Figure 31. — Hunt and Webster's sewing-machine manufactory exhibition and salesroom in Boston, 

 as illustrated in Bullous Pictorial, July 5, 1856; only manufacturing machines are shown. (Smithsonian 

 photo 45771 -A.) 



manufacturing rather than for family use in the home. 

 Singer enjoyed demonstrating the machine and 

 showed it to church and social groups and even at 

 circuses; this personal association then encouraged 

 him to improve its reliability and convenience. He 

 developed a wooden packing case which doubled as a 

 stand for the machine and a treadle to allow it to be 

 operated by foot. Because of the dimensions of the 

 packing case, Singer put the pivot of the treadle 

 toward its center, about where the instep of the foot 

 would rest. This produced the heel-and-toe action 

 treadle, a familiar part of the sewing machine until 

 its replacement by the electric motor. Both hands 

 were freed to guide and arrange the cloth that was 

 being stitched. Singer also added a flywheel to 

 smooth out the treadle action and later an iron stand 

 with a treadle wide enough for both feet. The 

 treadle had been in use for two years before a rival 

 pointed out that it might have been patented. To 

 Singer's chagrin it was then too late for patent laws 



did not permit patenting a device that had been in 

 public use. 



A new obstacle appeared in the Singer company's 

 path when Howe demanded $25,000 for infringement 

 of his patent. Singer and Zieber decided to fight, 

 enlisting the legal aid of Edward Clark, a lawyer and 

 financier. Howe's action was opposed on the basis of 

 Hunt's machine of 1834, which they stated had 

 anticipated Howe's invention. 



While they were resisting, Howe sued three firms 

 that were using and selling Singer machines. The 

 court order required the selling firms and the pur- 

 chasers to provide an account of the profits accrued 

 from the sale and the use of the sewing machines and 

 restrained the firms from selling the machines during 

 the pendency of the suit. 59 As ,i result of this action, a 



59 William R. Bagnall, in "Contributions to American Eco- 

 nomic History," vol. 1 (1908), MS, Harvard School of Business 

 Library. 



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