"IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINE TABLES OR STANDS, AND. IN SUPPORTING SEWING MACHINES THEREON.
Year: 1879

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Alexander Melville Clark at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th October 1879. A communication
from abroad by Jules Pierre Suriray, of Paris, France.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINE TABLES OR STANDS, AND. IN
SUPPORTING SEWING MACHINES THEREON. [A communication from abroad by Jules
Pierre Suriray, of Paris, France.]
This Invention consists in so mounting a sewing machine upon its table or stand,
and in so constructing the latter that the sewing machine may be quickly turned
down beneath the table, or lowered through a trap or opening therein when not in
use, in order that the table may be used as an ordinary work table, and as readily
raised above the table again when required.
The Invention may be carried out in various ways. The accompanying Drawings
show two arrangements, in the first of which the machine and the portion of the
table on which it is fixed is mounted to rotate on a horizontal axis, and in the
second it is lowered vertically through an opening in the table.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of the first arrangement, the machine being shown
raised above the table for use; Figure 2 is a front elevation, Figure 3 a side
elevation, and Figure 4 an underside plan of this arrangement, the sewing machine
and its case or cover being represented turned down beneath the table; Figure 5 is
a front elevation (part in section) of the second arrangement, the machine being
shown above the table, and Figure 6 is a similar view with the machine lowered;
Figure 7 is a cross section showing the machine above, and Figure 8 a cross section
showing the machine below the table; Figure 9 is a plan view of the table and the
machine with its cover on. Referring to Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, a is a base or support
upon which the bed plate of the machine is fixed. This base a contains a compart-
ment b fitted up like ordinary work tables, and closed by a lid c hinged to the base
at d. This base a is mounted on end pivots or gudgeons e carried by the standards f,
upon which it rotates in an aperture in the table g, which aperture in either position
of the machine the base a fills. h, i, bolt and set screw for fixing the base a in one
or other position; j is a slide closing the small opening in the table g in which the
small band pulley k and hand wheel 7 are received when the machine is in the position
for use (Figure 1); m, bolt for closing the lid c of compartment b; n, box or cover
for the machine when not in use. In the arrangement shown in Figures 5, 6, 7, 8,
and 9, the machine instead of being rotated on an axis, is lowered vertically. a is

page_text: the table fixed on standards b. The machine c is mounted on a box or bracket
support d which is fitted to slide up and down on vertical guide rods e, the whole
being counterbalanced by a counterweight h attached to a cord f passing over a
pulley g;
kis a bolt for locking the machine support in its raised position. To use
the table as a work table the bolt is withdrawn and the machine enclosed in its
cover m is lowered to the position indicated in Figures 6 and 8, the top of the box
or cover m coming exactly flush with the table a and filling up the aperture therein,
thus making a continuous surface. In lieu of a counterweight h, springs, levers, or
other equivalent means may be employed for counterbalancing the machine and its
support.
Before lowering the machine it may if necessary be moved laterally from right
to left far enough to enable the small band pulley to clear that of the fly wheel o.
Modifications of the arrangements above described may be made to suit the
various systems of sewing machines, and therefore I do not limit myself strictly to
the precise arrangements shown and described.