Why the Unusual Stitch Length Lever

[Evo160K]

Is it original or someone's modification? The machine is badged as a 45K21, but obviously has a roller foot.  The serial number seems to put it's birth at 1915.

 

 

[Matt S]

This was on sale for some time on ebay UK. I am advised the stitch regulator assembly is from an old Adler machine. On such a machine the two wingnuts adjust the limits of forward (down) and reverse (up) sewing. Whether this means this K21 has been retrofitted to reverse I don't know, but I think that would be in the description if it has.

[Constabulary]

This is the 2nd 45K I see with this modification. Approx 2 or 3 years ago I saw one in Germany but at that time I had no money and it was a bit out of my driving range (meanwhile I drive further).

As Matt said, the stitch length lever is lend from a Adler 4 /5 though not sure if Singer probably produced (or modified) a small range of 45K machines with this lever. At that time I assumed someone (maybe a dealer?) once modified the machine for a customer but now that I see another one... not sure.

But due to the production date I´d rather say it is a customer / dealer modification. Not sure when Singer produced the first 45K´s with reverse but I don´t think that was in 1915 already but who knows.