Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-01-01
AMERICAN INSTITUTE AWARDS.
Wheeler & Wilson'S New No. 9
Sewing Machine.
Judges RePOrs.

Board OF ManagerS-Gentlemen: After
full and impartial examination of the arti
eles described, the undersigned Judge:
make the following
REPORT-(ABsTRACT.
That SeWing-machine No. 436 wheeler
& Wilson's New No. o. was claimed to be
80 great an improvement, both upon the
well-knOwn family machine made by the
same Company, and upon all other sewing
machines, as entitled Il to recognition as a
new and valuable invention. Under these
circumstance, an extremely thorough and
minute examination became both desirable
and necessary, not only Of its novelty, but
Of the skill and workmanship manifested
in the fitting and adjustment Of all its
parts. We have risen from such examine
ton with an ample CONJUNCTION that the
claim, in all its essential features, is well
founded.
at the commencement of our ex nina
tior, we were provided with several CON-
] 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 q complete machine in our
/ presence. We thus bad, TO a large degree,
a demonstration Of the nicely Of the manu-
facture. 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, with
out such contact as required force, mani
festy compressed the air within in reach
| ing its proper seat.
THE judges enumerateand describe some
! Of the points of novelty and excellence 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 under
the best possible circumstances
The peculiar form OF the hook and the
use Of b0bbin holding 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 faculty Of applying and using many
useful attachments-the hemmer, binder,
corder, ruffier, etc
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 executed upon
it properly and well, and without other
adaptation than simple changes Of needle
and thread The mere list OF operations
performed in cur presence without the
slightest hesitation or failure, and with
out the dlscOyefable loss of so much as a
single stitch, would convey an inadequate
idea of the complete success achieved.
Beginning with a needle measuring but
I7-l000 inch in diameter, and operating
with the finest thread upon lace goods, the
same machine passed through all the stages
Of muslin, and brosdclOth Of all cOnceiya-
bic thicknesses and fOldings and ridgings,
and then with waved thread stitching
through portions Of heavy harness leather.
After this demonstration OF its range Of
work, we entered upon the nicer tests re-
quired for family and light manufactur-
ing machine In this department We wit
messed all the varieties of work on hem
ming, telling, and braiding, and also a de-
grees Of success in single and double
ruffllng which we believe unparalleled.
The varied kinds Of work on a lady's boot
were then performed, and each Of these
with the same marked success. Indeed,
whatever the test, and whatever the work
presented, the same Unfailing perfection
was exhibited, not only in the work as a
vidual stitch. With much patient exami-
nation, we were unable to discover a single
defect.
The minuteness Of this report is a single
reflection of the care with which we have
endeavored TO examine these claims. We
find the chief advantage Of this machine
to be in the use of a modified form Of the
rotating hook as a substitute for the shut
tie, the hook carrying the upper thread
around the bObble containing the lower
thread, and thus producing technically the
same effect as the shuttle. The superiority
of this rotary motion over the reciprOcating
motion Of the shuttle machines cannot be
disputed. The "lock stitch which is thus
secured has always ranked highest on ac-
count of the permanenCe, beauty, and
general desIrableness Of the stitching when
done, and the wide range Of its applica-
ton. !
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 to the entire aud remarkable
success which has attended its action in
every part Of our examination. 1t is
machine '0hich, by the proof submitted, zee
are satisfied must eUeHtUIliy SlperSCde all
others nOlC knOlrR nth lobich u comes IN
competition.
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 endeayOred to make patiently and
completely in every respect, and assOciating
these with our best judgment upon the
merits of the several machines which are
in use but not on exhibition:
We recommend for the Wheeler d Va
son -Te15 No. 6 Se,ging-mdchine, the highest
dl0drd lchicb It Is in the pOlrer Of the In
Stitute TO bestOJJ.
JOHN A. BAssETT,
MOSES S. BEACH,
H. W. STEELE, Judges |
JOHN MATHEWS,
REUBEN BULL.
The Board of Managers unanimously APP
proved the report, and recommended for |
this machine the Gold Medal Of the In
StitlLte.
The Board of Directors unanimously ap-
proved this recommendation, and awarded |
the Gold Medal to Wheeler & Wilson, the |
only gold medal awarded for a sewing
machine by the American Institute for
many years.
Ian I dRw If