THE SEWING MACHINE 345 



become the distinguishing feature of certain modern sewing 

 machines. 



In September, 1850, Isaac M. Singer, a mechanic of 

 New York, who had become interested in sewing machine ex- 

 periments and was famiUar with one of the machines then 

 on the market, constructed a machine from a design of his 

 own, which was a great improvement, in many w^ays, over 

 previous machines. This was the first machine which had 

 the rigid overhanging arm to guide the vertical needle, in 

 combination with a shuttle, and was called a wheel feed. 

 A patent for this machine was issued August 12, 1851. The 

 general style of the original Singer sewing machine serves 

 as a model for a large proportion of the sewing machines 

 that are being manufactured throughout the world to-day. 

 A straight shaft in the overhanging arm imparted the motion 

 to the needle, and the shuttle was driven in its race below the 

 feed table by a mechanism deriving its motion from the shaft 

 by means of gearing. The feed consisted of an iron wheel 

 with a corrugated surface, the top of which was slightly 

 elevated above the level surface of the table. By an inter- 

 mittent motion the feed carried the cloth forward between 

 stitches without injury to the fabric. This device per- 

 mitted the cloth to be turned in any direction by the operator 

 while sewing, which was impossible with the styles of feed 

 which perforated the goods. The material was held in place 

 by a presser foot alongside the needle. This presser foot 

 embraced an important feature possessed by no other sewing 

 machine up to that time — the yielding spring, which would 

 permit of passage over seams, and adjust itself automatically 

 to any thickness of cloth. In addition to this original lock 

 stitch machine, Mr. Singer afterwards contrived several 

 inventions which contributed materially toward the improve- 

 ment of the sewing machine. He produced a sewing ma- 

 chine which used the single chain stitch, and also a double 

 chain stitch machine for ornamental work and embroidery. 



The sewing machine had now arrived at a stage when 

 all its essential features had been discovered by inventors 

 and so far perfected as to demonstrate their practicability. 

 It only remained for men of energy and busmess ability to 



