The Travelling Pin Cushion: Felt Between Veneers, Wax in the Lid

"This device, which I term a 'traveler's vade mecum,' is made with a box for receiving buttons and similar articles, and with wings of peculiar construction at each side of the box for holding thread and forming pin-cushions, and the removable cover at one end has a receptacle for beeswax on the inside, so as to keep the wax from becoming soiled, or from soiling the fingers". In the other cover is "a double-ended pincushion", "adapted to receive long pins or needles at the inner end, that are left projecting and pass into the thimble", and "ordinary pins can be inserted into the outer end of the cushion." "There is a layer of felt" between "two pieces of veneer", "the parts being glued together". "The pins are easily stuck into this felt."

Cut two pieces of thin card or veneer and a piece of wool felt the same size, and glue the felt between them, leaving the felt edge exposed all round. Wind thread round it; the pins go into the felt edge. Push a pin into the felt edge to 5, 10 and 20 mm. Tie thread to its head and pull it straight out with the force meter, reading the peak. Repeat each depth three times, and compare the trend with the notebook. Draw a length of thread through the beeswax and feel the difference when sewing.

**Scotto C. Nash** of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, filed US 234,922 on 19 August 1880; it is dated 30 November 1880. His claims include the flat cushion of two veneers with felt between them and wood strips at the edges. **Honest limits.** The notebook treats the felt's squeeze as an even pressure; real felt varies with density and wear. Pressure, friction and sizes are examples. Your force-meter readings are the measurement.