Singer sewing machine foot control

Clive Arthur brought next idea :

I always had in mind to try to put together something better, like a TRIAC control with speed feedback. On the rare occasions I have used out machine, I found the sudden take off at speed awkward to control and use. Someone must have tried such an improved design?

Not sure how electronic that old a sewing machine would have?

This is a link to replacement controllers and how to select them:

The real power stuff - 400V MOSFET switches - didn't turn up till I was out of that game in the late 80s.

And the intelligence to drive them reliably only got cheap in this century.

Of course, modern Berninas use proper control. But budget machines just used a resistor. The main difference it makes is at very low speeds, where a decent control has pretty much perfect control.

NT

Triacs were about £1 each. I built a 24 way dimmer rack in the mid 70s.

I suspect the pedal design is at least twice that age, probably somewhere between 1910 and 1930. Quick googling doesn't really give an answer, but electric Singer machines were first made in 1910 and must have had some sort of speed control.

Not sure how electronic that old a sewing machine would have?

This is a link to replacement controllers and how to select them:

That last is bullshit.

The rheostat design was patented by Singer in 1949. My guess is they continued to use them for years because they had a warehouse full.

it was in widespread use before then

you're a wit for sure

NT

No, they had the market sewn up.

Yes, the patent was granted in 1945, not 1949 as I wrote, it's specifically for controlling sewing machines. One of the claims mentions an 'improved controller of the carbon disk compression type' which means that the rheostat was already around.

It's a US patent US2371772A - the USPTO isn't very rigorous today, maybe they were better then.

It's just the 'improvement' that was patented then. Resistive piles were in use in the 1800s, and wirewound blocks with a wiper arm were a more common sewing machine foot control option.

I'd expect far better performance from the wiper type than a carbon pile.

NT

In the 1800s? Do you really mean in the period 1800 to 1810? Or did you mean some time in the 19th century? I wouldn't have thought there was anything electric powered anywhere in the 1800 - 1810 period.

I believe there were frogs' legs, kites and pithballs.

NT

I'd expect less durability and reliability.

This thread has just broken.

you finally cottoned on.

Probably more of the "if it ain't broken don't fix it" approach. No point in designing something to do the same thing if you already have the solution in production unless you are saving a lot of money by doing so.

It's no point comparing electronic solutions using cheap semiconductors of toady with what may have been possible with more expensive (in real terms) less reliable power electronics of the past.