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 of a Typesetting Machine
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for improvements to typesetting machines, specifically in the control of type traveling from storage channels to assembly point. The invention was granted patent number 244723. Both Patentees Lorenz and Johnson had a financial interest in the Burr typesetting machine (see Lorenz's earlier patents).
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1881
- patent date
- 1881-07-19
- maker
- Lorenz, William A.
- Johnson, Louis K.
- ID Number
- GA.89797.244723
- patent number
- 244723
- accession number
- 089797
- catalog number
- GA*89797.244723
- 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 a Machine for Smoothing the Sides of Type
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for a machine to smooth the sides of type; the invention was granted patent number 631. In the inventor's opinion, this foot-driven machine allowed the operator to rub around sixty thousand types in a day, in conditions of less "unhealthiness" than the usual. The model is missing its treadle.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1838
- patent date
- 1838-03-10
- maker
- Bruce, Jr., David
- ID Number
- GA.89797.000631
- patent number
- 000631
- accession number
- 089797
- catalog number
- GA*89797.000631
- 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 for printing or decorating the surface of celluloid
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for printing and decorating the surface of celluloid. A celluloid sheet was printed, and then heated under pressure against a polished sheet to finish the surface. The invention was granted patent number 346376. Model consists of two photogravure specimens.
- The patent rights were assigned to the Celluloid Manufacturing Company, New York. Marshall Clifford Lefferts (born 1848) first worked with the American Telegraph Company. In 1870 he joined with the new Celluloid Manufacturing Company, of which he became president in 1890.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1886
- patent date
- 1886-07-27
- patentee
- Lefferts, Marshall C.
- ID Number
- GA.89797.346376
- accession number
- 089797
- patent number
- 346376
- catalog number
- GA*89797.346376
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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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
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Patent Model of a Book-stitching Machine
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for improvements to the method of feeding sheets to a book-sewing mechanism; the invention was granted patent number 250987. David Smyth (1833-1907), was a prolific inventor in many fields of manufacturing before patenting his first book-sewing machine in 1868. Ultimately his machines redefined bookbinding, in the term Smyth-sewn. The model is incomplete.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1881
- patent date
- 1881-12-13
- maker
- Smyth, David McConnel
- ID Number
- GA.89797.250987
- patent number
- 250987
- accession number
- 089797
- catalog number
- GA*89797.250987
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Patent Model of a Typesetting and Distributing Machine
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for a typesetting and distributing machine which was granted patent number 28463. Typing at the keyboard perforated a paper tape to produce a complete "registry" of the keystrokes, including all spacing and leading. This record could be used to set several identical pages of type or, fed in reverse, to redistribute the type to its cases. The keyboard is missing from the model.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1860
- patent date
- 1860-05-29
- maker
- Felt, Charles W.
- ID Number
- GA.89797.028463
- accession number
- 89797
- patent number
- 028463
- catalog number
- GA*89797.028463
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Patent Model of a Type Mold
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for a mold for casting multiple pieces of type from a strip of matrices; the invention was granted patent number 40076.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1863
- patent date
- 1863-09-22
- maker
- Davis, R. W.
- Davis, D.
- ID Number
- GA.89797.040076
- patent number
- 040076
- accession number
- 089797
- catalog number
- GA*89797.040076
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Patent Model for a Book-Trimming and Paper-Cutting Machine
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for a book-trimmer and paper-cutting machine which was granted patent number 19654. The machine describes a paper cutter on which the table rode up a sloping track, pulling the paper obliquely across the horizontally mounted blade.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1858
- patent date
- 1858-03-16
- maker
- Semple, Amzi C.
- ID Number
- GA.89797.019654
- accession number
- 089797
- patent number
- 019654
- catalog number
- GA*89797.019654
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Patent Model of a Typesetting for Stereotype Plates
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for a typesetter for stereotype plates which was granted patent number 52073. The invention included the use of a "perpetual font of type" for impressing letters into a plastic molding material. Type was stored in a permanent holder, each piece tied by a thin strip of metal. At the touch of a key, type fell to casting position, the faces protruding below the holder. After casting, the type was returned to the storage cell.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1866
- patent date
- 1866-01-16
- patentee
- Paulding, John
- ID Number
- GA.89797.052073
- patent number
- 052073
- accession number
- 089797
- catalog number
- GA*89797.052073
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Patent Model for Bed-and-Platen Printing Press
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for a bed-and-platen power press with two friskets which carried paper under the platen alternately. The platen was drawn down by toggles against a fixed bed; it was to be powered by man, steam, horse, or water. The invention is considered an unnumbered patent.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1834
- patent date
- 1834-08-22
- maker
- Tufts, Otis
- ID Number
- GA.11025
- catalog number
- GA*11025
- accession number
- 48865
- patent number
- 8380X
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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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 model for printing photomechanical plates
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for methods of making photomechanical or other prints resemble original photographs. The invention was granted patent number 493850.
- Tonal photomechanical reproductions had an objectionable coarseness because of the perceptible pattern of the halftone screen. By this invention, screened plates-either bearing an image or blank-were printed several times slightly out of register with each other, softening the effect of the screen. The key impression of the image would be made first in a dark ink with a heavy body, and then the other impressions in paler or lighter-bodied inks. To imitate sepia photographs, later impressions were made in brown tinted inks.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1893
- patent date
- 1893-03-21
- patentee
- Woodward, Charles B.
- ID Number
- GA.89797.493850
- patent number
- 493850
- accession number
- 089797
- catalog number
- GA*89797.493850
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Patent Model for a Rotary Perfecting Press
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for the first of a generation of fast web perfecting presses which was granted patent number 38200. On this press, unlike its successors, the paper was cut into sheets before being printed. According to Stephen D. Tucker’s History of R. Hoe & Company, the web cutting knife had been used years before on a Hoe press, but the concept had not been patented.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1863
- patent date
- 1863-04-14
- maker
- Bullock, William
- ID Number
- GA.11027
- catalog number
- GA*11027
- accession number
- 49064
- patent number
- 038200
- catalog number
- GA*49064.038200
- 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 Printing Press
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for a lithographic printing press which was granted patent number 87950. The flatbed cylinder press included an adjustable bed, an apparatus to lift the rollers from the stone, and a receiving cylinder with grippers to take the sheet from the impression cylinder. Marinoni, a leading French press builder, assigned these patent rights to R. Hoe & Co.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1869
- patent date
- 1869-03-16
- maker
- Marinoni, Auguste H.
- ID Number
- GA.89797.087950
- patent number
- 087950
- accession number
- 89797
- catalog number
- GA*89797.087950
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Patent Model of a Hand Printing Press
- Description (Brief)
- This patent model demonstrates an invention for a self-inking bench-top press for cards or sheets; the invention was granted patent number 24655. It was the basis for the Newburys' Mountain Jobber or Machine Jobber. Early models followed the patent closely, but later (about 1871) the press had a sloping ink disk. A. N. Kellogg produced a modification of the press, which he patented in 1863 (Patent 37293).
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1859
- patent date
- 1859-07-05
- maker
- Newbury, Alonzo
- Newbury, Boliver
- ID Number
- GA.11021
- catalog number
- GA*11021
- accession number
- 48865
- patent number
- 024655
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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- Models 394
- Patents 394
- patent model; press, printing 46
- Printing presses 31
- manufacture, printers quoins 10
- press, platen printing 10
- patent model; machine, book stitching 9
- machine, typesetting 8
- patent model; apparatus, sheet delivery 8
- press, flatbed cylinder printing 8
- machine, typecasting 7
- patent model; apparatus, sheet feed 6
- manufacture, sidesticks and quoins 5
- patent model; apparatus, inking 5
- manufacture, printers furniture 4
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- Communications 394
- Patent Models 394
- Work 394
- Work and Industry: Graphic Arts 394
- National Museum of American History 6
- Inventive Minds 2
- Printing at Home 2
- Art in Industry 1
- Artifact Walls exhibit 1
- Food 1
- Inventing in America 1
- Invention and the Patent Model 1
- National Treasures exhibit 1
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