Crispin Sewing Machine

Invented in 1863 and crucial in the growth of the factory production of shoes

The 1863 Crispin Sewing Machine was an innovation in sole stitching. Developed and patented by William Stephens Clark and John Keats in 1863. The Crispin sole stitching machine was created to attach the uppers, the part of the shoe that encases the foot, to the soles. At this time, William Stephens Clark wanted to increase the volume of shoes being made by moving away from home production and expanding factory production. Machines that mechanised parts of the process speeding up production were crucial. The Crispin Sewing Machine was innovative for its time in using a hook instead of a needle to stop the waxed thread from clogging the machine.