National Vibrating Shuttle Machines

THE NEEDLEBAR

NATIONAL SEWING MACHINES

By Claire Sherwell & Alan Quinn

The Main Model Types

1. Vibrating Shuttle Machines – two slide plates (front to back), the shuttle moves in an arc. Serial number under the front slide plate, on later machines it will be under the machine bed.

Click on thumbnail images to see larger pictures

Model	Size	Body Shape	Inspection Plate(s)	Upper Tension	Stitch Length Control	Notes
VB-TT Type 1	Full	Angular	Shoulder	Top Leaf	Pillar Screw	(Eldredge B) Fiddle shaped bed. Square throat plate
VB-TT Type 2 (no picture)	Full	Angular	Shoulder	Top Leaf	Pillar Screw	More rectangular base, curved bed under balance wheel. Square throat plate.
VB-TT Type 3	Full	Angular	Shoulder	Top Leaf	Pillar Screw	(Velox) Rectangular bed, round corners
VB-TT Type 4	Full	Angular	Shoulder	Top Leaf	Bed Screw	(Detroit)
VB-TT Type 5	Full	Rounded	Shoulder	Top Leaf	Pillar Screw	(Arrow) New model shape. Low bobbin winder. Size - 14 1/2" x 6 13/16"
Vindex Type 1	Full	Angular	Shoulder	Front	Pillar Screw	(Harris B) Spool Pin at centre of arm. Large screw towards faceplate. Low bobbin winder
Vindex Type 2	Full	Rounded	Shoulder	Front	Pillar Screw	(Vindex C) Spool pin at center of arm. Large screw towards faceplate. Low bobbin winder. Size - 16 1/4" x 6 3/4".
Improved Eldredge IEB	Full	Angular	Large Screw	Face Plate	Pillar Lever	(The Eldredge) Also model with stitch length control on bed.
Eldredge B (Vindex sub model?)	Full	Rounded	Large Screw & Shoulder	Face Plate	Pillar Lever	(Eldredge B2) Spool pin at center of arm. Bobbin winder high
Model name? Full size of Expert	Full	Angular	Left Side & Shoulder	Front	Bed Screw	(Manchester B) Tension & inspection plates are different from previous model. Surely not the same model as Law says??
Model name? Full size of Expert	Full	Angular	Left Side & Shoulder	Front	Pillar Screw	Tension & Inspection plates vary from models of IEB in Charles Law. Surely not the same model?
Seamstress	Full	Rounded	-	Top Leaf	Bed Screw	(Texas Advocate) This is the original model named Seamstress using W S Brown's 1892 patent. The name Seamstress was repeated throughout National's history.
Imperial Seamstress (no picture)	Full	Rounded	Large Screw	Front	Bed Screw
Special/Improved Seamstress	Full – 14½in x 6 ¾ in.	Rounded	Large Screw	Face Plate	Bed Screw	(Improved Seamstress & Wanamaker B)
Paveway	¾ sized of VB-TT	Rounded	Shoulder	Top Leaf	Pillar Screw	(Grand). Available as an iron based hand crank model
Paveway 1000	¾ sized of VB-TT	Rounded	Shoulder	Top Leaf	Pillar Lever	(Model 1000). A variation with a direct drive hand crank, iron base. 1090C has motor. Iron base (not a Saxonia). Later angular model has wrinkle finish
Expert BT	¾ sized of 10 & 11	Rounded	Left & Shoulder	Front	Pillar Lever	(Governor C & Dallier’s Electric). Available as an iron based hand crank model.
Expert BL	¾ sized of 10 & 11	Rounded	Left Side & Shoulder	Front	Pillar Lever	(National) Has light (is that BL?). High bobbin winder.
Expert	¾ sized of 10 & 11	Rounded	Left Side & Shoulder	Front	Pillar Lever	(New Home 8F) Made after merger with New Home, wrinkle finish. Solid balance wheel + motor. c1953,
Reversew A	?	Rounded	-	Front	Pillar Pointer	Has reverse. Not electric, treadle only. Reversew (National's name for reverse sewing ability). Two Spool Pins. Reversew B was an electric model with only one spool pin on top of arm at center.
Reversew Rex	?	Rounded	-	Front	Pillar Pointer	(Montgomery Ward) Enclosed light. Also made in wrinkle finish. One spool pin.
S40	¾ sized	Rounded	-	Top Leaf	Pillar Lever	(Montgomery Ward) Electric only. Large round stitch plate. Wrinkle finish. Size - 3/4 sized
52F	13" x 6 !/4	Rounded	Front Disc	Top Leaf	Pillar Slider	(Free Westinghouse) Uses Eldredge marked shuttle. The last version of the Paveway model, made after 1948 takeover (not 1953) of National by Free.