Engineering, Building, and Architecture

Engine Room From Coast Guard Buoy Tender Oak

Not many museums collect houses. The National Museum of American History has four, as well as two outbuildings, 11 rooms, an elevator, many building components, and some architectural elements from the White House. Drafting manuals are supplemented by many prints of buildings and other architectural subjects. The breadth of the museum's collections adds some surprising objects to these holdings, such as fans, purses, handkerchiefs, T-shirts, and other objects bearing images of buildings.

The engineering artifacts document the history of civil and mechanical engineering in the United States. So far, the Museum has declined to collect dams, skyscrapers, and bridges, but these and other important engineering achievements are preserved through blueprints, drawings, models, photographs, sketches, paintings, technical reports, and field notes.

Place: New York

Patent Model, Life Boat

Joseph Francis of New York (1801–93) made a name for himself in the 1840s and 1850s manufacturing light and sturdy corrugated-iron lifeboats and other nautical gear. This 1841 patent model shows his design for a wood or metal boat fitted with airtight copper tanks.
Description
Joseph Francis of New York (1801–93) made a name for himself in the 1840s and 1850s manufacturing light and sturdy corrugated-iron lifeboats and other nautical gear. This 1841 patent model shows his design for a wood or metal boat fitted with airtight copper tanks. These tanks were to be charged with gas or air to provide buoyancy and, in an emergency, would work in conjunction with several holes through the bottom of the boat. When the boat started taking on water in rough seas, the holes would be opened. That action, combined with the buoyancy of the tanks, would permit drainage.
The well-known inventors of mid-19th-century America—Elias Howe, Cyrus McCormick, and Samuel F. B. Morse—were celebrated as national benefactors. Aspiring inventors regarded applying for a patent not just as a key step on the road to potential wealth, but as a patriotic duty—a contribution to the country’s betterment and future. Solidly within this style, Joseph Francis confidently called his buoyant boat the “great American life boat.” He declared with pride that “the model and application of the buoyant power which I now claim . . . is the best and safest for life boats and all other boats and vessels . . . it is different from and an improvement on all former invention by me and any other person . . . .”
In fact, the 1841 patent represented by this model is but a minor alteration to his first patent, an 1839 design for a double-bottomed boat fitted with buoyant air cylinders. His second attempt simply added additional tanks to the boat’s ends and flattened the bottom of the hull to enable it “to sit upright when left by a retiring surge upon a rock bar or beach, where other modeled boats would be upset.”
Date made
1841
patent date
1841-03-26
patentee
Francis, Joseph
inventor
Francis, Joseph
ID Number
TR.308542
catalog number
308542
accession number
89797
patent number
2,018

Lighthall Half-Beam Marine Engine, Patent Model

This model was submitted to the U.S. Patent Office with the application for the patent issued to William A. Lighthall, of Albany, New York, October 23, 1849, no.
Description
This model was submitted to the U.S. Patent Office with the application for the patent issued to William A. Lighthall, of Albany, New York, October 23, 1849, no. 6811.
The model shows a combination of a horizontal cylinder with a vertical beam to which the engine’s force is applied between the fulcrum and the connecting rod to the engine crank. It permits locating the propelling machinery of a side-wheel steamboat low within the hull.
The model is a panel representing a horizontal cylinder with piston rod connecting to a short beam pivoted at a point below the level of the cylinder. From a short distance above the point at which the piston force is applied to the beam a long connecting rod connects to the crank on the engine shaft located above the cylinder and at the middle of its length. The location of the condenser below the cylinder and the location of the air pump and the manner of operating it are shown by the model.
Reference:
This description comes from the 1939 Catalog of the Mechanical Collections of the Division of Engineering United States Museum Bulletin 173 by Frank A. Taylor.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1849
patent date
1849-10-23
inventor
Lighthall, William A.
ID Number
MC.308641
catalog number
308641
accession number
89797
patent number
6,811

Shlarbaum’s Patent Model of an Oscillating Steam Engine– ca 1863

This model was filed with the application to the U.S. Patent Office for Patent Number 39,756 issued to Hermann Shlarbaum of New York, New York on September 1, 1863. The patent was for an improvement in oscillating steam engines.
Description
This model was filed with the application to the U.S. Patent Office for Patent Number 39,756 issued to Hermann Shlarbaum of New York, New York on September 1, 1863. The patent was for an improvement in oscillating steam engines. An oscillating steam engine differs from a standard engine in that the steam cylinder is pivoted on the engine frame and oscillates back and forth about the pivot as its connecting rod operates the crankshaft of the engine. In a standard engine, the cylinder is fixed in orientation, and the piston rod moves fore and aft within a crosshead which allows the connecting rod to pivot independently as the crankshaft revolves.
Mr. Shlarbaum did not claim his overall design as new. Others had patented very similar designs. His claim was for the unique design of the steam and exhaust valves for the engine. The claimed benefits of this design included simplicity and economy of manufacture, operation and maintenance. The inventor also claimed that his design avoided having lubricating oil in the pivot being overheated by high pressure steam.
The patent model is constructed of cast iron and brass. All of the key elements of the patent are illustrated by the model to include the valve mechanism. A full description of the workings of the engine and diagrams showing the complete design of the patent can be found in the patent document online at the United States Patent and Trademark Office website, www.uspto.gov.
date made
ca 1863
patent date
1863-09-01
inventor
Shlarbaum, Herrmann
ID Number
MC.251293
catalog number
251293
patent number
39,756
accession number
48865

Van Deren’s Patent Model of a Steam Engine– ca 1860

This model was filed with the application to the U.S. Patent Office for Patent Number 29,642 issued to G.W. Van Deren of Bigflats, New York on August 14, 1860. The patent was for a steam engine design employing an oscillating piston.
Description
This model was filed with the application to the U.S. Patent Office for Patent Number 29,642 issued to G.W. Van Deren of Bigflats, New York on August 14, 1860. The patent was for a steam engine design employing an oscillating piston. Instead of the more common straight cylinder with a piston within, Van Deren employed two pistons within a semi-circular cylinder. The pistons were connected by a curved rod with a pin in the middle for attachment of the connecting rod to the crankshaft. A steam valve above the cylinder admitted and exhausted steam alternatively for one, then the other piston. This caused a rocking motion of the pistons, and the connecting rod imparted rotation to the flywheel via the crank arm. This eliminated the need for crossheads and slides.
The inventor claimed that his design reduced stresses on the engine at the end of each cycle of the pistons and thus allowed operation at higher speeds. He also claimed reduced costs of construction. A search of available material did not reveal any commercial use of Van Deren’s design. He held two additional patents for components of oscillating steam engines.
The patent model is constructed of iron and steel. All of the key elements of the patent are illustrated by the model which demonstrates the engine motion. In the image the steam valve housing is the horizontal cylinder at the top of the model. The inlet is the orange pipe and the exhaust is from the top of the valve housing. The engine’s cylinder containing the pistons is the green semi-circular structure below the steam valve housing. The horizontal steel rod in front is the connecting rod from the pistons to the crankshaft. The valve gear eccentric is shown on the crankshaft on the right with its connected rods and levers to operate the valve. Diagrams showing the complete design of the patent can be found in the patent document online at the United States Patent and Trademark Office website, www.uspto.gov.
date made
1860
patent date
1860-08-14
inventor
Van Deren, G. W.
ID Number
MC.308663
catalog number
308663
accession number
89797
patent number
29,642

Robertson-Thompson Steam Engine Indicator - ca 1900

An engine indicator is an instrument for graphically recording the pressure versus piston displacement through an engine stroke cycle. Engineers use the resulting diagram to check the design and performance of the engine. The James L.
Description
An engine indicator is an instrument for graphically recording the pressure versus piston displacement through an engine stroke cycle. Engineers use the resulting diagram to check the design and performance of the engine. The James L. Robertson & Sons of New York, NY, manufactured this steam indicator about 1900. The indicator is based on a design patented by Joseph W. Thompson which made improvements in the mechanisms driving the recording stylus thus allowing improved measurements of higher speed steam engines. The design also includes elements from another patent by Alpheus O. Lippincott and assigned to Robertson. It dealt with the reduction wheel mechanism below the recording drum. The reduction mechanism allowed for measuring engines with a variety of piston throw lengths.
This indicator set contains within the mahogany box the indicator itself; extra springs of varying stiffness for different steam pressures; a reducing wheel to decrease the piston motion to that required by the indicator drum; sized wooden pulleys for different piston stroke lengths; an extra indicator piston of small diameter for very high pressures; a planimeter for measuring the area of the diagram; servicing tools; and extra blanks. The piston causes the stylus to rise and fall with pressure changes in the engine under measurement thereby directly recording the indicator’s output on the paper. Around the drum’s base is wound a cord that is attached to the connecting rod of the piston on the steam engine being measured. This causes the drum to rotate as the engine’s piston moves. An internal coil spring causes the cord to retract and the drum to counter rotate back to its original position as the connecting rod returns. The result is a steam pressure-volume diagram which is used to measure the efficiency and other attributes of the steam engine.
The introduction of the steam indicator in the late 1790s and early 1800s by James Watt and others had a great impact on the understanding of how the steam behaved inside the engine's cylinder and thereby enabled much more exacting and sophisticated designs. The devices also changed how the economics and efficiency of steam engines were portrayed and marketed. They helped the prospective owner of a machine better understand how much his fuel costs would be for a given amount of work performed.
Measurement of fuel consumed and work delivered by the engine was begun by Watt, who in part justified the selling price of his engines on the amount of fuel cost the purchaser might save compared to an alternate engine. In the early days of steam power, the method to compare engine performance was based on a concept termed the engine’s “duty”. It originally was calculated as the number of pounds of water raised one foot high per one bushel of coal consumed. The duty method was open to criticism due to its inability to take into consideration finer points of efficiency in real world applications of engines. Accurate determination of fuel used in relation to work performed has been fundamental to the design and improvement of all steam-driven prime movers ever since Watt’s time. And, the steam indicators’ key contribution was the accurate measurements of performance while the engine was actually doing the work it was designed to do. This Robertson-Thompson steam indicator represented over one hundred years of evolution and improvement of the devices. Its ability to make recordings for a wide range of engine speeds, pressures and piston stroke lengths was a significant improvement for many applications.
date made
ca 1900
ID Number
MC.315914
catalog number
315914
accession number
222962

Firmenich and Stiker’s Patent Model of a Steam Boiler - 1875

This model was filed with the application to the U.S. Patent Office for Patent Number 169,977 issued to Joseph Firmenich and Flavius P. Stiker of Buffalo, New York on November 16, 1875. The patent was for an improved design for steam boilers.
Description
This model was filed with the application to the U.S. Patent Office for Patent Number 169,977 issued to Joseph Firmenich and Flavius P. Stiker of Buffalo, New York on November 16, 1875. The patent was for an improved design for steam boilers. The design was for a water tube type boiler in which water enclosed in a large number of pipes was exposed to the heat of the furnace. This was considered to offer safety advantages over the fire-tube type in which a large volume of water was pierced by tubes carrying hot flue gases.
Their design is shown in the image of the patent model. A brickwork encased the entire boiler. The fire grate would have been just above the two large metal drums seen at the bottom. Combustion air was drawn from the top of the boiler through passages in the brickwork. This preheated the air which increased efficiency. Vertical tubes are shown connecting upper, horizontal steam/water drums with the lower water/mud drums. Large water tubes behind the back wall of the boiler directly connect the upper and lower drums to allow cool water to circulate downward to the lower drums. The larger, horizontal drum at the top of the model collected and distributed the steam for use.
Firmenich and Stiker constructed a boiler of this design and demonstrated it at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia in 1876. Scientific American Magazine in June, 1878 referred to the Firmenich and Stiker boiler as a “safety steam boiler” and noted two 150 horsepower units had been installed at the Negara Starch Works in Buffalo. On October 8, 1887 a Firmenich boiler used in a flour mill in St. Louis, Missouri exploded with loss of life and significant property damage and raised questions about elements of the design.
The patent model is constructed of metal and wood painted to look like brickwork. It illustrates all of the key elements of the design. A full description of the operation of the boiler along with complete diagrams of the patent can be found in the patent document online at the United States Patent and Trademark Office website, www.uspto.gov.
date made
1875
patent date
1875-11-16
inventor
Firmenich, Joseph
Stiker, Flavius P.
ID Number
MC.309213
catalog number
309213
accession number
89797
patent number
169,977

Sickels Tripping Cut-Off Valve, Patent Model

This model was submitted to the U.S. Patent Office with the application for the patent issued to Frederick E. Sickels, of New York, New York, February 24, 1852, no.
Description
This model was submitted to the U.S. Patent Office with the application for the patent issued to Frederick E. Sickels, of New York, New York, February 24, 1852, no. 8760.
This model represents a valve chest and drop cut-off valve of the Sickels type in which an adjustable cam operates the catch during the opening movement of the valve so that the valve may be released as near the beginning of the closing movement as is desired. In the earlier cut-offs the catch was operated by the closing movement alone, and the valve could not be tripped until sufficient closing movement had taken place to operate the whole extent of the catch.
Reference:
This description comes from the 1939 Catalog of the Mechanical Collections of the Division of Engineering United States Museum Bulletin 173 by Frank A. Taylor.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1852
patent date
1852-02-24
inventor
Sickels, Frederick E.
ID Number
MC.308654
catalog number
308654
accession number
89797
patent number
8,760

Worthington Duplex Steam Pump, Patent Model

This model was submitted to the U.S. Patent Office with the application for the patent issued to Henry R. Worthington, of New York, New York, June 20, 1871, no.
Description
This model was submitted to the U.S. Patent Office with the application for the patent issued to Henry R. Worthington, of New York, New York, June 20, 1871, no. 116131.
The model is a relief panel showing a section through the two steam cylinders of a duplex pump arranged to use steam at boiler pressure in one steam cylinder of small diameter, expand the exhaust steam in a receiver of much larger volume than the small cylinder, and use the steam at low pressure in a second cylinder of larger diameter. This arrangement was devised to permit the use of steam expansively in a duplex pump without the use of two compound cylinders, as was formerly the method.
Reference:
This description comes from the 1939 Catalog of the Mechanical Collections of the Division of Engineering United States Museum Bulletin 173 by Frank A. Taylor.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1871
patent date
1871-06-20
inventor
Worthington, Henry R.
ID Number
ER.308681
accession number
89797
catalog number
308681
patent number
116,131

Luttgens’ Patent Model of a Steam Engine Governor – ca 1851

This model was filed with the application to the U.S. Patent Office for Patent Number 8,447 issued to H.A. Luttgens of New York, New York on October 21, 1851. The patent was for an improvement in controlling the speed of a steam engine by varying its cut-off valve timing.
Description
This model was filed with the application to the U.S. Patent Office for Patent Number 8,447 issued to H.A. Luttgens of New York, New York on October 21, 1851. The patent was for an improvement in controlling the speed of a steam engine by varying its cut-off valve timing. Luttgens claimed that his concept better controlled the speed of the engine under varying loads and steam pressures.
The patent uses a common fly-ball governor to sense speed variations of the engine, and in the image of the model it can be seen at the top of the mechanism. The Luttgens design does not use the position of the fly-balls directly for control of the cut-off valve. Instead, the position of the balls controls a feedback mechanism that progressively changes the eccentric until the desired, steady-state speed is achieved. The feedback mechanism is powered by the engine shaft itself. It uses a very complex system of gears, pulleys, belts and friction brakes to measure the difference between actual speed and desired speed. It then moves the eccentric in progressively smaller adjustments until the engine returns to proper speed.
This control method allowed the governor to make continuous, small adjustments to bring the engine back to proper speed whereas the more common approach made a one-time adjustment based on a change in speed. The result was the Luttgens unit had much better steady state accuracy. However, it was much less able to respond rapidly to large and sudden engine speed variances.
The patent model is constructed of brass, steel and wood. All the key elements of the patent are illustrated by the model. It includes a small hand crank to permit demonstration of actual operation. A full description of the operation of the governor along with complete diagrams of the patent can be found in the patent document online at the United States Patent and Trademark Office website, www.uspto.gov.
date made
1851
patent date
1851-10-21
inventor
Luttgens, H. A.
ID Number
MC.251288
catalog number
251288
accession number
48865
patent number
8,447

Allen Two-Motion Cone-Valve, Patent Model

This model was submitted to the U.S. Patent Office with the application for the patent issued to Horatio Allen, of New York, New York, June 19, 1855, no. 13075.The model represents a conical plug valve, connected to a valve gear, which gives it two distinct motions.
Description
This model was submitted to the U.S. Patent Office with the application for the patent issued to Horatio Allen, of New York, New York, June 19, 1855, no. 13075.
The model represents a conical plug valve, connected to a valve gear, which gives it two distinct motions. The first motion is a slight one parallel with the axis of the cone and directed toward its larger end; the other is in a direction tending to rotate the valve. Because the valve and valve seat are conical, the first motion effects a very slight separation of the valve from its seat and permits the rotary motion to be given without friction upon those parts.
Reference:
This description comes from the 1939 Catalog of the Mechanical Collections of the Division of Engineering United States Museum Bulletin 173 by Frank A. Taylor.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1855
patent date
1855-06-19
inventor
Allen, Horatio
ID Number
MC.308655
catalog number
308655
accession number
89797
patent number
13,075

Starbuck Siphon Condenser, Patent Model

This model was submitted to the U.S. Patent Office with the application for the patent issued to George H. Starbuck, of Troy, New York, September 10, 1878, no.
Description
This model was submitted to the U.S. Patent Office with the application for the patent issued to George H. Starbuck, of Troy, New York, September 10, 1878, no. 207827.
This model represents a form of barometric condenser in which an annular jet of water is brought into contact with an annular jet of the steam to be condensed, and the resulting mixture is conducted from the condenser by a pipe extending 33 feet or more below it. The peculiar feature of this condenser is the bulbous valve, which fits within the water pipe and forms a variable annular water passage by which the quantity of water flowing can be adjusted while the shape of the annular jet of water, which is essential to the best operation of the condenser, is maintained unbroken.
Reference:
This description comes from the 1939 Catalog of the Mechanical Collections of the Division of Engineering United States Museum Bulletin 173 by Frank A. Taylor.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1878
patent date
1878-09-10
ID Number
MC.309354
catalog number
309354
accession number
89797
patent number
207,827

Allen’s Patent Model of Cut-Off Valve for Steam Engines – ca 1841

This model was filed with the application to the U.S. Patent Office for Patent Number 2,227 issued to Horatio Allen of New York, New York on August 21, 1841. The patent was for an improved design for the mechanism controlling the inlet valve of a steam engine.
Description
This model was filed with the application to the U.S. Patent Office for Patent Number 2,227 issued to Horatio Allen of New York, New York on August 21, 1841. The patent was for an improved design for the mechanism controlling the inlet valve of a steam engine. Allen’s design provided a means of adjusting the point in the power stroke of the engine’s piston at which high pressure steam being fed to the cylinder was cut off. This was desirable as power was extracted from the expansive force of the steam after the valve closed. This saved fuel by avoiding continuous use of high pressure steam.
The image of the model shows a cross section of the steam cylinder at the right with the piston rod and connecting rod extending to the left to the crankshaft. The steam inlet valve is shown above the cylinder and is of the slide valve type. It is operated by a shaft eccentric mounted on the crankshaft. In the model, the valve is made of wood and slides back and forth to admit steam to each side of the piston. The cut-off is the separate brass slide valve above the main valve. It is operated by its own eccentric, and the range of its travel is controlled by the brass hand crank and gears. Turning the crank thus allowed the point of steam cut-off to be varied as required.
Allen’s design in this patent was soon improved by himself and others to allow for a simpler mechanism that did not require the separate slide valve for cut-off.
The patent model is constructed of brass and wood. All of the key elements of the patent are illustrated by the model. It includes a small hand crank to permit demonstration of actual operation. A full description of the operation of the valve gear along with complete diagrams of the patent can be found in the patent document online at the United States Patent and Trademark Office website, www.uspto.gov.
date made
1841
patent date
1841-08-21
inventor
Allen, Horatio
ID Number
MC.308649
catalog number
308649
accession number
89797
patent number
2,227

Richards Balanced Valve, Patent Model

This model was submitted to the U.S. Patent Office with the application for the patent issued to Thomas Richards, of Lansingburg, New York, May 22, 1866, no.
Description
This model was submitted to the U.S. Patent Office with the application for the patent issued to Thomas Richards, of Lansingburg, New York, May 22, 1866, no. 54959.
This model represents a slightly conical plug valve fitted within a conical valve housing, which is provided with eight equally spaced steam ports so arranged that diametrically opposite ports are connected together in pairs. The result is that the pressure on the valve due to the steam or exhaust pressure in each pair of ports is perfectly balanced.
Three adjoining ports in the valve housing are continued through the housing, which is provided at that point with a flat surface that permits the valve to be placed against the ordinary valve seat of a D-slide valve engine, the three ports registering with the steam passages to the ends of the cylinder and with the exhaust passage at the center of the seat. The valve is constructed with four equally spaced longitudinal recesses with four alternate bands. The valve is operated by rocking it a part of a turn in each direction from the center.
Reference:
This description comes from the 1939 Catalog of the Mechanical Collections of the Division of Engineering United States Museum Bulletin 173 by Frank A. Taylor.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1866
patent date
1866-05-22
ID Number
ER.308676
accession number
89797
catalog number
308676
patent number
54,959

Rider Hot-Air Engine, Patent Model

This model was submitted to the U.S. Patent Office with the application for Patent no. 111088, issued to Alexander K. Rider, of New York, New York, January 17, 1871, reissued August 24, 188-, no.
Description
This model was submitted to the U.S. Patent Office with the application for Patent no. 111088, issued to Alexander K. Rider, of New York, New York, January 17, 1871, reissued August 24, 188-, no. 9353.
This engine consists of a power piston and a transfer piston so connected with valves and passages that the cold air is received and compressed in the same cylinder in which the hot air performs its work. Its simple construction is an improvement on the John Ericsson hot-air engines of 1855-1858.
A vertical cylinder contains two independent pistons with suitable valves that permit cold air to be drawn into the cylinder, compressed, circulated between heated furnace walls, expanded under a power piston and then exhausted. The upper piston is equipped with two spring-closed intake valves that open on the upstroke of the piston allowing air to fill the cylinder between the upper and lower pistons. This air is then compressed on the downstroke of the upper piston until the pressure is sufficient to open a valve in a passage leading to a heated space surrounding the furnace. The heated and compressed air then passes into the cylinder below the lower piston where it expands, performing work against the piston.
Reference:
This description comes from the 1939 Catalog of the Mechanical Collections of the Division of Engineering United States Museum Bulletin 173 by Frank A. Taylor.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1871
patent date
1871-01-17
inventor
Rider, Alexander K.
ID Number
ER.308714
accession number
89797
catalog number
308714
patent number
111,088

William Mont Storm Engine, Patent Model

This model formed part of the application to the U.S. Patent Office for the patent issued to William Mont Storm on July 11, 1865, no.
Description
This model formed part of the application to the U.S. Patent Office for the patent issued to William Mont Storm on July 11, 1865, no. 48777.
This is a 3-cylinder engine of a radial type, designed to produce rotary motion with compactness and simplicity.
The engine consists of two horizontal, opposed, single-acting cylinders and one vertical double-acting cylinder. The pistons of the horizontal cylinders are extended and joined to form a slotted crosshead in which one crank of the crankshaft moves. The piston in the vertical cylinder has a much shorter stroke and the piston rod from it extends to a second cross head and crank. D-slide valves are operated by a very small crank at the end of the crankshaft, in a valve chest located at the center of the engine. The engine is reversible.
Reference:
This description comes from the 1939 Catalog of the Mechanical Collections of the Division of Engineering United States Museum Bulletin 173 by Frank A. Taylor.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1865
patent date
1865-07-11
inventor
Storm, William Mont
ID Number
MC.309195
catalog number
309195
accession number
89797
patent number
48,777

Porter’s Patent Model of a Steam Engine Governor – ca 1858

This model was filed with the application to the U.S. Patent Office for Patent Number 20,894 issued to Charles T. Porter of New York, New York on July 13, 1858. The patent was for an improvement in controlling the speed of a steam engine by use of a fly ball governor.
Description
This model was filed with the application to the U.S. Patent Office for Patent Number 20,894 issued to Charles T. Porter of New York, New York on July 13, 1858. The patent was for an improvement in controlling the speed of a steam engine by use of a fly ball governor. This design was one of the earliest weighted fly ball governors. It differed from the common fly ball governor in that the balls were of very light weight, and the governor was intended to be operated at much higher speeds of rotation. The governor included gearing that rotated the fly balls at approximately ten times the speed of the engine's rotation. The design did not suffer from the increased friction of heavy fly balls which would reduce responsiveness. The inventor claimed the advantages of his design were more sensitive and rapid responses to small changes in engine speed. The Porter governor design was used in the Porter-Allen engine introduced about 1867, and the weighted fly ball principle was widely used from then on.
The patent model is constructed of cast iron and steel. All of the key elements of the patent are illustrated by the model. It includes a hand crank to permit demonstration of actual operation. A full description of the workings of the governor and diagrams showing the complete design of the patent can be found in the patent document online at the United States Patent and Trademark Office website, www.uspto.gov.
date made
1858
patent date
1858-07-13
inventor
Porter, Charles T.
ID Number
MC.251289
catalog number
251289
accession number
48865
patent number
20,894

Model of John Ericsson Air Engine, U.S. Patent No. 13348

date made
1855
patent date
1855-07-31
inventor
Ericsson, John
ID Number
MC.251279
catalog number
251279
accession number
48865
patent number
13,348

Cladding Fragment from the World Trade Center

Description: This crumpled piece of exterior sheathing from the World Trade Center was recovered from the debris pile.Context: The twin towers of the World Trade Center, a New York City landmark and the tallest buildings in the world when completed in 1973, were noted for their i
Description
Description: This crumpled piece of exterior sheathing from the World Trade Center was recovered from the debris pile.
Context: The twin towers of the World Trade Center, a New York City landmark and the tallest buildings in the world when completed in 1973, were noted for their incredible 110-story height and their gleaming exterior. The towers were clad in an aluminum alloy sheathing that gave the buildings a golden sheen at sunrise and sunset. The material covered the closely-spaced exterior steel columns, enhancing their soaring appearance.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
late 1960s-early 1970s
ID Number
2002.0205.05
accession number
2002.0205
catalog number
2002.0205.05

Ericsson Hot-Air Engine, Patent Model

This model was submitted to the U.S. Patent Office with the application for the patent issued to John Ericsson, October 9, 1860, no.
Description
This model was submitted to the U.S. Patent Office with the application for the patent issued to John Ericsson, October 9, 1860, no. 30306.
This engine employs two “equilibrium" pistons in connection with two cylinders and a work piston to prevent diminution of the working pressure during the stroke of the work piston.
The engine consists of two “equilibrium” cylinders placed in line end to end and a short distance apart. Within each cylinder is a hollow equilibrium piston, both connected by a long piston of relatively small diameter, called the working piston, which passes through airtight stuffing boxes in the heads of the equilibrium cylinders. The cylinders are connected to a heater and to a water-cooled chamber, through suitable valves and passages, so that both ends of one equilibrium cylinder are simultaneously in communication with the cooler. The pressure being higher in the heater than in the cooler, the effect is to force the working piston out of the cylinder in communication with the heater into the other. The equilibrium pistons move with the work piston and circulate the air in the cylinders to the heater or cooler and back to the respective cylinders, maintaining a constant pressure in each cylinder throughout the stroke. When the piston has completed its stroke the valves are reversed and a continuous motion is produced. This engine includes the regenerator or “heat deposit vessel,” which was a feature of most of Ericsson’s engines. In this construction it is a vessel filled with disks of wire cloth, which are heated by the hot air passing from the cylinders to the cooler and, in turn, give up this heat to the air passing from the cooler to the heater.
Reference:
This description comes from the 1939 Catalog of the Mechanical Collections of the Division of Engineering United States Museum Bulletin 173 by Frank A. Taylor.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1860
patent date
1860-10-09
inventor
Ericsson, John
ID Number
ER.309822
accession number
89797
catalog number
309822
patent number
30,306

Model of Edison's Pearl Street power station

This scale model of Thomas Edison's Pearl Street power station was made in 1927.
Description
This scale model of Thomas Edison's Pearl Street power station was made in 1927. It demonstrates the internal arrangement of generating equipment and can be operated by means of a small electric motor in the base.
The first floor contained the boiler room and coal-handling equipment. Steam created by the boilers operated Porter-Allen horizontal steam engines on the second floor. The engines powered large Edison electrical generators nicknamed "Jumbo" after the famous elephant. Control and switching equipment were housed on the third and fourth floors.
The site for Edison's generating station had to satisfy both engineering and business needs. Because Edison used 100 volt direct current to power his new light bulbs, customers could be no further than ½ mile from the generator. But he needed a high profile location to promote the system. Edison chose a site in the heart of New York's financial district, 255 and 257 Pearl Street. On 4 September 1882, he threw a switch in the office of one of his main investors, J. Pierpont Morgan, and initiated service to the area.
A fire damaged the station extensively in 1890 but Edison and his men worked around the clock for 11 days to restore service. The station was taken out of service and dismantled in 1895, the building sold and later demolished. The New York Edison Company placed a commemorative plaque at the site in 1917.
Date made
1927
maker
Edison Company
ID Number
EM.309605
catalog number
309605
accession number
104795

Hiram Maxim Pumping Engine, Patent Model

This model was submitted to the U.S. Patent Office with the application for the patent issued to Hiram S. Maxim, of New York, New York, December 22, 1874, no.
Description
This model was submitted to the U.S. Patent Office with the application for the patent issued to Hiram S. Maxim, of New York, New York, December 22, 1874, no. 158105.
This model represents a steam engine, pump, and gas-fired boiler, equipped with automatic valves for maintaining the proper level of water in the boiler and for holding a steady pressure in the boiler by starting or stopping the burner. The combination is a steam-pumping unit intended to function automatically without the services of an attendant.
The engine is supported upon the boiler and consists of a rectangular bed, which serves as the pump suction chamber, upon which is the vertical pump cylinder and the pedestal that supports the flywheel and crankshaft journals and the oscillating steam cylinder. Within the base of the pedestal is a feed-water heater through which the exhaust from the engine passes. A float-operated, weighted, pin valve admits water to the boiler from the discharge pipe of the pump when the level in the boiler falls. The boiler is a cylindrical shell type with combustion chamber formed by water legs in the shape of a truncated cone. A ring burner for gas or kerosene is located in a cylindrical firepot within the combustion chamber. The fuel valve to the burner is held open by a spring and is closed by the pressure within the boiler exerted upon a diaphragm and lever. A hole through the valve permits a small pilot flame to burn at all times.
Reference:
This description comes from the 1939 Catalog of the Mechanical Collections of the Division of Engineering United States Museum Bulletin 173 by Frank A. Taylor.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1874
patent date
1874-12-22
inventor
Maxim, Hiram S.
ID Number
ER.308683
accession number
89797
catalog number
308683
patent number
158,105

Ericsson Hot-Air Engine Model

This is a small demonstrating engine of the type patented by John Ericsson on March 30, 1880 (accession number 251286).This engine is equipped with a gas-heated furnace and has metal radiating fins at the upper end of the cylinder in place of the usual water jacket.A brass plate
Description
This is a small demonstrating engine of the type patented by John Ericsson on March 30, 1880 (accession number 251286).
This engine is equipped with a gas-heated furnace and has metal radiating fins at the upper end of the cylinder in place of the usual water jacket.
A brass plate on the engine is inscribed: “To Mrs. E. W. Stoughton from her friend John Ericsson.”
Reference:
This description comes from the 1939 Catalog of the Mechanical Collections of the Division of Engineering United States Museum Bulletin 173 by Frank A. Taylor.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
MC.308142
catalog number
308142
accession number
70417

Salisbury Hydrocarbon Burner, Patent Model

This model was submitted to the U.S. Patent Office with the application for the patent issued to Silas C. Salisbury, June 24, 1879, no. 216898.The model represents a burner in which two concentric annular chambers are framed around a central hollow tube.
Description
This model was submitted to the U.S. Patent Office with the application for the patent issued to Silas C. Salisbury, June 24, 1879, no. 216898.
The model represents a burner in which two concentric annular chambers are framed around a central hollow tube. The chambers are connected to pipes so that the fuel is fed to the outer chamber, steam to the inner one, while air for combustion is supplied through the central tube. The shells forming the annular chambers, and the positions of the parts to be varied for the purpose of controlling the combustion. The inventor described a burner with the forward ends of the shells and tube flared outward as well as one with the ends curved inward, wither of which would be used depending upon the shape of the flame desired.
Reference:
This description comes from the 1939 Catalog of the Mechanical Collections of the Division of Engineering United States Museum Bulletin 173 by Frank A. Taylor.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1879
patent date
1879-06-24
inventor
Salisbury, Silas C.
ID Number
MC.308764
catalog number
308764
accession number
89797
patent number
216,898

Sales Model of a Lennox Furnace – ca 1920

This model was made ca 1920 by the Lennox Furnace Company of Marshalltown, Iowa. The model is made of aluminum and was used by the Warm Air Heating Research Laboratory of the University of Illinois. Similar models were used by salesman for marketing purposes.
Description
This model was made ca 1920 by the Lennox Furnace Company of Marshalltown, Iowa. The model is made of aluminum and was used by the Warm Air Heating Research Laboratory of the University of Illinois. Similar models were used by salesman for marketing purposes. The model represents the Lennox’s Torrid Zone domestic furnace number 50-27, which is stamped on the fire door. This furnace type is shown in a 1929 Lennox catalog and offered for sale at $112.00. It was intended for domestic heating installations. The Torrid Zone line of furnaces was introduced by Lennox around 1895, and the line evolved and continued to be sold well into the 20th Century. The furnaces were made of riveted steel construction versus cast iron which was then standard. The advantage of the steel construction was improved durability and reduced risk of cracking which could result in combustion gases leaking into the heated air from the furnace. Another design improvement was a sectional fire-pit liner which could be made of cast iron or firebrick. The sectional design enabled the liner to be removed and replaced through the fire door without disassembly of the entire furnace. Lennox also introduced the “Diving-Flue” as a part of the radiator at the rear of the furnace. This structure caused the combustion gases from the furnace to first pass downwards along the surface of the radiator closest to the furnace and then upwards at the rear of the radiator and thence through the flue to the chimney. This exposed the maximum surface area of the radiator to the hot gases and improved the efficiency of the furnace. The entire Torrid Zone furnace was intended to be enclosed within another structure which circulated air over it to be heated and carried via convection to rooms above the furnace room. In later production, the Torrid Zone furnaces were used in installations using fans for forced air heat distribution to the rooms.
The model is shown in the image. It is highly detailed and clearly illustrates the important elements of the furnace’s design and function including all of the access doors, humidifier, sectional fire-pit, radiator and “diving-flue”, and the lever for shaking the ashes into the ash-pit.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1920
ID Number
MC.326832
catalog number
326832
accession number
263166

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