III. Chronological List of U.S. Sewing-Machine 

 Patent Models in the Smithsonian Collections 



There are more than seven hundred sewing- 

 machine patent models and a similar number of 

 attachment models in the Smithsonian collections. 

 Most of these machines were received in 1926 when 

 the Patent Office disposed of its collection of hundreds 

 of thousands of models. Prior to 1880, models had 

 been required with the patent application; although 

 the requirement was discontinued that year, patentees 

 continued to furnish models for another decade or so. 

 All models prior to 1836 were lost in a Patent Office 

 fire of that year, but since the sewing-machine patent 

 history dates from the 1840s, most of the historically 

 important ones of this subject have been preserved. 



These models form a valuable part of the record 

 of the invention, supplementing the drawings and 

 the text of the written specifications. The early 

 sewing-machine models were made to order, either 

 by the inventor or a commissioned model maker. 

 As soon as sewing machines were produced commer- 

 cially, it was less expensive for the patentee to use a 

 commercial machine of the period, to which he added 

 his change or improvement, than to have a complete 

 model constructed to order. Some of the commercial 

 machines used in this way are the only examples 

 known to be in existence, and as such, are of more 

 interest in establishing the history of the manufactured 

 machine than for the minor patented changes. 



During the period of the "Sewing Machine Combi- 

 nation," many patentees attempted to invent and 

 patent "the different machine." This was either a 

 radical change in style or an attempt to produce a 

 far less-expensive type of machine. These machines 

 were not always put into commercial production, 

 but the patent models give an indication of the extent 

 to which some inventors went to simplify or vary 

 the mechanics of machine sewing. 



The following is ; 

 patent models in 

 collections: 



Patentee 

 Greenough, John J. 

 Bean, Benjamin W. 

 Corliss, George H. 

 Howe, Elias, Jr. 

 Bachelder, John 

 Wilson, Allen B. 

 Robinson, Frederick R. 

 Grover & Baker 

 Singer, Isaac M. 

 Wilson, Allen B. 

 Wilson, Allen B. 

 Miller, Charles 

 Avery, Otis 

 Hodgkins, G. 

 Bradeen, J. G. 

 Bates, W. G. 

 Thompson, T. C. 

 Wickersham, W. 

 Johnson, W. H. 

 Harrison, J., Jr. 

 Avery, Otis 

 Singer, Isaac 

 Hunt, Walter 

 Roper, S. H. 

 Shaw, P. 

 Ambler, D. C. 

 Robertson, T.J. W. 

 Lyon, W. 

 Stedman, G. W. 

 Ward, D. T. 

 Conant, J. S. 

 Smith, H. B. 

 Singer, I. M. 

 Stedman, G. W. 

 Stedman, G. W. 



list of those sewing-machine 

 the Smithsonian Institution 



Date 

 Feb. 21, 1842 

 March 4, 1843 

 Dec. 27, 1843 

 Sept. 10, 1846 

 May 8, 1849 

 Nov. 12, 1850 

 Dee. 10, 1850 

 Feb. 11, 1851 

 Aug. 12, 1851 

 Aug. 12, 1851 

 June 15, 1852 

 July 20. 1852 

 Oct. 19, 1852 

 Nov. 2. 1852 

 No\ 2, 1852 

 Feb. 22, 1853 

 March 29, 1853 

 April 19, 1853 

 March 7. 1854 

 April 11, 1854 

 May 9, 1854 

 May 30, 1854 

 June 27, 1854 

 Aug. 15, 1854 

 Sept. 12, 1854 

 Nov. 1, 1854 

 Nov. 28, 1854 

 Dec. 12, 1854 

 Dec. 12, 1854 

 Jan. 2, 1855 

 Jan. 16. 1855 

 Jan. 16, 1855 

 Feb. 6, 1855 

 March 20, 1855 

 May 1, 1855 



Patent 

 Number 

 2,466 

 2,982 

 3,389 

 4,750 

 6,439 

 7,776 

 7,824 

 7,931 

 8,294 

 8,296 

 9,041 

 9,139 

 9,338 

 9,365 

 9,380 

 9,592 

 9,641 

 9,679 

 10,597 

 10,763 

 10,880 

 10,975 

 11,161 

 11,531 

 1 1 ,680 

 11,884 

 12,015 

 12,066 

 12,074 

 12,146 

 12,233 

 12,247 

 12,364 

 12,573 

 12,798 



125 



