Communications - Overview
Tools of communication have transformed American society time and again over the past two centuries. The Museum has preserved many instruments of these changes, from printing presses to personal digital assistants.
The collections include hundreds of artifacts from the printing trade and related fields, including papermaking equipment, wood and metal type collections, bookbinding tools, and typesetting machines. Benjamin Franklin is said to have used one of the printing presses in the collection in 1726.
More than 7,000 objects chart the evolution of electronic communications, including the original telegraph of Samuel Morse and Alexander Graham Bell's early telephones. Radios, televisions, tape recorders, and the tools of the computer age are part of the collections, along with wireless phones and a satellite tracking system.
"Communications - Overview" showing 31 items.
Page 1 of 4
Patent Model for Bed-and-Platen Printing Press
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for a bed-and-platen power press with two friskets which carried paper under the platen alternately. The platen was drawn down by toggles against a fixed bed; it was to be powered by man, steam, horse, or water. The invention is considered an unnumbered patent.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1834
- patent date
- 1834
- maker
- Tufts, Otis
- ID Number
- GA*11025
- catalog number
- GA*11025
- accession number
- 48865
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Patent Model for a Flatbed Cylinder Press
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for a flatbed cylinder press which was granted patent number 3551. This presses’ tapered bearers were attached to the bed to prevent slurring of the impression at the ends of the form
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1844
- patent date
- 1844-04-17
- patentee
- Hoe, Richard March
- maker
- Hoe, Richard March
- ID Number
- GA*89797.003551
- accession number
- 089797
- catalog number
- GA*89797.003551
- patent number
- 003551
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Patent Model of a Platen Printing Press
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for a self-inking press which was granted number 3917. The press has a vertical bed and platen, and sheet grippers traveling on an endless chain. The model is damaged.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1845
- patent date
- 1845-02-20
- maker
- Kneeland, J. C.
- ID Number
- GA*89797.003917
- accession number
- 089797
- patent number
- 003917
- catalog number
- GA*89797.003917
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Patent Model of a Platen Printing Press
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for a platen printing press which was granted patent number 7413. The platen jobbing press was manufactured as Hawkes's Lion.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1850
- patent date
- 1850-06-04
- maker
- Hawkes, Charles W.
- ID Number
- GA*89797.007413
- patent number
- 7413
- accession number
- 89797
- catalog number
- GA*89797.007413
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Patent Model for a Flatbed Cylinder Press
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for a stop cylinder press with inking apparatus and sheet fly; the invention was granted patent number 9408.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1852
- patent date
- 1852-11-16
- maker
- Northrup, Joel G.
- ID Number
- GA*89797.009408
- patent number
- 009408
- accession number
- 089797
- catalog number
- GA*89797.009408
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Patent Model of a Rotary Printing Press
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for a rotary printing press; it was granted patent number 9987. The press had several impression cylinders and inking stations arranged around a large type cylinder. A web of paper was moistened and folded concertina-fashion for feeding. It was printed at the first series of impression cylinders and refolded. Then it was turned, and printed on the other side at the next series. Finally, it was cut into sheets. According to Stephen D. Tucker’s History of R. Hoe & Company, this patent was bought by R. Hoe & Co., probably more to keep it out of the market than with a mind to its development.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1853
- patent date
- 1853-09-06
- patentee
- Beaumont, Victor
- ID Number
- GA*89797.009987
- patent number
- 009987
- accession number
- 089797
- catalog number
- GA*89797.009987
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Patent Model for a Hand Lever Printing Press
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for a hand-lever printing press which was granted patent number 10717. The press is a self-inking hand press with a fixed bed. The paper was carried into position by a double frisket carriage with inking rollers. The carriage was propelled by a crank handle turned continuously in one direction.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1854
- patent date
- 1854-03-28
- maker
- Underhill, Henry
- ID Number
- GA*89797.010717
- accession number
- 089797
- patent number
- 010717
- catalog number
- GA*89797.010717
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Patent model for copper plate press
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for a plate attached to an endless chain that was carried past stations for automatic inking, wiping, and printing; the invention was granted patent number 12213. There was provision for applying bands of different colors. According to Tucker, this press was built by R. Hoe & Co. for D. Steffens in 1858. Robert Neale, an American, was living in London when he took out this patent. He patented the press there in 1853.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1855
- patent date
- 1855-01-09
- maker
- Neale, Robert
- ID Number
- GA*89797.012213
- patent number
- 012213
- accession number
- 089797
- catalog number
- GA*89797.012213
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Patent Model of a Bed-and-Platen Printing Press
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for a perfecting machine with two printing plates, two platens, and a rotary carrier to convey the paper between them; the invention was granted patent number 14558.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1856
- patent date
- 1856-04-01
- maker
- Folsom, George F.
- ID Number
- GA*89797.014558
- accession number
- 089797
- patent number
- 014558
- 014558
- catalog number
- GA*89797.014558
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Patent Model for a Rotary Sheet Perfecting Press
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for a rotary sheet perfecting press which was granted patent number 15437. Type forms were bedded on the two flat surfaces on opposite sides of the type cylinder.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1856
- patent date
- 1856-07-29
- maker
- Parkes, Thomas
- Parkes, Alfred
- ID Number
- GA*89797.015437
- patent number
- 015437
- accession number
- 089797
- catalog number
- GA*89797.015437
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
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