The Invention of the Sewing MachineCooper, Grace Rogers
History
The Invention of the Sewing Machine
Cooper, Grace Rogers
Sewing machines -- History
Like the other companies licensed by the "Combination," Willcox and
Gibbs company paid a royalty for the use of the patents it held.
Although the Willcox and Gibbs machine was a single-thread chainstitch
machine and the company held the Gibbs patents, the company was required
to be licensed to use the basic feed, vertical needle, and other
related patents held by the "Sewing-Machine Combination."
With the approach of the Civil War, Gibbs returned to Virginia. Poor
health prevented him from taking an active part in the war, but he
worked throughout the conflict in a factory processing saltpeter for
gunpowder. Afterward, Gibbs returned to Philadelphia and found that
Willcox had faithfully protected his sewing-machine interests during his
long absence. The firm prospered, and Gibbs finally retired to Virginia
a wealthy man. Interestingly, Gibbs named the Virginia village to which
he returned in later life "Raphine"--derived, somewhat incorrectly, from
the Greek word "to sew."
The Willcox & Gibbs Sewing Machine Company is one of the few old
companies still in existence. It discontinued making and selling
family-style machines many years ago and directed its energies toward
specialized commercial sewing machines, many of which are based on the
original chainstitch principle.
There was also an ever-increasing number of other patentees and
manufacturers who, in the late 1850s and 1860s, attempted to produce a
sewing machine that would circumvent both the "Combination" and the high
cost of manufacturing a more complicated type of machine. Some of the
more interesting of these are pictured and described in figures 40
through 54.
[Illustration: Figure 41.--THE CHERUB sewing machine was another
Robertson first which was adopted by Clark. Robertson's patent of
October 20, 1857, once again makes no claim for the design; neither does
Clark's patent of January 5, 1858, illustrated here. The machine is
approximately the same size as the dolphin and is made in the same
manner and of the same materials. Two cherubs form the main support, one
also supporting the spool and leashing a dragonfly which backs the
needle mechanism. (Smithsonian photo 45504-D.)]
[Illustration: Figure 42.--THE FOLIAGE SEWING MACHINE originated with D.
W. Clark. Once again he did not include the design in his June 8, 1858,
patent, which was aimed at improving the feeding mechanism. Like most
hand-turned models, these required a clamp to fasten them to the table
when in operation. (Smithsonian photo 45504-C.)]
[Illustration: Figure 43.--THE SEWING SHEARS was another popular machine
of unusual style. Some models were designed to both cut and sew, but
most derived their names from the method of motivating power. The
earliest example of the sewing-shears machine was invented by Joseph
Hendrick, who stated in his patent that he was attempting to produce "a
simple, portable, cheap, and efficient machine." His patent model of
October 5, 1858, is illustrated. (Smithsonian photo 45504-F.)]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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