US2607650A - Sewing machine with automatic disapparing treadle - Google Patents

Description

g- 1952 L. J. FIGHTER ET AL 2,607,650

SEWING MACHINE WITH AUTOMATIC DISAPPEARING TREADLE Filed April 2, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 "z: Y I g i Q N LI Aug. 19, 1952 L. J. FIGHTER ET AL SEWING MACHINE WITH AUTOMATIC DISAPPEARING TREADLE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 2, 1948 Patented Aug. 19, 1952 SEWING MACHINE WITH AUTOMATIC DISAPPEARING TREADLE Ludwig J. Fichter and Ralph E. Pierson, Rockford, IlL, assignors to Free Sewing 'Machine 00., Rockford, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application April 2, 1948, Serial No. 18,667

18 Claims. (01. 312-26) This invention relates to treadle operated sewing machines, and is particularly concerned with the provision of means for automatically causing the folding and unfolding of the treadle to and from a concealed position in the lowering and raising of the head to and from a folded inoperative position.

The salient feature of our invention is the provision of a longitudinally extending shaft mounted in bearings under the working top of the sewing machine cabinet and operatively connected with the hinged cover panels, to be oscillated automatically in the folding and unfolding of said panels, the shaft having one arm fixed thereon providing a fold-down type support for the head, and having another arm fixed thereon which is operatively connected through a linkage and bell-crank mechanism with a hinged treadle supporting panel mounted in the cabinet on one side of the leg-space to swing down laterally into operative position. With this combination, the drop head in gravitating from its raised operative position to its lowered inoperative position supplies more force than required to raise the treadle carrying panel. Included in the linkage and bell-crank mechanism referred to is a closely coiled tension spring interconnecting the lower end of the main link with the bell-crank to provide a positive connection for push operation, as in unfolding the treadle supporting panel, and a yieldable connection in the opposite direction, namely, when folding the panel upwardly into the side of the cabinet, whereby to compensate for minor irregularities in quantity production of the machines and at the same time avoid danger of serious injury to the operator or a child standing nearby when the panel is folded up, in the event fingers should be caught between the parts. The spring connection, incidentally, provides a convenient means of threadedly adjusting the link connection to lengthen or shorten the effective length of the main link connection, as required in the original assembling of the machine at the factory.

' The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a front phantom view of a sewing machine cabinet showing the foldable head actuating and foldable treadle actuating mechanism in full lines, the treadle being illustrated in its unfolded operative position;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the treadle folded up and the head folded down;

Figs. 3 and 4 are end views of Figs. 1 and 2, respectively;

Fig. 5 is a detail on the line 55 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail, partly in section and partly in elevation, of the adjustable spring connection between the main operating link and the bell-crank.

The same reference numerals are applied to corresponding parts throughout the views.

Referring to the drawings, the cabinet illustrated in phantom comprises a top I, over which two cover panels 8 and 8a are foldable inwardly from opposite ends, the same being hinged at the ends of the top I, as indicated at 9 and 9a. The top is supported on legs l0 and H leaving leg-space l2 therebetween. The leg portion l0 is of hollow construction without drawers, the other leg portion including drawers I3, which may extend the full depth of the cabinet to store the sewing materials. In the inner side wall I l of the leg portion l0, an opening I5 is provided, in which a treadle supporting panel l6 has a free working fit, the same being hinged to the cabinet at its lower end, as indicated at H, to swing laterally and downwardly from the folded vertical position of Fig. 2 to the unfolded horizontal operative position shown in Fig. 1. Metal or rubber bumpers |8 are provided on the outer end of the panel I6 to rest on the floor, and thus keep the panel out of contact with the floor so long as the treadle I9 is in use. The head 20 is hinged by means of the usual bed plate 2| to the top in the usual way, as indicated at 22, to drop down in the opening 23 when the machine is folded, and there is a specially designed front bib section 24 hinged at 25 to the bed plate 2|, to fill out the front portion of the opening 23 in front of the bed plate 2| when the head is raised. This bib section has at its opposite ends downwardly curved laterally and forwardly projecting lugs 24a on the bottom thereof at the forward edge, which ride under the top at the opposite ends of the bed plate opening at the end of the upward movement of the head, to assure unfolding to coplanar relationship of the bib 24 with the top and bed plate 2|, and at the same time cause the forward edge portion of the bib 2 1 to ride into place on top of supporting blocks 24b, provided in the cabinet on the back of the front cross-piece 240 under the top at the front corners of the bed plate opening, whereby the bib portion 24 assumes a fair degree of support of the head in the final raised position, instead of the arm 5| having to assume the entire load. This construction also makes for a better working top by eliminating the sense of yielding under downward pressure on the forward portion of the bed plate. There is sufficient friction at the pivotal connections 25 to assure maintaining the bib 24 at the angularity illustrated 24b in the droppin f the head 20, so that there will be nothing to interfere with the bib 24 being unfolded again later bythe sliding of the lugs 25a against the under side of the top 7 the next time the head is raised. If desired, suitable friction washers may be provided at; the pivotal connections 25 to give the desired friction Fig. 1; shows the machine ready for use with the head It lowered to operative position, the treadle being arranged to operate the fly wheel '26 by means of a pitman rod 21 attached tothe'c'rank 23 on the flywheel, and the fly wheel being arranged to transmit drive to the pulley 29 on the end of the head by means of the usual belt 30, the usualhand wheel being shown next to the pulley 29. on the head 20 at 3!. When the machine is folded, as illustrated in Fig. 2, the head 20 is dropped down and is concealed under the covers 8 and 8a, andthe panel 5 is folded upwardly concealing the treadle 19, which folds up withit into the leg Ill;

The treadle I9 is slidably and oscillatably mounted by means of bearings 32' on a shaft 33 supported at its ends in brackets 34 fastened to the inner side of panel I'6.- Alaterally and forwardly reaching arm 35-, which in the old style treadle machine was pivotally connected directly to the lower end ofthe pitman rod operating the flywheel, is here only provided with a forwardly reaching stub axle 35, at right angles to and pivotally engaging ina transverse hole provided in the adjacent end of the spindle 3?. This spindle is rotatably mounted at its other end in bearing 38 on rod 27 on a fixed axis at rightangles to said 'rod, so that oscillation of the treadle I9 transmits reciprocatory movement to rod 21 to turn the fly wheel 26, and, the treadle may, nevertheless, be moved through ninety degrees (90) relative to spindle 31, as shown in Fig. 2.v It will be noticed that rod' 27', which is normally in a plane substantially, parallel to the V 29 raised to operative position and the treadle ily wheel 26, is swung laterally to the extent v shown in Fig. 2 when thejtreadle is folded up into the cabinet, The bearing 39 on the upper end cient flexibility to give to this extent. Now, a 7

horizontal shaft 4i extends lengthwise of the cabinet under, top I andis supportedfor oscillation in bearings 41 secured to the under side of said top, and this shaft isarrangedto be oscillated, as will soon appear, in response to pivotal movement of cover panel 8. An arm 42 fixed to one end of this shaft has one end of a link '43 pivotally connected thereto and extending downwardly inside the cabinet leg l0 and pivotally connected at its other endby means of aclosely coiled tension spring 44 to one arm of a bellcrank lever 45. The latter is pivotally mounted, as at 46, on a block fastened to the back wall of the cabinet in the lower portion of the cabinet leg I0, and has its other arm pivotally connected to one end of a short-link 41, which in turn, is pivotally connected at its other end to the treadle supporting panel I6, as at 48, in radially outwardly spaced relation to the axis of pivots H- for said panel. In that way, the arm 42' in apthe position shown in Figs. 1 and 3 to that shown 4 in Figs. 2 and 4 is adapted to cause the folding up of panel l6 with the treadle I9 from the exposed operative position to the concealed inoperative position, and vice versa. The spring 44, in the unfolding operation, acts as a positive link elenientlike link 43, transmitting downward push to the associated arm of bell-crank 45. On the other hand, in the folding operation, spring 44 exerts a yielding pull on the bell-crank arm,

which is of advantage in several ways: It compensates for such slight variations in the cabinets and in the link and lever mechanism as are bound to occur in quantity production and hurried assembly of sewing machines, and, what is more important, it affords a safety feature in providing the give needed in the event the operator or a child standin nearby should happen to get fingers caught between the cabinet and the panel I 6 in the closing of the latter. By providing a helical groove ld in the-lowerend of the link At, as shown in Fig. 6, and threading the upper end ofspring- 44 m this'groove, we also are enabled easily to change the effective length of the main operating link connection 43-44, as may be necessary in the'assembly of the machines at the factory, the spring being'merely disconnected from the lever Hi'at' 50 and screwed up or down on link 43- one' or; more turns; as

conditions require, andreconnected at 58; This head, as best illustrated in-Fig; 3; where the head is shown in its raised operative position, By 10- cating the arm 5| substantially in the vertical.

plane through the center of gravity of thehead and bed-plate, it is obvious that we are assured of easiest operation, andwe also provide a roller 52 mounted in a depending leg 53 on the bottom of the bed platezi at the-freeforward edge thereof, which has rolling contact-on the flat top track surface 5 4 provided on the arm 31 and makes for quiet and easy operation-when the parts move, from theposition shown, in Fig. 3 to that shown,

in Fig. 4. Now,- the cover panellihas .a short link 55 pivotally connected-atone endto the panel18 in radially'outwardlyspaced relation tothehinging axis of said panel; as shown in Fig. Land this link rides on a roller {r1- mounted in a bracket 58 fastened to the end wallofj'the cabinet. A

chain 59 ispivotallyconnectedto the free end of the link 55, as clearly a-ppearsin Fig. Land is adjustably-connectedat itszother endby means of a screw 60 to aradial; arm 61. provided, on one, end of a segmental-shaped roller 61 that is suitably fixed to the end'ofgtheshaftjfl. A,.nll.t 63. threading onthe screw 68' can be. adjusted. to.

() movement of; the cover. panel 8 from the. folded position of Fig, 2; to ,theunfoldedmosition of Fig. 1, whereby to 'raise'thehead 2lllto operative position and atthe same time unfold the.

treadle 19 to operative position; A look nut. 64

threading on the screw- GD can be;tightene'd.

against the adjustingnut -fl to maintainfthe aid justment.

A transversely curved dust and oil'drip gu'ard" 65 is provided extending between the legs Ill and this curved guard.

It is believed the foregoing description con veys a good understanding of the objects and advantages of my invention. The appended claims have been drawn to cover all legitimate modifications and adaptations.

We claim: I a r 1. In a sewing machine of the drop head type, a cabinet providing a working top, a head pivoted thereon to swing downwardly to a position below the plane of the working top of said cabinet, said head including a hand wheel and pulley on one end, a cover panel for the working to hinged to one end of the cabinet remote from the hand wheel and pulley, a longitudinally extending shaft supported in a substantially horizontal position in bearings under the working top, means providing an operating connection between the hinged cover panel and the adjacent end of said shaft, whereby the shaft is oscillated through a predetermined angularity in response to one hundred eighty degree (180) unfolding movement of the cover panel, means intermediate the ends of said shaft operatively connecting the head with the shaft, whereby the head is raised to and supported in operative position in the aforesaid oscillatory movement of the shaft, a flywheel mounted in one end of said cabinet below the aforesaid hand wheel and pulley and adapted to be drivingly connected by a belt with the pulley, a treadle oscillatably mounted on a support that is pivoted on a substantially horizontal axis relative to the lower portion of the flywheel containing end of said cabinet so as to be folda-ble from a substantially horizontal operative position upwardly to an inoperative position, a pitman rod connected at its upper end to a crank-pin on the flywheel and having a universal joint connection at its lower end with a laterally reaching arm provided on said treadle, and means operatively connecting the treadle support with the adjacent end of said shaft remote from the hinged cover panel, whereby the treadle support is unfolded from its vertical inoperative position to its horizontal operative position in the aforesaid oscillatory movement of the shaft.

2. In a sewing machine of the drop head type, a cabinet providing a working top. a head pivoted thereon to swing downwardly to a position below the plane of the working top of said cabinet, a cover panel for the working top hinged to one end of the cabinet, a longitudinally extending shaft supported in a substantially horizontal position in bearings under the working top, means providing an operating connection between the hinged cover panel and the adjacent end of said shaft, whereby the shaft is oscillated through a predetermined angularity in response to one hundred eighty degree (180) unfolding movement of the cover panel, meansintermediate the ends of said shaft operatively connecting the head with the shaft, whereby the head is raised to and supported in operative position in the aforesaid oscillatory movement of the shaft, a flywheel mounted in said cabinet drivingly connected by a belt with the head, a treadle oscillatably mounted on a support that is pivoted on a substantially horizontal axis relative to the lower portion of said cabinet so as to be foldable from a substantially horizontal operative position upwardly to an inoperative position, a pitman rod connected at its upper end to a crank-pin on the flywheel and having a universal joint connection at its l 6 lower end with a laterally reaching arm provided on said treadle, and means operatively connecting the treadle support with the shaft, whereby the treadle support is unfolded from its verticalinoperative position to its horizontal operative position in the aforesaid oscillatory movement of the shaft, the last mentioned means including a push and. pull link and lever mechanism adapted to push the treadle support from folded inoperative position to unfolded operative position and pull it in the opposite direction, and said mechanism including a closely coiled tension spring, which, in the push operation, operates as a positive link element, but which in the pull operation operates as a yieldable tension element, substantially as shaft, whereby the shaft is oscillated through a predetermined angularity in response to one hundred eighty degree unfolding movement of the cover panel, means intermediate the ends of said shaft operatively connecting the head with the shaft, whereby the head is raised to and supported in operative position in the aforesaid oscillatory movement of the shaft, a

flywheel mounted in said cabinet drivingly connected by a belt with the head, a treadle oscillatably mounted on a support that is pivoted on a substantially horizontal axis relative to the lower portion of said cabinet so as to be foldable from a substantially horizontal operative position upwardly to an inoperative position, a pitman rod connected at its upper end to a crankpin on the flywheel and having a universal joint connection at its lower end with a laterally reaching arm provided on said treadle, and means operatively connecting the treadle support with the shaft, whereby the treadle support is unfolded from its vertical inoperative position to its horizontal operative position in the aforesaid oscillatory movement of the shaft, the last mentioned means including a push and pull link and lever mechanism adapted to push the treadle support from folded inoperative position to unfolded operative position and pull it in the opposite direction, and said mechanism including a closely coiled tension spring, which in the push operation operates as a positive link element, but which in the pull operation operates as a yieldable tension element, substantially as and for the purpose described, said tension spring being furthermore threadedly connected with one of the links of the link and lever mechanism for length adjustment of one of the link connections,

4. In a sewing machine of the drop head type, a cabinet providing a working top, a head pivoted thereon to swing downwardly to a position below the plane of the working top of said cabinet, said head including a hand wheel and pulley on one end, a cover panel for the working top hinged to one'end of the cabinet remote from the hand wheel and pulley, a longitudinally extending shaft supported in a substantially horizontal position in bearings under the working top, means providing an operating connection between the hinged cover panel and the adjacent ,end of said predeterminedgang'ulai'ity response my one hundred eighty degree 1 (186) unfoldin movement of the cover, panel, ahead supporting and oscillating arm fixed to said shaft under the head and movable upwardly the aforesaid oscilla: tion of said shaft to rai'sethe head to operative positiongz'rhofiher arm in transverse relation to the first'arrn fixed to and oscillating with the other end of said'shaft remote fromthe hinged paneha'iiywheel mounted inone' end of said cabinet below the aforesaid hand wheeland uii y' and adapted to-be drivingl'y connectedby a belt with the pulley, a tre'adle oscillatably mounted on a support that'is pivoted on a substantially horizontal axis relative to the flywheel containing end of said cabinet so as to be foldable upwardly from a-subs'tant'ially horizontal op erative position to an inoperative position, a

pitman rod connected at its-upper end to a; o' ra'nk= pinon the; flywheeland having a universalj oin't connectiona-tits lower endwitha laterally reach-=- ing arm provided on said treadle, and means o'p' erativelyico'nnecting the last mentioned arm with the treadle support, whereby to unfold the'treadle support to operative position in; aforesaid oscillatory movement of the shaft.

5; In a sewing machineo'f'thedrop'head'fype; a cabinetprov-iding a working top, ahead pivoted thereontoswing downwardly-to a positionbelow' the plane of the Working top of said cabinet, said head including a hand wheel and pulley on one end, a cover panel'for the working top hinged to one end of the cabinet-remote item the hand wheel and pulley; means operatively' connecting said heady/1th saidcover panel tor'aise the head toand support the same in operative position' in onehundred eighty de ree (1809) lillft jldiiig'- Inovementof the cover panel, a; fl'ywhe'el mounted in one endof said cabinet below the aforesaid" hand wheel and pulley and adapted to' be; driv ingly connected by abelt' with the pulley; a" treadle oscillatable relative" to the flywheel can-- taining end of saidcabinet and fold'able from a substantially horizontal operative position'up wardly" to aninoperative position; a" pitinanrod unfoldthe t'r'eaclle to operative position in'the' same one hundred eighty degree (180) unfold"- ing movement v of the cover panel.

66 In'asewingmachine of the drop headtyp',

a cabinet providing a working top, a headpivoted thereon'to swing downwardlyt'o position below the planeof the working top of's'aid'ca'binet, said head'including a hand Wheel and pulley'on one end,. a cover panelfor the Working tophinge'd' to one endof the cabinet remote from'the" hand Wheel and pulley, means operativly connecting said headwith said cover panel to raisethehe'a'd to an'd'suppor ttne'saane in operative'position'in one hundred eighty degree (180 unfolding movement of the cover panel, a flywheel mounted in one end or: sa-idcabinet below the aforesaid" hand Wheel and pulieyand adapted to be any: ingly'connected'by abeltwitli the "piill'ey; a trea dle-oscillata-ble relative to the flywheel contaiii ingv end of said'c'ab'in'et' and foldable from a substantially; horizontal operative -pos'ition iipwardlyf toan inoperative position, a pitinan' r'od con nected at: its: uppei I enev to a crank-pin the flywheeland havingaiiniveisal joiiit 'co heotion 8' at its lower end with a laterally reaching arm providedon said treadle, and means connected with the head raising andsupporting means for folding and unfolding the treadle in the lowerin a'ndraising oi the head, so that the weight of the head in gravitating to its lowered position supplies the force needed to raise the treadle to its folded inoperative position. Y

7. In a sewing machine of the drop head type, a cabinet providing a working top, ahead pivoted thereon to swing downwardly to a position below the plane of the working top of said cabinet, said head including ahand wheel and puuyen one end; a cover panel for the working top hinged to one end of the cabinet remote from the hand wheel and pulley, a flywheel mountedin one end of said cabinet below the aforesaid hand wheel and pulley and adapted to be drivingly connectd by a belt with the pulley, a treadle foldable with respectto the flywheel end of said cabinet to and} from a substantially horizontal operative position, a pitma-n rod connected at its upper end to a cranl-pin on the flywheel and having anniversal joint connection at its lower end with a laterally reaching arm provided on said treadle, andmeans operatively connecting the cover panel with the trea-dle so as" to unfold the treadle to operative position in one hundred eighty degree unfolding movement of the cover panel. v

8. In a sewing machine of the drop head type; the combination Of a abinet roviding a Working top having an opening provided therein for a bed plate, ahead including a bed plate pivoted to position, means onthe cabinet providing a sup porting ledge for the front edge portion of saidfront panel to support thesanie in coplanar rela tion with the working top, and'g'uide projections on the bottom of said front panelat-its forward edge at opposite ends' arran ed to slide on the bottom of the workingtop-of said cabinet at oppositeen'ds of the aioresamoeemn tobause the unfolding of the front panel to coplanar relation: ship'with the bedpl'ate' and guide it into position over the aforesaid supporting ledge. I

9. Ina sewing machine of the drop'headtype; the combination'oia cabinet providing a working top'having' an openin provided therein fora'be'd' plateahead includin'g a bed plate pivoted t'o sai'd' cabinet ins'aid opening to swing downwardly to a positionbelow the plane} of said working top,

acOVf panel fbl said cabint'hing'd with respect to one end or sa'id'work'ing top and operatively' conneoted withthe'head to swing the same upwardly'to and supportthe 'same'in operative positionin one hundred eighty degree (180) unfold in? movement of the coverpanel, a front panel pivoted to the ent portion of the bed plate unfoldable to coplanar contiguous relation with the b'e ti plat when the head is'r'ais'ed to operative' position meahs on the cabinet providing a supporting ledge for the front edge portion of said rrpntpanei to sup ort the'same in coplanar relation with the working" i, i. 1 5 guide ections on the bottom of said front panel at its forward edge at opposite ends arranged to slide on the bottom of. the working top of said cabinet at opposite ends of the aforesaid opening to cause the unfolding of the front panel to coplanar relationship with the bed vplate and guide it into position over the aforesaid supporting ledge, the pivotal mounting for saidfront panel frictionally resisting pivotal movement thereof relative to the 'bed plate sufiiciently to maintain the front panel at a predetermined angularity relative to the bed plate in its lowered position, to which angularity the panel moves in sliding off the ledge in the lowering of the head.

10. In a sewing machine of the drop head type, a cabinet providing a workingtop, a head pivoted thereon to swing downwardly to a position below the plane of the working top of said cabinet, a cover panel for the working top hinged to one end 'of the cabinet, '2. flywheel mounted in said cabinet drivingly connected by a belt with the head, a treadle foldable with respect to the cabinet to and from a substantially horizontal operative position, a pitman rod connected at its upper end to a crank-pin on the flywheel and having a universal joint connection at its lower end with a laterally reaching arm provided on said treadle, and link and lever mechanism operatively connecting said foldable treadle with the cover panel to fold and unfold the treadle in the folding and unfolding of the cover, said link and lever mechanism including a closely coiled tension spring, which in the unfolding of the treadle acts as a positive push link element, but which in the folding of the treadle acts as a yieldable tension spring element, substantially as and for I the purpose described.

11. A sewing machine as set forth in claim 10, wherein one of the link elements of said link and lever mechanism is adjustably threadedly connected with one end of said tension spring for a length adjustment of the link.

12. In a sewing machine, a cabinet providing a working top and depending leg portions, one of which is hollow, a flywheel mounted in the hollow leg of said cabinet, a head supported on said cabinet with which said flywheel is adapted to be operatively connected by a belt, the hollow leg portion of said cabinet having an opening provided in the inner side wall thereof, a panel pivotally mounted at its one end on a horizontal axis in the lower portion of said openingto swing upwardly and form a closure for said opening, a treadle oscillatably mounted directly on the inner side of said panel so as to swing with it to and from its vertical closed position, and a pitman rod connected at its upper end to a crankpin on-the flywheel and having a universal joint connection at its lower end with a laterally reaching arm provided on said treadle.

13. In a sewing machine, a cabinet providing a working top and depending leg portions, one of which is hollow, a flywheel mounted in the hollow leg of said cabinet, a head supported on said cabinet with which said flywheel is adapted to be operatively connected by a belt, the hollow leg portion of said cabinet having an opening provided in the inner side wall thereof, a panel pivotally mounted in the lower portion of said opening to swing upwardly and form a closure for said opening, a treadle oscillatably mounted on the inner side of said panel, a pitman rod connected at its upper end to a crank-pin on the flywheel and having a universal joint connection at its lower end with a laterally reaching arm provided on said treadle, a bell-crank pivoted in "10 g the lower portion of said hollow leg and having one arm thereof operatively connected by a link with the pivoted end portion of said panel, a link pivotally connected with the other arm of said bell-crank extending upwardly in the hollow leg, and a cover panel hinged to the working top of said cabinet and operatively connected with'the upper end of the last mentioned link so as to push downwardly thereon in the'unfolding of the cover panel and pull upwardly thereon in the folding of said cover panel. I

14. A structure as set forth in claim 13, including a closely coiled tensions'pring forming the connecting .element between the upwardly extending last mentioned link and the associated arm of said bell-crank, and adapted to serve as a positive push element in the unfolding of the tre'adlesupporting panel and as a yieldable tension spring in the folding of said panel, substantially as and for the purpose described.

15. In a sewing machine, a cabinet providing a working top and depending leg portions, a cover hinged to the working top to unfold into substantially coplanar relationship thereto, one of the depending leg portions of the cabinet forming an enclosure, a panel forming an inner side wall of said enclosure and pivotally mounted at its lower end to swing downwardly to a substantially horizontal position in which it is adapted to serve as a treadle support, a bell-crank pivoted in the lower portion of said enclosure and having one arm thereof operatively connected by a link with the pivoted end portion of said panel, another link pivotally connected with the other arm of said bellcrank and extending upwardly in said enclosure and operatively connected at its upper end with the cover, so that the cover pushes downwardly on said last mentioned link in the unfolding of the cover to unfold the panel and pulls upwardly on said link in the folding of said cover to swing said panel upwardly to closed position.

16. A structure as set forth in claim 15, including a closely coiled tension spring forming the connecting element between the upwardly extending last mentioned link and the associated arm of said bell-crank, and adapted to serve as a positive push element in the unfolding of the treadle supporting panel and as a yieldable tension spring in the folding of said panel, substantially as and for the purpose described.

17. In a sewing machine, a cabinet providing a working top and depending leg portions, a cover hinged to the working top to unfold into substantially coplanar relationship thereto, one of the depending leg portions of the cabinet forming an enclosure, a panel forming an inner side wall of said enclosure and pivotally mounted at its lower end to swing downwardly to a substantially horizontal position in which it is adapted to serve as a treadle support, a bell-crank pivoted in the lower portion of said enclosure and having one arm thereof operatively connected by a link with the pivoted end portion of said panel, another link pivotally connected with the other arm of said bell-crank and extending upwardly in said enclosure and operatively connected at its upper end with the cover, so that the cover pushes downwardly on said last mentioned link in the unfolding of the cover to unfold the panel and pulls upwardly on said link in the folding of said cover to swing said panel upwardly to closed position, a flywheel mounted in said enclosure and adapted to be operatively connected by means of a belt with a head support on the working top, a treadle oscillatably mounted on the inner side .rod connected at its upper end to a crank-pin on the :fiywheel and having a universal joint connect-ion at its lower end with a laterally reaching arm provided on said treadle. I

18. In a sewing machine, a cabinetrproviding a working top and depending leg portions, one of which provides an enclosure, a panel forming an inner side wall of said enclosure and pivoted at its lower end on a substantiallyhorizontal axis to swing downwardly to a' substantially horizontal position in which itris adapted to serve as a treadle support, a flywheel mounted in said enclosure and adaptedto be op ratively connected by a belt with ahead supported on the working top, a treadle oscillatably mounted on the inner side of said panel and slidable endwise along its axis of oscillation relative to said panel,

12 and a pitman rod connected at its upper end to a crank-pin on the flywheel and having a universal Joint connection at its lower end with a laterally reaching arm provided on said treadle.

' LUDWIG J. FIGHTER.

. RALPH R. PIERSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

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