PATENTS. 



the "Wheeler & Wilson Sewing Machine Co. It 

 is designed specially for the working of button 

 and eyelet holes, although the range of the in- 

 vention easily adapts the peculiar stitch claim- 

 .ed to various other purposes, in fact it may 

 fairly be said to supply the link wind. 

 needed to make the chain of automatic move- 

 ments in all classes of sewing complete. 



For many years it has been the constant 

 study of inventors to produce a machine which 

 would throw a stitch over the edge of any fab- 

 as to cover or bind it. The great sew- 

 ing machine corporations of this country 

 had expended many thousands of dollars in 

 vain attempts to realize what was finally voted 

 by almost all an impossibility, though acknowl- 

 edged to be a necessity. 



There had previously been several partially 

 successful machines designed for this purpose 

 invented and patented, but as the inventors al- 

 ways appeared to entertain the idea that the 

 fabric must be moved under or around station- 

 ary needles, the machines, though ingenious, 

 were of no practical value, it being found im- 

 practicable to form a perfect eyelet or rounded 

 end of the button hole. 



The idea of holding the fabric stationary and 

 moving the needles around- it, at the same time 

 throwing what may be termed a double loop 

 interlacing stitch over the edge of the hole, fi- 

 nally occurred to the Messrs. House, and they, 

 after several attempts, succeeded in producing 

 the machine mentioned. 



The motive power or machinery to move the 

 needles, one of which is straight and pierced 

 with three eyes at the point, while the other is 

 curved and has two eyes, is entirely below the 

 bed plate. The straight needle is attached to 

 an arm or shank which projects through a slot, 

 abov^ the bed plate, and this is fastened to a 

 mandrel working from below ; underneath the 

 bed plate is a disk upon which are placed the 

 spools, tensions, &c., and working through 

 which in a slot is the curved needle or finger 

 as it is called. 



The cloth or garment in which the button or 

 eyelet hole is to be worked, being punched, is 

 placed upon the bed plate, the hole being di- 

 rectly over the slot, and the end of the needle 

 shank projecting through it. The cloth is then 

 pressed down upon the plate by what is called 

 a foot or lever, and securely confined. On turn- 

 ing the crank, the needle shank rises, and then 

 in its downward motion carries the straight 

 needle directly through the edge of the fabric. 

 The curved needle or finger which works 

 through the hole brings its thread up over 

 the edge of the cloth. This thread is caught 

 by the straight needle in its downward course, 

 then the finger draws down below the fabric 

 and takes a loop from the straight needle, and 

 ascending gives a loop again to the straight 

 needle, thus forming a double interlacing 

 stitch. 



The disk, which is the most important por- 

 tion of the machine, is mounted on a travelling 



PENNSYLVANIA. 



T03 



carriage moved backward and forward by a 



screw. 



When the operator starts the machine, the 

 needles being at the lower end of the t 

 hole are moved along the 

 by the screw feed; on reaching the em: 

 screw feed is disconnected from the disk by a 

 switch, and a gripe, or rotating inoveinei/ 

 ries the needle around the end of the 

 forming a perfect crescent ; so soon as this half 

 circle is complete, the switch again pushes the 

 screw into position, and this by a reverse mo- 

 tion drives the needles down the other side of 

 the hole to the point of departure, forming a 

 complete button hole. The size of the button 

 hole is readily regulated by an index attached 

 to the machine, and it will work a hole two 

 inches in length, or an eyelet of less than an 

 eighth. 



An ordinary skilful operator will, with the 

 assistance of two girls to finish or tie the ends, 

 work one thousand fine button holes an inch 

 and a quarter in length in ten hours, and all 

 exactly alike. By the hand not more than for- 

 ty can be made by the most accomplished oper- 

 ator in the same time. 



As stated, the range of this stitch is not con- 

 fined to button-hole making, but includes the 

 sewing of sails, tents, awnings, indeed all 

 es of work requiring two straight or selvage 

 edges to be bound securely and smoothly to- 

 gether. 



PENNSYLVANIA, the second State in 

 population in the Union, increased 594,329 in 

 the number of inhabitants during the ten years 

 ending June 1860. (See UNITED STATES.) The 

 governor is elected for three years. The pres- 

 ent incumbent is Andrew G. Curtin. whose 

 term of office expires on the 1st of January, 

 1864. The State election is held on the sec- 

 ond Tuesday .of October. The officers to be 

 chosen in 1862 were an auditor-general and a 

 surveyor-general. 



A convention, representing the democratic 

 party of the State, assembled at Harrisburg on 

 the *4th of July, and nominated for auditor- 

 general Isaac Slenker. and for surveyor-general 

 John P. Barr. The views of the convention on 

 national affairs were expressed in the following 

 series of resolutions : 



Whereas, The American Constitution was ordained 

 and established by our fathers in order to form a more 

 perfect union, to "establish justice, to insure domestic 

 tranquillity, to provide for the common defence, pro- 

 mote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of 

 libertv to posterity ; therefore, 



1. Sao&ed, That the only object of the democratic 

 party is the restoration of th'e Union as it was, and the 

 preservation of the Constitution as it is. 



_'. That to the end that the Union may be restored, 

 and the Constitution and laws euforced throughout 

 its whole extent, we pledge our hearty and unqualifi 

 support to the Federal Government in the eot 

 prosecution of the existing war. 



3 That the true and onl v object of the war is to re- 

 store the Union, and to enforce the laws ; such a pur- 

 pose alone is worthy of the awful sacrifice which it costs 

 us of life and of treasure, and with such apurpose alone 

 can we hope for success, and those who from section*! 



