This machine produces a running or basting stitch. Fig. 9 represents a side elevation of the working portion of the machine, with one of the side plates removed, in order, to show the internal arrangement. The cloth enters between the large toothed wheel, A and the smaller wheel, B and by that means is formed into doubles or crimps, as shown by the waving or undulating line.

The needle, C, shown in detail in fig. 10, is held stationary by the additional pinions, n and E and wheel, F. It is made in the peculiar form shown, in order that it may be passed over the small pinion, D and be thereby always kept up to its work, and prevented from running out of the machine. The pinion, D, is actuated by causing the spur wheel, G, on the axle of the wheel, B, to gear into, and drive a pinion mounted on the axle of the pinion, n, outside the casing. A groove is made in the several wheels and pinions, A, B, D, E, and F, for the purpose of receiving the needle, and holding it steady, and in its proper position. The needle is always stationary, and has an eye formed at one end, as in ordinary needles, for the purpose of holding the thread, which may either be loose or run off continuously, from a ball or reel, as the operation of sewing proceeds. The length of stitch will, of course, depend on the pitch of the doubling or crimping teeth in the several wheels and pinions. H is the pinion which drives the large wheel, A.  A machine constructed on the principle of this patent has been largely introduced into this country, for the use of bleachers, printers, dyers, finishers, and lace manufacturers  and for the mere purpose of tacking two pieces of material together for temporary purposes, it is of considerable value.

John Fisher & James Gibbons

GB 10.424  (December 7, 1844) 

A patent was granted to John Fisher and James Gibbons, of Rudford, Nottinghamshire, for certain improvements in the manufacture of figured or ornamented lace, or net, and other fabrics, bearing date the 7th of December, 1844.  Amongst other things described in the specification of this invention is a machine for sewing cords, threads, gimp, yarn or fabric in pattern, on to fabrics. This, according to the specification, is effected by the aid of a needle and shuttle  and in justice to Messrs. Fisher and Gibbons, we feel bound to state that it is to them we are indebted for the suggestion of, combining a needle with a shuttle, for the purpose, of uniting two fabrics, by means of two threads locked together, so as to produce a lasting stitch. This machine contained several sets of needles and shuttles, working simultaneously, and was intended more for the purposes of ornamentation than as a bona fide sewing machine. We cannot learn that it has ever been put into practice.

The shuttle is shown in longitudinal section at fig. 12 and is fitted with a spool or bobbin containing the second thread. A notch, or recess, a, is made at each end of the shuttle, for the purpose of imparting motion thereto, as we shall fully explain further on.

Fig. 13 shows the shuttle, A, in the act of passing through the loop of the needle, B, above the cloth, whereby the needle thread is locked, or prevented from being- drawn out by the descent of the needle. The needles are secured to a needle bar placed beneath the fabric, and in order to pass the curved portion, or bow through the fabric, a “ shagging “ motion is imparted to the needle bar, simultaneously with its rising and falling motion.

Fig. 14 represents a transverse section of apportion of the machine, showing the mode of actuating the shuttle. A, is the shuttle and B one of the needles, which is cast in a "lead" secured to the needle bar, c. The shuttle, which is pointed at both ends, is moved to and fro so as to pass through every fresh loop formed by the needle, by means of the two vibrating arms, D, D’ . These arms are carried by overhead rocking shafts worked by cams. The vibrating ends of the arms, n, d’, are slotted, so as to receive necks or studs on the bars, E, E’, which rest on the fixed platforms, F, F’ and are slided to and fro by the swinging of the arms, D, n’. On the ends of the bars, E, E’ , are projections which form bearings for the axes of the catch bars, G, G’.  To the ends of each catch bar is fixed a finger, H, H’, moving along the guide rails, I, I’ ; hence, as the arms, swing together, the one finger will be moving up, whilst the other is moving down the inclined planes, K, K’, thus causing the catch bars, G, G’ to rook slightly in their bearings. Each of these bars carries as many catches.  L, L’, as there are shuttles in the machine and the bent ends of the catches are made to enter or withdraw from the notches, a, a, in the ends of the shuttles, by the turning of the catch bars. When either of the fingers is on the lower portion of its guide rail, that is, in the position shown by the finger, H’, then the corresponding catches, L’, will be down, or engaged in the notch of the shuttle, which is thus for a time connected to the sliding bar, E’, and will consequently move with it at the next vibration of the arm, D’.  As the finger, H’, slides up the incline, K’, the catches, L’ , will be gradually elevated out of the shuttle, whilst the opposite catches, L, will begin to come into action by the descent of the finger, H  and having engaged themselves with the shuttles, the backward motion of the sliding bar, E, will draw them all through the needle loops. The needles then descend, and the shuttle threads will be fastened down by the threads of the needles. The fabric, M, is now traversed to the proper position for the next stitch, and the needles again rise up through the fabric, and form another set of loops, through which the shuttles are passed back again, in the manner above described and so on, until each pattern is completed. The fabric is carried by a pair of cloth rollers, capable of sliding horizontally in two directions, namely, laterally and longitudinally; these combined movements being sufficient to produce any required design N, N, are two bars, over which the fabric passes, and is kept stretched during the process of ornamentation. A rod or bar, o, running from end to end of the machine, carries two other bars, P, P, which are hinged thereto, so that they may be turned up when it is desired to look below. These hinged bars carry combs or plates, Q, Q, which form shuttle races for the shuttles, one for each shuttle and the combs or plates carry wires, R, which support the shuttles in their movements across from one set of catches to the other. The slack of the threads of the needles is prevented by weighting the thread roller or beam. The ornamenting produced by the shuttles will of course depend on the nature of the cord, yarn  or gimp used, which will be sewn down in pattern by the movement of the fabric each time the needles go down. When a second fabric is fastened by the threads of the needles, the shuttle threads may be of the ordinary kind used in sewing.

Fisher & Gibbons invented a sewing machine without knowing it.

it was sufficient to invalidate Howe's (or Thomas's) patent, parts of which were accordingly disclaimed.

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A subsequent patent was granted on the 10th of June, 1845, to John Fisher, James Gibbons, and Thomas Roe, (GB 10.716) for some modifications of Fisher and Gibbon's patent above referred to. These modifications, however, contained little or nothing in common with the present sewing machines, and need not therefore be further commented upon.

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Arthur Eldred Walker 

GB 11.025    (January 6. 1846)

Arthur Eldred Walker obtained a patent on the 6th of January, 1846, for improvements in machinery for sewing.

The stitch produced by Walker’s machine is a running or basting stitch, precisely similar to that of Bostwick, above alluded to; but in place of using toothed wheels for the purpose of doubling or crimping the cloth, Walker employs a rising and falling bar, which alternately carries the fabric above and below the point of the needle. Fig. 15 of our illustrations shows two views of the needle employed by Walker and Fig. 16 represents a longitudinal vertical section of the essential parts of Walker’s sewing machine. The needle, A, is perfectly straight and is formed with two projections or stops, a, a, the object of which we shall presently point out. When fitted into the machine, the needle remains stationary and is supported in grooves in the small rollers, B, B, such rollers turning freely in their bearings as the fabrics are moved along the needle by the larger grooved rollers, C, C, and D, D, as we shall afterwards explain.

Elias, Jr.  Howe        US  4.750  (Sept. 10, 1846) 

After patenting his invention, Howe spent three discouraging years in both the United States and in England trying to interest manufacturers in building his sewing machine, under license. Finally, for £250 sterling, he sold the British patent rights to William Thomas and further agreed to adapt the machine to Thomas manufacture of umbrellas and corsets.

Mr. Thomas, some time later, paid £2.000 to a person who made some improvement in the feeding apparatus  

It is interesting to note that when William Thomas applied for the British patent of the Howe machine (issued Dec. 1, 1846), the courts would not allow the claim for the combination of the eye-pointed needle and shuttle to form a stitch, due to the Fisher and Gibbons patent of 1844.  

  read more

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In 1848 Thimonnier Barthelemy  received a British patent with his associate Jean Marie Magnin. He had improved his machine, making it of metal instead of wood, and through the assistance of M. Magnin, of Villefranche, he secured a patent in England, which was finally sold to a Manchester company.

from Needlebar:

Thimonnier's machine used a hooked needle; the thread was below the cloth, and the hook of the needle being thrust through the fabric caught the thread, and brought to the upper side a loop. Retaining this loop, the needle passed through the cloth again for another loop, and the second loop was drawn through the fabric and the first loop, thus making a chain stitch. It is stated that this machine would sew two hundred stitches per minute and, if the poor tailor of St. Etienne had not been strangely unfortunate, he would have gained the reward he merited for his clever invention.

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curved needle & curved shuttle, rotary machine (No. 3)

curved needle & shuttle, reciprocating curvilinear motion, (No.4)

vibrating shuttle machine

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David Christie

GB 13.325  (November 7, 1850)

A grant unto David Christie, of Saint John's Place, Broughton, in the borough of Salford and county of Lancaster, merchant, for improvements in machinery or apparatus for preparing, carding, spinning, doubling, twisting, weaving and knitting cotton, wool and other fibrous substances; also for sewing and packing; 6 months ; a communication.

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Bacon, S. F.

of Boston, Massachusetts, sewing machine

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Sherburne C. Blodget and John Alexander Lerow  

of USA, sewing machine. (awarded)

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Charles Barlow

89 Chancery Lane, Imp.. Patent sewing machine, with two threads.

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At the Exhibition at London in 1851, on account of inexplicable bad luck, Thimonnier's machine was not ready for the examination of the commissioners; whereas the Americans exhibited their first improvements to Thimonnier's machine and the shuttle and two-thread machine of Elias Howe.

The Manufacturer and Builder (1888)

William Thomas did not exhibit the productions of Elias Howe whilst employed in his English factory.

William Newton Wilson (Jan. 1892)