Thread: A Whatsit..

Originally Posted by DSEL74

I bought this today and I'm wondering what is it, what is it off, and how is it supposed to work??

It has a large free pulley and then a stepped cone pulley. When you press down on the lever it comes up under the large pulley and effectively brakes the pulley. When it is pulled up a little rubber nub presses to the centre of the small end of the cone pulley and I don't think it presses hard enough to friction drive the large pulley and cone pulley together?


Anyway it was curious enough for my to buy it for $1

ummmm..........photo??????????

Doh

Originally Posted by DSEL74

Doh

Could there be a brake hidden inside that cone pulley? Then it could be a braked idler pulley.
Or is there a clutch inside that cone pulley? In this case it could be a drive shaft, but there would have to be some sort an exit shaft or gear on the right hidden under the dome.

It may be a clutch assembly from an old sewing machine. Singer??

The dome is just some sort of decoration I think. Neither the cone or large pulley drive the shaft and both spin feely.

I dud consider it could be off a sewing machine but can't remember seeing anything like it on Nanna's treadle singer.

I dont know why but early shearing comes to mind

Originally Posted by DSEL74

I dud consider it could be off a sewing machine but can't remember seeing anything like it on Nanna's treadle singer.

Industrial machines have a continuous run fixed motor around 3/4 to 1 HP under the bench and a pedal operated lever clutch between the motor shaft and drive pulley. However the clutch is normally integral to the motor, with a single pulley.

Domestic machines (older type) have a small universal motor with a permanent belt drive to the machine, ON-OFF being controlled generally by a carbon pile, a pile of carbon buttons with the current flowing through them (in an insulated box). When no pressure is applied to the pile they go open circuit stopping the motor, as you apply compression to the pile, the contact resistance between the buttons reduces, applying a low voltage to the motor, as the pressure increases, the resistance continues to reduce until it reaches a minimum for maximum speed. Very well suited to either a footswitch style or knee lever style controller. Later models may use a Triac system similar to a power drill or router. Super duper computerised units will probably use stepper motors or some form of brushless permag motor with fully electronic controllers.

Sheering plant normally had an overhead drive at about 7ft above the floor, spinning a bevel pulley, with another bevel pulley mounted at right angles to drive the PTO shaft that ultimately drove the handpiece. The shearer activated or deactivated the handpiece by tugging a cord attached to a lever at the bevel pulleys, which in turn operated a toggle that swing the PTO bevel pulley into or out of contact with the driving bevel pulley. The system could be driven from line shafting via flat belts for permanent installations in large sheds, or via electric or small IC motors for portable gear in smaller sheds where a couple of shearers might work through the flock in a few days and move on to another farm.

It is off a sewing machine I have a 96k10 sewing machine with the same clutch pulleys
Eddie

I reckon there is some sort of clutch plate between the large pulley and the cone pulley and I am nearly 100% sure the whole unit hangs from the roof and the dome thing is actually a drip tray to catch any excess oil that drops from the bearings.
We have the drip trays at work for the overhead shafting.
Mind you I did say "nearly 100% sure"

Phil

TKO, Can you post some photos of the item set up with the machine???

Phil, That all sounds very plausible.



The little hole at the end of the lever arm could also be for a pull cord for activation from below.

i would say sewing machine as stated above looks to be spot on . the colour is very singer looking too .

johno

Yes, I would say it's from a 96K10 or similar model, I recently sold one on Ebay that had that pulley/clutch arrangement mounted under the wooden top. Interestingly the old Singer cast iron base sewing stool got a much better price than the machine.

So the singer one the cone connects to the power drive such as motor, and the large pulley connects to the sewing machine. When used the lever either brakes the large pulley and disengages from the cone, or the lever releases the brake and forces the pulleys to drive together via clutch. Is that correct?


OK now what can I use it for in the workshop??