Industry & Manufacturing

Eli Terry Mass-Produced Clock

The Museum's collections document centuries of remarkable changes in products, manufacturing processes, and the role of industry in American life. In the bargain, they preserve artifacts of great ingenuity, intricacy, and sometimes beauty.

The carding and spinning machinery built by Samuel Slater about 1790 helped establish the New England textile industry. Nylon-manufacturing machinery in the collections helped remake the same industry more than a century later. Machine tools from the 1850s are joined by a machine that produces computer chips. Thousands of patent models document the creativity of American innovators over more than 200 years.

The collections reach far beyond tools and machines. Some 460 episodes of the television series Industry on Parade celebrate American industry in the 1950s. Numerous photographic collections are a reminder of the scale and even the glamour of American industry.

Place: Pennsylvania

Fanciful Electric Light Shade

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
est. 1899
1914-1915
maker
Macbeth-Evans Glass Company
ID Number
CE.914
catalog number
914
accession number
58571

Sellers Self-Acting Injector

This is a self-adjusting and restarting injector similar to the Schutte Injector, but it does not have the steam jet for lifting water to the injector.
Description
This is a self-adjusting and restarting injector similar to the Schutte Injector, but it does not have the steam jet for lifting water to the injector. It has the floating combining tube of the earlier injectors and the combination of two tubes in the same axial line with apertures between them, as with the Schutte Injector, which develop a vacuum in the feed pipe and make the injector automatically restarting.
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
1900-1927
ID Number
MC.309560
catalog number
309560
accession number
104292

Baker Steam Engine, Patent Model

This model was submitted to the U.S. Patent Office with the application for the patent issued to John G. Baker, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, September 10, 1878, no.
Description
This model was submitted to the U.S. Patent Office with the application for the patent issued to John G. Baker, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, September 10, 1878, no. 207936.
The model represents a small vertical single-acting engine in which the connecting rod is attached to the piston by a ball-and-socket joint, and the space enclosed within the cylinder and the face of the piston is alternately opened to the exhaust and to the steam pipes by rotating the piston laterally in the cylinder. The piston is rotated by a simple bent rod, one end of which turns and slides in an opening in the connecting rod, and the other end slides and turns in a socket in the skirt of the piston. Turning the piston causes two longitudinal grooves in the piston to register periodically with exhaust and steam ports in the cylinder wall.
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
inventor
Baker, John G.
ID Number
MC.309246
catalog number
309246
accession number
89797
patent number
207,936

Giffard-Sellers Injector, Patent Model

This model was submitted to the U.S. Patent Office with the application for the patent issued to William Sellers, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, July 21, 1863, no.
Description
This model was submitted to the U.S. Patent Office with the application for the patent issued to William Sellers, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, July 21, 1863, no. 39313.
William Sellers, who introduced the Giffard injector into the United States in 1860, immediately invented useful improvements in its construction. This model incorporates an improvement in the packing between the steam and water chambers and effects a material reduction in the length of the whole injector.
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
1863-07-21
inventor
Sellers, William
ID Number
MC.309367
catalog number
309367
accession number
89797
patent number
39,313

One of the first examples of optical glass manufactured in the USA

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
est. 1899
1914
ID Number
CE.239
catalog number
239
accession number
57114

chimney, lamp

This lamp chimney is part of a series of lamp chimneys created to show the different stages of manufacture at the Macbeth-evans Glass Company. This particular one has a flared top opening with 1/4" beaded rim.Currently not on view
Description
This lamp chimney is part of a series of lamp chimneys created to show the different stages of manufacture at the Macbeth-evans Glass Company. This particular one has a flared top opening with 1/4" beaded rim.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
about 1914
maker
Macbeth-Evans Glass Company
ID Number
CE.211
catalog number
211
accession number
57114

Lamp chimney left unfinsihed to demonstrate a particular stage of manufacture

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
est. 1899
1914
ID Number
CE.222
catalog number
222
accession number
57114

Bacharach Steam Engine Indicator

Bacharach Industrial Instrument Co. manufactured this steam engine indicator.
Description
Bacharach Industrial Instrument Co. manufactured this steam engine indicator. It consists of a large steel piston with three grooves; a vented brass cylinder; an external, double wound spring, which can be changed; an aluminum drum with a small spiral spring and single record; and a small brass stylus. Accompanying the indicator is a box with three springs and some small tools. The pulley and bracket are missing.
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.
A mechanical indicator consists of a piston, spring, stylus, and recording system. The gas pressure of the cylinder deflects the piston and pushes against the spring, creating a linear relationship between the gas pressure and the deflection of the piston against the spring. The deflection is recorded by the stylus on a rotating drum that is connected to the piston. Most indicators incorporate a mechanical linkage to amplify the movement of the piston to increase the scale of the record.
When the ratio of the frequency of the pressure variation to the natural frequency of the system is small, then the dynamic deflection is equal to the static deflection. To design a system with a high natural frequency, the mass of the piston, spring, stylus, and mechanical linkage must be small, but the stiffness of the spring must be high. The indicator is subjected to high temperatures and pressures and rapid oscillations, imposing a limitation on the reduction in mass. Too stiff a spring will result in a small displacement of the indicator piston and a record too small to measure with accuracy. Multiplication of the displacement will introduce mechanical ad dynamic errors.
The parameters of the problem for designing an accurate and trouble free recorder are such that there is no easy or simple solution. Studying the variety of indicators in the collection shows how different inventors made different compromises in their designs.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
early 20th century
maker
Bacharach Industrial Instrument Co.
ID Number
MC.325992
catalog number
325992
accession number
308486
serial number
50597

Patterned, Electric Light Shade

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1915
maker
Macbeth-Evans Glass Company
ID Number
CE.889
catalog number
889
accession number
58571

Luders Steam Boiler, Patent Model

This model was submitted to the U.S. Patent Office with the application for the patent issued to Herman W. Luders, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, August 31, 1869, no.
Description
This model was submitted to the U.S. Patent Office with the application for the patent issued to Herman W. Luders, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, August 31, 1869, no. 94226.
The model represents a boiler having inclined water tubes projecting through forward and back brick walls, which form the furnace and boiler setting. The ends of the tubes projecting from the setting front and back are joined in sets of three by short horizontal cross tubes to large, vertical, upright pillar tubes on either side of the top of the setting. A third longitudinal drum is placed between the other two drums, and all three are joined by one cross drum above them. The short horizontal tubes at the back are cast in longitudinal sections and connected by ball-and-socket joints designed to permit the free expansion and contraction of the tubes.
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
1869
patent date
1869-08-31
inventor
Luders, Herman W.
ID Number
MC.309211
catalog number
309211
accession number
89797
patent number
94,226

Jar of Green Glass Rods

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1914
maker
Macbeth-Evans Glass Company
ID Number
CE.256ab
catalog number
256ab
accession number
57114
57114

Seller’s Patent Model of an Oscillating Steam Engine – ca 1872

This model was filed with the application to the U.S. Patent Office for Patent Number 127,928 issued to William Sellers of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on June 11, 1872. The patent was for improvements in oscillating steam engines.
Description
This model was filed with the application to the U.S. Patent Office for Patent Number 127,928 issued to William Sellers of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on June 11, 1872. The patent was for improvements 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 is connected to a crosshead which moves fore and aft within a set of guides. The crosshead in turn is coupled via a pin to the connecting rod which allows it to pivot independently as the crankshaft revolves. One advantage of the oscillating cylinder design is the engine occupies less space than a standard engine.
Other patents for oscillating engines with similar valve arrangements predated Mr. Sellers’ patent. He claimed the objectives of his invention were to improve the operation of the steam valve for an oscillating engine and to reduce the wear on the seals for the piston rod. In the image of the model the steam valve is the brass box on top of the cylinder. Mr. Sellers’ improvement in the valve design deals with the mechanism for controlling the timing of the steam cut-off in the valve. His improvement for the piston rod seal consists of a bearing placed in a sleeve which could be adjusted by a nut to compensate for wear of the rod. This can be seen in the rear center of the image.
Mr. Sellers was a prolific inventor, and his most notable work was in the area of standardized screw and bolt threads.
The patent model is made of brass and other metal and mounted on a wood base. It is highly detailed and illustrates all of the key details of the Sellers patent. The model was built as a working model to demonstrate the operation of the engine. A full description of the operation of the engine 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
1872
patent date
1872-06-11
inventor
Sellers, William
ID Number
MC.251296
catalog number
251296
patent number
127,928
accession number
48865

Loper's Patent Model of a Steam Engine– ca 1845

This model was filed with the application to the U.S. Patent Office for Patent Number 4,289 issued to R.F. Loper of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on November 26, 1845. The patent was for a new method for allowing a single steam engine to operate two parallel crankshafts.
Description
This model was filed with the application to the U.S. Patent Office for Patent Number 4,289 issued to R.F. Loper of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on November 26, 1845. The patent was for a new method for allowing a single steam engine to operate two parallel crankshafts. One shaft would turn clockwise and the other would turn counterclockwise.
This was an important feature for marine engines powering a ship with twin propellers. Having twin propellers turning in the same direction would increase the tendency for the boat to veer off course due to the torque effect of the propellers. This would require the ship's rudder to compensate, thereby reducing efficiency. With counter revolving propellers, one with right-hand pitch and the other with left-hand pitch, this adverse effect is eliminated.
The patent model is constructed of brass, steel and wood. All of the key elements of the patent are illustrated by the model, and it was built such that the motion of the engine could be demonstrated. A full description of the operation of the engine 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
1845
patent date
1845-11-26
inventor
Loper, R. F.
ID Number
MC.251297
catalog number
251297
patent number
4,289
accession number
48865

Fire at the Atlantic Refining Company

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1884-05-23
ID Number
PG.66.24.34
catalog number
66.24.34
accession number
263090

Fire at the Atlantic Refining Company

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1884-05-23
ID Number
PG.66.24.36
catalog number
66.24.36
accession number
263090

Fire at the Atlantic Refining Company

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1884-05-23
ID Number
PG.66.24.35
catalog number
66.24.35
accession number
263090

Ship Launching Bottle

In celebration of Memorial Day on May 30, 1919, the Hog Island Shipyard in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, launched five freighters in 48 minutes.
Description
In celebration of Memorial Day on May 30, 1919, the Hog Island Shipyard in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, launched five freighters in 48 minutes. This bottle was smashed against the bow of the Luxpalile by Laura Andrew, wife of the ship-construction manager at Hog Island, as she christened the last ship. Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels spoke to 50,000 spectators before the launchings, and declared that Hog Island would become the center of American shipbuilding. “Never again will the United States be guilty of the folly of trusting its foreign commerce to foreign bottoms,” he said, referring to the country’s reliance on Allies’ vessels during World War I because its merchant fleet was so small. “We will not quit the shipbuilding industry. We will put it on a solid and firm and sound basis. We will build big ships and bigger ships . . . . The genius, statesmanship, and skill of America must be united in the development of a merchant marine,” Daniels concluded as the first ship was launched.
The shipyard at Hog Island was part of a model project during World War I to produce prefabricated ships. Before then, builders touted their abilities to construct a variety of customized vessels within a single shipyard. But the growing demand for a larger merchant fleet convinced some that yards should specialize in a few standard types. Inspired by automaker Henry Ford’s production of Eagle-class submarine chasers, a template system was developed for the construction of identical parts that would be assembled elsewhere, such as at shipyards like Hog Island.
Subcontractors prefabricated 95 percent of each “Hog Islander,” the nickname for vessels built at the shipyard, and shipped the materials to one of Hog Island’s storage sites located along 80 miles of Pennsylvania Railroad tracks. From there, the parts would be assembled by some of Hog Island’s 30,000 workers and placed on one of 50 slipways, the ramps used to construct and later launch a ship. This theoretical procedure, however, never matched the realities of the operation. Hog Island’s sheer size and dependence on numerous subcontractors likely contributed to its failure to complete even one of the 122 vessels in time to be used during the war. A postwar recession forced Hog Island to close in 1921, but builders learned from the experiment. New shipyards were only a quarter of the size of Hog Island, and many avoided substantial use of subcontractors. But the greatest consequence was the proven success of prefabricating ships. The Liberty and Victory ships, critical for Allied victories in World War II, were inspired by the standardization of Hog Island.
date made
ca. 1919
Hog Island Shipyard Freighter launching
1919-05-30
Hog Island Shipyard closed
1921
christened ship
Andrew, Laura
Secretary of the Navy
Daniels, Josephus
ID Number
TR.335562
catalog number
335562
accession number
1977.0003

Filling moulds with steel

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1920s
maker
Keystone View Company
ID Number
2010.0182.0079
accession number
2010.0182
catalog number
2010.0182.0079

Union type chest Headquarters Army of Potomac, Printing Department, No. 6, about 1863

This type chest, measuring roughly 1’H x 2.5’W x 1.5’D, was purchased from L. Johnson & Company for the Printing Department of the Union Army of the Potomac. At least five other type chests were made for that unit.
Description
This type chest, measuring roughly 1’H x 2.5’W x 1.5’D, was purchased from L. Johnson & Company for the Printing Department of the Union Army of the Potomac. At least five other type chests were made for that unit. The top of the chest reads Headquarters Army of Potomac, Printing Department, No. 6. A virtually identical chest markedNo. 5 is displayed at Appomattox Court House, Virginia.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1863
maker
L. Johnson & Company
issuing authority
Army of the Potomac
ID Number
1982.0203.2739
accession number
1982.0203
catalog number
1982.0203.2739

Victor® "No See" Mouse Trap

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
2000
patent date
1998-05-05
maker
Woodstream Corporation
ID Number
2003.0338.03
accession number
2003.0338
catalog number
2003.0338.03

Victor® Poison-Free® Mouse Trap

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
2000
maker
Woodstream Corporation
ID Number
2003.0338.04
accession number
2003.0338
catalog number
2003.0338.04

Victor® Quick Set Rat Trap

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
2000
maker
Woodstream Corporation
ID Number
2003.0338.06
accession number
2003.0338
catalog number
2003.0338.06

Victor® Sonic Pest Chaser®

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
2000
maker
Woodstream Corporation
ID Number
2003.0338.08
accession number
2003.0338
catalog number
2003.0338.08

Victor® Live Catch Mouse Trap

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
2000
patent date
1985-11-05
maker
Woodstream Corporation
ID Number
2003.0338.02
accession number
2003.0338
catalog number
2003.0338.02

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