The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1871-04-28
THE PROGRESSIVE AGE.

I .
The substitution OF machinery for manual
labor may truly be called the child OF the 10th
| century.
John Adams Dodge, OF Moncton, VT, in the
/ year 1919, invented the first device by which
| stitching could be done. This used needle
| with one eye in the center, and made a stitch
| like the back-stitch in hand-sewing.
In 1884, Walter Hunt, of New York, invent
ed a sewing machine, which used an eye
| pointed needle, and reciprocating shuttle.
! These were the distinctive features of Elias
Howe's patent of 1916; making seam in the
| cloth with two threads, one on each surface,
and iptorlocked in the centre:
In 1S50-52 Mr.. 4. b. Wilson patented his
invention for producing similar stitch, but
| by devices which rendered il Objectionable in
also patented his invention, which used Hunts
pripcipeI and thus gradual Improvement fol-
lowed, until 1860, the Empire Sewing Machine
was invented and patented. with devices more
simple and easy than any of It's predecessors,
using the original principle of Hunts, but
adapting it TO the whole range OF sewing. To
the United States is due the credit OF this de-
| velopment; abroad, no improvement has been
added of any Importance.
In considering the sewing machine Iaeelan-
ism as we nov lind IL, the first point is the
STITCH. The principle of these are;
First-Single thread chain stitch.
Second-DOuble=threa chain-stitch.
Observation-Disclosures loek-stitch.
First, the single-thread chain-Stitch, Is form
ed OF one thread interlooped, in the ordi-
nary process of knitting or erocheting. About
four and one-half yards of thread are required
for yard of seam. On one side of the work
single line Of thread is seen, and on the
other succession Of loops like embroidery
1t will, of course, readily raYel, like knitting.
Theipsecurity OF THIS work, aud the waste of
thread in making it, have prevented its use
for the ordinary purpose of sewing machine.
1t is used TO some extent in embroidery.
SecOnd-Double-thread chaln-stitch is FORM
ed with two threads INTERCEPTED on one side
of the fabric sewed where il forms ridge. or
orn Imental stitch for embroidery. but insult
ed for the general purposes of sewing, from
the fact that this ridge wears of II exposed.
1t is also liable to Tayel, and consumes ia sew
ing siy and Gne-half yards Of thread for one
yard Of seam.
Third-The loek-stitch is formed with two
threads, one upon each side of the fabric sew.
ed, aud interloeked in the center of it. show
ing upon each surface only single line of
thread extending from stitch to stitch. 1t
cannot be travelled, and requires two and one
half yards of thread for one yard of seam.
The quantity of thread required in making
the different kinds OF stitches is about as fol-
lows:
The lock-stitch used by the Empire nses two
and oRe-Aalf yards OF thread to one yard of
seam.
The single-thread chain or loop-stitch as
mon Sense, etc, uses four and One-half or five
yards of thread to one yard of seam.
The double-thread chain, or as sometimes
called) the dOuble-lock stitch, as used by the
Raymond. Grover & Baker, Pearl, Wagner Il
Co., uses five and one half to six an one-h alf
yards OF thread to one yard of seam. The
vary with the thickness Of the cloth. but the
proportion remains the same. The inferiority
of the work done on all chain or toop-stitch
machines is TOO well known to need comment.
But the difference in the amount OF thread is,
perhaps, not so well understood,
A sewing machine run at the rate of yard
OF seam in three minutes, and ten hours day
would, in one year, use the following amounts
of thread: LOck-stitch or Empire, $50 spOols,
at ten cents, SI5; loop'or chain-stitch, or Will
cox Il Gibbs, $50 spoOls, at ten cents, S135;
Baker. 1850 shoots, at ten cents, $195, Thus,
you see, the lock-stitch or Empire will save,
oyer the CT ain or Wilcox & Gibbs $50 per
years and over the douhle-thread chain, or
Grover l. Baker, 500 per year in thread.
These calculations are based on the PROPOSE
ton that the machine Is run steadily three
hundred days in the year, but If you only run
it one-fourth of that time, 1t effects saving Of
SIS over the chain, and $50 over the Grover'tS
Baker stitch; if you use silk the difference is
far greater, frequently amounting to one or
The amount of thread required by this
chain-stitoh does not increase the strength of
the seam, because II presents on one surface
only single line of thread, like the lock-
stitch. and the chain is no stronger than its
weakest link.
Suppose, for instance, $40, OOO, 900 be requir-
ed annually for the thread and silk for the
80. 600 inhabitants with the lock-stitch.
With this double-chain stitch 1t would cost
81, 900, 900, loss of S45 100000 with an infe-
rior kind OF work produced. This objection
has kept the machines making this stitch out
OF manufactures where true economy is stud
led. The difference per machine in this item
alone, would be from one TO three hundred
dollars, according to tue quality Of silk or cot
ton used,
ELASTICITY OF STITCH
the thread. If the thread is drawn tightly, so
that>it is imbedded into the goods, there is less
elasticity. Consequently the tension should
be regulated in conformity with the kind of
goods to be sewed. In veBy thick and firm
fabrics there is liability to get the tension TOO
tight, while in loose goods or on bias seams
respondingly lighter, There is no perceptihle
difference in the elasticity of the different
seams made upon machines when the same
amount of tension is ussd upon each. The
companies using the chain or loop-stitch, Tin
Guiding the Grover & Baker, Wilcox q Gibbs,
&c.) are cheating the pubic by false state
ments regarding this matter, the following is
their programme: taking piece of hanael or
soft goods cut blasting, they sew line upon il
with a chain-stitch machine with light ten
sion, and thcn line with the lock-stitch, us
ing a tight tension. They then ask you to
draw or stretch the goods. which readily
breaks the lock-stitch, while the loop-stiteh
remains unbroken. Thus they attempt TO ere
ate the impression that the loop or ehain-stitch
durable than the lock. But this cheat will be
readily exposed by reversing the process, as
Will DC seen Dy any one WHO Will make the e0-
pertinent upon the two machines. Sew line
upon the same goods with loose tension on
the lock-stitch, and then one upon the chain
stitch machine, using n strong tension, and
upon stretching the fabric, the chain-stitch
will be broken, while the lock-stitch seam re-
mains all right 1t Is an ingenious fraud. and
might mislead those who are unacquainted
with the expedients adopted by companies
compelled to sustain the falling reputation OF
the chain or loop.stiteh.
The few other stitches made by machines.
as the "knOtted stitch !" &c, are of no pra stic-
al value, can only be made by an increased
con APPLICATION OF machinery, and advertised on
" TO attract custom.
The essential parts of a sewing machine are:
First-Mechanism for making stitches.
Second-Aechanism for holding and feeding
the cloth.
Third-Mechanism for tension Of the thread
The mechanism for making the single thread
chain-stitch, Is an eye-pointed needle above
| the fabric 70 carry the thread, aud hook be-
thread open while the needle withdraws frcII
the cloth and thrusts another loop through
the irst. This. in turn. is held open until a
thread is thrust through it.
The double-thread chain-stiteh is formed
| with two needles, or their equivalent, each
carrying = thread; one above and the other
| below the cloth. On loop OF the upper
thread being thrust through the fabric, loop
| Of the lower thread is thrust through it, and,
/ in turn, the upper needle withdraws and
/ thrusts loop Of the upper thread through
the loop Of the lower. A succession Of these
l reciprocal interloopings forms 8 seam
/ Third-The lock-stitch Is formed: First, by
an eye-pointed needle, carrying the upper
L thread. and reciprocal shuttle carrying the
lower thread. A loop Of thread being thrust
through the fabric, the shuttle carrying the
4 lower thread passes through Ii and leaves >
/ line Of thread in it. The loop being drawn up
the two threads are interlOeked and thus 4
forms searn, showing single line q thread