Needle threader in small case

Made:
1855 in London
Needle threader in small case, Surgey's patent of 1855.

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Needle threader in small case, Surgey's patent of 1855.
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Needle threader in small case, patented by John Bailey Surgey of Lidlington Place, St Pancras, London, in 1855 - patent number 719.

Surgey wrote in his patent, 'In the ordinary instruments for treading needles, the thread is passed through a conical or funnel-shaped aperture, which guides it into the eye of the needle... This is inconvenient, and in cases where the thread is alrady attached to a piece of work, it cannot be done... Now, by my improvements the guide or funnel is so made as to form an efficient guide for the thread, and yet to allow of its being readily released.' To do this, he designed the funnel to be made in two or more pieces which formed a true guide when closed together, but which could easily be opened.

Details

Category:
Textiles Machinery
Object Number:
1971-128
Materials:
steel and wood
Measurements:
overall: 7 x 56 x 10 mm
type:
needle threader
credit:
Blaikley, C W