This idea of special tooling and, therefore, the complete interchangeability of parts, almost led to the downfall of the project before the first machine was finished. Willcox also had to agree to pay for this work even if the machine was not a commercial success. What's more, Sharpe wanted to build the machines using specially-made dies and tooling rather than as one-offs. To hedge his bets Sharpe wanted an agreement whereby Willcox would pay $3 per day during the development time. The machine shop would produce a batch of 12 machines and then the cost could be accurately gauged. Eventually Willcox and Lucien Sharpe reached a compromise. But he went along in late 1857 or early '58 with the prototype he had made himself in an attempt to get a costing on the job.īrown and Sharpe were a little cagey, not wanting to commit to a price for work of which they had no experience. This was, in some ways a strange request, for the company he had chosen was very small with only five lathes, one drill and a couple of planers. Willcox, who was in charge of production, approached the Providence, Rhode Island, company of Brown and Sharpe who were at that time makers of clocks, watches and measuring instruments, and asked if it would be interested in producing the new sewing machine. GETTING THE first Willcox and Gibbs machine from drawing board to the shop counter was an adventure beset with more engineering problems than most. A History of the Willcox and Gibbs Company by Graham Forsdyke
#Willcox gibbs history series
This series of operations is repeated at every revolution of the hook.Brown and Sharpe's workshops where W&G's were made. 5, and is drawn tight by drawing open the new loop. 4.) The next motion of the hook will allow this latter loop to slip off entirely from the hook, as shown in Fig. This cast-off is so arranged in relation to the hook and angular recess r that the loop, is spread for the hook-nose to pass through on taking a fresh loop from the needle.Īt this moment the hook has two loops engaged, the fresh loop at the nose and the preceding loop, which now bears against the convex part of the hook. This is effected by the spur or cast-off x. e., the thread which has been behind the needle is brought to the front, while the thread in front of the needle is turned toward the rear of the loop. This is done during the time the hook is revolving from position Fig. The hook is gradually swelling, (in thickness,) and is concavely shaped where the loop is in contact therewith, for the purpose of not drawing more thread than is strictly necessary.Īfter the loop has thus been drawn open, it will slip off the hook and lodge into the angular recess r, which the hook is forming with the shaft. The loop is now gradually spread by the hook during the next following part of its revolution. In the same time the hook will advance and penetrate the loop, as shown in Fig. The next motion of the needle will be ascending. "The hook is so arranged in relation to the needle-arm that when the latter shall have reached its lowest point of stroke the hook is just facing the loop which the needle has brought through the cloth.
#Willcox gibbs history manual
Willcox & Gibbs Automatic Instruction Manual The thread is twisted in its rotation before a new loop is started. In this patent the revolving hook takes the loop of thread and holds it while the feed moves the fabric until the needle descends once more through the loop. James Gibbs took out two patents (Decemand January 20, 1857), before the all important patent above, from June 2, 1857. Willcox was impressed with Gibbs' machine and put him to work with his own son, Charles Willcox. Having been to Washington's patent office he went to Philadelphia to show his model to James Willcox, who was specializing in building models of new inventions. His work on it had to fit around his employment and he was hampered by a lack of tools and materials, but by April of that year his first model was ready and his employers agreed to finance the patenting of it. To him it looked too heavy and expensive and he decided to pursue his idea of a simpler, lightweight chainstitch machine. In January 1856 while visiting his father he saw a Singer machine in a tailor's shop for the first time. He could tell the needle went in and out of the same hole in the fabric, rather than travelling completely through as in hand sewing, and came up with the idea that sewing had to have been accomplished with a chainstitch. The picture only showed the top half of the machine, so Gibbs tried to imagine how a stitch was formed. James Gibbs had originally seen a woodcut picture of a Grover & Baker machine in 1855.