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Knight's Mechanical Encyclopedia (ed. Knight) 2 0 Browse Search
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Knight's Mechanical Encyclopedia (ed. Knight), T. (search)
e to hold the shaft of a carriage. Thim′ble. 1. A frusto-conical metallic sheath used to protect the end of the finger in sewing. Seamstresses use a thimble having a rounded end with numerous small pits or indentations. Those used by tailors, upholsterers, and needle-men generally are open at the end. The name is said to have been derived from thumbell, having been first worn on the thumb, as the sailor's thimble still is. It was introduced into England from Holland in 1605, by John Lofting, who manufactured them at Islington. Thimbles of bronze, exactly like the modern, have been found at Herculaneum. The thimble is sometimes utilized as a tool-holder. The extension thimble of the dentist is a prong on the end of the thimble, used to reach into the mouth to hold the foil or a compress, while operating on the teeth The bur thimble has an open ring for the index or middle finger, and a socket attached, in which rests the end of the drill handle. The hand-shield u