Wheeler & Wilson's New No. 6 Sewing Machine

To llie Board of Managers : QentiEmbn : After a full and imnartial ex aminatioii of the articles deecribed, the underBigned judges malie the following KEPOBT - (aBSTBAOT) : That Sewing Machine No. 436 (Wheeler k Wilson's New No. 6) was elaime to be so great an irnprovenient, both upon the well-known family machine made by the same company, and upon all other sewing machines, as entitled it to recognition as a new and valuable invention. Under these circumstances, an extremely thorough and minute examination became both desirable and necessary, not only of its novelty, but of the skill and workmanship manifested in the fitting and adjustinent of all its parts. We have risen from such examination witli an ampie conviction that the claim, in all its esseutial features, is well founded. At the commencement of our examination, we were proyided with several compl6v3 sets of all the working parts as they carne from the manufactory, and were at liberty to make our ows. seleotion for the construction of a complete machine in our presence. We thus had, to a large degree, a demonstration of the nicety of the manufacture. Every part was formed to fit every other part with exact precisión. So acurately, for instanee, did the several rotating hooks fit in the same bearing, that while entering it, each one of them, without such contact as required force, manifestly compressed the air within in reaching its proper seat. [The judgea enumérate and describe some of the points of novelty and excellence of the machine. Amongothers: The simple and efficiënt device for producing variable motion for the rotating hook ; The independent take-up lever, which secures the tightening of the Btitch under the best poasible circumstances ; Tho peculiar form of the hook and the use of a bobbin holding a great quantity of the under tbread ; The simple device for producing and varying tb tensión of the lower thread; The hollow steel needle-bar ; The facility of applying and using many usef ui attachments - the hemmer, binder, corder, ruffler, etc] Having completed the construction of our trial machine, in the way indicatod, it was monnted upon a convenient stand, and ubmitted to every variety of test as to the range of work that could be executed upon it properly and weil, and without other adaptation than simple changes of needie and thread. The mere list of operations performed in our presenee without the slightest hesitation or failure, and without the discoverable loss of ro much as a single stitoh, wouldconvey an inadequate idea of th complete success aohieved. Beginmng with a needle measuring but. 17-1000 inch in diameter, and operating with the finest thread upon laoe goods, the same machine passed tbiough all the stages of muslin, and broadcloth of all conceivable thieknesses and foïdings and ridgings, and then with waxed thread stitching through portions of heavy harneas leather. After this demonstration of its range of work, we entered upon the nicer tests rcquired for a íamily and light marrafacturing machine. In this department we witnessed all the Yarieties of work on hemming, feiling, and braiding, and also a degree of success in single and doublé raffling which we believe unparalelled. The varied kinds of work on a lady's boot were then performed, and each of these with tho same marked success. Indeed, whatever the test, and whatever the work presentcd, the same unfailing perfection was exhibited, not only in the work as a piece, but in the execution of each individual stitch. With much patiënt examination, we were unable to discover a single defect. The rninuteness of this report is il simple reflection of the care with whiah we have endeavored to examine these claims. We find thechief advantage of tljis machine to be in the nse of a modifled f orm of the rotating hook as a substitute for the shuttle, the hook carrying the upper thread around the bobbin contaiuing the lower thread, and thus producing identically the same effect as the shuttle. The superiority of this rotary motion over the reciprocating motion of the shuttle maahines eannot be disputed. The " lock-stieh " which in thus secured has always ranked highest on account of the permanence, beauty, and general desirableness of the stitching when done, and the wide range of its application. To these conceded advantages tliere have been added, in our presence, the severest and most searching tests of its capacity and iisefulness upon every ordiuarily possible kind of work, and we eau do no less than bear witness to the entire and remarkable success which has attended its action in every part of our examination. It is a machine w hielt, by the prooj submitted, we are satisjied must eventually supersede all others now known with which it comes in competición. As the only conolusion at which we can arrive af ter an investigatioa of the several merits of each of the sewingmachines submitted, an investigation which we have endeavored to make patiently and completely in every respect, and itósoeiating theee with our best judgment npon the merits of the several machines which are in use but not on exhibltion : We rccommcnd for the Wheeler & Wilson New No. 6 Sewing -machine the highest award ivhich ü is in the power of the Institute to bcstow. JOHN A. BASSETT, 1 MOSE'S S. BEAOH, H. W. STEELE, Judges. JOHNMATTHEWS, [ REUBEN BULL, J The Board of Managers unanimously approved the report, and recommended for this machiue the Gold Medal of the JxiHitute. The Board of Direction unanimously approved this recommendation, anc BWarded the Gold Medal to Wheeler & VVilsou, the only gold medal awardec for a ewing-machme by the American Institute for many years.