The Sewing Machine

By Lucia
G5AB Inventions • Elementary School • Monday 6th Dec 2010

Lucia • G5AB Elementary School

The Sewing Machine
INFORMATION REPORT

A sewing machine is used to stitch fabric and material together using thread. The sewing machines
improved the efficiency and productivity of fabric, clothing industries and needle industries greatly.
Three people by the names of Barthélemy Thimonnier, Josef Madersperger and Thomas Saint were
the people who invented the sewing machine. Barthélemy was the eldest child in his family and he
was studying to be a tailor in Lyon before his invention.
The sewing machine was invented because it would make clothes making easier and quicker. It also
makes the stitching much more accurate.
Sometimes sewing machines are more important than others, for example, when a tailor makes
clothes everyone wants them done quick and accurate. The sewing machines that we use today have
different settings to fit whatever you're doing and I'm sure that Barthélemy Thimonnier,
Josef Madersperger and Thomas Saint would be impressed by them. The sewing machine has come
a long way since the first sewing machine which you would have to use your energy to now when it
does it for you.
A British inventor Thomas Saint was the first to patent a design for the sewing machine in 1791.
An Australian tailor called Josef Madersperger presented his first sewing machine in 1814.
Barthélemy Thimonnier patented a sewing machine that sewed straight seams using chain stitch in
1830.
When 1841 came around Barthélemy had 80 sewing machines in a factory sewing uniforms for the
french army. After that he had no more success with the sewing machine.
Barthélemy was working as a tailor in Saint-étienne when he invented the sewing machine. Then he
signed a contract with Auguste Ferrand a year later who made drawings and submitted a patent
application.
In 1842, John Greenough patented the first sewing machine in the United States. This machine

combined elements of Thimonnier's, Hunt's, and Howe's machines. He was granted an American

patent in 1851 and it was suggested he patent the foot pedal (or treadle) used to power some of his

machines; however, it had been in use for too long for a patent to be issued. When Howe learned of

Singer's machine he took him to court. Howe won and Singer was forced to pay a lump sum for all

machines already produced. Singer then took out a license under Howe's patent and paid him $1.15

per machine. Singer then entered a joint partnership with a lawyer named Edward Clark, and they

formed the first hire-purchase (time payment) scheme to allow people to afford to buy their

machines.

In 1856 the Sewing Machine Combination was formed, consisting of Singer, Howe, Wheeler and
Wilson, and Grover and Baker. These four companies pooled their patents, meaning that all the
other manufacturers had to obtain a license and pay $15 per machine. This lasted until 1877 when
the last patent expired.
In 1885 Singer patented the Singer Vibrating Shuttle sewing machine, which used Allen B. Wilson's
idea for a vibrating shuttle and was a better lock-stitcher than the oscillating shuttles of the time.
Millions were produced until finally superseded by rotary shuttle machines in the 20th century.
In 1905 Merrow won a lawsuit against Willcox & Gibbs for the rights to the original crochet stitch.
In 1946, the first Toyota sewing machine was built under the strict supervision of Toyota founder,
Mr. Kiichiro Toyoda. Mr. Toyoda had a strong belief that home-use products must be "functional
yet beautiful".
WEBLIOGRAPHY

Stockdale, Lucia, Sewing Machine

Information Report, Hong Kong, January
12th 2011

http://www.sewalot.com/
sewing_machine_history.htm

http://www.ismacs.net/
sewing_machine_history.html

http://www.moah.org/exhibits/virtual/
sewing.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Sewing_machine

http://inventors.about.com/od/
sstartinventions/a/sewing_machine.htm