Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1860-02-18

The cloth TO be sewed was suspended upo
pins projecting from "baster.plate. /
front of the cloth the "pad-plate" presse
the fabric upon the "baster-plate" Will
passing between them The first real i'm
4 provement made upon this machine was t,
change the needle from horizontal to
vertical action, abandon the "baster-pate, i,
and place the fabric to be sewed horizontal
ly upon plate beneath the needle, anC
move it along with pins and other proiec
tlons which penetrated the cloth Thi,
mode OF feeding the material was exceed
lngly Objectionable, because it prevented
the Tree movement in the fabric so essentia
IN forming curved seam. Many expedient,
were were devised and tried for obvating this
difficulty, so as to allow the cloth to be
readily turned in any direction while form
Ing the seam; this object was finally ac.
complished by Mr.. A, B. Wilson, in the
year 1850.
10 attempt an enumeration of the var
ions Inventions that have been patented to
improve the sewing machine, most of which
have scarcely been heard of since the patent
was granted, woqld require more time and
space than we can devote to it, so we will
content ourselves with referring to the most
prominent ones now before the public.
Howe's invention, the germ of all sue
ceSsful machines, used the shuttle in form.
ing the stitch, and it was considered indis
pensable to its successful working In lS49.
Mr.. Blodgett, of Boston, invented 'ro-
tary shuttle" which, in combination with
an "eye-pointed needle" was another step
forward. In 1850, Mr.. A. B. Wilson, now
OF the firm of Wheeler g. Wilson, obtained
patent for 1.-TWO pointed shuttle which
wouId8ake stitch in the backward. as
well as in the forward motion. This i'm
provement did not make the machine all
that could be desired In the following
year we first find the name of |. M. Singer
IN the Patent-office records in connection
with sewing machines. In August, 1851,
he n, obtained patent for giving the shut
tie an additional forward motion"
Thus far all the sewing machines had Sc
rlous disadvantages Among their promi-
nent defects, was the inability to increase
their speed without increasing the size of
the thread. This rendered them worthless
for fine sewing. Indeed, it was not only
necessary that the thread should be large.
in order to increase the speed without
breaking the thread, but the machinery it.
self must be made heavier to work the shut
tie, thus excluding them from use in the
family, and rendering them fit only for the
heaviest kind of work, in factories, &C.
For long time the proprietors directed
their attention chiefly 20 introducing their
machines into establishments where coarse
goods and heavy garments we're made
The m.tion Of the shuttle so strained upon
the thread, that one fine enough for sew
ing muslin could not be used. How to i'm
prove the machines, so to make the lock-
stitch rapidly and perfectly, and at the
same time to adapt them to the use of thread
fine enough for the most delicate fabric.
was the great problem to be solved in the
accomplishment of complete family sew
ing machine. Much thought, time, labor
and money were spent in efforts and expert
ments to achieve the desideratum. 1t was
finally reached in the summer of 1851 by
Mr. A. B. Wilson, who invented the "ro-
tary hook, " which seized the loop of the
thread when it is thrust through the cloth,
and passes it around a stationary bobbin
the lower thread, in the same
manner that the school girl passes her skip
ping under her feet. The use of this
rotary hook" rendered it practicable to
make the machines much lighter than pre-
7iously, and secured the long desired OBJ
ect of making the lock stitch in perfect
manner with rapdity, even while using the
finest thread on the most delicate material. |
At once it became family sewing machine !
This improvement is one of the most i'm !
Dortant features in the sewing machines of !
to-day. The shuttle machine, however, has |
been made lighter, and so i'm
proved as to carry fine thread, but it will |
not work with that rapidity which is attain
I'd by using the "rotary hook"
While several individuals were laboring
20 perfect the clock stitch, !" others were en-
gagged upon the "chain-stitch" The first |
patent granted in England, was in 1850, |
md for a single-thread ''chan-stitch."
Some FIVE or six patents we're granted
or different modes Of making the "chain
titch," but this class of machines did not |
assume practical form until the year 1851,
fHeu NIOftT a. Ddhef OOJdlueu patent !
or forming double loop stitch, by means
If two needles, Que working vertically and |
he other horizontally Various improve
nents have been added to this machine,
md now it is one of the most quiet and |
simple ones in use. 1t is adapted to both |
he finest and coaTSest thread and to sew
ng the lightest as well as the heaviest of
Foods. This double-loop stitch requires
more thread for a seam than the lock stitch,
md the loop being formed on the under
ide of the cloth, it leaves a ridge along
he seam on that side. Owing to these
acts manufacturers Of clothing object to
n0chines that make this stitch yet some
PERSONS prefer it for the garments that re.
luire washing, because Of the elasticity of
he seam.
Since the perfection of these stitches
many ether inventions have been added,
ome of which are important to the success
ul operation of the machines. Among
he devices for regulating the supply Of the
bread, the motion, &c. But from three
hundred patents, only about twenty-five dis
inct and different sewing machines have
'een produced, and less than one-half Of
hese have thus far proved sufficiently prac-
ical to meet with general appreciation from
he nnhlic . while fOnr or five only have