BOOK-SEWING MACHINES PATENTS
Abridgments of Specifications Relating to Book-Sewing Machines
British and US Patents
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US 66.899 Ferdinand Sims
New and improved Book-Sewing Machine
July 16, 1867
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GB 98 John Garrett Tongue
A communication from abroad by Henry Graham Thompson, of New York. Improvements in apparatus for sewing the backs of books for the purpose of binding the series of numbers or separate sections of a book or volume together. This invention has for its object the arrangement of mechanism or apparatus suitable for sewing the backs of books in order to bind the series of numbers or separate sections of the book together in place of sewing them by hand with a needle and thread as ordinarily practised. Printed, 1s. 10d. Drawings.
January 10, 1868
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In 1868 in America, David McConnell Smyth patented one of the first sewing machines made for bookbinding. He invented the technique of sewing through the fold in a signature to create a strong binding. This technique is still used today and is known as Smyth Sewing. Smyth also invented a number of other machines that enabled mass production in the book binding industry, include gluing, trimming, case-making and casingin machines.
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US 74.948 David M. Smyth
...Be it known that I, David M. Smyth, of Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Machinery for Sewing Books...
(straight needles ?)
February 25, 1868
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GB 1.539 Amos Holbrook Jr.
of Lynn, in the County of Essex and State of Massachusetts, of the United States of America, for an invention for a machine for sewing books. Complete specification.
Letters Patent sealed. May 11, 1868
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GB 1.604 John Garrett Tongue
of the firm of Tongue and Birkbeck, Patent Agents and Engineers, of 34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, for an invention for improvements in apparatus for sewing or stitching together the numbers or separate parts of a volume, in the operation of book-binding. A communication to him from abroad by Henry Graham Thompson, of New York, United States of America.
Provisional protection only. May 16, 1868
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US 79.123 Amos Holbrook Jr.
Improvements in the Method of Sewing Books
June 23, 1868
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US 87.258 Amos Holbrook Jr.
Machine for Sewing Books
(straight needles ?)
February 23, 1869
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US 91.175 David McConnell Smyth
...Be it known that I, David M. Smyth, of Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machinery for Sewing Books and Pamphlets...
(straight and curved needles)
Assignor to Henry G. Thompson and Reune Martin
June 8, 1869
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US 119.894 David M. Smyth
...Be it known that I, David M. Smyth, of Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Method of Sewing or Connecting Sheets of Paper into Books or Pamphlets...
This method of sewing or connecting sheets of paper can be worked by means of the machinery described and secured by Letters Patent granted to me and bearing date the 25th day of February, 1868
(needle with a hook)
Assignor by, Mesne Assignments to Henry G. Thompson
October 10, 1871
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US 135.662 Charles H. Palmer
Improvement in Machines for Sewing Books
based on the familiar sewing machine known as Singer's
Assignor to the Pamphlet Stitching-Machine Company
February 11, 1873
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GB 1.000 John Garrett Tongue
of the firm of Tongue and Birkbeck, Patent Agents and Engineers, of 34, Southampton-buildings, Chancery-lane, in the county of Middlesex, has given the like notice in respect of the invention of improvements in book sewing machines. A communication to him from abroad by Henry Graham Thompson, of Milford, in the county of Newhaven and State of Connecticut, United States of America. As set forth in his petition, recorded in the said office on the 21st day of March, 1874.
March 21, 1874
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US 151.507 Edward G. Parkhurst & Henry G. Thompson
Improvements in Book Sewing Machine
June 2, 1874
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B 35.111 J. Vivier
of Brussels, a Patent of Improvement for a system of book-binding
(Original Patent, 11th September, 1871)
July 27, 1874
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US 166.329 James Armstrong
Improved Book-Sewing Machine
(straight needles)
August 3, 1875
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US 168.736 Louis Goddu
Improved Book-Stitching Machine with Staples
Assignor by Mesne Assignment to Horace Barnard
October 11, 1875
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US 184.961 George W. Glazier
Improvement in Machines for Sewing Books, &c.
...In a machine invented before mine, by David M. Smyth, there were semicircular needles passing into the notches of the folded sheet...
(semicircular needles)
Assignor to the Smyth Manufacturing Association
December 5, 1876
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US 184.989 James Crawford Smyth
Improvement in Book Sewing Machines
(straight needles)
Assignor to Orianna Smyth
December 5, 1876
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US 197.575 Carl Theine
of Minden, Prussia, in the Empire of Germany
Improved Book-Stitching Machine
November 27, 1877
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US 203.530 Edward Stanley Boynton
Book-Sewing Machine
Assignors to Wheeler & Wilson Manufacturing Company
May 14, 1878
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US 209.061 James S. Lever
Book-Sewing Machine
October 15, 1878
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US 220.312 David McConnell Smyth
...Be it known that I, David McConnell Smyth, of East Northwood, in the State of New Hampshire, United States of America, have invented an Improvement in Machinery for Sewing together Sheets of Paper or other Material into Books or Pamphlets...
(semicircular needles)
Assignor to George Wells Root
October 7, 1879
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US 223.252 James C. Smyth
Improvement in Machinery for Stitching Books with Staples
Assignor to the Book Sewing Machine Company
January 6, 1880
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US 234.732 David M. Smyth
My improvement is especially useful in maclines for sewing books and relates to a peculiar needle and to the means for supporting the same while in use
(semicircular needles)
Assignor to George Wells Root
November 23, 1880
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US 235.466 David M. Smyth
The object of this invention is to introduce the back of the book a strip of parchment, leather, tape, or similar material and to secure the same by an interlaced thread applied in connection with the double threads that are introduced into the sheets by book-sewing machinery, such as that shown in Patent US 220.312, granted to me in October 7, 1879.
(semicircular needles)
Assignor to the Smyth Manufacturing Company
December 14, 1880
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US 237.291 Edmont Keith
Improvements in Book-Stitching Machines
Book-Stapling Machines
February 1, 1881
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US 238.451 David M. Smyth
Improvement in Book-Sewing
My book-sewing machine represented in Patent US 220.312, October 7, 1879, is capable of performing the sewing according to my present invention
(semicircular needles)
Assignor to the Smyth Manufacturing Company
March 1, 1881
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US 242.101 William F. Barnes & John Barnes
Book-Stitching Machine
May 31, 1881
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English Patents Issued to Americans from July 12 to July 15, 1881.
Book binding machine, S. E. Mower, Milford, Conn.
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US 250.991 David McConnell Smyth
Improvement in Book-Sewing Machines
(semicircular needles)
Assignor to the Smyth Manufacturing Company
December 13, 1881
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US 274.986 David M. Smyth
Improvement in Book-Sewing Machines
Assignor to the Smyth Manufacturing Company
April 3, 1882
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US 276.224 Galen Carlton & David M. Smyth
Improvement in Apparatus for Pasting, Gumming, or Tipping Folded Sheets in Binding Books
Assignor to the Smyth Manufacturing Company
April 24, 1882
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US 276.296 David M. Smyth
Improvement in Machines for Cutting Notches in the Backs of Books
Assignor to the Smyth Manufacturing Company
April 24, 1882
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US 338.726 Levi W. Fifield
Book binding machine
March 30, 1886
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GB 20.552 A. Logan
for improvements in shuttle carriers or throwers for book sewing machines
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We have several times referred to this book-sewing machine, the invention of which has occupied the attention of Mr. Isidor Nasch for many years. The machine is now completed and offices for its sale have been opened at 16, Barbican, E C. It is a remarkable tribute lo the ingenuity and perseverance of its inventor and we predict for it great success among bookbinders.
The Sewing Machine Gazette January 1895
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US 538.089 Frederick Hart
Improvement in Wire-Stitching Machines
Book-Stapling Machines
April 28, 1895
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US 565.145 David McConnell Smyth
Improvement in Machines for Gathering Signatures
August 4, 1896
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US 565.146 David McConnell Smyth
Improvement in Machines for Gathering Signatures
August 4, 1896
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Improvement in Machines for Threading, Looping and Tying Flexible Materials
Assignor to the Smyth Manufacturing Company
October 10, 1899
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US 652.300 David M. Smyth
Improvement in Machines for Gathering Signatures
This invention is a modification of and an improvement upon the device set forth in my Patent US 565.145, of August 4, 1896, filed April 13, 1894.
June 26, 1900
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US 654.420 David M. Smyth & Joseph E. Smyth
Improvement in Ore-Stamps
July 24, 1900
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US 664.300 David M. Smyth
Improvement in Gumming Mechanism for Book-Sewing Machines
Books have been extensively sewed by machinery and reference is hereby made to Letters Patent US 220.312, granted to me October 7, 1879, as illustrating a machine that has been thus employed.
Assignor to Frank C. Bolt
December 18, 1900
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GB 23.122 David McConnell Smyth
Improvements in Gumming Mechanism for Book-sewing Machines
Filing 1900-12-18 • Grant 1901-02-16
February 16, 1901
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