Work - Overview
The tools, rules, and relationships of the workplace illustrate some of the enduring collaborations and conflicts in the everyday life of the nation. The Museum has more than 5,000 traditional American tools, chests, and simple machines for working wood, stone, metal, and leather. Materials on welding, riveting, and iron and steel construction tell a more industrial version of the story. Computers, industrial robots, and other artifacts represent work in the Information Age.
But work is more than just tools. The collections include a factory gate, the motion-study photographs of Frank and Lillian Gilbreth, and more than 3,000 work incentive posters. The rise of the factory system is measured, in part, by time clocks in the collections. More than 9,000 items bring in the story of labor unions, strikes, and demonstrations over trade and economic issues.
"Work - Overview" showing 140 items.
Page 1 of 14
Patent model for printers' quoins
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for quoins whose two sides were opened or closed by wedges governed by a central double-threaded screw; the invention was granted patent number 139351.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1873
- patent date
- 1873-05-27
- maker
- Ames, Chauncey W.
- Sprague, E. H.
- ID Number
- 1996.0062.01
- patent number
- 139351
- accession number
- 1996.0062
- catalog number
- 1996.0062.01
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Patent model for printers' shooting sticks
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for a shooting stick, used for driving in quoins, or wedges, to tighten a form in its chase; the invention was granted patent number 107154. These sticks had different-sized notches to fit different quoins, and two wings to help open spaces for the quoins among the furniture.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1870
- patent date
- 1870-09-06
- maker
- Blackwell, Benjamin B.
- ID Number
- 1996.0062.03
- patent number
- 107154
- accession number
- 1996.0062
- catalog number
- 1996.0062.03
- patent number
- 107154
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Patent model for loose leaf binder
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for a loose leaf binder with adjustable sides; the invention was granted patent number 787353.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1905
- patent date
- 1905-04-18
- maker
- Carlson, Charles A.
- ID Number
- 1996.0062.05
- patent number
- 787353
- accession number
- 1996.0062
- catalog number
- 1996.0062.05
- patent number
- 787353
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Patent Model for a Type Mold
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for a type mold which was granted patent number 5846. The Universal Hand Type-Mold cast type of any size.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1848
- Date made
- 1848
- patent date
- 1848-10-10
- maker
- Day, Hartley W.
- ID Number
- 1996.0062.06
- patent number
- 005846
- accession number
- 1996.0062
- catalog number
- 1996.0062.06
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Patent Model for Stencil Frames for Autographic Writing.
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for a stencil-printing frame which was granted patent number 219665. The frame is adjustable to take stencil sheets of different sizes.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1879
- patent date
- 1879-09-16
- maker
- De Zuccato, Eugenio
- ID Number
- 1996.0062.07
- catalog number
- 1996.0062.07
- accession number
- 1996.0062
- patent number
- 219665
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Patent model for sidesticks and quoins
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for a combination of quoins and sidesticks which was granted patent number 218518. The quoins swiveled on the ends of wide screws that turned into the sides of the metal sidesticks. A guage in the center of each sidestick told the compositor how far the quoin could be extended.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1879
- patent date
- 1879-08-12
- maker
- Gosorn, George T.
- ID Number
- 1996.0062.09
- patent number
- 218518
- accession number
- 1996.0062
- catalog number
- 1996.0062.09
- patent number
- 218518
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Patent model for printers' sidesticks and quoins
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for sidesticks with several tapering sections, and grooves or steps to guide the quoins on their path; the invention was granted patent number 145574.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1873
- patent date
- 1873-12-16
- maker
- Keehn, Francis
- ID Number
- 1996.0062.10
- patent number
- 145574
- accession number
- 1996.0062
- catalog number
- 1996.0062.10
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Patent model for printers' quoins
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for a three-part quoin, the parts being held together by a key passing through a slot in the central wedge; the invention was granted patent number 148308. Roughened sides of the quoin prevented slippage on other furniture.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1874
- patent date
- 1874-03-10
- maker
- Lame, Samuel C.
- Briggs, Ferdinand Sherwin
- ID Number
- 1996.0062.11
- patent number
- 148308
- accession number
- 1996.0062
- catalog number
- 1996.0062.11
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Patent model for printers' sidesticks and quoins
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for sidesticks made with two symmetrical series of inclined surfaces; the invention was granted patent number 133948. Matching quoins were adjusted by turning a double-threaded screw.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1872
- patent date
- 1872-12-17
- maker
- McGrath, Thomas
- ID Number
- 1996.0062.12
- patent number
- 133948
- accession number
- 1996.0062
- catalog number
- 1996.0062.12
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Patent model for printers' quoins
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for a screw quoin, adjustable with any common wrench; the invention was granted patent number 167780.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1875
- patent date
- 1875-09-14
- maker
- O'Shea, Andrew Jackson
- ID Number
- 1996.0062.13
- patent number
- 167780
- accession number
- 1996.0062
- catalog number
- 1996.0062.13
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
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