The NeedleBar

The Ideal Sewing Machine Company

by Lee King & Bob Stevenson

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INTRODUCTION

The Needlebar is proud to release historical information concerning Salter’s Improved Portable Chain Stitch Sewing Machine commonly known as the “Ideal Sewing Machine”.

Until now little if any information regarding the Ideal sewing machine has been available. Needlebar’s research has lead to significant discoveries concerning design changes in relation to the original patent and the production machines released for sale. Although small, the Ideal was never conceived as a toy machine, it is obviously designed and engineered to too high a standard. It is "An Improved Portable Chain Stitch Sewing Machine".

Engineer, Leslie Salter first applied for the “Improved Portable Chain Stitch Sewing Machine” patent on the 30th December 1910. His application, patent number 30264 was accepted on the 8th June 1911. The full patent, provisional specification, complete specification and detailed drawings to the best of our knowledge have never before been released for public viewing. The Ideal is a truly remarkable machine sought after by many collectors worldwide.

The full text and drawings of Leslie Salter's English Patent 1910 can be seen here. His German Patent documents are here.

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IDEAL DIFFERENCES

Another little known fact of the Ideal sewing machine is that there were actually two models made and marketed throughout it’s brief history. These machines where know and marked Model “A” and Model “B”. Stamped clearly underneath the main body casting is either a large A or B. The curious factor being that when the first machines were made it must have been anticipated that changes were imminent and instructions to stamp the base with the letter A were given for means of identification.

Surprisingly the difference between the two models has virtually gone unnoticed. Needlebar has listed for identification purposes some of these design changes. A few of which are easily visible and some not so visible, yet vastly important to the improvement of operation and ease of use of the Ideal sewing machine.

The most visible difference is the fascia. Model A being plain and skeleton like to view, whereas Model B carries an engraved fascia bearing the machines name “Ideal”.

The patent number can be seen clearly on both model machines it is located in the centre of the stich plate. As can been seen in the following photos there came a need for recognition to the origin of the manufacturer. Model B shows the additional engraved statement “British Manufacture”. Although the words “British Manufacture” were added to model B, the year of the patent was not added. This was important before 1916, as British patent numbers were started from 1 again every year and an undated patent could in theory have been anywhere between 1852 and 1915. Fortunately, because the patent was applied for on December 30th 1910, it had a high patent number that could only have occurred in 1897, 1909 or 1910.

Again, it seems odd that the German and French patent numbers weren’t added to the needleplate à la Willcox and Gibbs and others, giving an air of International importance to the machine. The German patent no. is 250219 and is dated 23 July 1911. The French Patent no. is 432436, date not known but probably also in 1911.

The Ideal sewing machine is well known for its walking foot design. The Model A as per the patent data is a single piece design. The single piece design does not allow for the thick types of material, as it has no ability to be adjusted. The Model B is a two-piece and can be adjusted to suit thick or thin materials as per the following pictures.

Further changes were made at the rear of the presser foot leg. Note in the following pictures the upper and lower securing areas for the tension spring as well as the cut out area on the Model B. This change was to enable the presser foot to be more secure when raised as the Model A had a tendency to slip continually when lifted for the removal of materials etc.

In an effort to improve the Ideal further a simple design change was made to the needle holder clamp or as referred to in the patent as clip or stop. The Model A needle holder clamp was too simple and therefore had one major flaw. When the operator either changed or had to adjust the needle in the needlebar a problem occurred. The clamp would fall from the needlebar or make it very difficult to align the needle and secure the clamp at the same time. The Model A needle clamp was a separate part to the needle bar and when loosened would just fall straight off.

Model B has a simple solution which will help make the failure of the Model A needle clamp somewhat clearer. The Model B clamp actually protrudes through the needlebar and so when loosened stayed in place so the operator could then insert and adjust the needle with ease. Please refer to the following photos.

As with any new design there are inevitable changes that must be made either for better operation of the devise or it’s user. The Model A had little if any ability for adjustments of any kind to be made. Probably the single most important changes came about due to variances in the manufacture capabilities of individual parts. In order for the machine to form a chain stitch the looper must be able to move in close to the needle when in it’s lowest position and grab the cotton. The Model A when assembled had no allowance for adjustment of the looper and if one of the parts controlling or guiding the looper was not in true alignment then it could not function properly. The only way to assure that the parts did meet their requirements was to physically bend them into position. The need for adjustment in most cases would be very minor but very necessary. This method being extremely crude and not one associated with a quality item. The looper had a need to be adjustable from left to right allowing the looper to be brought in closer or further away from the point of the needle as it reached it’s lowest point.

Model B had all the answers as can be seen in the following photos.

The arc of the looper also had to have adjustment; this was cleverly achieved through a screw located at the rear of the machine and accessible through one of the large holes in the hand wheel.

One design shown clearly on the Ideal patent never actually made it to the first production made machines. Note the hand wheel has the groove that would allow use as a tabletop or treadle style machine. Quoting from the patent "This driving wheel c is provided with a depression t by which a driving band can be attached from an independent foot treadle".

To the best of our knowledge this design does not exist on any known Ideal sewing machine.

There were cosmetic changes made to the wooden bases, for the most part Model A had a smooth edge. Some Model A machines have the carved grooves which run horizontally along the wooden base but is prominent with Model B machines.

We hope you have enjoyed the information on the Ideal sewing machine as we have in bringing it to you. Of course there are other points but we felt that the information given here would be of a higher interest in understanding this once quite mysterious machine.

Which Model do you have?