All About Inventions and Discoveries
The Romance of modern scientific and mechanical Achievements

376 All About Inventions attention to the work, many ingenious efforts have been made even to supersede the foot action. Of course, in large factories the machines are driven by power, but considerable ingenuity appears to have been displayed to adapt a power-drive to the single domestic appliance. During the first twenty years of the sewing machine’s history, after its introduction to commerce, a round seventy-five patents were granted for motors to fulfil this task. In the greater number dependence was placed upon the action of coiled steel springs demanding periodical winding in the manner of a clock. Needless to say, these fantastic conceptions failed to realise any profitable results for their ingenious creators. But the coming of electricity and its universal application brought about a far- reaching change. To-day it is not difficult to render the home sewing machine independent of both hand- and foot-labour, provided electric current is available within the house. A small motor, developing about J horse-power, is mounted beneath the table, fed from an overhanging electric lamp or wall plug, and con- trolled by a switch, and the cost of operation in this manner is about the same as that of running a 16 candle-power electric lamp. The advantage of the machine driven in this manner is a higher sewing speed, this averaging about 800 stitches per minute as compared with 200 to 400 stitches per minute with the foot. The stitching speed is controlled in an ingenious manner, merely depending upon the pressure exerted upon the treadle. The lighter the pressure the slower the speed, and vice versa. Printed by Cassell & Company, Limitid, La Bellb Sauvage, London, E.C. f. 30.619