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1851 - Isaac Singer's Sewing Machine Patent Model

1851 - Isaac Singer's Sewing Machine Patent Model

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Description
Sewing Machine Patent Model Patent No. 8,294, issued August 12, 1851
Isaac Merritt Singer of New York, New York
The eighth child of poor German immigrants, Isaac Singer was born on October 27, 1811, in Pittstown, New York. As a young man he worked as a mechanic and cabinetmaker. For a time he was an actor and formed his own theatrical troupe, The Merritt Players.” Needing a steadier income, Singer worked for a plant in Fredericksburg, Ohio, that manufactured wooden type for printers. Seeing the need for a better type-carving machine, he invented an improved one.
In June 1850, Singer and a partner took the machine to Boston looking for financial support. He rented display space in the workshop of Orson C. Phelps. Here Singer became intrigued with the sewing machine that Phelps was building for John A. Lerow and Sherburne C. Blodgett. Analyzing the flaws of the Lerow and Blodgett sewing machine, Singer devised a machine that used a shuttle that moved in a straight path—as opposed to theirs, which moved around in a complete circle. He visualized replacing their curved horizontal needle with a straight, vertically moving needle. Phelps approved of Singer’s ideas and Isaac worked on perfecting his machine.
For his first patent model, Isaac Singer submitted a commercial sewing machine. He was granted Patent No. 8,294, on August 12, 1851. These commercial sewing machines were built in Orson C. Phelps’s machine shop in Boston. The head, base cams, and gear wheels of the machine were made of cast iron; to fit together, these parts had to be filed and ground by hand. The machine made a lockstitch by using a straight, eye-pointed needle and a reciprocating shuttle. The specific patent claims allowed were for: 1) the additional forward motion of the shuttle to tighten the stitch; 2) the use of a friction pad to control the tension of the thread from the spool; and 3) placing the spool of thread on an adjustable arm to permit thread to be used as needed.
Always the showman, Singer relished exhibiting his invention at social gatherings and was masterful in convincing the women present that the sewing machine was a tool they could learn to use. The machine was transported in its packing crate, which served as a stand; it contained a wooden treadle that allowed the seamstress to power the machine with her feet, leaving both hands free to guide the cloth. This early, heavy-duty Singer machine was designed for use in the manufacturing trades rather than in the home.
Object Name
sewing machine patent model
Object Type
Patent Model
model constructed
before 1851-08-12
patent date
1851-08-12
inventor
Singer, Isaac M.
Physical Description
iron (mechanisms material)
metal (overall material)
Measurements
overall: 16 in x 17 in x 12 in; 40.64 cm x 43.18 cm x 30.48 cm
ID Number
TE.T06054
accession number
48865
catalog number
T06054.000
patent number
008294
subject
Patent Models
Invention
See more items in
Home and Community Life: Textiles
Patent Models, Sewing Machines
American Enterprise
National Treasures exhibit
Sewing Machines
Textiles
Patent Models
Exhibition
American Enterprise
Exhibition Location
National Museum of American History
Data Source
National Museum of American History
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Comments

Interesting info to me. My grandmother who was from Conn. left me the name of her relative mrs Margaret Singer of 15 Hannover st Yalesville Conn. She was grandma’s dad’s sister’s girl . The name was Issac Singer. My memory of my grandmother was she said it was Singer sewing machine! But they sold the franchise very early on. My written memories are from 1961- 63. Just fun to look back.

Bernice Martin

Fri, 2018-09-07 08:02

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