An international history of the sewing machine
Abstract
This book provides a complete picture of the international development of the sewing machine from Saint's invention of 1790 to the high-speed machine of the 1980s. It covers the early industrial background, the experimental era, the commercial age and 20th-century developments and includes mention of embroidery machines, glove making machines and some unusual machines. Illustrated with more than 150 photographs and diagrams, the book contains not only the historical facts and mechanical explanations but also short biographies of many of the past inventors and/or the companies with which they were associated. A glossary of some 700 entries gives details of machine companies, machine brand names, inventors and other persons involved in the history of the sewing machine. There is a short bibliography as well as a subject index.
In the second half of the 18th century, a Technical Revolution, characterized with several ground-breaking technological inventions, such as steam power, happened in Britain. The Industrial Revolution happened the same time, which brought wide application of machines to the industry and dramatic changes to the society, transforming the agriculture-based society to an industry-based one. Since then, the world started fast development in all aspects.
Several textile anniversaries are celebrated in 2005. In 1705 a British Patent was issued for the production of indigo and in 1755 a British Patent was taken out for a sewing machine by Charles Frederick Weisenthal, the first known patent for such a machine. By 1805 the printing pf woven fabrics had become established at Jouy, France. In 1855 George Philippe Audemars took out British Patent No.283/1855 for the production of fibres based on cellulose nitrate. Examples of other inventions are also given. In 1905 Eduard Boos made the first attempt to spin filament yarns and 75 years ago Wallace Hume Carothers probably spun polyester fibres for the first time. Other inventions from this period are also considered. The 1955 inventions include the rotor open-end spinning machine developed by Julius Meimberg and the marketing of Xenotest 150.
Major developments and events that have taken place in the world textile industry since 1601, when the first strike was recorded in the Chinese textile industry among textile workers, to 1951, when the first ITMA exhibition was held in Lille, are recorded.
Noteworthy anniversaries in textile history, going back 400 years to 1606, are discussed. Some of the milestones in textile history include the discovery of the first synthetic dye by William Henry Perkin 150 years ago, the introduction of the first reactive dyes for cellulosic fibres onto the market just 50 years ago, the discovery of the first synthetic fibres 75 years ago, even though the process did not actually go into production, and the laying of the first stone in the false-twist process for producing textured yarns in 1931.
What anniversaries does the textile history offer us this year? One hundred years ago, the first household detergent was introduced, which was followed 25 years later by the first fine wash detergent. In addition, 50 years ago the market introduction of the Cibacron and Remazol colorings took place. Also, the Textile Anniversaries, thanks to its author, Herbert Vogler, celebrate its 25th year of existence. When one looks back to these 25 years, the scope widened from year to year, a sign that the textile industry always shows exciting new developments.
This article explores the way in which fashionable items in a woman's wardrobe became accessible to a mass female market during the nineteenth century thanks largely to the interaction of fashion requirements themselves and developments in pattern drafting and grading, but also supported by contemporary social and cultural change. Using the case of the woman's jacket, it shows how progress in cutting techniques, in measurement, in the 'shape' of fashion, and in the use of the more flexible practices of dressmaking, allowed manufacturers to produce and sell — in the new department stores and elsewhere — a cheaper, fashionable yet ready-made tailored garment that appealed to large numbers of women.
Patent pools, which combine complementary patents of competing firms, are expected to increase overall welfare – but potentially discourage innovation in substitutes for the pool technology. This paper exploits a new historical data set on changes in patenting and firm entry for a clearly defined pool technology and substitutes in the 19th century sewing machine industry to investigate the effects of a pool on innovation in substitutes. This analysis reveals a substantial increase in innovation for an – albeit technologically inferior – substitute technology. Historical evidence suggests that the creation of a pool diverted innovation towards an inferior substitute by creating differential license fees and litigation risks, which made it more difficult for outside firms to compete directly with the pool technology.
Members of a patent pool agree to use a set of patents as if they were jointly owned by all members and license them as a package to other firms. This article uses the example of the first patent pool in U.S. history, the Sewing Machine Combination (1856–1877) to perform the first empirical test of the effects of a patent pool on innovation. Contrary to theoretical predictions, the sewing machine pool appears to have discouraged patenting and innovation, in particular for the members of the pool. Data on stitches per minute, an objectively quantifiable measure of innovation, confirm these findings.
Members of a patent pool agree to use a set of patents as if they were jointly owned by all members and license them as a package to other firms. Regulators favor pools as a means to encourage innovation: Pools are expected to reduce litigation risks for their members and lower license fees and transactions costs for other firms. This paper uses the example of the first patent pool in U.S. history, the Sewing Machine Combination (1856-1877) to perform the first empirical test of the effects of a patent pool on innovation. Contrary to theoretical predictions, the sewing machine pool appears to have discouraged patenting and innovation, in particular for the members of the pool. Data on stitches per minute, as an objectively quantifiable measure of innovation, confirm these findings. Innovation for both members and outside firms slowed as soon as the pool had been established and resumed only after it had dissolved.
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