Natural Resources
The natural resources collections offer centuries of evidence about how Americans have used the bounty of the American continent and coastal waters. Artifacts related to flood control, dam construction, and irrigation illustrate the nation's attempts to manage the natural world. Oil-drilling, iron-mining, and steel-making artifacts show the connection between natural resources and industrial strength.
Forestry is represented by saws, axes, a smokejumper's suit, and many other objects. Hooks, nets, and other gear from New England fisheries of the late 1800s are among the fishing artifacts, as well as more recent acquisitions from the Pacific Northwest and Chesapeake Bay. Whaling artifacts include harpoons, lances, scrimshaw etchings in whalebone, and several paintings of a whaler's work at sea. The modern environmental movement has contributed buttons and other protest artifacts on issues from scenic rivers to biodiversity.
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Patent model for feeding apparatus for cylinder presses
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for a feeding apparatus for cylinder presses. Maker, patent number, and date are unknown.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1870
- maker
- unknown
- ID Number
- 1997.0198.20
- catalog number
- 1997.0198.20
- accession number
- 1997.0198
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Patent model for inking apparatus for printing presses
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for an inking apparatus for printing presses, which provided an improved means of operating the carriage of inking rollers. Rollers pass over the entire length of a stone distributing ink more accurately and efficiently. The invention was granted patent number 188386.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1877
- patent date
- 1877-03-13
- maker
- Macdonald, F.
- ID Number
- 1997.0198.13
- accession number
- 1997.0198
- patent number
- 188386
- catalog number
- GA.89797.188386
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Patent model for printers' chases
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for an adjustable type chase that could be clamped onto the type, avoiding the use of quoins; the invention was granted patent number 108759.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1870
- patent date
- 1870-11-01
- patentee
- Clements, Thomas A.
- ID Number
- GA.89797.108759
- accession number
- 089797
- patent number
- 108759
- catalog number
- GA*89797.108759
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Patent Model of an Intaglio Plate Printing Machine
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for an intaglio printing press, which was granted patent number 210116. The patent describes a plate wiping mechanism that reproduced the sweeping movement of the human hand. The wiping cloth was in lengths travelling from one storage roller to another, always offering a fresh portion to the plate. Constant Guy was from Paris, France.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1878
- patent date
- 1878-11-19
- maker
- Guy, Constant A.
- ID Number
- GA.89797.210116
- accession number
- 89797
- 89797
- patent number
- 210116
- catalog number
- GA*89797.210116
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Patent Model of a Copying Press
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for a copying press which was granted patent number 193346. The patent describes a letter-copying press in which the pressure was produced by inflating an air bag.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1877
- patent date
- 1877-07-24
- maker
- Powlett, James A.
- ID Number
- GA.89797.193346
- patent number
- 193346
- accession number
- 089797
- catalog number
- GA*89797.193346
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Patent model for printers' sidesticks and quoins
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for printers' quoins and sidesticks which was granted patent number 164543. Tapered sidesticks were grooved along the inclined side. Quoins, with a metal key to slide in the groove, were made using a pair of wedge-shaped blocks to provide fine adjustment.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1875
- patent date
- 1875-06-15
- maker
- Gilbert, William
- ID Number
- GA.89797.164543
- patent number
- 164543
- accession number
- 089797
- catalog number
- GA*89797.164543
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Patent Mode for a Hand Stamp
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for a self-inking hand stamp which was granted patent number 136458.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1873
- patent date
- 1873-03-04
- maker
- Rountree, George H.
- ID Number
- GA.89797.136458
- accession number
- 089797
- patent number
- 136458
- catalog number
- GA*89797.136458
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Patent Model of a Lithographic Rotary Printing Press
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for a lithographic rotary printing press which was granted patent number 116335. The patent details a small press with a stone cylinder that was removable for wetting and inking. The stone was taken out and rolled across the ink and wetting slabs, then replaced for printing. The pressure roller below was hung on adjustable bearings. From 1868 Maurice took out several patents for rotary and flatbed lithographic printing. He advertised this and his other presses as "Autographic Cylinders for Offices.”
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1871
- patent date
- 1871-06-27
- maker
- Maurice, Charles C.
- ID Number
- GA.89797.116335
- accession number
- 089797
- patent number
- 116335
- catalog number
- GA*89797.116335
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Patent Model of a Sheet Perfecting Flatbed Cylinder Press
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for a sheet perfecting flatbed cylinder press which was granted patent number 103894. The invention had two vertical type beds, one at each end of the press. A sheet of paper was fed to the first cylinder and printed at the first type form traveling upwards. Next the sheet was passed to the second cylinder and printed on the other side at the other form traveling downwards. Finally, it was deposited under the press.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1870
- patent date
- 1870-06-07
- maker
- Kerr, William A.
- ID Number
- GA.89797.103894
- accession number
- 89797
- patent number
- 103894
- catalog number
- GA*89797.103894
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Patent model for elastic underlay for printing on glass
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for an elastic underlay between glass and a printing block used for printing on glass. The invention was granted patent number 170136. Model consists of numerous rubber blocks, once fixed to a base but now detached and hardened.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1875
- patent date
- 1875-11-16
- patentee
- Wells, Joseph L.
- ID Number
- GA.89797.170136
- patent number
- 170136
- accession number
- 089797
- catalog number
- GA*89797.170136
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Patent Model of a Railway Ticket Printing and Registering Machine
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for a railway ticket printing and registering machine; the invention was granted patent number 141336. A roll of card blanks was pre-numbered and printed with the station name. This machine added the destination and date and cut off each ticket, while printing a record copy of the sale. It was an improvement on an earlier Dyer patent (1872, Patent 134042).
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1873
- patent date
- 1873-07-29
- maker
- Dyer, John
- ID Number
- GA.89797.141336
- accession number
- 089797
- patent number
- 141336
- catalog number
- GA*89797.141336
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Patent Model of a Typecasting Machine
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for a typecasting machine which was granted patent number 111111. The machine cast printers' type, broke off the type jets, and dressed the type.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1871
- patent date
- 1871-01-24
- maker
- Dunn, William Wallace
- ID Number
- GA.89797.111111
- patent number
- 111111
- accession number
- 089797
- catalog number
- GA*89797.111111
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Patend model for an inking apparatus for printing presses
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates inventions relating to the inking apparatus on oscillating presses, such as Potter's jobbing press. The two patents, numbered 169191 for bearings for distributing rollers, and 171243 for the inking apparatus itself, are demonstrated on one model.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1875
- patent date
- 1875-12-21
- maker
- Hubbard, James F.
- Potter, Jr., Charles
- ID Number
- GA.89797.171243
- accession number
- 089797
- catalog number
- GA*89797.171243
- patent number
- 171243
- 169191
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Patent model for wood blocks for engraving
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for a method of reusing engraved boxwood blocks by shaving down the engraved surface and gluing the shaved block between two pieces of a cheaper wood; the invention was granted patent number 203856. This sandwich was then cut through the middle to give two new blocks, each with a thin face of boxwood.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1878
- patent date
- 1878-05-21
- patentee
- Setchell, George C.
- ID Number
- GA.89797.203856
- patent number
- 203856
- accession number
- 089797
- catalog number
- GA*89797.203856
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Patent Model of a Typesetting Machine
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for a typesetting machine which was granted patent number 108980. The patent details a keyboard typesetter with a "branching gravitation type-slide." Patentee De la Pena was an Argentinian living in New York City.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1870
- patent date
- 1870-11-08
- maker
- De La Pena, M.
- ID Number
- GA.89797.108980
- patent number
- 108980
- accession number
- 089797
- catalog number
- GA*89797.108980
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Patent Model of a Rotary Lithographic or Type Press
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for a rotary lithographic press which was granted patent number 200927. The revolving type cylinder had two flat sides where type forms or lithographic stones were mounted. The two curved surfaces of the cylinder were used as ink distributing surfaces. Patentee George Newsum was from Leeds, England, where he patented this press in 1872.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1878
- patent date
- 1878-03-05
- maker
- Newsum, George
- ID Number
- GA.89797.200927
- accession number
- 089797
- patent number
- 200927
- catalog number
- GA*89797.200927
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Patent Model for Color Printing Blocks
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for color printing blocks which was granted patent number 172340. The invention included multicolor printing blocks particularly intended for oilcloths, requiring colors to be applied thickly and in an intricate pattern. The blocks were pierced by channels, which conducted the ink from reservoirs of converging tubes surmounting the blocks.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1876
- patent date
- 1876-01-18
- patentee
- Perkins, Joseph
- ID Number
- GA.89797.172340
- patent number
- 172340
- accession number
- 089797
- catalog number
- GA*89797.172340
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Patent Model of a Type-setting and Type-distributing Machine
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for a typesetting machine which was granted patent numbers 152868 and 152869. Type stored in a case of vertical channels was selected and pushed out by keyboard action to a moving belt, then dropped down a slot to be assembled in a composing stick. For distribution, the dead matter was placed in front of the operator who read off and keyed in a line of letters. Each piece of type was pushed in turn onto the moving belt and dropped into its appropriate slot for return to the storage case. The two patents are demonstrated on a single model.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1874
- patent date
- 1874-07-07
- maker
- Reynolds, John A.
- ID Number
- GA.89797.152868
- accession number
- 089797
- catalog number
- GA*89797.152868
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Patent Model of an Ink-feeding Device for a Paper-ruling Machine
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for an ink-feeding device for a paper ruling machine; the invention was granted patent number 208592. The patent describes a device to avoid overcharging pens with ink when the ruling machine was at rest.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1878
- patent date
- 1878-10-01
- maker
- Handy, William
- ID Number
- GA.89797.208592
- patent number
- 208592
- accession number
- 089797
- catalog number
- GA*89797.208592
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Patent Model of an Inking Apparatus for Printing Presses
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for a method of improved ink distribution on flatbed cylinder presses. The patent was granted number 173085.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1876
- patent date
- 1876-02-01
- maker
- Tucker, Stephen D.
- ID Number
- GA.89797.173085
- accession number
- 089797
- patent number
- 173085
- catalog number
- GA*89797.173085
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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- Models 189
- Patents 189
- patent model; press, printing 14
- press, flatbed cylinder printing 8
- patent model; apparatus, sheet delivery 7
- Printing presses 5
- manufacture, printers quoins 5
- press, platen printing 5
- machine, typecasting 4
- manufacture, sidesticks and quoins 4
- patent model; apparatus, inking 4
- patent model; apparatus, sheet feed 4
- patent model; machine, book stitching 4
- manufacture, printers furniture 3
- apparatus, sheet feed 2
- machine, rounding and backing books 2
- machine, type distributing 2
- machine, typesetting 2
- manufacture, picture frames 2
- parts, miscellaneous 2
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