can easily apply the weight of the body upon the
latter, of novel attachments for slackening and tightening the driving belt, and for
arresting and restoring motion to the needle bar, all of which are hereinafter fully
described.
In the accompanying Drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation, showing the devices
in position on a sewing machine frame; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same,
partly in section; Figure 3 is a sectional side elevation on line x, x, Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a vertical sectional elevation on line y-y, Figure 2.
A represents the frame of a sewing, machine, having its footboard a extending
forward more than usual for the convenient pivotal attachment at 6 of the long
treadles B, B. In the rear ends of these treadles are slots c, in which are journalled
sheaves d, d, around which are passed the belts C, C, that transmit motion to the
eccentrics D, D, having peripheral grooves c¹, c¹, which are fixed on the driving
shaft E. These eccentrics D, D, are preferably cast together with their connecting
sleeve, for the sake of economy and convenience of fitting. F is the combined
driving and balance wheel, keyed as usual on the driving shaft E, and provided with
a deep peripheral groove g on one side for the driving belt G. Pivoted on the
inside of the frame above the periphery of the driving wheel F is the lever H,
whose handle or long arm extends forward within easy reach of the operator.
A tightening pulley or "idler" I is adjustably secured to the inner face of this lever H
by means of a bolt h that passes through the curved slot i in the said lever, and is
secured therein by a nut. The long arm of this lever H is held up by a spring J,
that is made fast to the top of the frame A, while from the opposite end of the said
lever H the rod k projects upward through the top of the frame A, and engages
with one end of the brake shoe K, whose other end is secured by a staple to the
top of the frame A, and which brake shoe K rests upon a spring m, that operates
to force said shoe upward against the friction pulley M, which is keyed on the end
of the needle bar O for the purpose of arresting the motion of the said needle
bar O. A treadle N pivoted to the bottom of the frame A, within easy reach of
the foot of the operator, is connected by means of the rod n with the long arm of
the lever H as shown, so that by pressure of the foot the operator may, by means
of said rod n lever H, and rod lec, force the shoe K against the pulley M, and thus
arrest the motion of the needle bar of the machine, and by the same movement of
the lever H the tightening pulley I is withdrawn from contact with the driving
belt G, which belt consequently will run freely and loosely on the pulley P of the
needle bar O, while the motion of the treadles and driving or balance wheel of the
machine continues. When running the sewing machine and giving motion to the
needle bar O, the tightening pulley I is so adjusted in the slots of the lever H, and
said lever H is in such a position that said pulley I presses against the driving
belt G, to give said belt a proper operative hold upon its pulleys, as shown in
Figure 2. But should it be desired at any time to arrest the motion of the needle
while arranging the work beneath it, the operator has but to reach a foot to the
treadle N and press slightly upon it, in order to apply as before stated the brake
shoe K to the pulley M, and to withdraw the tightening pulley I from the belt G.
When the lever H is thus pulled down by the treadle N and rod n, the stud o on
the face of the said lever H engages with the spring catch Q, which is pivoted in a
lug p on the legs of the sewing machine, and the lever H is thereby held in its
retracted position. This catch Q is operated by the spring R, one end of which
spring R is in contact with a leg of the sewing machine, while the free end extends
to within reach of the operator who sits on the stool S, so that said operator may,
by simple sideway motion of his knee against said spring R withdraw the catch Q
from the lug p of the lever H, so that the spring J shall operate to elevate the long
handle of said lever, and thereby cause the motion of the needle bar to be
resumed. The stool S which is fixed on the footboard a has an adjustable seat q,
which is pivoted by means of the lug r, secured on the under side of said

page_text: 1
seat and pin s, to the bevelled head t of the screw T that turns in the top u of
the stool frame. Sitting on this stool S when its seat q is tipped forward in the
position shown in Figures 1 and 3, the operator can press with nearly the whole
weight of the body upon the treadles B, B and move his feet, and thereby operate
the mechanism herein shown with much less fatigue and with a more extended and
free motion than would otherwise be possible.
It will be observed that a special feature of this device is the continuous motion
of the balance wheel and driving shaft, while the motion of the needle bar is
checked.
Having described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is:-
1st. In combination with the foot board a of a sewing machine, the extended
slotted pivoted treadles B, B, provided with sheaves d, d, substantially as herein
shown and described and for the purpose set forth.
2nd: In a sewing machine the combination with the treadles B, B, provided with
sheaves d, d of the belts C, C, grooved eccentrics D, D, and driving shaft E,
substantially as herein shown and described.
3rd. In a sewing machine the lever H, adjustable tightening pulley I, and
spring J, in combination with the driving belt G, substantially as herein shown and
described, whereby the said driving belt is made to operate the driving pulley of
the needle bar, as set forth.
4th. In a sewing machine the lever H, rod k, brake shoe K, spring m, and friction
pulley M, in combination with the needle bar O, substantially as herein shown and
described, whereby the motion of the said needle bar O is arrested as set forth.
5th. In combination with a sewing machine the lever H, spring J, tightening
pulley I, rod k, brake shoe K, and friction pulley M, substantially as herein shown,
and for the purpose described.
6th. In a sewing machine the combination with the lever H, pulley I, rod k, and
brake shoe K of the rod.n, and treadle N, substantially as herein shown and
described.
7th. In a sewing machine the combination with the lever H of the pivoted
spring catch Q, substantially as herein shown and described, whereby the said
lever H is held retracted, so that the motion of the needle bar is arrested as set
forth.
8th. The combination with the foot board a of a sewing machine, of the stool S
provided with an adjustable seat q pivoted on the bevelled head of the screw T,
substantially as herein shown and for the purpose described.
9th. In a sewing machine the combination with catch Q of the spring R,
substantially as herein shown and described, whereby the said catch is operated as
set forth.
10th. The combination with the driving shaft E of the balance wheel F,
substantially as herein shown and described, whereby the motion of the said shaft
is made continuous, while the motion of the needle bar is arrested as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Clark, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twentieth day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
W. CLARK.
(L.S.)

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an Invention of "IMPROVED MECHANISM FOR
OPERATING AND REGULATING THE MOTION OF SEWING MACHINES." A com-
munication from abroad by Duryea S. Van Wyck, of Fishkill Plains, in the
County of Dutchess, State of New York, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Clark at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd May 1880.
WILLIAM CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Patent
Agent. "IMPROVED MECHANISM FOR OPERATING AND REGULATING THE MOTION
OF SEWING MACHINES." [A communication from abroad by Duryea S. Van Wyck,
of Fishkill Plains, in the County of Dutchess, State of New York, United States
of America.]
'
The object of this Invention is to provide a device whereby power can be more
conveniently applied to a sewing machine, and whereby the motion of the needle'
bar may be checked at will without arresting the motion of the treadles or the
momentum of the balance wheel.
The Invention consists of a seat and treadles arranged so that the operator can
easily apply the weight of the body upon the latter, of novel attachments for
slackening and tightening the driving belt, and for arresting and restoring motion
to the needle bar, all of which are hereinafter fully described.
In carrying out this Invention the footboard of the machine extends forward
more than usual for the convenient pivotal attachment of long treadles, which are
provided with sheaves journalled in slots in their rear ends. Belts are passed
around these sheaves to transmit notion to eccentrics which have peripheral
grooves, and are fixed on the driving shaft. These eccentrics are preferably cast
together with their connecting sleeve for the sake of economy and convenience of
fitting. The balanced wheel is keyed as usual on the driving shaft, and is provided
with a deep peripheral groove on one side for the driving belt. Pivoted on the
inside of the frame above the periphery of the combined balance and driving wheel
is a lever, whose handle or long arm extends forward within easy reach of the
operator, and which is furnished with a tightening pulley or "idler" adjustably
[Price 6d.1

page_text: secured to the inner face of the lever by means of a bolt that passes through a
curved slot of the said lever, and is secured therein by a nut. The long arm of
this lever is held up by a spring that is made fast to the top of the frame, while
from the opposite end of said lever a rod projects upward through the top of the
frame and engages with one end of a brake shoe, whose other end is secured by a
staple to the frame, and which brake shoe rests upon a spring that operates to
force said shoe upward against a friction puilley, which is keyed on the end of the
needle bar. A treadle is pivoted at the bottom of the frame within easy reach of
the foot of the operator, and connected by means of a rod with the long arm of the
lever, so that the operator may force the shoe against the pulley and thus arrest
the motion of the needle bar of the machine. By the same movement of the lever
the tightening pulley is withdrawn from contact with the driving belt, which will
consequently run freely and loosely on the pulley of the needle bar, while the
motion of the treadles and driving or balance wheel of the machine continues.
When running the sewing machine and giving motion to the needle bar the
tightening pulley is so adjusted in the slots of the lever, and said lever is in such
a position that said pulley presses against the driving belt to give said belt a
be desired at any time to
proper operative hold upon its pulleys. But should
arrest the motion of the needle while arranging the work beneath it, the operator
has but to press slightly on the treadle in order to apply, as before stated, the
brake shoe to the pulley, and to withdraw the tightening pulley from the belt.
When the lever is thus pulled down a stud on the face of the said lever engages
with a spring catch pivoted in a lug on the legs of the sewing machine, and the
lover is thereby held in its retracted position. This catch is operated by a spring,
one end of which is in contact with a leg of the sewing machine, while the free end
extends to within reach of the operator who sits on the stool, so that he may by
simple sideway motion of his knee against said spring withdraw the catch from
the lug of the lever, so that the spring shall operate to elevate the long handle of
said lever and thereby cause the motion of the needle bar to be resumed.
The stool, which is fixed on the foot board, has an adjustable seat, which is
pivoted by means of a lug secured on the underside of said seat, and a pin to the
bevelled head of a screw that turns in the top of the stool frame. Sitting on this
stool, when its seat inclined forward, the operator can press with nearly the
whole weight of the body upon the driving treadles and move his feet, and thereby
operate the mechanism herein shown with much less fatigue, and with a more
extended and free motion than would otherwise be possible.
It will be observed that a special feature of this device is the continuous motion
of the balance wheel and driving shaft while the motion of the needle bar is
checked.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd November
1880.
WILLIAM CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Patent
Agent. IMPROVED MECHANISM FOR OPERATING AND REGULATING THE MOTION
OF SEWING MACHINES." A communication from abroad by Duryea S. Van Wyck,
of Fishkill Plains, in the County of Dutchess, State of New York, United States
of America.
The object of this Invention is to provide a device whereby power can be more
conveniently applied to a sewing machine, and whereby the motion of the needle.

page_text: bar may be checked at will, without arresting the motion of the treadles or the
momentum of the balance wheel. The Invention consists of a scat and treadles
arranged so that the operator can easily apply the weight of the body upon the
latter, of novel attachments for slackening and tightening the driving belt, and for
arresting and restoring motion to the needle bar, all of which are hereinafter fully
described.
In the accompanying Drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation, showing the devices
in position on a sewing machine frame; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same,
partly in section; Figure 3 is a sectional side elevation on line x, x, Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a vertical sectional elevation on line y-y, Figure 2.
A represents the frame of a sewing machine, having its footboard a extending
forward more than usual for the convenient pivotal attachment at 6 of the long
treadles B, B. In the rear ends of these treadles are slots c, in which are journalled
sheaves d, d, around which are passed the belts C, C, that transmit motion to the
eccentrics D, D, having peripheral grooves c¹, c', which are fixed on the driving
shaft E. These eccentrics D, D, are preferably cast together with their connecting
sleeve f, for the sake of economy and convenience of fitting. F is the combined
driving and balance wheel, keyed as usual on the driving shaft E, and provided with
a deep peripheral groove g on one side for the driving belt G. Pivoted on the
inside of the frame above the periphery of the driving wheel F is the lever H,
whose handle or long arm extends forward within easy reach of the operator.
A tightening pulley or "idler" I is adjustably secured to the inner face of this lever H
by means of a bolt that passes through the curved slot in the said lever, and is
secured therein by a nut. The long arm of this lever H is held up by a spring J,
that is made fast to the top of the frame A, while from the opposite end of the said
lever H the rod k projects upward through the top of the frame A, and engages
with one end of the brake shoe K, whose other end is secured by a staple / to the
top of the frame A, and which brake shoe K rests upon a spring m, that operates
to force said shoe upward against the friction pulley M, which is keyed on the end
of the needle bar O for the purpose of arresting the motion of the said needle
bar O. A treadle N pivoted to the bottom of the frame A, within easy reach of
the foot of the operator, is connected by means of the rod n with the long arm of
the lever H as shown, so that by pressure of the foot the operator may, by means
of said rod n lever H, and rod k, force the shoe K against the pulley M, and thus
arrest the motion of the needle bar of the machine, and by the same movement of
the lever H the tightening pulley I is withdrawn from contact with the driving
belt G, which belt consequently will run freely and loosely on the pulley P of the
needle bar O, while the motion of the treadles and driving or balance wheel of the
machine continues. When running the sewing machine and giving motion to the
needle bar O, the tightening pulley I is so adjusted in the slots of the lever H, and
said lever H is in such a position that said pulley I presses against the driving
belt G, to give said belt a proper operative hold upon its pulleys, as shown in
Figure 2. But should it be desired at any time to arrest the motion of the needle.
while arranging the work beneath it, the operator has but to reach a foot to the
treadle N and press slightly upon it, in order to apply as before stated the brake
shoe K to the pulley M, and to withdraw the tightening pulley I from the belt G.
When the lever H is thus pulled down by the treadle N and rod n, the stud o on
the face of the said lever H engages with the spring catch Q, which is pivoted in a
lug-p on the legs of the sewing machine, and the lever H is thereby held in its
retracted position. This catch Q is operated by the spring R, one end of which
spring R is in contact with a leg of the sewing machine, while the free end extends
to within reach of the operator who sits on the stool S, so that said operator may,
by simple sideway motion of bis knee against said spring R withdraw the catch Q
from the lug p of the lever H, so that the spring J shall operate to elevate the long
handle of said lever, and thereby cause the motion of the needle bar to be
resumed. The stool S which is fixed on the footboard a has an adjustable seat q,
which is pivoted by means of the lug r, secured on the under side of said

page_text: seat and pin.8, to the bevelled head
q
of the screw T that turns in the top u of
the stool frame. Sitting on this stool S when its seat q is tipped forward in the
position shown in Figures 1 and 3, the operator can press with nearly the whole
weight of the body upon the treadles B, B and move his feet, and thereby operate
the mechanism herein shown with much less fatigue and with a more extended and
free motion than would otherwise be possible.
.
It will be observed that a special feature of this device is the continuous motion
of the balance wheel and driving shaft, while the motion of the needle bar is
checked.
Having described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is :-
1st. In combination with the foot board a of a sewing machine, the extended
slotted pivoted treadles B, B, provided with sheaves d, d, substantially as herein
shown and described and for the purpose set forth.
2nd. In a sewing machine the combination with the treadles B, B, provided with
sheaves d, d of the 'belts C, C, grooved eccentrics D, D, and driving shaft E,
substantially as herein shown and described.
3rd. In a sewing machine the lever H, adjustable tightening pulley I, and
spring J, in combination with the driving belt G, substantially as herein shown and
described, whereby the said driving belt is made to operate the driving pulley of
the needle bar, as set forth.
4th. In a sewing machine the lever H, rod k, brake shoe K, spring m, and friction
pulley M, in combination with the needle bar O, substantially as herein shown and
described, whereby the motion of the said needle bar O is arrested as set forth.
5th. In combination with a sewing machine the lever H, spring J, tightening
pulley I, rod k, brake shoe K, and friction pulley M, substantially as herein shown,
and for the purpose described.
6th. In a sewing machine the combination with the lever H, pulley I, rod k, and
brake shoe K of the rod n, and treadle N, substantially as herein shown and
described.
7th. In a sewing machine the combination with the lever H of the pivoted
spring catch Q, substantially as herein shown and described, whereby the said
lever H is held retracted, so that the motion of the needle bar is arrested as set
forth.
8th. The combination with the foot board a of a sewing machine, of the stool S
provided with an adjustable seat q pivoted on the bevelled head of the screw T,
substantially as herein shown and for the purpose described.
9th. In a sewing machine the combination with catch Q of the spring R,
substantially as herein shown and described, whereby the said catch is operated as
set forth.
10th. The combination with the driving shaft E of the balance wheel F,
substantially as herein shown and described, whereby the motion of the said shaft
made continuous, while the motion of the needle bar is arrested as set forth.
:
In witness whereof, I, the said William Clark, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twentieth day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
W. CLARK.
(L.S.)