Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1877-05-18
Free Trade in Sewing-Machines

The last of the series of patents upon
the essential portions of the sewing-ma-
chine which have enabled the owners to
exact royalty from all manufacturers
expired on the Sth inst Henceforth any
one can make sewing machine. For
many years past combination of large
nlanufacturers-viZ. the Singer Manu-
featuring Company, the Wheeler & Will
son Company, and the Grover & Baker
Manufacturing Company have bought
up and controlled inventors patents, and,
concentrating their rights, have been en-
abled to restrict such general manufact-
ure as would interfere with their busi-
ness. One of the most important OF their
patents was the old Howe patent for an
eye-pointed needle, shuttle, and other
mechanical devices for sewing, which,
however, expired nearly ten years ago.
Another patent was for the fourmotioned
feed, which was invented by Allen B.
Wilson and patented in the name of one
Fitzgerald, and was known as the Fitz-
gerald patent. This also expired three
years or more ago, and was likewise
relief to the outside manufacturers, who
had for many years paid royalty for its
use, as it was an essential in every ma
chine.
The last patent which they held, and
the one which now expires is known as
the Batchelder patent, granted in 1856
and renewed in 1870, and is for what is
known as the needle-plate, an essential
in every machine. The needle-plate is
the small piece beneath and through
which passes the needle to connect with
the shuttle. The patent really covers all
styles of feeding devices in which the
cloth is fed between two clamping sur
faces. For the privilege of using this
article on their machines all companies
outside of the combination have been
obliged to pay royalty of three dollars
on every machine sold, except those
which are intended for expectation.
They have complained loudly about this
tax upon them and hail its expiration
with unconcealed delight. One com
pany displays an account showing that
they had paid during the last ten years
the sum of 100000 as royalty to the
companies controlling this patent. All
these manufacturers have been obliged
to keep record of the plate-number of
every machine sold, and make oath to
the accuracy of their royalty statements,
thing which appears simple enough,
but which they say has caused them un-
told annoyance in the way of having ma
chimes returned to them, exchanged, and
other like transactions, for which they
have been held to rigorous account, at
much time and expense. The royalty of
three dollars on each machine is not in
itself large item, but upon new ma
oh 10, ha hn hot
atty might be charged, which etfectually
limited manufacture.
Now it becomes the privilege of any
person to make a sewing-machine as
much as it is his privilege to make a
broom or a plow. OF course there
arc hundreds of patents which are held
by the various companies, greater or
less number by each one, to initiate any
one of which would be an infringement
of patented rights, but these cover only
mechanical details, appliances and at,
taehments, none of which are in any way
essential to the manufacture of a sewing
machine.
In regard to the cost of a sewing-ma
chine many erroneous statements have
been published, and the general impress
sion Of the public has been that the prof,
its have been enormous, and that this
royalty was much larger than it really
has been. The sum of three dollars is
but small item on a seventy sew
ing.machine, but good machine of that
kind costs just about fifteen dollars to
place completed in the warerooms. The
cost of selling the machine is much more
than the cost of producing il. The fol-
lowing statement was obtained from a
careful average OF the business of first
class company, and was based upon the
sale of 1000 machines upon the lease
system;
Cost Of manufacturing $40 machine, ,.., SIS 90
Proportion Of expenses OF distributing Of
hces ON each machine -....,. ,....... 10 90
Commission paid TO canvassers, 80 per cent, ~ %
Cost Of collecting quarterly payments,,... z 90
Two years interest on same. ,..," 30
Margin OF proht' u oO