1837 Hartford and Tilton's Patent Model of a Loom Heddle
date: label: model constructed
content: before 1837-12-29
label: patent date
content: 1837-12-29
name: label: inventor
content: Hartford, Benjamin
label: inventor
content: Tilton, William B.
notes: label: Description
content: Loom Heddles and Harness Patent Model
label: Description
content: Patent No. 544, issued December 29, 1837
label: Description
content: Benjamin Hartford and William B. Tilton of Enfield, New Hampshire
label: Description
content: Hartford and Tilton improved upon the construction of heddles (the mechanisms that raise and lower warp threads) by using strips of rolled flat metal with an eye punched through the middle of each strip to allow for the passage of warp yarns. Heddles were commonly constructed of cord. The replacement of metal for cord produced a more durable heddle. These one-piece metallic strips and the construction of the heddle frame were the basis of their patent. The heddles slid on two rods and were attached to adjustable clasps, permitting the heddles to correspond to the part of the reed (a comb-like device used to space the warp yarns evenly) that was in operation.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: associated place
content: United States: New Hampshire, Enfield
topic: label: classified
content: Patent Models
label: classified
content: Invention
setName: label: See more items in
content: Home and Community Life: Textiles
label: See more items in
content: Patent Models, Textile Machinery
label: See more items in
content: Textiles
label: See more items in
content: Patent Models
publisher: label: Related Publication
content: Janssen, Barbara Suit. Patent Models Index
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: TE.T11409.015
label: patent number
content: 544
label: accession number
content: 89797
label: catalog number
content: T.11409.15
objectType: label: Object Name
content: loom heddle patent model
label: Object Type
content: Patent Model
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: wood (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: metal (overall material)