1840 Thorp and Angell's Patent Model of a Loom Heddle
1840 Thorp and Angell's Patent Model of a Loom Heddle
- Description
- Loom Heddles Patent Model
- Patent No. 1,498, issued on February 26, 1840
- John Thorp and William G. Angell of Providence, Rhode Island
- These heddles, both wire and twine, were exhibited in the Patent Office in a round wooden frame. In the patent specification, Thorp and Angell described the dimensions of heddles for use on a common power loom. A chain of the heddles was formed by taking two pieces of wire or twine and tying them with a common square knot, “which will unite them in the same way and manner that a lady ties her apron strings or a child his shoestrings.” The placement of the knots resulted in the formation of the eyes of the heddles, which raise and lower warp threads in weaving cloth.
- Thorp and Angell did not include a patent drawing with the specification. The 1841 Journal of the Franklin Institute remarked of this omission: “We must suppose . . . that the description, although to us somewhat obscure, would be clear to a professional weaver.”
- Location
- Currently not on view
- model constructed
- before 1840-02-26
- patent date
- 1840-02-26
- inventor
- Thorp, John
- Angell, William G.
- associated place
- United States: Rhode Island, Providence
- Physical Description
- wire (heddle material)
- twine (heddle material)
- wood (frame material)
- ID Number
- TE.T11409.032
- catalog number
- T11409.032
- accession number
- 89797
- patent number
- 1,498
- subject
- Patent Models
- Invention
- See more items in
- Cultural and Community Life: Textiles
- Patent Models
- Patent Models, Textile Machinery
- Textiles
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
