Originally Posted by
themadpatter
I don't understand what the spring plate is. Can you show me a picture? Google was no help.
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This above ^ this is the black 'spacer' that is mounted in the cabinet on the far right side of the opening where the sewing machine is lifted up when in use. On most old, black, electric Singer machines mounted in a cabinet this plate swings up and down with the machine. It has a hole toward the back of the plate which allows the two-strand wire to come down off the electrical junction and connect to the knee control - or foot pedal - or sometimes both (if it's one where the foot pedal can be removed from the knee control bracket) inside the cabinet.
The bracket/plate has a large spring at one end that is fastened to the inside of the cabinet and assists in rolling the machine up into the sewing position. I've seen it called the spring plate, spring hinge, lift hinge, etc. On a treadle machine... it might have two holes to allow the belt to pass through to the wheel. On my 1920 Singer Library table... there are three rectangular slots in the plate (no hole) designed to pinch hold of the power cord when you screwed the end into a light bulb socket...lol.
You don't really notice the plate when a machine is lifted into the sewing position since the plate lays flush with the deck of the machine.