MIDDLETOWN CONNECTICUT Victor Sewing Machine Co. |
Tool
Makers of |
Tools Made: Micrometers and drill chucks.
Working Dates: 1864-83. Incorporated 1864. Name changed from Finkle and Lyon Manufacturing Company to Victor Sewing Machine Company 1872. Decertified 1905. Ref. 64 Page 538.
George M. Pratt was issued patent #202,866 on Mar. 23, 1878 for a improved micrometer, assigned to the Victor Sewing Machine Company. The patented feature was the ability to adjust the anvil. In 1883 the micrometer business including patent rights were sold to Brown & Sharpe, Providence, RI. Frank Spaulding, the head of the micrometer department also moved. The factory was located on Hamblin and Williams Streets. Just west of the W & B Douglas Pump works. Map BB.
Officers in 1874: Frank D. Sloat, President, H. S. White, Vice-President, L. D. Blake,
Secretary, Geo. M. Pratt, Superintendent.
Patent papers on the Pratt micrometer at the bottom of the page.
The logo on the micrometer is "Victor S. M. Co. / Middletown Conn. U.S.A.".
Below is a chuck patented by George Pratt and made by this company. I received this information from a gentleman in Wales, Great Britain. Number 164,032, Improvement in Chucks for Metal drills, issued 1 June 1875.
Marked
THE VICTOR PAT'D JUNE 1, 1875
Victor S. M. Co. / Middletown Conn. U.S.A.
Below is an ad from the 1875-76 Middletown City Directory.
Patents issued or assigned to this company. See Ref.24 for more Middletown patents.
Name Pat. No Item Issue Date Pratt, George M. 98409 Sewing machine thread control 12/28/1869 Assigned to Finkle & Lyon Mfg. Co Johnson, Albert W. 109414 Sewing machine shuttle 11/22/1870 Assigned to Finkle & Lyon Mfg. Co Pratt, George M. 125488 Sewing machine needle bar 5/7/1872 Assigned to Finkle & Lyon Mfg. Co Pratt, George M. 202866 Micrometer gage 4/23/1878 Pratt, G. 226550 feed & shuttle mechanism 4/13/1880 Assigned to Victor Sewing Machine Co. Robertson, James 248507 Machinery belt device 10/18/1881 Pratt, G. 249091 Oil cup holder 11/1/1881 Andrus,Marshall D 258346 Sewing machine shuttle 5/23/1882
George M. Platt was born Feb. 8, 1829 in Ludlow, Mass. He was the superintendent of the VSM Co until it went out of business.
Below is the Pratt Parallel Dividers, patent number 336,868. There is no maker
name on this tool. It was manufactured by the J. Stevens Arms & Tool Co.
Chicopee Falls, Mass.It came with a long arm, pump center, needle point and pencil holder.
Close-up of the micrometer adjustment mechanism.
Below is the smaller version with the patent date of Feb 23, 1886.Pictures
provided by Kyle Dandeneau
1874 Map of the Victor Sewing Machine Co.
The 2 pictures below are from an 1881 letter from the Victor Sewing Machine Company.
The top picture is from the envelope and the bottom from the letter.
Stock Certificate courtesy of Deborah Beacham.
The medallion below is from a Victor Sewing Machine. Approximately 1 1/2 inches in diameter.
1875 AD.
References: 1, 3, 7, 14, 19, 24, 64 Back Home
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