IMPROVEMENTS IN MOTORS FOR DRIVING SEWING MACHINES, COFFEE MILLS, AND OTHER LIGHT MACHINERY OR APPARATUS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine,
Lakc, & Co, Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MOTORS FOR DRIVING SEWING
MACHINES, COFFEE MILLS, AND OTHER LIGHT MACHINERY OR APPARATUS."-
A communication from abroad by John Guffen Lane, of Millbrook,
-
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 22nd July 1875.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MOTORS FOR DRIVING
SEWING MACHINES, Coffee Mills, and OTHER LIGHT MACHINERY OR APPARATUS,”
a communication, to be as follows.-

page_text: conducting and directing water or other agents at will, in one, two, or
more streams against the buckets of the motor.
By this part of my Invention a machine to be driven (a sewing
machine for instance). which is connected with the shaft of the motor
directly by gearing, or indirectly by means of an intermediate shaft and
gearing, can be driven by a small expenditure of water passed through
one of the nozzles when light work is to be done, and may be driven by
a greater expenditure of water passed in separate streams through two
or more nozzles when a greater amount of work is to be performed. Or
instead of supplying from two or more nozzles at once a nozzle of small 1
diameter may be used for light work, or while the machine is running
and doing no work, as is often the case with coffee mills in show
windows, and a larger nozzle may be brought into use when a larger
amount of work is required to be done by such machine.
The said Invention also relates to a cock, and its nozzle or nozzles so 1
combined with the motor that all leakage and waste of water or other
agent used to drive the motor will pass off into the waste pipe, and thus
be kept from injuring the floor or carpets, and other objects, when the
motor is used in dwelling houses and stores.
The said Invention also relates to constructing one or more narrow and 2
shallow ribs on the bottom of the water wheel case for the purpose of
preventing a continuous revolution of the spent water or other agent,
and thereby ensuring its proper flow from the case into the waste pipe
or receiver.
The said Invention also relates to constructing the motor case with a 2
boss on the outside of its bottom, whereby it can be attached to an eye
bracket or a socketed support and swung around, and set in any position
most convenient for usc on a machine to be driven
The said Invention also relates to an intermediate swinging arm or
arms adapted for attachment to the boss of the motor case and to a foot g
or bracket, whereby the motor can be conveniently suspended and
adjusted in any desired position when the water supplying and other
connections of the motor and machine are made flexible or capable of
being extended.
The said Invention also relates to the combination of a motor shaft 3
stammadiato
CATU
Jonuionshaft and mechanism hu which ALL

page_text: motion of the latter shaft can be stopped without stopping the motion
of the motor shaft by pressing the foot upon a treadle or otherwise
acting upon an ungearing or disconnecting device; this combination is
such that the release of the shifter or disconnecting devico causos the
intermediate shaft and motor shaft to become geared together
By this part of the said Invention the attendant of the sowing
machine, coffee mill, or other machine is saved the labor and incon-
vonience of overcoming the inertia of the water wheel or motor when he
desires to start the countershaft and the machine driven by it, and thus
he can instantaneously start the machine being operated. He is also
saved the labor and inconvenience of overcoming the momentum of the
water wheel when he desires to stop the countershaft and machine
driven by it, and thus the can readily stop said shaft and machine.
This part of the said Invention renders it impracticable for the
attendant to leave the sewing machine and still not have it in operation
until he has first cut off the water or power from the water wheel by the
independent device provided for that purpose, for the instant that he
raises his foot from the device which operates the disconnecting shifter
the machine starts, and by its motion gives him warning that he must
remain at work or cut off the supply of power to the motor.
The said Invention also relates to certain details of construction,
whereby the countershaft and disconnecting device can be attached
directly to the motor case, and whereby the motor case can be applied
to tables and stands of different heights, and the motion of the counter-
shaft can be reversed without removing the power belt.
The wheel or motor shaft has a pulley fastened to it by means of a
sleeve and set screw. The sleeve of this pulley is made of such a length
that by inverting the said pulley and bringing the sleeve below instead
of above the pulley the belt which transmits the power from the wheel
or power shaft can be made to reverse the motion of the shaft driven by
it without the necessity of taking this belt off its pulleys, and the key
seat which receives the end of the screw is so located on the shaft that
it receives this screw whether the said pulley is adjusted to a position
which brings its sleeve below or above the pulley. The countershaft
is hung on the arms of a yoke bracket screwed to the top of the water
wheel case
This yoke is placed across a countersunk portion of the
top of the aforesaid case, and its arms or ends extend upward and

page_text: outward to about the circumference of the case and terminate in bearing
boxes for the said countershaft, which is passed through said boxes and
properly confined, so as to revolve freely.
A rocking disconnecting lever or shifter is pivoted to the edge of the
water wheel casc This shifter has two arms and a central tripping toc.
The arms are shaped to form stops, which strike upon the water wheel
case, and thus control the up-and-down movements of the shifter The
central toc extends up into the groove of the sleeve of a clutch and
moves said clutch longitudinally away from the pulley when the shifter
is rocked on its pivot One arm of the shifter is connected to the rear
end of a treadle of the sewing machine table. The pitman for this
purpose is made of two parts, one solid–and, the other tubulai. The
lower end of the solid part extends into the tubular part and is confined
by a screw. By having the pitman in two parts, and constructed as
described, it can be lengthened or shortened to suit the altitude at which
the water wheel case is adjusted on the table
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the 'conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 21st January 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, send greeting
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special
licence that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Robert
Lake, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an

page_text: Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MOTORS FOR DRIVING SEWING MACHINES,
COFFEE MILLS, AND OTHER LIGHT MACHINERY OR APPARATUS," a communi-
'cation to me from abroad by John Griffen Lane, of Millbrook, New
York, United States of America, Gentleman, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or
one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was
to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Scal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawing forming a part of this Specification -
This Invention relates to a water or other motor provided with two or
more regulated nozzles of equal or different discharging capacity, for
conducting and directing water or other agents at will, in one, two, or
more streams against the buckets of the motor.
By this part of my Invention a machine to be driven (a sewing
machine for instance) which is connected with the shaft of the motor,
directly by gearing or indirectly by means of an intermediate shaft and
gearing, can be driven by a small expenditure of water passed through
one of the nozzles when light work is to be done, and may be driven by
a greater expenditure of water passed in separate streams through two
or more nozzles when a greater amount of work is to performed. Or
instoad of supplying from two or more nozzles at once a nozzle of small
diameter may be used for light work, or while the machine is running
and doing no work, as is often the case with coffee mills in shop
windows, and a larger nozzle may be brought into use when a greater
amount of work is required to be done by such mill
The said Invention also relates to a cock and its nozzle or nozzles,
so combined with the motor that all leakage and waste of water or
other agent used to drive the motor will pass off into the waste pipe, and
thus be kept from injuring the floor or carpets and other objects when
the motor is used in dwelling houses and stores.
The said Invention also relates to constructing one or more narrow

page_text: and shallow ribs on the bottom of the water wheel case for the purpose
of preventing a continuous revolution of the spent water or other
agent, and thereby ensuring its proper flow from the case into the waste
pipe or receiver.
The said Invention also relates to constructing the motor case with a
boss on the outside of its bottom whereby it can be attached to an eye
bracket or a socketted support, and swung around and set in any position
most convenient for use on a machine to be driven
The said Invention also relates to an intermediate swinging arm or
arms adapted for attachment to the boss of the motor case, and to a 1
foot or bracket, whereby the motor can be conveniently suspended and
-adjusted in any-desired. position when_the_water supplying and other
connections of the motor and machine are made flexible or capable of
being extended.
The said Invention also relates to the combination of a motor shaft 1
and an intermediate or countershaft and mechanism, by which the
motion of the latter shaft can be stopped without stopping the motion
of the motor shaft by pressing the foot upon a treadle or otherwiso
acting upon an ungearing or disconnecting device, this combination
is such that the release of the shifter or disconnecting device causes the 2
intermediate shaft and motor shaft to become geared together.
By this part of my Invention the attendant of the sewing machine,
coffee mill, or other machine is saved the labor and inconvenience
of overcoming the inertia of the water wheel or motor when he desires
to start the countershaft and the machine driven by it, and thus he can 2
instantaneously start the machine being operated. He is also saved the
labor and inconvenience of overcoming the momentum of the water
wheel when he desires to stop the countershaft and machine driven by
it, and thus he can readily stop said shaft and machine.
This part of my Invention renders it impracticable for the attendant a
to leave the sewing machine, and still not have it in operation, until he
has first cut off the water or power from the water wheel by the inde-
pendent device provided for that purpose, for the instant that be raises
his foot from the device which operates the disconnecting shifter the
machine starts, and by its motion gives him warning that he must remain a
at work or cut off the supply of power to the motor.
The said Invention also relates to certain details of construction

page_text: whereby the countershaft and disconnecting device can be attached
directly to the motor case, and whereby the motor case can be applied
to tables and stands of different heights, and the motion of the
countershaft can be reversed without removing the power belt.

page_text: passage G through it. His a vibrating stem passed through the case A
from the outside and connected to the plug G' On the outer end of
this stem a handle II is provided. By means of this stem the plug
of the cock can be turned one quarter or half around in its seat.
I, I', are two nozzles of tapering form set into the cock so as to be (at
will) separately or unitedly in communication with the chamber of the
cock as occasion requires for the purpose of discharging the water which
passes through them upon different buckets of the wheel, either
separately or unitedly. When the plug G¹ is turned one quarter
around the nozzle I is open to the inlet passage E and the nozzle I' cut
off from the same, and when the plug is turned half around both
nozzles are open to the inlet passage. Thus it will be seen these nozzles
-are-in-communication, with a cock so constructed that the full pressure
of the water may be admitted to one nozzle while the other is shut off,
and by a further opening of the cock an additional nozzle may be
supplied with water, both nozzles supplying the water under the full

page_text: which the water may be admitted at full pressure, and another nozzle of
sufficient size in connection with it to run the mill when grinding, the
best result will be attained, and very little unnecessary wear and waste
experienced.
In practice, to secure the highest per-centage of power, the supply
water passage E should not be in area of cross section less than twelve
times the area of the discharge openings of the nozzles I, I'. J is a
narrow rib between the inlet and discharge passages E and E' of the
case A. This rib rises a short distance from the bottom of the case A,
and prevents the spont water from revolving continuously, and also
directs it properly to the discharge opening E'. There may be any
desired number of these ribs for this purpose. By preventing the
revolution of the spent or waste water the discharge thereof is greatly
facilitated The case A has a boss A¹ on its under side, and by means
of this boss is connected to a swinging arm A² of a foot or bracket A³,
which has an eye at one of its ends, and may be attached cither to a
side wall, or a floor, or to the upper or under side of a table In the
Drawing brackets of different forms are shown. Those shown in
Figures 8 and 9 are respectively designed for attachment to a side wall,
floor, or top of a table.
In Figures 1, 2, and 3, a special application of the motor to a sewing
machine table is shown, and I will now describe the mechanism by
which the motor when thus applied is controlled. The bracket A³ of the
sewing machine table M is provided with a sliding adjustable pivot M¹
fitted in its eye, and fastened by a set screw. The arm A has an eye at
cach end. One of the eyes of arm A² receives the boss A¹ of the wheel
case, and the other cye receives the pivot M¹, and the parts are ad-
Justably held together by set screws b¹, c¹, d'. By these means the
case A can be turned on the arm to bring the parts connected to it into
any desired position, and the case can also be adjusted and fastened on
the bracket A³ at any altitude required, for by loosening the screws the
parts can be slipped or turned as occasion requires, and again fastened
by turning up the screws. The arm A² may be either a single or
double jointed one, according to the extent of adjustment required in
operating with the motor.
The wheel or motor shaft D has a pulley O' fastened to it by means

page_text: such a length that by inverting the said pulley and bringing the sleeve
below instead of above the pulley the belt G which transmits the power
from the wheel or power shaft can be made to reverse the motion of the
shaft driven by it without the necessity of taking this belt off its pulleys,
and the key scat g¹ which receives the end of the screw G³ is so located
on the shaft D that it receives this scrow whether the pulley O¹ is
adjusted to a position which brings its sleeve below or above the pulley.
N is a countershaft hung on the arms of a yoke bracket N¹ screwed to
the top B of the water wheel case A This yoke crosses a countersunk
portion B of the top of the aforesaid case, and its arms or ends extend
upward and outward to about the circumference of the case A, and
terminate in bearing boxes for the shaft N, which is passed through
said boxes and properly confined-so-as-to revolve freely. On this shaft N
pulleys O, P, are arranged The pulley P is fitted loosely and pulley O
is fastened permanently. The loose pulley P has a conical recess cut
into its facc, in which recess a sliding conical friction clutch O° fits
snugly and holds the pulley by frictional contact, thereby preventing
its turning independently of its shaft N when desired The clutch O O°
has a sleeve extension 0³, and this is formed with a groove in its
periphery and a longitudinal slot O', as shewn. Stops 2, 1, hold the
pulley P and prevent its moving longitudinally, and a stop pin 7 which
is on the shaft N and fits in the slot O' prevents the turning of the
clutch O³, and allows said clutch to slide on the shaft N. when desired.
A spiral spring Q wound on the shaft N holds the clutch firmly in gear
with the pulley P so long as its action is not interfered with by a
disconnecting device under the control of the attendant. The belt G
which leads from the motor is passed on a quarter twist from the
pulley O¹ of the motor shaft to the pulley P of the shaft N. This belt
as shewn turns the shaft N in the direction of the arrow 2. By inverting
the pulley O' and retaining the quarter twist the shaft will be turned in
an opposite direction.
R is a rocking disconnecting lever or shifter pivoted to the edge of
the water wheel casc. This shifter has two arms and a central tripping
toe The arms are shaped to form stops, which strike upon the water
wheel case, and thus control the up-and-down movement of the shifter.
The central toc extends up into the groove of the sleeve of the clutch
and moves said clutch longitudinally away from the pulley P, when the
shifter is rocked on its pivot p. One arm of the shufter is connected to

page_text: the rear end of a treadle S of the sewing machine table by means of a
pitman T, T. The pitman is made of two parts, one solid and the other
tubular. The lower end of the solid part T extends into the tubular
part T, and is confined by a screw q¹. By having the pitman in two
parts and constructed as shown it can be lengthened or shortened to suit
the altitude at which the water wheel case is adjusted on the table The
said pitman is so connected to the shifter that the depression of the
front of the treadle by the foot of the attendant causes the toe to move
the clutch O³ out of frictional contact with the pulley P. This action
makes the pulley P an idle pulley, and at the same time stops the
shaft N from revolving by the pin entering slot O', and instantly
arresting the motion of the shaft N. The pulley P on becoming an
idle pulley allows the belt G° to continue its revolutions, and thus the
water wheel is kept in motion with the full head of water on when the
shaft N is stopped, and is ready for instantaneous action when the foot
is withdrawn from the treadle.
It is a very important matter to have the motor always ready for
action, as it saves time and labor of the operator and prevents jarring.
It is also important to have the shifter so combined with the motor that
it will be impossible for the operator to leave the machine without also
leaving the head of water on and thus have the motion of the sewing or
other machine act as a check against his leaving his work before
shutting off the head of water from the wheel by the apparatus which
is provided for that purpose.
If it were necessary to first cut off the water from the wheel in order
to stop the countershaft N it would of course be necessary on starting
again to admit the water for that purpose, and as the wheel has come to
rest its inertia must first be overcome before the operation can proceed,
and if the machine must be stopped by arresting the wheel considerable
labor will be expended and inconvenience experienced in overcoming the
momentum of the said wheel.
My method of stopping the countershaft N and allowing the wheel to
continue its motion is found to be a very great improvement over the
method heretofore devised. And the arrangement whereby the machine
cannot be started until the operator has withdrawn his foot from the
treadle, and in connection therewith having the weight of the treadle
connecting rod and shifter aided by the spring Q serve for automatically

page_text: bringing the clutch into gearing contact with the pulley, and thus effect
the gearing of the shaft of the water wheel. With the countershaft are
very important improvements over other devices, especially those
designed for sewing machines, which require frequent stopping and
starting; for with my arrangement a very slight motion of the treadle is
sufficient, but very slight pressure is required, and yet great prompt-
ness of action is secured
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the
same, I wish it understood that I claim,-
First The employment of nozzles through which the water is allowed
to-pass-in- regulated quantities in combination with an impact water
wheel, as above described.
Second. The nozzles I, I', made with different diameters, and through
which water is allowed to pass in regulated quantities in combination
with an impact water wheel, as above described.
Third. The nozzle or nozzles and the regulated cock constructed
entirely within the case A, B, and operated by a stem II from the
outside of the case, as above described.
Fourth. The case constructed with the rib J in combination with the
water wheel, as above described
Fifth. The combination of the swinging arm A³, pivot M of the foot
piece A³, and the boss or stud A' of the water wheel case, as above
described.
Sixth The combination of the motor shaft D, a loose pulley P, a 1
clutch O, a countershaft N, a shifter R, a pitman T, and a treadle S,
whereby the countershaft is ungcared from the water wheel or power
shaft D and its motion arrested without stopping the power shaft D, and
the said shafts are again geared with each other by the simple applica-
tion and withdrawal of the pressure of the foot of the operator from the
treadle, as above set forth and for the purpose specified
Seventh The rocking shifter R in combination with the friction
clutch O, with its slotted sleeve, loose pulley P, and shaft N, with its
pin and spring Q, whereby the shaft N is stopped as soon as it is
ungeared from the power shaft, as above set forth and for the purpose a
specified.

page_text: Eighth. The countershaft supported on a yoke attached to the motor
case, as above described.
Ninth. The shifter R constructed with stopping lugs on its arms
and pivoted to and supported directly by the motor case, as above
described.
Tenth. The combination of the motor case, with its revolving shaft
D, a treadle S, and a disconnecting shifter R, as above described
Eleventh. The extensible pitman, in combination with the arm and
pivot by which the motor case, with its revolving shaft, is connected to
the sewing machine table at different altitudes, as above described, in
combination with the quarter twist belt and the pulley P and the pulley
O¹, with its sleeve made reversible on the shaft D and fastened in place
by a scrow pin which enters the same key seat in both adjustments of
the pulley, as above described.
-In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and scal, this Twenty-first day of January,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-six.
20 Witness,
R. G. BROWN,
8, Southampton Buildings,
London.
WN. ROBT. LAKE. (L.S.)