Davis "A" Manufacturing

12/2014

This fairly rare machine is from the collection of Marianne LeGrand up in Tennessee. We are email friends and have similar interests in industrial sewing machines and multi-purpose treadles. She actually had two of these big-boys and was willing for this machine to be fostered down here for a while. Pretty Cool Eh?

Click on this Link to open the Davis "A" Mfg User's Manual <=== Click here

From the Owners Manual...

"This machine has a world wide reputation as being without an equal for use in the manufacture of tents, awning, flags, sails and kindred work" ...

"The sails which have carried the "Columbia" to victory in two world famous contests were products of the perfect workmanship of the Davis "A" Manufacturing Machine. It has turned out more flags, for the use on land and sea, has stitched more tents to shelter soldiers and sportsman, and has made a bound more awnings than all other sewing machines combined."

The manual goes on to describe the benefits in construction of Men's and Ladies clothing without basting or puckering. The machine is not recommended for "light work as fine shirts, collars and cuffs, ladies' underwear and a few similar lines which require a machine specially built for high speed."

Mechanical Observations

The Davis "A" Manufacturing utilizes the Davis Long Needle and a special shuttle/bobbin needed for the very short shuttle arm. The Vertical Feed mechanism is similar to that of later Davis VF domestic machines but it does lack the backstitch function.

The modern MTx190 industrial needles work fine but the shuttle and bobbins are not available. They are shorter than the Davis domestic shuttles and bobbins, but a bit larger in diameter.

The Jones Family CS bobbin is slightly longer the the "A" Mfg, and may be pressed into service with a bit of force and grinding.

Looking at home on my White Sit Straight treadle and butchered top which normally holds my Singer 42-5.

Comparing a domestic Davis New Vertical Feed and the "A" Manufacturing.

Two Speed Hand Wheel

Bobbin winder pivots right to run off the Hand Wheel. This example is missing the tire and the spring to hold the mechanism against the Hand Wheel.

July 17 2019 Update

A new eFriend from the Facebooks became aware of my fondness for these old beasties and twisted my arm a bit and I ended up buying this example. It was amazing in that it included a bunch of shuttles, bobbins, some additional feet and even a knee lifter !

Close shot of the Vertical Feed Foot

Comparison of Davis Domestic and Davis Manufacturing shuttles and bobbins. Tough to photograph and maintain perspective.

The Davis Domestic bobbin is longer than the Manufacturing bobbin.

Very Short swing arm for the shuttle.

Shuttle Swing arm.

The story is that the machine was used in a family upholstery business. It had been a while since she had been used and she was quite bound up with dried out oil.

Very heavy duty shuttle.

1. Start of the stitch, the needle just coming out of the fabric and the presser foot down and the inner foot raises.

2. The needle moves forward, presser foot is down and inner foot is up.

3. Needle and inner foot descends, presser foot raises.

4. Needle and inner foot moves back, pulling the material, the presser foot descends and the needle and inner foot begins to raise.