IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES, APPLICABLE TO OTHER MACHINES WORKED BY FOOT POWER
Year: 1868

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Orville Watson Powers at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
30th September 1868.-A communication from abroad by Greenleaf
Stackpole, of the City of New York, in the County and State of
New York, United States of America.
I, ORVILLE WATSON POWERS, of 135, Regent Street, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES, APPLICABLE TO OTHER MACHINES
WORKED BY FOOT POWER," a communication to me from abroad by Greenleaf
Stackpole, of the City of New York, in the County and State of New
York, United States of America, to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in providing an auxiliary power for sewing
machines, applicable also to other like machines worked by the treadle
in order to assist the operator by augmenting or multiplying the power
applied to the treadle in the ordinary manner.
The object of this Invention is to reduce the labor of running
sewing machines and other machines worked by a foot treadle to
the lowest point compatible with the perfect government of the move-
ments of same by means of the treadle operated in the ordinary

page_text: manner, and whilst always necessarily insufficient in itself to propel
the machine and entirely subordinate to and under the control of the
treadle. The auxiliary power by multiplying the force applied to the
treadle will perform about nine-tenths of the actual work of running
the machine, leaving only about one-tenth of the power otherwise
required (just enough to secure perfect control of the movements of the
machine) to be exerted by the operator, thus rendering it an exceedingly
valuable assistant to all who use sewing machines and other machines
worked by a foot treadle, especially in a hygienic point of view to ladies
of delicate constitutions, who would thereby be enabled to use the sewing
machine with perfect ease and comfort. It is moreover an invaluable
aid to all persons learning the use of sewing machines, as it will not
only render the machine more easy to operate, but will entirely prevent
it from running backwards unless desired by the operator. When by
simply touching a lever the power can be instantly disconnected or
connected at will.
A
According to one mode of carrying out this Invention as applied to a
sewing machine, for example, a case or box containing the machinery
necessary for producing the auxiliary power is fitted beneath the table,
and on the ordinary main shaft which carries the fly wheel there is pro-
vided a clutch, which slides on such shaft and revolves therewith.
pinion mounted on the main shaft gears into one of the wheels inside the
case, such pinion being loose on the shaft except when in contact with
the clutch. The clutch is worked by any ordinary clutch lever which
works on a centre in the side or end of the case. This lever also has an
arm which arrests the transmission of auxiliary power when the clutch
is moved away from the pinion. The auxiliary power may consist of a
drum or barrel containing a spring, in combination with which is a
ratchet and a stop gear to prevent the spring from being overwound. A
pinion gears into the winding wheel for the purpose of gaining power in
winding the spring. A train of spur wheels having pinions attached are
employed, and work in connection with each other in the manner of
clock wheels for the purpose of gaining speed in the transmission of
the power,