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1837 Thorp's Patent Model of a Loom Shuttle Tongue

National Museum of American History

Object Details

inventor
Thorp, Comfort B.
Description
Loom Shuttle Tongues Patent Model
Patent No. 162, issued April 17, 1837
Comfort B. Thorp of Smithfield, Rhode Island
Comfort Thorp, the younger brother of textile machinery inventor John Thorp, worked for Thomas and William Fletcher in their mill near North Providence. His patent improved the method of securing and holding the cop, or yarn cylinder, on the common power loom shuttle, preventing slips that would waste yarn and cause imperfections in the woven cloth.
The patent model he submitted contained two types of tongues. One used a common round tongue with wire spiraled around it. The other consisted of a tongue with ridges or notches similar to the teeth of a saw blade. The two loom shuttle tongues were neatly exhibited in a box, probably to keep them from being separated or lost in the cases at the Patent Office.
Location
Currently not on view
model constructed
before 1837-04-17
patent date
1837-04-17
ID Number
TE.T11418.002
catalog number
T11418.002
accession number
89797
patent number
162
Object Name
Loom Shuttle Tongues
loom shuttle tongue patent model
Object Type
Patent Model
Physical Description
metal (overall material)
associated place
United States: Rhode Island, Smithfield
Related Publication
Janssen, Barbara Suit. Patent Models Index
See more items in
Home and Community Life: Textiles
Patent Models, Textile Machinery
Textiles
Patent Models
National Museum of American History
classified
Patent Models
Invention
Record ID
nmah_1069589
Metadata Usage (text)
CC0
GUID (Link to Original Record)
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a9-2ba2-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

Related Content

  • Patent Models: Textile and Sewing Machines

    American History Museum
This image is in the public domain (free of copyright restrictions). You can copy, modify, and distribute this work without contacting the Smithsonian. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Open Access page.
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IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.
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