2. Group Member
NAME ID
182-068-111 Naeem Rahman Emon.
182-039-111 Saiful Islam Nobin.
182-012-111 Rahat Khan.
181-125-111 Mehnab Parves Jim.
3. Content
Introduction
The First Patent
The First Detailed Design
Early 18th Century: Many Attempts, Many Fails
The First Successful Sewing Machine
A Riot & Near Death Experience
Morals Over Money
A Lost Patent
Elias Howe & the Lockstitch
Introducing Isaac Singer
A Real Stitch Up
4. INTRODUCTION
A sewing machine is a machine used to sew fabric and other materials together
with thread. Sewing machines were invented during the first Industrial Revolution to
decrease the amount of manual sewing work time. The invention of the first working
sewing machine, Englishman Thomas Saint in 1790, the sewing machine has greatly
improved the efficiency and productivity of the clothing industry.
5. A 20,000 year old art form
The history of the sewing machine wouldn’t exist without the hand sewing. People
started sewing by hand some 20,000 years ago, where the first needles were made from
animal bones and the thread made from animal sinew.
After that, inventers want to improve sewing techniques and make it less laborious and
decrease manual sewing.
6. 1755:THE FIRST PATENT
Charles Weisenthal , a German man, was issued a British patent for a “needle that is
designed for a machine.” There’s no description in Weisenthals patent of any mechanical
machine, but it shows there was a need for such an invention.
Charles Weisenthal
7. 1790: THE FIRST DETAILED DESIGN
The history of the sewing machine starts here, Englishman Thomas Saint designed the first sewing machine. The
patent described a machine powered with a hand crank used for leather and canvas.
Thomas Saint built a prototype, but in 1874, William Newton Wilson found the patent drawings. And then he built
a replica, proving that it did work.
Newton Wilson’s model of Thomas Saint’s sewing machine design
8. Early 18th Century:
Many attempts many fails:
1810: Balthasar Krems, invents an automatic machine for sewing caps. He didn’t patent his design but it
didn’t work anyway.
1814: An Austrian tailor, Josef Madersperger, was patent attempting several different designs, but all
were unsuccessful.
1818: John Adams Doge and John Knowles invent America’s first sewing machine, but it could only sew a
few bits of fabric before breaking.
Madersperger, the Austrian tailor
9. 1830: The First Successful Sewing Machine
After, 40 years Thomas Saints first drew and described a machine for sewing,
Barthelemy Thimonnier, a French tailor, invented a machine that used a hooked needle
and one thread, creating a chain stitch.
irst sewing machine
10. 1830: A Riot & Near Death Experience
After the successful patent, Thimonnier opened the world’s first machine based clothing
manufacturing company. His job was to create uniforms for the French Army. But when other
French tailors got wind of his invention, they weren’t too pleased. They feared his machine would
result in their unemployment so they burn down his factory and he was still inside. Never take
your sewing machine for granted ever again; this guy almost died for it.
Bathelemy Thimonnier
11. 1834: Morals Over Money
Walter Hunt created America’s first functioning sewing machine, but he had second thoughts. Hunt thought
such a machine would cause unemployment for many, so he didn’t bother to patent the design. Now you
see where things are going to get messy.
A model of Walter Hunt’s sewing machine, based on his patent drawings
12. 1844: A Lost Patent
In 1844, English inventor John Fisher, designed a sewing machine that would eliminate this
disparity between the moving parts. However, a botched filing job at the Patent Office resulted in
his patent getting lost, so he never received any recognition.
A woman on an Elias Howe Lockstitch sewing machine
13. 1845: Elias Howe & the Lockstitch
Elias Howe from America invents a sewing machine that resembles Fisher’s, with some tweaks and adjustments. His patent was
to invent “a process that uses thread from 2 different sources.” His machine has a needle with an eye at the point, which goes
through the fabric creating a loop on the reverse, a shuttle on a track that slips the second thread through the loop, creating
what is called the lockstitch.
He struggled to market his design, so he took the plunge and sailed to England. After a lengthy stay, he returned to his
motherland only to find others had copied his lockstitch mechanism. One of those was an Isaac Merritt Singer.
Elias Howe’s Lockstitch sewing machine, patented 1846.
14. 1857 1st chain stitch single thread machine
James Gibbs invented the first chain stitch single thread sewing machine in a 1857. He joined forces
with James WI to form the Wilcox & Gibbs Sewin Machine Company who are still tradin today
15. 1851: Introducing Isaac Singer
Isaac Singer is one of the most well-known sewing machine manufacturers, building an empire that is still
going today. His iconic Singer sewing machines are beautifully ornate. He developed the first version of
our modern day sewing machine, with a foot pedal and the up-and-down needle. He was also inspired by
elements from the Howe, Hunt and Thimonnier inventions, causing Howe to file a lawsuit.
Isaac Merritt Singer’s first sewing machine, patented 1851.
16. 1854: A Real Stitch Up
Elias Howe took Singer to court for Patent Infringement, where he defended his case and won.
Isaac Singer tried to refer back to Walter Hunt’s design, expressing that Howe infringed upon his
idea. Unfortunately for Singer, this didn’t have any impact at all. The lack of patent on Hunt’s
design meant it was intellectual property for anybody to use.
he t
17. 1864 Bradbury & co.
George Bradbury, founded Bradbury& Co Britain and Europe's first sewing machine manufacturer Bradbury gas
a partner with several others, from 1852 to 1861.
A time when the company specialised as tool makers, whilst also dabbled in bike manufacturing and eventually
sewing machines Bradbury split from the partnership, under the licence of Wheeler & Wilson, Singer.