Figure 27. — Wilson's four-motion- 

 feed patent model, 1854, is not 

 known to be in existence; this is 

 a commercial machine of the 

 period. The plate is stamped "A. 

 B. Wilson, Patented Aug. 12. 1851, 

 Watertown, Conn., No. 1. . . ." 

 (Smithsonian photo 45504.) 



This agreement was important to sales, as Elias 

 Howe was known to have sued purchasers of machines, 

 as well as rival inventors and companies. 



The business was on a substantial basis by October 

 1853, and a stock company was formed under the 

 name of Wheeler & Wilson Manufacturing Com- 

 pany. 51 A little more than a year later, on Decem- 

 ber 19, 1854, Wilson's fourth important patent (U.S. 

 patent 12,116) — for the four-motion cloth feed — was 

 issued to him (fig. 27). In this development, the flat- 

 toothed surface in contact with the cloth moved for- 

 ward carrying the cloth with it; then it dropped a 

 little, so as not to touch the cloth; next it moved 

 backward ; then in the fourth motion it pushed up 

 against the cloth and was ready to repeat the forward 

 movements. This simple and effective feed method is 

 still used today, with only minor modifications, in 

 almost every sewing machine. This feed with the 

 rotary hook and the stationary circular-disk bobbin, 

 completed the essential features of Wilson's machine. 

 It was original and fundamentally different from all 

 other machines of that time. 



The resulting Wheeler and W 7 ilson machine made 

 a lockstitch by means of a curved eye-pointed needle 

 carried by a vibrating arm projecting from a rock 

 shaft connected by link and eccentric strap with an 

 eccentric on the rotating hook shaft. This shaft 

 had at its outer end the rotary hook, provided with 



51 J. D. Van Slvck, New England Manufactures and Man 

 factories, vol. 2, pp. 672-682. 



a point adapted to enter the loop of needle thread. 

 As the hook rotated, it passed into and drew down the 

 loop of needle-thread, which was held by means of a 

 loop check, while the point of the hook entered a 

 new loop. When the first loop was cast off — the face 

 of the hook being beveled for that purpose — it was 

 drawn upward by the action of the hook upon the 

 loop through which it was then passing. During 

 the rotation of the hook each loop was passed around 

 a disk bobbin provided with the second thread and 

 serving the part of the shuttle in other machines. 

 The four-motion feed was actuated in this machine 

 by means of a spring bar and a cam in conjunction 

 with the mandrel. 



From the beginning, Wheeler and Wilson had 

 looked bevond the use of the sewing machine solely 

 by manufacturers and had seen the demand for a 

 li^ht-running, lightweight machine for sewing in the 

 home. Wilson's inventions lent themselves to this 

 design, and Wheeler and Wilson led the way to the 

 introduction of the machine as a home appliance. 

 Other manufacturers followed. 



When the stock company was formed, Mr. Wilson 

 retired from active participation in the business at 

 his own request. His health had not been good, and 

 a nervous condition made it advisable for him to be 

 freed from the responsibility of daily routine. During 

 this period Wilson's inventive contributions to the 

 sewing machine continued as noted, and in addition 

 he worked on inventions concerning cotton picking 

 and illuminating gases. 



Wheeler and Wilson's foremost competitor in the 



29 



