On Aug. 12, 1851, Isaac Merritt Singer was granted a U.S. patent for improvements to the sewing machine, marking an important moment in the development of an invention that would change how clothing and other goods were made.

Singer was not the first person to invent a sewing machine. However, his improvements helped create a machine that was practical and commercially viable for home use. His patented machine used a straight, vertically moving needle and a reciprocating shuttle to create a lockstitch.

Singer’s patent, U.S. Patent No. 8,294, was issued on Aug. 12, 1851. The machine incorporated several improvements, including a mechanism to help tighten the stitch and changes to how thread was controlled and supplied.

The development of the sewing machine had an impact far beyond the workshop. Singer’s company helped turn the sewing machine into a consumer product, making it increasingly accessible to families. The company also offered installment payment plans, encouraging more households to purchase machines.

Today, sewing machines are commonplace, but on Aug. 12, 1851, a patent helped advance a technology that would eventually bring mechanical sewing into homes across the country.