in a similar Manner
Year: 1887

page_text: in a similar Manner.
A communication from JAMES HENRY WHITNEY, of Brooklyn, in the County of
Kings and State of New York, one of the United States of America,
Manufacturer.
I ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
M.I.M.E. do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to complete the system of elasticity and evenness of
motion aimed at by the Improvements in sewing machines described in Letters Patent
No. 2145 of 1883 and to still further reduce the strain and jar upon the operator;
and, also to impart such alternating and reciprocating momenta to the intermediate
mechanism working from the feet of the operator to the sewing machine proper.or.
sewing machine head, as will greatly lessen the power required to run the machine ;*
and by thus combining momenta with elasticity to remove all points of inertia and.
produce a complete adaptation of the system to the human nerves and muscles,
enabling sewing machines and the like to be run by foot power with far greater
ease, and at the same time greatly lessen or entirely prevent the fatigue and injury
which operators have heretofore experienced.
The invention comprises improvements: 1st by which the treadle, in addition to
its ordinary rocking motion, obtains an elastic vibratory movement upon its bearing.
so as to form also an elastic or yielding support for the feet of the operator and
gradually meet or resist the downward pressure of the feet and prevent jar or sudden
strain upon the operator, and is thus also adapted to act in conjunction with the elastic
bearing of the stand fly-wheel; 2nd by which the belt, which transmits the motion
from the stand fly-wheel to that of the head or the machine proper, not only becomes
an additional link in the system of elasticity for the relief of operators but also, while
retaining the desirable strength and durability of a leather belt, obviates, or lessens,
the tendency to stretch and set, and obtains, at proper intervals or distances apart of

page_text: its length, the elasticity needed to take up its own slack and to act in unison with and
not to impede the elastic vibratory movement of the stand fly-wheel, whether, or not,
the machine-head be supported in elastic bearings, and by the action of the springs is
hugged tighter in the wheel grooves; 3rd, by which the rocking movement of the
treadle in one direction, aided by the increasing momentum of the descending
weighted portion of the stand fly-wheel, causes an accumulating resistance and thus
creates a re-active force in the treadle, which force is exerted and spent to raise the
said weighted portion on its ascent and thus to maintain its momentum sufficiently to
carry it past the highest point or points of descent, and at the same time the power
obtained by the velocity of the counterweight in the fly wheel is regulated and
softened by the counteracting force in the treadle.
The fly-wheel is mounted in elastic bearings in the stand, as in my English patent
above referred to, and the treadle is connected by the pitman to the crank of the fly-
wheel, as usual. The treadle is fulcrumed upon the ordinary stationary rod connecting
the opposite ends of the stand. In order to produce elasticity or yielding resistance
between the treadle and the rod, the treadle may be provided, on the underside, in two
places, with hubs or bosses, and above and below the treadle, through each of the
said hubs, with sockets, and then bored centrally through the partition between the said
sockets for the insertion of a bolt; thus leaving an annular shoulder around the
central perforation. A bolt provided with an eye by which it fits upon the rod, and
with a circular shoulder by which it fits to slide in the socket, is inserted with its
shank to slide through the opening in the said annular shoulder. A spring of any
suitable material is placed to surround the bolt shank within the socket and to bear,
with its ends, against the said flange or shoulder of the bolt, directly, or by the inter-
position of a washer, against the underside of the shoulder in the treadle. Another
spring surrounding the threaded end portion of the bolt-shank is likewise interposed
in a socket above and between the upper surface of the last named shoulder in the
treadle, and the lower surface of a nut upon the bolt, by which nut the said threaded
bolt, the treadle and the springs, are kept in their respective positions. The springs
being of proper stiffness, it is evident that the pressure upon the treadle will cause the
latter to move down slightly upon the bolt and correspondingly compress the lower
and stronger spring. On withdrawal or decrease of the downward pressure, the
spring will again raise the treadle and act against the upper and weaker spring, thus
affording also an elastic stop for the upward movement, instead of a rigid stop, to
avoid noise which sometimes would be caused if the shoulder in the treadle were
allowed to come in direct contact with the rigid nut on the upper end of the bolt.
The nuts are concealed in their sockets so as not to protrude above the upper surface
of the treadle, far enough to inconvenience the foot of the operator.
By this construction the desired elastic touch of the treadle is obtained and
particularly when used in connection with the elastic bearing of the fly-wheel to
produce the desired elastic yielding which moderates and obviates unevenness of motion
and prevents rapid and excessive wear of shafts and bearings, prevalent in machines
as heretofore constructed.
A simpler and cheaper modification of the device for pivoting and supporting the
treadle elastically may be obtained by making the aforesaid bolt (which passes through
the treadle and is surrounded by a spring) in two parts, and instead of pivoting the
bolt upon the treadle rod, securing the lower part rigidly to the said rod, providing its
upper end with a jaw, and hinging or pivoting the lower end of the upper part or
shank to this jaw by a pin.
The shank being thus a de-tachable part of the bolt, it may be provided with a thin
head upon it (instead of the aforesaid threaded nut) and can conveniently be inserted
from above through a hole in the treadle, the upper and weaker spiral spring, before
described, being replaced by an elastic washer interposed between the said head and
the treadle. The treadle is capable of a slight sliding movement upon the shank or
upper part of the bolt, being supported upon the spring surrounding the bolt.
This latter modification, though but slightly varying from the one first described, is
much preferred, also because it brings the treadle nearer to its fulcrum and thus

page_text: lessens the circular swing of the foot in operating the treadle, and the hinge-pin or
fulcrum can thereby be made of much smaller diameter than when the treadle rod is
used as hinge pin or fulcrum, consequently reducing friction to a minimum.
The belt which trasmits motion from the fly-wheel to the wheel of the sewing-
machine head, is made in sections of leather or other non-elastic parts interconnected
by spiral wire springs or other elastic parts. For these latter I prefer spiral wire springs,
as aforesaid which may be fastened to the adjoining sections of the belt by inserting
the wire ends through holes through the belt ends and clenching the end of the wire
against the belt. One single such spring or sometimes even two, will not effect more
than a taking up of the slack of the belt and will not effect my purpose to make it
elastically yielding in every position; because when the spring is about midway on
the arc of contact between the belt and the wheel, the friction which keeps the belt from
slipping, also prevents the spring from yielding. For this reason I make the belt in a
sufficient number of sections interconnected by springs, so that during the travel of
the belt there will always be one or more springs out of contact with the wheels,
thereby obtaining the elasticity desired.
I also provide a spring arranged to raise the front or heel end of the treadle.
This spring may be made or divided in two separate springs but I prefer to make it in
one continuous wire fastened with its ends in holes in the treadle rod, then wound by
coils around the rod, the middle part of the wire or free end of the spring forming
a U in upward pressing contact with the front or heel end of the treadle; or the ends
of the wire may be coiled around the bolts which pass from the said rod through the
treadle, and thus form the elastic support of the treadle, dispensing with separate
springs for that purpose; or the coils may be dispensed with and the U ends of the
aforesaid spring may be fastened to the treadle rod directly, and a flat spring may
be used.
The fly-wheel is weighted at one part of its periphery and made heavier at that
part than is necessary to counterbalance the pitman, crank-pin and the difference
if any in the weight between the heel and front parts of the treadle, thereby
gaining preponderance and increase of momentum on the downward movement of
the said weight or weighted portion.
The combined action of this excess of weight and of the spring underneath the
heel end of the treadle, is such that, when the weight has advanced on its
descent through the arc of its greatest leverage and effectiveness, it is carried past
the lower perpendicular, by the excess of the accumulated momentum, after having
expended the main part thereof in setting the said spring. The latter having
obtained its maximum of depression, the force stored up in it now exerts itself to
lift the weight and maintain its momentum during the ascent, and when the
treadle is in the position in which the spring underneath the heel end thereof has
expended its force, the weight is again carried by its momentum past the upper
perpendicular and so on continuously. The labor required by the operator's foot is
but slight and the strain during every part of a revolution is almost a constant.
Dotol this Ed day of Moral 1887

page_text: in a similar Manner.
A communication from JAMES HENRY WHITNEY, of Brooklyn, in the County of
Kings and State of New York, one of the United States of America,
Manufacturer.
I ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, M.I.M.E.
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement -
The object of this invention is to obtain a complete system of elasticity and evenness
of motion and to reduce the strain and jar upon the operator; and also to impart such
alternating and reciprocating momenta to the intermediate mechanism working from
the feet of the operator to the sewing machine proper or sewing machine head as will
greatly lessen the power required to run the machine; and by thus combining
momenta with elasticity to remove all points of inertia and produce a complete
adaptation of the system to the human nerves and muscles, enabling sewing machines
and the like to be run by foot power with far greater case, and at the same time
greatly lessen or entirely prevent the fatigue and injury which operators have
heretofore experienced.
The invention comprises improvements: 1st, by which the treadle, in addition to
its ordinary rocking motion, obtains an elastic vibratory movement upon its bearing
so as to form also an elastic or yielding support for the feet of the operator, and
gradually meet or resist the downward pressure of the feet and prevent jar or sudden
strain upon the operator, and is thus also adapted to act in conjunction with the
elastic hearing of the fly-wheel of the stand, described in English Patent No. 2145
A.D. 1883. 2nd, by which the belt, which transmits the motion from the fly-wheel
of the stand to that of the head or the machine proper, not only becomes an additional
link in the system of elasticity for the relief of operators, but also, while retaining the
desireable strength and durability of a leather-belt, obviates or lessens the tendency
to stretch and set, and obtains, at proper intervals or distances apart of the length,
the elasticity needed to take up its own slack and to act in unison with and not
to impede the elastic vibratory movement of the stand-fly-wheel, whether, or not, the
machine-head be supported in elastic bearings and, by the action of the springs,
is hugged tighter in the wheel-grooves; 3d, by which the rocking movement of the
treadle in one direction, aided by the increasing momentum of the descending
weighted portion of the said fly-wheel causes an accumulating resistance and thus
creates a re-active force in the treadle, which force is exerted and spent to raise the
said weighted portion on its ascent, and thus to maintain its momentum sufficiently
to carry it past the highest point or points of descent, and, at the same time, the
power obtained by the velocity of the counterweights in the fly-wheel is regulated and
softened by the counteracting force in the treadle.

page_text: In the accompanying drawings Fig. is a front view of the sewing-machine-stand,
the top of the stand being shown in section and the fly-wheel being provided with
elastic bearing, the treadle and belt being constructed according to the present
invention as hereinafter described. Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-section of the
treadle-bearing taken on the line of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a similar cross-section, of
a slightly modified construction of the same. Fig. 4 is an end-view of the clastic
bearing of the fly-wheel, placed in juxtaposition to the front view of it, shown in Fig. 1,
and drawn to a larger scale. Fig. 4 is a detail section on the line y-y of Fig. 1,
showing the elastic belt upon the fly- and belt-wheels. Fig. 5 is a detail view
showing one of the elastic joints of the belt. Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a preferred
modification of the treadle-bearing and the counter-acting spring which is set by the
momentum of the descending weighted portion of the fly-wheel. Fig. 7 is a plan-view
(looking down from the section-line yy of Fig. 6) of the said spring attached
to the rod which supports the treadle. Fig, & is a view similar to Fig. 6, but
showing a modification of the fly-wheel-weight-counter-acting spring. Fig. 9 is
a detail front view of the device shown in Figs. 6 and 8, for pivoting and supporting
the treadle. Fig. 10 is a detail view showing a modification in which the spring,
which counteracts the fly-wheel-weight, is made in one piece with the spring or
springs which support the treadle. Fig. 11 is a sectional elevation of a sewing-
machine-stand showing the clastic treadle support and the action of the fly-
wheel-weight-counter-acting spring in conjunction with the crank-motion poised
in such a manner that the balance wheel when operation has ceased shall always stop
normally in such a position that the crank has passed the dead point. A is the stand,
B the fly-wheel, and the elastic bearing of the same. C is the treadle connected by
the pitman a to the crank of the fly-wheel, as usual. D is the ordinary rod upon
which the treadle is fulcrumed. In order to produce elasticity or yielding resistance
between the treadle C and the rod D, the treadle may be provided, on the underside,
in two places, with hubs or bosses c, and above and below the treadle, through each
of the said hubs, with sockets de, respectively and then bored centrally through the
partition between the said sockets, for the insertion of a bolt thus leaving an
annular shoulder around the said central perforation. A bolt. E, provided with
an eye H, by which it fits upon the rod D, and with a circular shoulder or flange II,
by which it fits to slide in the socket e, is inserted with its shank g to slide through
the opening in the said annular shoulder, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3.
A spring I, which is preferably a spiral metallic spring, but may be made of a
piece of rubber or other suitable material, is placed to surround the bolt shank within
the socket e, and to bear with its ends against the flange or shoulder E, and directly
or by the interposition of an elastic washer or spring i, against the underside of the
shoulder A similar spring J, surrounding the threaded end-portion of the
bolt-shank is likewise interposed, in the socket d, between the upper surface of the
shoulder and the lower surface of the nut K, by which the latter the said threaded
bolt, the treadle and the spring, are kept together in their desired relative positions.
The modification in Fig. 3, as distinctive from that shown in Fig 2, is for the purpose,
merely, of allowing increased thickness of the nut, and yet give sufficient space for
the upper spring J, and consists simply in reducing the diameter of the nut, for the
greater portion of its height or thickness, surrounding the reduced portion of the nut
with the spring J, and allowing the spring to bear with its upper end against the
underside of the unreduced portion of the nut. The spring being of the proper
stiffness it is evident that a pressure upon the treadle will cause the same to move
down slightly upon the bolt E, and correspondingly compress the spring I. On
witlidrawal, or decrease, of the downward pressure, the spring I will again raise the
treadle and act against the upper and weaker spring J; thus affording also an elastic
stop for the upward movement, instead of a rigid stop, to avoid noise which sometimes
would be caused if the shoulder were allowed to come in direct contact with the
rigid nut K. The nuts K are intended to be concealed in their sockets d, so as not
to protrude above the upper surface of the treadle far enough to inconvenience the
foot of the operator. By this construction the desired elastic touch of the treadle is

page_text: obtained, and, particularly, when used in connection with the elastic bearing 6 of the
fly-wheel B, produces the desired clastic yielding which moderates and obviates
unevenness of motion, and prevents rapid and excessive wear of shafts and bearings,
prevalent in machines as heretofore constructed.
A simpler and cheaper modification of the device for pivoting and supporting the
treadle is shown in Figs. 6, 8 and 9. In this, the bolt E, instead of being pivoted
by the eye H upon the stationary rod D, is made in two parts, the lower part being
rigidly secured to the said rod and provided above the rod with a jaw to which the
lower end of the upper part or shank is hinged or pivoted by a pin k. The shank g
being thus a detachable part of the bolt E, may be provided with a thin head K, rigid
upon it, as in Fig. 6 (instead of a threaded nut as in Fig. 2.) and is inserted from
above through a hole in the treadle. The spiral spring J, though preferable, may be
replaced by an elastic washer interposed between the head K and the treadle. Like
as in Fig 3, the treadle is capable of a slight sliding movement upon the shank g,
being supported upon the spring I surrounding the belt. E. This latter modification
is much preferred also because it brings the freadle nearer to its fulcrum and thus
lessens the circular swing of the foot in operating the treadle; and the hinge-pin or
fulcrum can thereby also be made of much smaller diameter than (see the rod D)
in the modification shown in Figs. 2 and 3, consequently reducing friction to a
minimum.
The belt G, which transmits motion from the fly-wheel B to the wheel F, of the
sewing-machine-head, is made in sections of leather or other non-elastic parts L,
interconnected by spiral wire springs or other elastic parts . For these latter I
prefer the kind shown in the drawing which is sometimes used to connect the two
ends of the belt together for the purpose of taking up the slack due to wear and
stretching of the belt, so as to prevent slipping. One single such spring 1, or even
sometimes two (see the upper and lower springs in contact with the wheels F and B
in Fig. 4) will not effect more than a taking up of the slack of the belt, and will not
effect my purpose to make it elastically yielding in every position, because when
a spring is about midway on the are of contact between the belt and the wheel, the
friction, which keeps the belt from slipping, also prevents the spring from yielding,
For this reason the belt is made in a sufficient number of sections L, interconnected
by springs, so that during the travel of the belt there will always be one or more
springs out of contact with the wheels, thereby obtaining the elasticity desired.
M is a spring tending to raise the front or heel-end of the treadle. This may be
made of, or divided in, two separate springs, but it is preferably, made as in Fig. 7, in one
continuous wire fastened with the ends n in holes in the rod D, then wound by
coils m, around the rod, the middle part of the wire, or free end of the spring forming
a U in upward-pressing contact with the underside of the front or heel-end of the
treadle. In making the coils m, the wire is, of course, wound upon a core or mandrel
of larger diameter than the rod D, so as to be free to act.
Or the ends of the wire may be coiled around the bolt E, and thus form the elastic
support I of the treadle as in Fig. 10; or the coils m may be dispensed with, and the
U-ends fastened directly to the rod D, as in Fig. 8; and a flat spring may be used.
The weighted portion N of the fly-wheel B is made heavier than is necessary
to counterbalance the pitman, erank-pin and treadle, thereby gaining a preponderance
and increase of momentum on the downward movement of the weight N.
The combined action of this excess of weight and of the spring M will be
understood with reference to Fig. 11; the wheel B moving in the direction of the
arrow, and the letters
wpt w etc. indicating, respectively, corresponding
positions of the crank pin, toe-end and heel-end of the treadle and weight N.
When the crank is at p, and the treadle in the position the weight has advanced
on its descent, through the are of its greatest leverage and effectiveness, to about the
position marked w, and is thence carried past the lower perpendicular by the excess
of its accumulated momentum after having expended the main part thereof in setting
the spring M, which latter has obtained its maximum of depression when the
treadle is at th. The force stored up in the spring now exerts itself to lift the

page_text: weight N and maintain its momentum during the ascent. In the position p¹ th¹, the
weight is at w and the spring M is still acting, and continues to act until the crank is
at p and the treadle at t with the licel-end at its highest point; the weight is then
at w² and is thence by its momentum carried past the upper perpendicular.
When the crank is at p³ on its ascent, the weight is at w³ on its descent, the
heel-end of the treadle is moving downward and the spring M is being compressed.
The labor required of the operator's foot is but slight and the strain during every part
of a revolution is almost a constant.
The before described elastic support of the treadle itself, should not be confounded
with an elastic foot-rest placed upon the treadle, the latter being old and known.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I declare that what I caim is:
1st. In a treadle operated machine, a treadle elastically supported or cushioned on
its fulcrum, but held in position thereto by separate mechanism.
2nd. In a treadle-operated machine, a treadle elastically supported or cushioned on
its fulcrum, but capable of movement only in the direction of its required swing
or oscillation.
3rd. In a treadle-operated machine, the combination, with the treadle and its
fulcrum, of a spiral spring interposed between the said fulcrum and treadle.
4th. In a treadle-operated machine, the combination, with an elastically supported
fly-wheel, of an elastically supported treadle.
5th. In a treadle-operated machine, a treadle supported upon its fulcrum by a
guide-bolt and interposed spring.
6th. In a treadle-operated machine, a perforated treadle, in combination with
a fulcrum, bolts attached to the said fulcrum and passing through the perforations in
the said treadle, and springs interposed between the said fulcrum and treadle.
7th. In a treadle-operated machine, a perforated treadle, in combination with
a fulcrum, bolts attached to the said fulcrum and passing through the perforations in
the said treadle, and springs surrounding the said bolts and interposed between the
said fulcrum and treadle.
8th. In a treadle-operated machine, a treadle, in combination with a fulcrum, a bolt
made in two parts hinged together, one of the said parts being secured to the, said
fulcrum and the other part passing through a perforation in the said treadle, and
a spring interposed between the said fulcrum and treadle.
9th. In a treadle-operated machine, a treadle, in combination with a fulcrum, a bolt
made in two parts hinged together, one of the said parts being secured to the said
fulcrum and the other part passing through a perforation in the said treadle, a spring
interposed between the said fulcrum and treadle, and an elastic washer
spring surrounding the said bolt above the said treadle.
or
10th. In combination with two wheels, a belt transmitting motion from one to the
other of the said wheels, said belts being composed of flexible, comparatively
non-elastic sections joined together by flexible elastic sections arranged at proper
distances apart, as hereinbefore set forth.
11th. In combination with two wheels, one of them being elastically supported, a belt
transmitting motion from one to the other of the said wheels, said belt being composed
of flexible comparatively non-elastic sections joined together by flexible elastic sections
arranged at proper distances apart, as herein before set forth.
12th. In a treadle-operated machine, the combination, with a rod and with the
treadle fulcrumed to it, of a spring fulcrumed by said rod and acting with its free end
to raise the front or heel end of the said treadle.
13th. In a treadle-operated machine, the combination, with a rod and with the
treadle fulcrumed upon the said rod, of a fixed spring M coiled around the said rod
and acting with its free end to raise the front or beel end of the said treadle.
14th. In a treadle-operated machine, the combination with the fly-wheel having an
extra weighted portion, of the treadle, and a spring actuating one end of the said

page_text: treadle, the said spring being set by the oscillation of the treadle on the descent of the
said weighted portion and reacting to raise the said weighted portion whe
ascending.
15th. In a treadle-operated mechanism, the combination of: an elastically
supported treadle, an elastically supported fly-wheel, a bélt-wheel, and an elastic bel
transmitting motion from the fly-wheel to the said belt-wheel.
16th. The complete treadle or driving mechanism substantially as and for the
purpose described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 4th day of January 1888.