ThayerRags

I hinted about getting this machine just before Christmas in another thread, but after researching it more at Singer, Needlebar, and other places, here is some more information about it. Singer put out a few units that they called “convertible” that either provided more than one power source, or could be converted from stationary to portable use. This is one that qualifies under both conditions. It can be operated as a Hand Crank machine, or as a Treadle machine in the stand by making minimal changes between the two modes of operation, and can be made portable by simply lifting it out of the stand table by pressing a metal release tab and placing the machine on a flat surface to operate.

The hand crank was called a “Hand Attachment” and was an optional feature that had to be requested when ordering. The head is outfitted with a special bobbin winder that functions by a rubber ring making contact with the rim of the hand wheel. On most model 27 treadles, the bobbin winder pulley rode on the treadle belt and had no “tire” as we call them today. I believe that the hand wheel is unique to this configuration as well. It has 12 spokes compared to the normal 6-spoke hand wheel found on most model 27s. Twelve-spoke hand wheels can be found on the model 28 as are the more common 9-spoke hand wheel.

Other examples of Singer convertible units, especially when electric motors were introduced, included a couple of treadle stands that could be converted back and forth from treadle to electric power. One industrial stand used a coupling nut in a special 2-piece metal pitman rod that could be switched from the treadle wheel pitman rod upper section to one attached to an electric motor. I have one of those, but unfortunately, the coupling nut is missing. Another convertible treadle model had a 1-piece pitman rod, and since the lower end consisted of a ball in a socket, the entire metal pitman rod could be unscrewed from the upper end fitting at the fly wheel, and a small attachment was screwed onto the upper end of the pitman rod and fitted into a small motor speed control mounted on the underside of the top by the use of a pigtail-type connection. In both cases, the same treadle plate was used to activate both modes of operation, and drive belts had to be changed from the flywheel to an electric motor pulley.

There are several examples of Singer cabinets made to convert from stationary to portable use of hand and electrically powered machines. Early versions included a drop-in cut-out to accommodate a portable case base, and later versions included a special adaptor “cradle” that could be mounted in several cabinets to provide quick portability of the machine (Singer shortbed 301 & 301A). Singer folding tables are another example of a stationary/portable design. Perhaps Singer became the largest sewing machine company by trying to be everything to everybody with all of their versions of things?

CD in Oklahoma