 Blake later worked in inventor Isaac Singer's company, Singer Corporation, setting up sewing machines in shoe factories.By 1856, he had become a partner in a shoemaking company and spent his time inventing machines to help speed up the process of shoemaking.Two years later, on July 6, 1858, Blake received a patent from the United States government for his sewing machine for helping attach the soles of shoes to the upper of the shoe.