American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1875-01-02


stood in front of my tent-Cor. Chicago
Tribune.
WHEELER & WILSON'S NEW NO. 6 |
SEWING-MACHINE.
American Institute, New York---
Judges Report, Nov. IL, 1874.
To the Board of Managers:
GENTIEMEN-After a full and impartial ex
animation of the articles described, the under
signed judges make the following
REPORT-(ABsTRACT):
That Sewing machine No 436 (Wheeler
& Wilson's New No. 81 was claimed to be
so great an improvement, both upon the
well-known family machine made by the
same company, and upon all other sew
ing machines, as entitled it to recogni-
tion as a new and valuable invention.
Under these circumstances an extremely
thorough and minute examination be-
came both desirable and necessary, not
| only of it's novelty but of the skill and
| workmanship manifested in the fitting
| and adjustment of all its parts. We
| have risen from such examination with
an ample conviction that the claim, in
all its essential features, is well founded.
At the commencement of our examina-
| ton we were provided with several COM
| plete sets of all the working parts as they
came from the mandatory, and were at
| liberty to make our own selection for the
construction of a complete machine in
our presence. We thus had. to a large de-
| gree, demonstration of the nicely of the
manufacture. Every part was formed to
| II 9th ri xx-ith r,rocicinp
So accurately, for instance, did the sew
eral rotating hooks fit in the same bear
ing that, while entering it, each one of
them, without such contact as required
force, manifestly compre ssed the air
within in reaching its proper seat.
| The judges enumerate and describe
some of the points OF novelty and excel
lence of the machine. Among others:
The simple and efficient device for pro-
ducing variable motion for the rotating
hook;
The independent take-up lever, which
secures the tightening of the stitch un-
der the best possible circumstances;
The peculiar form of the hook and the
use of bobbin holding a great quantity
of the under thread;
The simple device for producing and
varying the tension of the lower thread !;
The hollow steel needle-bar;
The facility of applying and using
many useful attachments-the hemmer,
binder, corder, rutf1er, &C.
Having completed the construction of
our trial machine, in the way Indicated,
it was mounted upon convenient stand,
and submitted to every variety of test as
to the range of work that could be exc
cuted upon it properly and well,
J and without other adaptation than
| simple changes of needle and thread.
! The mere list of operations per
formed in our presence without
the slightest hesitation or failure,
t and without the discoverable loss of SO
} much as a single stitch, would convey an
inadequate idea of the complete success
achieved.
Beginning with a needle measuring
, but 17-1OO0 inch IN diameter, and operat
ing with the finest thread upon lace
goods, the same machine passed through
) all the stages of muslin and broadclott
of all conceivable thicknesses and fold
) ings and ridgings, and then with waxe6
, thread stitching through portions O
heavy harness leather.
After this demonstration of its range
: of work we entered upon the nicer test.
3 required for family and light manufac
, turing machine: In this department WI
witnessed all the varieties of work OF
, hemming, telling and braiding, and alst
degree of success in single and double
| ruffling which we believe unparalleled
, The varied kinds of work on a lady's
I boot were then performed, and each o
' these with the same marked success. In
deed, whatever the test, and whateve
E the work presen ted, the same unfailin,
r perfection was exhibited, not only in tn,
6 work as a piece, but in the execution o
each individual stitch. With much pa
e tient examination we were unable to dis
t cover a single defect.
I The minuteness of this report is a sim
. pie reflection of the care with which WI
. have endeavOred to examine these claims
= We find the chief advantage of this ma
e chine to be in the use of a modified form
s of the rotating hook as a substitute TO
e the shuttle, the hook carrying the uppe
e thread around the bObbin containing thu
S lower thread, and thus producing identi
f cally the same effect as the shuttle. Thu
e superiority of this rotary motion over thu
t reciprocating motion of the shuttle ma
!. chimes cannot be disputed. The "lock
+ stitch" which IS thus secured has Away
. ranked highest on account of the perma
: nence, beauty, and general desirablenes
v of the stitching when done, and the wild
e range of its application.
q To these conceded advantages ther,
f have been added, in our presence, thu
s SeVereSL ana most searching tests OF IL
v capacity and usefulness upon every or
e dinarily possible kind of work, and w,
e can do no less than bear witness to tn,
;. entire and remarkable success which ha
attended it's action in every part of on
examination. 1t is q machine aohich, b
the proof submitted, ne are satisfied mus
eventually supersede all Others noio kn,oae'
Dith ,ohich ii comes in competition.
AS the only conclusion to which WI
i can arrive after an investigation of tn,
!. several merits of each of the sewing
= machines submitted, an investigation
II which we have endeavored to make pa
q tienily and completely in every respect
and associating these with our bes
judgment upon the merits of the severa
:. machines which are in use but not OF
. exhibition:
y We recommend for the Wheeler d Wilson
:, NeO No. q Sen;n1 machine the htghes
a,oard ichich 1t is in the p0,oer Of the Inst
- tute to 6eston.
u JOHN A. BASSETT,
!. MOSES S. BEACH,
H. w. STEELE, Judges
u JOHN MATTHEW'S,
,f REUBEN BULL.
q The Board of Managers unanimousl
n approved the report, and recommends
>. for this machine the Gold Medal Of III
Il Institute.
Ie The Board of Direction unanimousl
,r approved this recommendation, an
n | awarded the Gold Ned1L to Wheeler I