Singersews

I recently was given the opportunity to fix up a singer sewing machine that used to belong to my grandmother and, before her, her aunt. It's a model 201k I believe. It's been going well and today I was able to thread up the machine and test it out. When I did that, I noticed that that the bobbin was effectively backwards to what I'm used to when thread a machine - the thread and bobbin made a "q" rather than a "p" when held.
I thought this was rather odd, but my modern machine is a Brother so maybe this was just a quirk for Singer machines to make them stand out? But no. I did some research and as far as I can tell, no other machine has the bobbin in this orientation. I just don't understand why?
From my (limited) research, I found that the bobbin on. This singer model rotates clockwise, as opposed to anticlickwase the other machines do, which I assume is related to the orientation of the bobbin. But I want to know why. Why does this specific model have the bobbin backwards? None of the models before or since seem to. Why does it rotate in the opposite direction? Does it need to in order to form the stitches? I can't see that the machine wouldn't work if it rotated the othe way as all of the others do.
If anyone has any knowledge or theories please tell me as I this is driving me insane!
And yes, I did make this account specifically to try and find an answer. Please help me.

Mickey2

As far as I know, model 66 was the first drop in / horizontal bobbin machine introduced in 1900, and then 99 was introduced a decade later. Both are much the same machine. Model 201 came around 1930, or just before, and inbetween there Singer had model 101. These are the the only drop in straight stitchers I know of, the later models are zigzaggers like 401, and I can't really remember which way the bobbin goes in with the later 50s and 60s models.

If you have the bobbin in the wrong way around the thread will sooner or later jump out of the tensioner and probably other ways of messing up stitching. I know well, since going from my 99 to the 201 it's easy to get this mixed up. I always have to think twice about this, even check the manual if it's been a while ;- ) The race and hook is very different on a 201, it is rotary, while the 60 hook and race is occillating, sort of going back and forth in half circles. 101 has a similar rotary hook and race.

Model 66 and 99 is the oposite of 201 in which way the bobbin goes in. Early Japanese machines tend to be based on model 15, most having a CB occilating bobbin case, and I'm not sure when they started developing drop in bobbin systems.

Mickey2

I just came to think of my Elna Supermatic, and even the earlier Elna 1 too (the "Grashopper), they have a horizontal drop in bobbin case, but I have to drag out my Supermatic to check the bobbin direction. The first Elna 1 is a freearm straight stitcher. I don't know if there is any standard of origin that can be tracked down, since the 101 and the 201 are a bit special and new developments at the time. I think we can be safe to say that the 66 and it's easy of use and dependability set a starndard and developers took notice of it.

Edit, in the first reply, it should of course be 66 not 60. Model 101 and 201 have similar hook and race! Sorry, too hasty when typing for a quick reply :- )