Lyman Reed Blake Explained

Lyman Reed Blake
Birth Date:August 24, 1835
Birth Place:South Abington, Massachusetts
Occupation:Inventor
Known For:invention of a sewing machine for sewing the soles of shoes to the vamp of the shoe

Lyman Reed Blake (August 24, 1835 – October 3, 1883) was an American inventor who devised a sewing machine for sewing the soles of shoes to the vamp of the shoe.[1] Born in South Abington, Massachusetts, Blake started off in the shoemaker business at a young age, first working for his brother Samuel. Blake later worked in inventor Isaac Singer's company, Singer Corporation, setting up sewing machines in shoe factories. By 1856, he had become a partner in a shoemaking company and spent his time inventing machines to help speed up the process of shoemaking.[2]

Two years later, on July 6, 1858, Blake received a patent from the United States government for his sewing machine for helping attach the soles of shoes to the upper of the shoe.[3] The sewing machine helped permit the production of low-cost shoes by eliminating the heavy work of hand sewing. Blake then sold the patent to Gordon McKay a year after for $8,000 in cash and a $62,000 share of future profits.[4] Blake later worked for McKay from 1861 until his retirement in 1874, working on improving the machine.[1] The McKay sole-sewing machine was at the top of the market for twenty-one years in both the United States and Great Britain. Blake died on October 5, 1883, at the age of 48.[5]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Lyman Reed Blake (1835 - 1883) . . Mary Bellis . https://archive.today/20130116040108/http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blblake.htm . dead . January 16, 2013 . 2007-02-10 .
  2. Web site: Lyman Reed Blake (1835 - 1883) . . 2007-02-10 .
  3. Web site: July 6, 1858 in History . Brainymedia.com . 2007-02-10 .
  4. Web site: Lasting Impressions . . Edward Tenner . 2000 . 2007-02-15 .
  5. Web site: Today in Science History . 2007-02-10 .