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1838 Fairman's Patent Model of a Loom

National Museum of American History

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Object Details

inventor
Fairman, Elijah
Description
Power Loom Patent Model
Patent No. 595, issued February 6, 1838
Elijah Fairman of Stafford, Connecticut
Fairman’s improvements, consisting of an additional cam and a set of treadles, were applied to power looms in common use. His improvements allowed the harnesses to operate more smoothly and the warp to open, enabling the shuttle to pass more easily. The end result was that the loom was better suited to weaving either light or heavy fabrics. Six pages and three illustrations in Clinton Gilroy’s 1844 book, The Art of Weaving, are spent in describing Fairman’s patent. Gilroy commented that Fairman’s loom would probably work fine for simple weaves, but for fancy patterned work, requiring 10 to 100 heddle frames, it would be totally impractical.
Location
Currently not on view
model constructed
before 1838-02-06
patent date
1838-02-06
ID Number
TE.T11411.095
accession number
89797
catalog number
T11411.095
patent number
595
Object Name
loom patent model
Object Type
Patent Model
Physical Description
wood (overall material)
metal (mechanisms material)
associated place
United States: Connecticut, Stafford
Related Publication
Janssen, Barbara Suit. Patent Models Index
See more items in
Cultural and Community Life: Textiles
Patent Models
Patent Models, Textile Machinery
Textiles
National Museum of American History
subject
Patent Models
Invention
Record ID
nmah_1070204
Usage of Metadata (Object Detail Text)
CC0
GUID (Link to Original Record)
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a9-210a-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

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