Patent Models: Textile and Sewing Machines - Introduction
For much of the nineteenth century, inventors submitted a model with their patent application to the United States Patent Office. The National Museum of American History’s patent model collection began with the acquisition of 284 models from the Patent Office in June 1908, and reached more than 1,000 models by the end of that summer. In 1926, Congress decided to dispense with the stored collection of models and gave the Smithsonian Institution the opportunity to collect any models it wanted. Today, the Museum’s collection exceeds 10,000 patent models dating from 1836 to 1910.
The Museum’s Textile Collection contains over four thousand patent models. The collection includes many examples of carding machines, spinning machines, knitting machines, rope making machines, looms, baskets, carpets, fabrics, and sewing machines. Even the simple clothespin is well represented, with 41 patent models.
This sampling of patent models from the Textile Collection describes the two major groupings, textile machinery and sewing machines. In both groups, the examination of the models begins with the earliest of the inventions. In this early group of patent models, the textile machinery models date from 1837 to 1840, and the sewing machine models from 1842 to 1854.
For more information about the Museum’s patent model collection, see Patent Model Index, Guide to the Collections of the National Museum of American History.
"Patent Models: Textile and Sewing Machines - Introduction" showing 2 items.
1837 Thorp's Patent Model of a Loom Shuttle Tongue
- Description
- Loom Shuttle Tongues Patent Model
- Patent No. 162, issued April 17, 1837
- Comfort B. Thorp of Smithfield, Rhode Island
- Comfort Thorp, the younger brother of textile machinery inventor John Thorp, worked for Thomas and William Fletcher in their mill near North Providence. His patent improved the method of securing and holding the cop, or yarn cylinder, on the common power loom shuttle, preventing slips that would waste yarn and cause imperfections in the woven cloth.
- The patent model he submitted contained two types of tongues. One used a common round tongue with wire spiraled around it. The other consisted of a tongue with ridges or notches similar to the teeth of a saw blade. The two loom shuttle tongues were neatly exhibited in a box, probably to keep them from being separated or lost in the cases at the Patent Office.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- model constructed
- before 1837-04-17
- patent date
- 1837-04-17
- inventor
- Thorp, Comfort B.
- ID Number
- TE*T11418.002
- catalog number
- T11418.002
- accession number
- 89797
- patent number
- 162
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
1838 Faber's Patent Model of a Hand Card
- Description
- Hand Card Patent Model
- Patent No. 863, issued August 1, 1838
- George Faber of Canton, Ohio
- Faber’s patent related to the construction of the common hand card used for carding cotton or wool prior to the spinning process. He specifically patented using wood veneer, instead of leather, for the foundation that contained the card’s wire teeth. The wood was cut from 1/8 to 3/16 of an inch in thickness, 4 inches in width, and 4 to 8 inches in length. The wood was then steeped in water to soften it so that when placed in a card-making machine, it could be pricked and the teeth inserted. The veneer was nailed to another piece of wood and a handle inserted to form the hand card.
- Although Faber did not claim credit for inventing the card-making machine, in his patent specification he did mention that he had made improvements on it.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- model constructed
- before 1838-08-01
- patent date
- 1838-08-01
- inventor
- Faber, George
- ID Number
- TE*T11396.030
- catalog number
- T11396.030
- accession number
- 89797
- patent number
- 863
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center