Barthélemy Thimonnier
Quick Summary
Barthélemy Thimonnier was a French inventor who received a patent in 1830 for an early sewing machine. His intention was to mass-produce uniforms for the French army. However, in 1831, approximately 200 tailors, fearing for their livelihoods, destroyed his machines. Thimonnier's design mechanized the hand-sewing process, but a significant improvement came later with machines developed by Walter Hunt and Elias Howe, which introduced a curved, eye-pointed needle and a shuttle mechanism for interlocking threads. While Thimonnier's invention was an early step, the sewing machine's widespread adoption and development were significantly influenced by later inventors like Isaac Singer.12
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.
sewing machine…was designed and manufactured by Barthélemy Thimonnier of France, who received a patent for it by the French government in 1830, to mass-produce uniforms for the French army, but some 200 rioting tailors, who feared that the invention would ruin their businesses, destroyed the machines in 1831. Thimonnier’s design, in…
Read More…was designed and manufactured by Barthélemy Thimonnier of France, who received a patent for it by the French government in 1830, to mass-produce uniforms for the French army, but some 200 rioting tailors, who feared that the invention would ruin their businesses, destroyed the machines in 1831. Thimonnier’s design, in…
Read More- clothing and footwear industryHistory
…was patented in 1830 by Barthélemy Thimonnier of Paris, who produced 80 machines to manufacture army uniforms. Thimonnier’s machines, however, were destroyed by a mob of tailors who feared unemployment. Thimonnier’s design used one thread; an American, Elias Howe, improved on it significantly with a lock-stitch machine that used two…
Read More…was patented in 1830 by Barthélemy Thimonnier of Paris, who produced 80 machines to manufacture army uniforms. Thimonnier’s machines, however, were destroyed by a mob of tailors who feared unemployment. Thimonnier’s design used one thread; an American, Elias Howe, improved on it significantly with a lock-stitch machine that used two…
Read More