The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1875-01-07
WHEELER & WILSON'S NEW NO.
6 SEWING MACHINE.

To the Board of Managers:
GENTLEMEN-After a full and impartial ex-
animation of the articles described, the under
signed judges make the following
REPoRT--(ABsTRAoT):
That Sewing-machine No. 436 (Wheel-
Ell & Wilson's New No. 6) was claimed
to be so great an improvement, both
upon the well-known family machine
made by the same company, and upon
all other sewing g-machines, rs entitled it
to recognition as n new and valuable in
vention. Under these circumstances, an
extremely thorough and minute examina-
ton became both desirable and necessary,
not only of its novelty but of the skill
and workmanship manifested i'll 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 ex-
animation, we were provided with several
complete sets of all the working parts as
they came from the mandatory, and
were Mt liberty to make our own selection
for the construction of a complete ma
chine in our presence. We thus had, to
large degree, n demonstration of the
nicely of the manufacture. Every part was
formed to fit every other part with exact
precision. So accurately, for instance,
did the several rotating hooks fit in the
same bearing, that while entering it,
each one of them, without such contact
as required force, manifestly compressed
the air within i'll reaching its proper seat
The Judges enumerate and describe
some of the points of novelty and excel
-cace 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 I'M
der the best possible circumstances;
The peculiar form Of the hook and the
use of bobbin holding a great quantity
of the under thread;
I 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, ruffler, &c.
Having completed the construction of
our trial machine, i'll the way indicated,
it was mounted upon convenient stand,
and submitted to every variety of test rs
to the range of work that could be eXecu-
/ ted upon it properly and well, and with
/ ont other adaptation than simple changes
/ of needle and thread. The mere list of
operations performed i'll our presence
without the slightest hesitation or failure
and without the discoverable loss of So
much as q single stitch, would convey an
inadequate idea of the complete success
achieved.
Beginning with a needle measuring
but 17-1000 inch in diameter, and opera
ting with the finest thread upon lace
goods, the same machine passed through
all the stages of muslin, and broadclotll
of all conceivable thicknesses and fold
thread stitching through portions OF
heavy harness leather.
After this demonstration of its range
of work, we entered upon the nicer tests
required for family and light manufac
turing machine. In this department we
witnessed all the varieties of work Oh
hemming, telling, and braiding, and alsc
degree of success in single and double
rntfiing which we helievo unparalleled
The varied kinds of work ON lady's
boot were then performed, and each o.
these with the same marked success. In
deed, whatever the test, and whatever
the work presented, the same unfailine
perfection exhibited, not only in the
work as piece, but in the execution OF
each individual stitch. With much pa
tient examination, we were unable tc
discover single defect.
The minuteness of this report is a sim
pie reflection of the care with which we
have endeavoredtO examine these claims
We find the chief advantage of this ma
chine to be i'll the use of a modified form
of the rotating hook as a substitute fol
the shuttle, the hook carrying the upper
thread around the bobbin containing the
lower thread, and thus producing identi
cally the same effect as the shuttle. The
superiority of this rotary motion over the
reciprocating motion OF the shuttle ma
chimes cannot be disputed The clock
stitch which is thus secured has always
ranked highest on account of the perma
nence, beauty, and general desirableness
of the stitching when done, and the wide
range of its application.
To these conceded advantages there
have been added, in our presence, the
severest and most searching tests of its
capacity and usefulness upon every
ordinarily possible kind of work, and
we can do no less than bear witness tC
the entire and remarkable success which
has attended its action in every part Of
our examination. 1t is machine irhich
by the proof submitted, zoe are salts.
fGd must euenttaiW superSede all Others
nor k1iOun With Which it comes in com.
! petition.
As the only conclusion to which We
can arrive after an investigation of the
several merits of each of the sewing,
machines submitted, an investigation
which we have endeavored to make pa.
tiently and completely in every respect,
and associating these with our best
Judgment upon the merits of the sew
eral machines which are in use but not
on exhibition:
We recommend for the Wheeler d
Wilson Ne,o No. 6 Se,Oing-machine,
the highest a,Oard aOhich it is in the
pOlcer Of the Institute to bestOW.
The Board of Managers unanimously
approved the report, and recommended
for this machine the cold Medal Of the
| Institute.
JOHN A. BAssETT,
MOSES S. BEACH,
H. w. STEELE, Judges.
JOHN MATTHEWS,
REUBEN BULL.
The Board of Direction unanimously
approved this recommendation, and
awarded the Gold Medal to Wheeler &
Wilson, the only gold medal awarded fol
/ n aseWinp-machine by the American Tn.