Clothing Technology: Home Sewing--Singer Sewing Machine



Figure 1.--.

Isaac Merrit Singer is generally credited with invented the first truly practical sewing machine in 1850. Many invntors were working on a practical machine, so there is some debate over the true inventor. HBC is primarily interested in the time line and impact of these and other inventions thus the debate over the precise identity of the inventor is not a major concern. Singer's machine was cumbersome in appearance and heavy to operate. It did embody, however, the basic principles found in all modern sewing machines. Most important, it could sew continuously any kind of seam, straight, circular or angular, and unlike previous machines, was so simple that the user did not have to be an expert machinist to operate it. Some are not impressed with Singer's technical innovations. Howe took him to court for patent infriongement. But what is undeniable is that Singer was a marketing genius and began selling workable sewing machines to American housewives, eager to have a machine that would herlp them create fashionable, sturdily constructed clothing fr themselves and their families. It was a huge success, coming at a time that rising income levels were providing an increasing number of consumers who could afford these machines.

Isaac Merrit Singer (1811-75)

Isaac Merrit Singer was an invetor, actor and wntrepreneur. He is most commonly associated sith the sewing machine. He is generally credited with inventing the first truly practical sewing machine in 1850. He did not design the first sewing machine, but he made imprivements that led to the first practical machine and his entrepreneural skills with the Singer Sewing Machine Company made it a commercial success. Issac was born in Pittstown, New York. His father Adam Singer was a German (Saxony) immigrant and his mother was Ruth. He had mechnical skills and at age 19 aprenticed in a macjienest shop. He did not stay there long and left with a touring theatrical group. For several years he persued his acting career, but suplemented it with work as a mechanic. He married Catherine Maria Haley (1830). He and Catheribe anf his first son William moved to New York City where he found a job in a press shop (1835). He continued to be interested in the theater and became an advance agent for a group of players. He met Mary Ann Sponsler in Baltimore. He proposed marriage and when they returned to New York that hads a daughter, Lillian (1837). Mary Ann learned that Singer already had a wive. They decided to return to Baltimore and live as a married couple (1837). Singer invented a mecanical drill (1839). He sold it for $2000, which provide him the money to persue his acting career. He formed the Merrit Players which toured the eastern United States for about 5 years. Financial need drove him back to mechanics. He got a job in a Fredericksburg, Ohio orint shop (1844). He moved to Pittsburgh where he set a shop making wood type and signage (1846). While in Pittsburgh he designed a machine for carving wood and metal (1849). At this time he moved back to New York City. He had two wives and eight children where he hoped to sell his carving machine. He built a prototype in Boston where he got involved with sewing machines. The Singer Sewing Machine Company wa a huge financial success. He bought a BNew York mansion for his second family. He finally divorced Catherine (1860). Mary Ann learned of his affair with Mary McGonigal, a former employee who bore him five children. This family adopted the surname Matthews. Mary Ann pressed chargers for domestic violence. When released on Bond, Singer took off for London with Mary McGoniga in tow. At this time a fourth family surfaced--Mary Eastwood Walters and theirv daughter Alice Eastwood who were living in Lower Manhattan. They used the surname Merritt. Singer by 1860 had fathered and recognized 18 children with 4 women. While in Europe, Singer married again to Isabella Eugenie Boyer, a Frenchwoman (1863). YThey had another six children. When the Franco Prussian War broke out they fled to England (1870). They first went gto London, but settled in Paignton near the Devon seaside resort of Torquay. He brought some of children from America to live with him. Soe of his grandsons were the Clark boys.

Other Inventors

Many inventors were working on a practical machine, so there is some debate over the true inventor. An example of the first Singer machine is in the Smithsonian Institute today. Dr. Frederick J. Lewton, formerly Curator of the Division of Textiles at the Smithsonian, described it as "The first successfully operating and practical sewing machine. In the past century upwards of 46,000 sewing machine patents of various kinds have been issued. And today there are more than 4,000 different types of sewing machines made. But none of the machines would have been possible without the prior inventions of men like Singer, Howe, Hunt and the others who established the basic principles on which all subsequent developments have depended. These are the true pioneers-the men who deserve major credit for the invention of the sewing machine. HBC is primarily interested in the time line and impact of these and other inventions thus the debate over the precise identity of the inventor is not a major concern.

Singer's Machine: United States (1850-51)

After decades of work by creative minds on both sides of the Atlantic, a practical if still expensive machine was put together in 1850. Isaac Merrit Singer, a Boston journeyman mechanic, in 1850 borrowed $40 and made the first sewing machine capable of sewing continuously. Singer was granted patents in 1851 and began to make machines, first in Boston and then in New York.

Legal problems

Singer incorporated principles used before, often without permission, and combined them into the most practical arrangement, added important features of his own design and gave the world the first truly practical sewing machine. Some are not impressed with Singer's technical innovations. Howe took him to court for patent infringement. He in fact, was eventually forced to pay Howe royalties.

Features

While many of the features of the Singer machine were not original--it was a workable practical machine. Instead of the shuttle moving in a circle, it moved to and fro in a straight line and instead of the needle bar moving a curved needle horizontally, Singer made a straight needle that moved up and down. In addition to a straight eye pointed needle and transverse shuttle. Singer's invention called for an overhanging arm, a table to support the cloth, a presser foot to hold the material down against the upward stroke of the needle and a roughened feed wheel extending through a slot in the table. Motion was transmitted to the needle arm and shuttle by means of gears. None of the other sewing machines in existence at that time had any means of applying power except by a handcrank. Singer used the machine packing case as a table and conceived the idea of using a treadle similar to that on a spinning wheel. He failed, however, to realize the value of this arrangement and did not take the trouble to apply for a patent.

Importance

Singer's machine was cumbersome in appearance and heavy to operate. It did embody, however, the basic principles found in all modern sewing machines. Most important, it could sew continuously any kind of seam, straight, circular or angular, and unlike previous machines, was so simple that the user did not have to be an expert machinist to operate it. What is undeniable is that Singer was a marketing genius and began selling workable sewing machines to American housewives, eager to have a machine that would herlp them create fashionable, sturdily constructed clothing fr themselves and their families. It was a huge success, coming at a time that rising income levels were providing an increasing number of consumers who could afford these machines.







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Created: 7:04 PM 5/22/2007
Last updated: 7:04 PM 5/22/2007