Page 1 Advertisements Column 3

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4610, 5 February 1883, Page 1

Bo8in»8B Efotioea. NOT QUITE SO DECISIVE AS IT "WAS, BUT A LITTLE MOEE OVEEWHELMING. WE CHALLENGE the representative of the Singer Sewing Maohine Company, or any of the jurors on Sewing Machiues at the Exhibitioi who voted for the report coming from that body to controvert the following statement of facts. Messrs Meddings, Cunnington, Dale, and Kirk, we call upon yoa to defend your report. H. C. PISKE k CO. Christchurch International Exhibition. June 15th, 1882. BEPOBT OP CeM>I_TTEE OF EXPEETS. To H. C. Fiske k Co. DEAB SIB,— In accordance with your request, we have examined the New Davis and the New Singer Sewing Machines, for the purpose of comparing them. In our comparison we have taken into consideration— 1. The mechanical principle involved. 2. The quality of the material used. 3. The degree of workmanship exhibited. 4. The facility for doing a good and varied class of work. After taking both machines asunder, carefully examining every piece, and fully testing their capabilities, we have no hesitation in saying that we consider the Davis far the superior machine of the two. Our reasons are as follows : — ' In both machines the some method is adopted for actuating the needle bar— viz., a cra_k with roller working in a cam. This cam in the Davis machine is cut out of a solid piece of steel and hardened, while in the Singer it is not cnly very much lighter, but is made jof common c\st iron. The feed apparatus of the two maohines are very dissimilar. That of the Singer is the usu il slip feed. The Davis has the vertical feel peouliar to itself. In this arrangement thi) presser foot holds the material firmly down till the needle has reached its lowest point. The pressure is then relieved and transmitted to the feed bar. Feed bar, needle, and material are then, by a very simple contrivance, moved forward simultaneously tho required length of stitch. Motion is given to the shuttle in Davis' machine as follows. An eccentrio at the wheel end of the main spindle gives motion to a vertical levor. This in turn transmits it through a ball joint of ingenious construction to the only moving part under the machine, a pivotted lever having at its end an adjustable shuttle carrier. In the Singer Machinea pair of mitre wheels drive a vertical spindle, having at its lower end a crank. A conneoting rod from thia crank moves a sliding shuttle carrier. It will be seen that in the Davis there are between the main spindle and the shuttle four points of friction, the pivot carrying the vertical lever, the eccentric, the ball joint, and the pivot of horizontal lever. The tw -> principal movements, the eccentric and ball joint, are adjustable, and the parts most liable to wear are made of hardened steel. To composß the same work the Singer employs as points of friotion the teeth of the mitre wheels, the two journals of vertical spindle, the two ends of tho connpcting rod, and the eliding shuttle carrier. None of these places are adjustable. The small wheels are common cast iron, having a certain amount of backlash, and consequent tendency to rattle and break. The connecting rod is a thin bar of iron, with a hole in each end. The end which runs on the crank pin is one of the principal joints in the machine, having a considerable amount of work to do with small bearing surface, making it very liable to wear, while, as before remarked, there are no means of compensating for any wear. It will be noticed that the shuttlo of the Singer Machine is carried in a slide, to which a lateral strain is given by the driving rod, causing a certain amount of friction, while* in the Davis it is carried by tho lover quito free from friction. With the exception of the small roUer working the needle bar, there is not a single piece in the Singer Machine, not even excepting the shuttle, that cannot be cut with an ordinary pocket knife, and there aro no moans of adjusting any wearing part. In the Davis, not only are most of the pieces made ef steel, and tempered, bnt at every essential point means are provided for taking np any wear. On this point we may say that where we had any doubt about the quality of the matorial employ.*! the piece waa broken and the fracture carefully examine—, Having examined the mechanical arrangements of the two maohines, we tested their adaptability for work, and wo noticed tho very peouliar feed of tho Davis. In this respect we have been forced to the conclusion that for all purposes, sewing from the thinnest muslin to even through a metal spoon, the Davis has no parallel for grasp, or for avoiding that puckering often the effect of the pressure on a fore motion feed. "Wo must in common honesty express our astonishment at the range and variety of work accomplished by the Davis, whioh we are satisfied cannot be done by the Singer. In summarising our report, we repeat that wa have no hesitation in saying that we regard the Davis as very superior to the Singer in workman, ship, material, and the mechanical principles involved, and also in performing a greater range of work. We found the Davis to work with equal ease from the lightest to the heaviest fabric. JOHN LEE SCOTT (Scott BroB.) Mechanical Engineer. T. GLUTAS PASCOE, Manager of the Kaiapoi Clothing Faotory. GEO. P. ANTHONY, Mechanical Expert, from Nettlefold's Birmingham. ■ 5717 THE GBEAT EASTEB* FUBNISHING MABT. _C_* JO B O M L B V, FUBNITUBE BEOKBB, VALUATOB, &0., Corner of Armagh and Manchester streets. NBW AND SEOOND-HAND FUENITUJJE, Aad goodß of every description on sale. Sales attended on oommis6ion. FUBNITFEB, kO., BOUGHT, BOLD,8 OLD, OS EXCIAHGBD. NOW OPEN. N.B. — No connection with any othjr shop in the trade. 8856 __I_PSICOT3! _t_LPBICOIS ! FOB JAM. PEAOHES, PLUMS, AU other Fruits in season. H. STEWART, OOLOMBO STBEET. 186 Cn«K^^B!ipi^^^R^Rl!^oL^n^r_bitef" Boys f Straw Hals, 3}d F. Gabites jpOMPION O OUSE. GREAT SALE OF SUMMER DRAPERY, Commencing THUBBDAY, JAN. 11, 1883. Sco Catalogues of Salo. |>ELL k QHABLAND, 833S Colombo stbbbt. JML bs Atkinson, VIOIOBIA STBEET, Has on Hand a Complete Stock of MADAMS WEIGEL'S PAPEB PATTEBNB ,«.-*n {\^ Dresses, Mantles, ■0:/?&gA sizes for ladies and ohilaccompanied by wW"-*/ |^3^ ODB ' or Baking °P« St^iM h Sold at prioes ranging il-@||||L " from 6d to 2s. Newest •^s-^ys». tyl** monthly in •r^_ ___3_. Weigel's Journal of Fashions, prioe 7d ; by post, Bd. Catalogue ' of Fashions, Sd j by post, _d. Patterns, kc, sent to any part of the oountry on reoeipt of prioe and additional stamp for postage. Sole Agent in Christchurch — 1 MBS ATKINSON, Vioiobia Stbut3So