The Washington times., 1902-08-10
EVOLUTION OF THE
SEWING MACHINE
Brought Into Use More Than
Fifty Years Ago.
INVENTION OF Mr.. HOWE
Hard Work of Mechanic to Get Funds
to Perfect It-Mr. Singer Makes I'm
proyement-Work of All Kinds Now
Done Better Than by Hand.

1T was little over fifty years ago
that Elias Howe, jr.. patented his first
sewing machine, which event marks the
actual beginning of the industry IN the
United States" says Mr.. s. n. D. North.
chief statistician for manufactures OF
the Census Bureau. in recent edition
of the Census Bulletin on Manufactures.
Previous efforts for stitching cloth
and other materials had either resulted
success
"At this time the sewing machine was
still in the experimental age" con-
tinues Mr.. North, land it vas not until
several years later that its manufac-
ture became an established industry.
After that its growth was rapid, and
owing to The untiring energy and the
ability of the inventors who applied
themselves to the work of perfecting the
sewing machine, it has attained In a
few years a very important place among
the industries of the country, and has
come to he regarded as almost house,
hold necessity
Howe's Invention.
"Howe's invention combined the eye
pointed needle with the shuttle for
forming the stitch and the intermittent
feed for carrying the material forward
IS each stitch was formed. The device
fer thus feeding the cloth consisted OF
a thin strip OF metal provided with a
row of pins on one edge. upon which
the material to be sewed was carried in
a vertical position. The cloth was fed
the length OF the plate. and lad to be
rehung as often as the plate had trav-
trscd its full length on the machine.
The curved eyepointed needle used
was carried on the end of a vibrating
lever. which also carried the upper
thread.
THE shuttle. which passed the lower
thread between the needle and the up
per thread, was driven in its race be-
tween two strikers, carried on the end
of vibrating arms worked by cams. II
is not known that any of Howe's ma
chimes were ever put upon the market.
In his application for renewal of patent
he only claims to have built three ma
chimes, and one OF these was deposited
as a model in the United States Patent
Office
Not meeting with any success in Sc
curing capitakin this country with which
to forward his plans. Mr.. Howe was
compelled to dispose of his patent, and
with the proceeds went to England,
where his rights to'a patent had been
sold to a corset manufacturer for about
one thousand dollars.
Worked for Small Salary.
Mr.. Howe engaged to work for this
manufacturer at a small salary. while
perfecting the machine, and adapting 1t
to the manufacture of corsets. Failing
in this. he returned to the United States
in extreme poverty, and upon his arrival
at Boston. found that sewing machines
infringing on his patents had been man
ufactured. He succeeded in securing
half interest that had been conveyed
10 his father before his departure for
England. arti commenced suits in the
Boston and New York courts to enforcs
his rights. In the long and bitterly
contested legal controversy which en-
sued. Mr.. Howe succeeded in establish
ing his claims. after which manufactur-
ers using his patents were compelled
by the inventor to pay the exorbitant
bounty of s25 for each machine manu-