The Free #5 from Rockford, Ill
 

I just received The Free #5 antique sewing machine. My model number is C51601. Anyone have any idea when it was made?

I had to look it up, and to me it looks like the number #5 is for the cabinet. The machine heads are given letter designation. C, CE, E,... I think these are long bobbin machines, but ismacs also list a round bobbin model "Free Duo-Rotary". Could the number you give be a production or serial number? A picture would help to identify model.

Who me? You know me well, Janey. I was thinking Frees had numbers and later they hooked up with Westinghouse.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]608624[/ATTACH]

Rotoscillo movement without ball bearings, I've forgotten which machine had them. One of the above.[ATTACH=CONFIG]608625[/ATTACH]

Both of these are long bobbins.

Rotary movement on a long bobbin machine?

rotocillo is cobination of rotary and ocillating

I finally found two videos on youtube showing this machine. I searched yesterday for The Free sewing machine but nothing came up, but searching for rotoscillo gave two hits. Rather fancy solution. How does the ball bearing mechanism compare to a 27 or 128? The timing chain might make it run different too. I suspect this is a model where the fancy teflon oils can make a difference.