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 2 of 14
Patent model for printers' quoins
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for a quoin which was adjusted by means of a tapered screw; the invention was granted patent number 173493.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1876
- patent date
- 1876-02-15
- maker
- Polen, George B.
- ID Number
- 1996.0062.14
- patent number
- 173493
- accession number
- 1996.0062
- catalog number
- 1996.0062.14
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Patent Model for a Hand Stamp
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for a self-inking percussion stamp; the invention was granted patent number 16608.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1857
- date made
- ca 1857
- patent date
- 1857-02-10
- maker
- Ramsay, P. A.
- ID Number
- 1996.0062.15
- patent number
- 016608
- accession number
- 1996.0062
- catalog number
- 1996.0062.15
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Patent model for printers' chase lock
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for a combination of quoins and sidesticks, with a special lever for their adjustment; the invention was granted patent number 11091.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1854
- date made
- ca 1854
- patent date
- 1854-06-13
- maker
- Sprague, E. H.
- ID Number
- 1996.0062.16
- patent number
- 011091
- accession number
- 1996.0062
- catalog number
- 1996.0062.16
- 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 quoins slotted together along the oblique side, which included a key for their adjustment; the invention was granted patent number 228410. (Carlo Squintani was from London, England.)
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1880
- patent date
- 1880-06-01
- maker
- Squintani, Carlo G.
- ID Number
- 1996.0062.17
- patent number
- 228410
- accession number
- 1996.0062
- catalog number
- 1996.0062.17
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Patent model for paper-folding machine
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for an improved sheet-folding apparatus, made to stand as an independent machine, or to be attached to a web perfecting press; the invention was granted patent number 186384.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1877
- patent date
- 1877-01-16
- maker
- Tucker, Stephen D.
- ID Number
- 1996.0062.18
- catalog number
- 1996.0062.18
- accession number
- 1996.0062
- patent number
- 186384
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Patent model for printers' furniture
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for hollow metal furniture (printers' spacing material), which was granted patent number 508263.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1893
- patent date
- 1893-11-07
- maker
- Wolfe, Jacob C.
- ID Number
- 1996.0062.19
- catalog number
- 1996.0062.19
- accession number
- 1996.0062
- patent number
- 508263
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Patent model for perforating machine
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for a perforating machine. Maker, patent number, and date are unknown.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1870
- maker
- unknown
- ID Number
- 1997.0198.02
- catalog number
- 1997.0198.02
- accession number
- 1997.0198
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Patent model for stamp cancelling machine
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for a tool for turning a sheet of metal into a printing plate while writing on it. The air-powered writing instrument made a series of sharp blows to the metal, knocking out projections on the back of the sheet. The projections formed a facsimile of the writing in reverse and in relief for printing at a type press. Maker, patent number, and date are unknown.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1870
- maker
- unknown
- ID Number
- 1997.0198.04
- catalog number
- 1997.0198.04
- accession number
- 1997.0198
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Patent model for [sewing] machine
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for a [sewing] machine. Maker, patent number, and date are unknown.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1870
- maker
- unknown
- ID Number
- 1997.0198.05
- catalog number
- 1997.0198.05
- accession number
- 1997.0198
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Patent model for miscellaneous parts
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for miscellaneous parts. Maker, patent number, and date are unknown.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1870
- maker
- unknown
- ID Number
- 1997.0198.06
- catalog number
- 1997.0198.06
- accession number
- 1997.0198
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
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