David McConnell Smyth Invents the Smyth, Number Three, Sewing Machine, the First Successful Book Sewing Machine

In 1868 David McConnell Smyth was granted his first book-sewing machine patent. U.S. patent 74948 was entitled Improvement in Machine for Sewing Books. The machine was not successful, but Smyth persisted and in 1879 patented a much-improved version in U.S. patent 220,312. This it was awarded the American Institute Gold Medal, also in 1879. The first machine went into operation sometime in 1880 at Riverside Press in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In 1886, Smyth Manufacturing of Hartford, Connecticut brought out its Improved No. 3 machine. This was the first truly successful book sewing machine.