1837 Swasey's Patent Model of a Cloth Napping Machine
date: label: model constructed
content: before 1837-08-08
label: date made
content: before1837-08-08
label: patent date
content: 1837-08-08
name: label: inventor
content: Swasey, Benjamin
notes: label: Description
content: Cloth Napping Machine Patent Model
label: Description
content: Patent No. 350, issued August 8, 1837
label: Description
content: Benjamin Swasey of Mount Vernon, Maine
label: Description
content: Swasey’s patent concerned the setting of teazles ( thistle-like plant heads) in the wires of the large napping cylinder. He also claimed certain springs and levers that shifted the cloth rollers in and out of gear. This shifting of the cloth rollers caused the cloth to come in contact with the teazles as the cloth was wound forward and then disengaged the cloth from the teazles as the cloth rewound.
label: Description
content: In this way, the cloth could roll from one cylinder to another as long as necessary to ensure a well-napped surface. Also, the shifting of gears did not require a person to match and unmatch the gears. Friction bands on the ends of the cloth rollers, together with hanging weights, kept tension on the cloth even.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: associated place
content: United States: Maine, Mount Vernon
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.T11403.011
label: accession number
content: 89797
label: catalog number
content: T11403.011
label: accession number
content: 89797
label: patent number
content: 350
objectType: label: Object Name
content: cloth napping machine
label: Object Name
content: cloth napping machine patent model
label: Object Type
content: Patent Model
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: wood (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: metal (mechanisms material)
label: Physical Description
content: cloth (cylinders material)