19th Century Ice Technology

Local inventors were very active in railroad technology in the 19th century. Ice harvesting was also a big business, and the subject of a number of patents.

Refrigerating World, Cold Storage and Ice Trade Journal, January 1908

George A. Birch of Rensselaer, N. Y. died at his home during the week of December 22. Mr Birch was fifty three years of age and was well known to the ice fraternity of the country as a manufacturer of ice tools. He was the inventor of a snow scraper which found great favor along the Hudson River. The deceased also owned and operated one of the finest truck farms in Rensselaer County, which was paid for from the proceeds of the patent scraper. He was associated with James L. Miles in the ice tool business for a number of years and up to the time of his death.

George A. Birch, of East Greenbush, New York

• SNOW SCRAPER. Letters Patent No. 293,620, February 19, 1884.
• SNOW SCRAPER. Letters Patent No. 323,491, August 4, 1885.
• SNOW SCRAPER. Letters Patent No. 360,196, March 29, 1887.
• SNOW SCRAPER. Letters Patent No. 404,492, June 11, 1889.
• CUTTER FOR CORRUGATING ICE FOR STORAGE. Patent No. 436,492, September 16, 1890.
• APPARATUS FOR PLANING AND CORRUGATING ICE. Patent No. 447,000, February 21, 1891.
• DESIGN FOR A CUTTING-POINT FOR ICE-PLOWS. Design No. 32,016, December 19, 1899.
  
• SNOW SCRAPER. Letters Patent No. 771,603, October 4, 1904.

Modern Methods Of Harvesting Ice (Refrigerating World, May 1908)

The most progressive ice men throughout the United States plane the ice to a uniform thickness, installing 6 knife stationary planers if necessary to reduce all ice to the same weight ... you sell more per ton harvested, if of uniform thickness. The fact that your floor in the house is level is one of the biggest items for a quick harvest.
...
Suppose, finally, we have 11 or 12 inches of ice we are ready to cut, and operations are frustrated by a 4 inch snow; scrape it, and scrape it quick. Do not wait until the next day, but, if possible, start while it is snowing, and the light, fluffy snow will be scraped at a much less expense than if allowed to pack.

Well stowed ice, Refrigerating World, March 1908

Rail Patents 1890 - 1910

Here’s the last installment in old railroad-related patents by local inventors. This set is from 1800 - 1910, so these inventors were starting to be credited as from "Rensselaer, NY" now.


Joseph Robison, of Greenbush, Assignor to Robert J. Pratt, of. Greenbush Heights, New York.
MACHINE FOR SAWING METAL. Letters Patent No. 423,278, March 11, 1890. Witnesses: John S. Diack, Lewis F. Alrtjtz.

Aaron Fryer, of Bath-on-the-Hudson, New York, Assignor of One- Half to David Wiggins, of same place.
MEANS FOR MULTIPLEX TELEGRAPHING BETWEEN CARS OF RAILWAYS. Letters Patent No. 528,902, November 6,1894. Witnesses: Charles Selkirk, A. Selkirk, Jr.

Aaron Fryer, of Bath-On-Hudson, New York.
CAR-FENDER. Letters Patent No. 552,383, December 31, 1895. Witnesses: Percy T. Griffith, A. M. Cusack.

Willard Spencer, of Bath, New York, Assignor of One-Half to James A. Houck, of Albany, New York.
STREET-CAR FENDER. Letters Patent Mo. 557,161, March 31,1896. Witnesses: Frederick W. Cameron, Mary M. Flanagan.

Edwin Priest, of Bath-On-The-Hudson, New York.
TOOL FOR REDRESSING CRANK-PINS OF LOCOMOTIVE-WHEELS. Letters Patent No. 586,244, dated July 13, 1897. Witnesses: Charles Selkirk, A. Selkirk, Jr.

William A. Buckbee, Of Rensselaer, New York.
LOCOMOTIVE EXHAUST-PIPE. Letters Patent No. 633,566, dated September 26, 1899. Witnesses: Alex. Selkirk, Charles Selkirk.

John A. Kimber, of Rensselaer, New York.
CONTROLLING AND OPERATING MEANS FOR WATER-SCOOPS FOR LOCOMOTIVES. Letters Patent No. 675,223, dated May 28, 1901. Witnesses: E. J. Guilfoil, R. G. Stewart.

Edwin C. Van Nouhuys, of Rensselaer, New York, Assignor of One-Half to Emanuel B. Toedt, of Albany, New York.
COAL-CONVEYER. Letters Patent No. 833,141. Patented Oct. 9, 1906. Witnesses: Walter E. Ward, Lottie Prior.

Robert Burns, Of Rensselaer, New York.
VENTILATOR FOR LOCOMOTIVE-CABS. Letters Patent. No. 867,701. Patented Oct. 8, 1907. Witnesses: J. C. MacCulloch, A. A. Newton.

William E. McPherson, of Rensselaer, New York, Assignor of Seventy One- Hundredths to Himself, Fifteen One-Hundredths to J. M. Rodgers, and Fifteen One-Hundredths to J. Fletcher, of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.
DUPLEX RAILWAY-HOPPER. Letters Patent 965,400. Patented July 26, 1910. Witnesses: W. D. Walker, J. F. Felton.

Rail Patents 1870-1890

Here’s the second installment in 19th century railroad-related patents by local inventors. This set is from 1870 - 1890, so "Rensselaer, NY" doesn't exist yet.

Richard Greenalch, Of Greenbush, Assignor To Himself And William Buchanan, Of Yonkers, New York.
IMPROVEMENT IN PACKINGS FOR STUFFING-BOXES. Letters Patent No. 167,238, dated August 31, 1875 Attorney: ?; Witnesses: T. B. Mosher, Alex. F. Roberts
[1880 Census: Richard Greenalch, 48]

John Loftus, of East Albany, Assignor of One-Half His Right to Richard Greenalch, of Greenbush, New York.
IMPROVEMENT IN STUFFING-BOXES FOR STEAM-ENGINES; Letters Patent No. 194,696, dated August 28, 1877. Attorney: Gilmore Smith?; Witnesses: Wm. Loftus, Arthur B. Murphy

Charles E. Austin, of Bath-on-the-Hudson, New York.
IMPROVEMENT IN JOURNAL-COOLING ATTACHMENTS FOR RAILWAY-CARS: Letters Patent No. 219,198, dated September 2, 1879 Attorney: Paul Goepel; Witnesses: Paul Gopel, Carl Karp
Charles S. Smith, of Bath-on-the-Hudson, New York:
RAILWAY-CAR; Letters Patent No. 266,322, dated October 24, 1882. Attorney: T?. C?. Brecht?; Witnesses: L. F. Chamberlin, James Van Valkenburg
ADJUSTABLE HOOD FOR CAR-PLATFORMS; Letters Patent No. 266,323, dated October 24, 1882. Attorney: T?. C?. Brecht?; Witnesses: L. F. Chamberlin, James Van Valkenburg

William G. Mink and Eugene N. Alling, of Bath-on-the-Hudson, N. Y.
LANTERN; Letters Patent No. 264,956, dated September 26, 1882. Attorney: William H. Low; Witnesses: William H. Low, C. J. Mattison
[1880 Census: probably William G. Mink, 36, a Clerk, and Eugene Alling, 24, a Dealer in Confectionary]

Thomas B. Purves and Thomas C. Craven, of Greenbush, N.Y.
DRAW-BAR; Letters Patent No. 271,269, dated January 30, 1883. Attorney: Worth? Osgood; Witnesses: Oliver Herbert, Thos. B. Purves, Jr.
[1880 Census: probably Thomas C. Craven, 50, Engineer R. R.]

Thomas C. Craven, of Greenbush, Assignor of One-Half to Abraham Schell, Of Albany, New York.
MEANS FOR SUPPLYING AIR TO THE FURNACES OF LOCOMOTIVE-BOILERS; Letters Patent No. 311,475, dated February 3, 1885.
Attorney: Alex. Selkirk; Witnesses: Charles Selkirk, Alex. Selkirk, Jr.

Robert J. Pratt, of Greenbush Heights, Assignor To The Electric Manufacturing Company, Of Troy, New York.
REFLECTING-GALVANO METER. Letters Patent No. 323,203, dated July 28, 1885. Attorney: John C. Pennie?; Witnesses: J. C. Pennie, J. R. Nottingham
[Robert J. Pratt, Electrician and Manager at the new works in Greenbush, The Electric Manufacturing Company]

Samuel Hyman, of East Albany, Assignor of Three-Fourths to James W. Eaton and Charles Wetherwax, Both of Albany, N. Y.
RAILWAY-TRACK; Letters Patent No. 345,054, dated July 6, 1886. Witnesses: Geo. W. Kirchwey, Kartusoff N. Macfee
[1880 Census: Possibly Samuel Hyman, 34, Machinist, Albany]

William Lowe, of Greenbush, New York.
RAIL-JOINT UNION; Letters Patent No. 394,867, dated December 18, 1888. Attorney: Geo. A. Mosher; Witnesses: Geo. A. Mosher, Chas. L. Alden

Emery Van Decar, Of East Albany, Assignor Of One-Half To Aaron Fryer, Of Bath-On-The-Hudson, New York.
LUBRICATOR FOR JOURNALS OF RAILWAY-WH EEL AXLES. Letters Patent No. 398,556, dated February 26, 1889. Attorney: Alex. Selkirk; Witnesses: Frank E. Selkirk, Charles Selkirk
CAR-AXLE LUBRICATOR. Letters Patent No. 414,129, dated October 29, 1889. Attorney: Alex. Selkirk; Witnesses: Charles Selkirk, J. C. McFarland
[1880 Census: Possibly Emery Vandecar, 23, Works in Mach Shop, Half Moon; Aaron Fryer, 41, Works in Piano Manf.]

John Loftus, of Albany, Assignor of One-Half to John Greenalch, of East Albany, New York.
APPARATUS FOR HEATING RAILWAY-CARS; Letters Patent No. 400,777, dated April 2, 1889. Attorney: William H. Low; Witnesses: Wm. H. Low, John Greenalch

Richard Groark, of Greenbush, New York, Assignor of One-Fourth to William H. Hepinstall, of Same Place.
OSCILLATING PIPE-JOINT. Letters Patent No. 403,883, dated May 21, 1889. Attorney: Frederick W. Cameron; Witnesses: William H. Hepinstall, Frederick W. Cameron
PIPE-COUPLING. Letters Patent No. 403,884, dated May 21, 1889. Attorney: Frederick W. Cameron; Witnesses: William H. Hepinstall, Frederick W. Cameron
[1880 Census, Probably Rich Groark, 26, Wood Turner, Greenbush]

Robert J. Pratt and Joseph Robison, Of Greenbush, N. Y.
VALVE. Letters Patent No. 416,948, dated December 10, 1889. Attorney: John C. Pennie?; Witnesses: Ed. K. Curtis, Benj. F. Allen

If anyone can add to the common knowledge about any of these inventors, please e-mail me at bathonhudson@gmail.com. Where did they work? What did they do there? Why did they file a patent and what did they do with it? I’ll compile the results for the city historian.

Rail Patents 1850-1870

Here’s the first installment in 19th century rail industry patents by local inventors. This set is from 1850 - 1870, so folks were listed as residing in Bath-on-the-Hudson, East Albany, and Greenbush, rather than Rensselaer, NY.

Thomas W. Allen and Charles W. Noyes, of Greenbush, New York:
STUFFING-BOX; Letters Patent No 5,357, November 6, 1847; Reissued January 10, 1854, No. 254. Witnesses: Rich. Varick De Witt, Richard Gansevoort
IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINERY FOR MAKING IRON WHEELS; Letters Patent No. 6,254, April 3, 1849. Witnesses: H. Q. Lansing, Gilbert L. Wilson
[Possibly Thomas W. Allen, Esq., at the ‘Greenbush shop of the Western Road’.] [Possibly Charles Whiting Noyes, census at Greenbush, Rensselaer: 1850, Age 40, Fireman; 1870, Age 60, Machinist]

J. C. Vaughn, Of Greenbush, and J. F. Winslow, of Troy, New York.
MACHINERY FOR WELDING IRON PIPES; Letters Patent No. 5,695, August 1, 1848. Witnesses: Archibald Bull, Geo. Day
[possibly John Flack Winslow, co-owner with Erastus Corning of the Rensselaer Iron Works and the Albany Iron Works, and fifth president of RPI.]

Maria Vaughn, Administratrix of Joseph C. Vaughn, Deceased, of Greenbush, New York, Assignor to James C. Bell and Robert Chrystie, Jr.
MACHINERY FOR MAKING WROUGHT-IRON CAR- WHEELS; Letters Patent No. 8,173, June 24, 1851. Witnesses: H. Goodrich, James Deerstyne
MACHINE FOR MAKING WHEEL-TIRES; Letters Patent No. 8,395, September 30, 1851. Witnesses: C. V. Witbeck, John E. Van Alen
[possibly Robert Christie Jr., an 1856 director of the Belleview and Illinoistown Railroad]

James E. Hallett, of Greenbush, New York, Assignor to Edward H. Jones and Charles W. Noyes, of Same Place.
IMPROVEMENT IN OSCILLATING PUMPS; Letters Patent No. 53,373, March 20, 1866. Witnesses: I. W. Latcher, Alfred Harley
Thomas B. Purves, of Greenbush, New York.
IMPROVED RAILROAD-SWITCH; Letters Patent No. 54,770, May 15, 1866. Witnesses: Richd. Varick De Witt, A. V. De Witt.
[Possibly T. B. Purves, American Railway Master Mechanics’ Association, Western Division of Boston & Albany; or “… T.B. Purves, Sr. for many years Foreman and Master Mechanic on the B. & A. R. R., ”]

Joseph Anthony, of Greenbush, New York
IMPROVEMENT IN RAILROADS; Letters Patent No. 38,274, April 28, 1863. Witnesses: Richd. Varick De Witt, E. J. Miller
IMPROVED JOINT-SPLICE FOR RAILROAD RAIL; Letters Patent No. 67,626, August 13, 1867. Witnesses: Rich. Varick De Witt, D. W. De Witt.
IMPROVED CAR-AXLE; Patent No. 72,584, December 24, 1867. Witnesses: Rich. Varick De Witt, D. W. De Witt.
[possibly Joseph Anthony, “Forms of railroad car-axles”, 1868]
[possibly Richard Varick De Witt Sr., involved in the Ithaca and Oswego Railroad, or his son, Richard Varick DeWitt, identified with the insurance business of Albany]

If anyone can add to the common knowledge about any of these inventors, please e-mail me at bathonhudson@gmail.com. Where did they work? What did they do there? Why did they file a patent and what did they do with it? I’ll compile the results for the city historian.

Rail Patents

19th Century Innovation – Railroad Patents by Rensselaer Inventors

Part 1 – Background

Since I’m interested in patents, it’s only natural I’d search for local inventors. I wasn’t surprised to find lots of railroad patents from the 1800s.

As it turns out, patenting didn’t drive technological development in the golden age of rail. In fact, early railroad companies didn’t focus on patenting at all. Their business models were tied to their monopolies in land and routes, and they freely shared innovations to promote the industry. But over time, a multitude of railway mechanics, technicians, suppliers, and members of the public did obtain patents (and file law suits).

The early railroad industry faced great challenges, as its culture of open innovation clashed with this growing thicket of railroad patents. By the mid-1800’s, heavy damages from patent infringement rulings caused such an economic burden that the railroad companies formed associations for mutual legal defense against patent suits. (This has been compared to the computer industry’s onslaught by software patents in the 1990’s.)

For more on 19th century rail patents, see this paper: Organizing a Market for Technological Innovation: Patent Pools and Patent Politics on American Railroads, 1860-1900, by Steven W. Usselman, University of North Carolina at Charlotte. His recent book looks excellent too: Regulating Railroad Innovation: Business, Technology, and Politics in America, 1840-1920, by Steven W. Usselman, Published by Cambridge University Press, 2002.

I’ll be posting much more on this topic, but not all at once. I’m working through almost 50 rail-related patents from inventors in Bath-On-The-Hudson, East Albany, and Greenbush, and it’s taking a lot of time. I want to compile everything online, and also provide the patents and documentation to the city historical society.


I love these gorgeous advertising images – to see more, check out The Official Railway List from 1892, which is online courtesy of Google Books.