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Putnam Machine Co.
| Firmenname | Putnam Machine Co. |
| Ortssitz | Fitchburg (Mass.) |
| Straße | Main Street |
| Art des Unternehmens | Maschinenfabrik |
| Anmerkungen | Bis 1858 unter der Firma "J. & S. W. Putnam Co.". 1874: S. W. Putnam Präsident; B. Snow, Leiter der Finanzen. 1882 bis 1886 als separate Firma "Putnam Tool Co." in der Walnut Street (Salmon W. Putnam als Präsident und George E. Putnam als Finanzleiter), dann durch "Putnam Machine Co." übernommen). 1885: Ecke Main und Putnam Streets, mit 26 acres Fläche. Die Gebäude wurden später eine Fabrik der "General Electric". 2004: die Gebäude von 1900 stehen noch [Peter (Internet 11.2004)]. |
| Quellenangaben | http://www.owwm.com/MfgIndex/detail.asp?ID=673 [Wiley: American iron trade manual (1874) 32] http://www.ci.fitchburg.ma.us/timeline.html [Bay State Monthly 2 (1885) Nr. 6] |
| Zeit |
Ereignis |
| 1838 |
Gründung durch die Brüder John Putnam und Salmon W. Putnam als "J. & S. W. Putnam Co." zur Herstellung von Werkzeugmaschinen. Sie beginnen als Mieter bei Alvah Crocker in der alten Leonard Burbank Mühle (Water Street) am Nashua River mit dem Bau von Textil- und Papiermaschinenbau und -reparatur und dem Bau von Werkzeugmaschinen. |
| 1845 |
Die Firma zieht in ein nahes Ziegelgebäude mit Wasserkraft, noch als Mieter von Crocker. Es werden Werkzeugmaschinen gebaut. |
| 1849 |
Charles H. Brown (bisher Dampfmaschinenbauer von Otis Tufts) und Benjamin Snow jr. treten als Teilhaber bei Putnam ein; man beginnt, Dampfmaschinen zu bauen. |
| 07.12.1849 |
Ein Brand zerstört die Werkstatt. Sie wird an der selben Stelle wiedererrichtet. |
| 1850 |
Charles R. Burleigh (Dampfmaschinenbauer von Otis Tufts) tritt bei Putnam ein. (auch 1854 genannt) |
| 1851 |
Seit dieser Zeit werden Dampfmaschinen angeboten. |
| 1855 |
Baubeginn einer von Charles H. Brown und Charles Burleigh konstruierten Dampfmaschine |
| 1856 |
Charles H. Brown erhält ein Patent auf die "Putnam Engine", die mit Rohrventilen ausgestattet ist |
| 1856 |
Charles H. Brown erhält ein Patent auf die "Putnam Engine", die mit Rohrventilen ausgestattet ist |
| 1858 |
Eintragung der "J. & S. W. Putnam Co." als "Putnam Machine Co." mit einem Kapital von $40.000 |
| 1858 |
Eintragung mit einem Kapital von $40.000 |
| 1859 |
Charles H. Brown verläßt Putnam aus gesundheitlichen Gründen und gründet eine konkurrierende Dampfmaschinenfirma bis 1863: "C. H. Brown & Co." |
| 01./03.03.1859 |
Die Abteilung Dampfmaschinenbau kommt unter Leitung von Louis D. Bartlett, vorher Betiebsleiter der "Boston Steam Engine Co.". |
| 1863 |
Louis DeBlais Bartlett (Dampfmaschineningenieur von Otis Tufts) ersetzt den ausgeschiedenen Brown (1863-1915?) |
| 1865/1866 |
Der Fitchburger Unternehmer und Wegbereiter der "Fitchburg Railroad Company" Alvah Crocker wendet sich an Charles Burleigh, um eine Kraftbohrmaschine für den Weiterbau des Hoosac-Tunnels in North Adams (Nordwest-Massachusetts) zu entwickeln. Burleigh macht sich selbständig und gründet seine "Burleigh Rock Drill Company". |
| 1866 |
Kauf des Grundstücks an der Ecke Main und Putnam Street, das 26 acres umfaßt. Die Gebäude werden unverzüglich errichtet; sie kosten $ 200.000. Die Anlage hat Dampfkraft. |
| 1866 |
Das Kapital wird auf $120.000 vergrößert. |
| 1872 |
Tod von S. W. Putnam |
| 1882 |
Gründung der "Putnam Tool Co." durch zwei Söhne von Salmon W. Putnam, S. W. Putnam, Jr. und George Putnam, in der Walnut Street. Salmon W. Putnam ist der Präsident und George E. Putnam als leitender Buchhalter |
| 1882-1886 |
Es wird eine neue Fabrik errichtet. Neue Entwürfe für Werkzeugmaschinen (1882-1886) |
| 1886 |
Übernahme der "Putnam Tool Co.", die von zwei Söhnen des Salmon W. Putnam gegründet worden war. |
| 1897 |
Putnam verkauft sein Bürogebäude in der Main Street an die Witwe von Iver Johnson, für den Bau des Johnsonia Bldg, Putnam's office bldg. wird zur Putnam St. zurückverlegt. |
| 1913 |
Manning, Maxwell, and Moore Co. (eine große Eisenbahnbedarfs-Firma in New York City) kauft die restlichen im Besitz der Familie Putnam befindlichen Anteile. |
| 1913-1915 |
Bau von neuen Stahlfachwerksgebäuden an der Broad Street |
| Produkt |
ab |
Bem. |
bis |
Bem. |
Kommentar |
| Dampfmaschinen |
1851 |
Beginn ca. |
1886 |
[American Order of Steam Engineers (1886)] Anz. |
1886: wirbt für "Putnam Automatic Cut-Off Steam Engine" mit neuem Putnam-Kugelregler (Watt'scher, mit Muffengewicht); Zylinder mit zwei Schieberkästen und senkrechter Schieberbewegung, Antrieb über Steuerwelle |
| Holzbearbeitungsmaschinen |
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| Maschinenbau |
1874 |
[Wiley: American iron trade (1874)] |
1874 |
[Wiley: American iron trade (1874)] |
Vorgabe: General machinery |
| Werkzeugmaschinen |
1838 |
Beginn mit Gründung |
1874 |
[Wiley: American iron trade manual (1874)] |
Vorgabe: machine tools |
| ZEIT | 1868 |
| THEMA | Firmenbeschreibung |
| TEXT | At Fitchburgh, have recently erected a Machine Shop, that is probably the most remarkable of any in the United States. It is original in design, having for its architect the President of the company, and combines, in the form of its construction, points of excellence and convenience that are rarely found in any similar Works. The main building is of brick, four hundred and eighty-seven feet long and forty-four feet wide, with seven wings projecting from the west side, at regular intervals, whose average dimensions are fifty-two by thirty-six feet; opposite to which, on the east side, are similar projections of lesser dimensions, used as offices for the foremen of the various departments. In these wings, the individual parts of the Machines and Tools manufactured in the central portion of the building are put together, or "set up", and thus very little handling is required; while the arrangement of the offices is such, that each manager has at all times a ready and complete survey of all the operations in his department. The floor of the main shop is composed of cement or concrete, several feet in thickness, so solidly compacted that not the least jar or vibration in the movement of the machinery is manifest. The roof, which is of slate, is supported by a row of iron columns extending the whole length of the premises, which is as nearly fire-proof as it is possible to construct a building. The machines used in the various mechanical operations are ranged along the central building, and, derive power from a seventy-five horse engine, communicated by means of a single line of shafting nearly five hundred feet long. Among the remarkable tools in these Works, is a Lathe that will swing twenty feet; a Planer that will plane thirty-six feet long and seven feet square; and an enormous Crane that will handle with ease a weight of twenty-five tons. Attached to the Machine Shop there is a Blacksmith Shop seventy by thirty-six feet, an Engine House thirty-four by twenty-eight feet; and separate from it, at a short distance, is an Iron Foundry one hundred and twenty-five by sixty-six feet; a Brass Foundry thirty-eight by twenty-six feet; a Pattern and Box Shop eighty by forty feet; and a Pattern Shop seventy by thirty-six feet. The Works are located directly on.the Vermont and Massachusetts Railway, from which the coal and iron can be delivered, and by which the finished products can be transported without the necessity of much handling. All these buildings are amply furnished with windows, which, besides imparting an air of cheerfulness to the interior, tends to secure accuracy of workmanship. The list of Machines and Tools manufactured at these Works is quite comprehensive, but they may be classified under the general heads of Steam Engines, Machinists' Tools, Woodwork's Planers, and Mill Work. 1. Steam Engines. This department of the Putnam Machine Company's Works has been, since March, 1859, under the charge of Louis D. Bartlett, formerly Superintendent of the Boston Steam Engine Co. (better known as "Otis Tufts"), an able mechanic, and an inventor of many important improvements. He has aimed to combine simplicity of construction with economy of fuel, and has greatly reduced the number of parts usually found in Steam Engines. The Engines constructed here have a patent reglating cut-off gear, which is so contrived that the cut-off has a range throughout the whole length of the stroke, or, in other words, the ordinary regulator-valve is dispensed with, the governor acting directly on the steam-valves, by means of which the steam, admitted to the cylinder at boiler pressure, is cut off by action of the governor at any point in the entire stroke. These Engines are also distinguished for a peculiar arrangement of poppet valves and steam passages. The lower disks of both the steam and exhaust valves are of smaller diameter than the upper ones, so that the valves can be readily withdrawn for cleaning or repairs by simply removing the covering plates from the top of the valve chest. The construction of the chest is remarkably simple, compact, and economical. Another peculiarity of the Putnam Engine, is that the cam shaft for opening and closing the valves is run at a less number of revolutions than the main shaft, by which the steam may be used through the whole length of the stroke or be cut off at any point; and also, in consequence of reduced speed, overcomes certain mechanical difficulties hitherto experienced in "cut-off gear.'' The Company own the patents for the improvements that give their Engines their distinctive character - among which may be mentioned a Cylinder Oiler, by means of which the waste of oil attending the use of the ordinary injecting apparatus is avoided. This Company have built Engines for the U. S. Navy Yard at Portsmouth, N. H., and other government workshops; for the U. S. Watch Company at Jersey City, and the National Watch Company at Chicago; for many leading manufacturing establishments in New England and the West-ern States; four for California, two for the Sandwich Islands, and one for China. 2. Machinists' Tools. This department of these Works is under charge of J.. Q. Wright, who is the joint inventor, with S. W. Putnam, of the Frictional Feed Gearing for Engine Lathes. All the Lathes constructed here have a peculiar feed arrangement, that is more simple and convenient than that ordinarily applied. The disk for throwing the side-feed in or out of action, is operated by a swivel or union-jointed nut; the cross-feed is thrown in or out of action by the agency of a hand wheel, and the power is transmitted from the driving wheel to the wheel operating the cross-feed by means of a hollow shaft. The Lathes have two feed arrangements, one for ordinary turning, and the other for screw cutting. All the beds of the Tools made here are in one casting, and it is the aim of the company to construct tools that cannot be excelled in strength and quality of material. Particular attention is paid to thoroughness as well as nicety of workmanship in all the details, and such a proportion in the relative parts is observed as experience has demonstrated tends to render a Tool serviceable for a long period. 3. Woodworth's Planers. An important department of these Works, under charge of Charles Burleigh, is appropriated exclusively to manufacturing these Planers. The present well-known style of these popular planing machines originated, it is said, with the Messrs. Putnam, who were among the first to engage in building them. For over sixteen years they have been the principal manufacturers, and from time to time have adopted improvements which render the machines now constructed by them as nearly perfect as it is probably possible to make them. Among the latest of these improvements, are patent extension connecting gears, by which the strain on the intermediate gears is greatly relieved. 4. The Mill Work, Shafting, etc., are under charge of John Burney. This Company, like most machine shops, construct a great variety of miscellaneous machinery. They differ, however, from many others, in having tools and facilities for constructing very heavy machinery, especially Shafting. During the late Rebellion, they undertook a contract with the government for building the cast-steel Blakely Gun, which involves great nicety of construction. Some of the guns manufactured by them weighed forty-four thousand pounds. They are also the builders of the Burleigh Drill which is used in excavating the Hoosac Tunnel. The Putnam Machine Company, which now employs two hundred hands, is the successor of J. & S. W. Putnam, who commenced business in Fitchburgh in 1838, with no capital, and worked for a time with no assistance except one apprentice and one journeyman. They came originally from Peterborough, N. H., and are related to General Put-nain, of Revolutionary memory. After twenty years' experience, during which time they established their claims to a position among the best mechanics of the country, they organized a Company, that was incorporated in 1858, with a capital of forty thousand dollars, which was increased in 1866 to one hundred and twenty thousand dollars. Its shares, numbering three hundred and twenty, are all owned in Fitchburgh, and are worth in that market over one thousand dollars each. The President of the Company, Salmon W. Putnam, has displayed executive as well as mechanical abilities of a high order, and has selected men of ability as managers of the various departments, who, while independent in action in their proper sphere, recognise him as their chief, whose decision on controverted points is final. The Company and its officers at the present time are - S. W. Putnam, President; Benjamin Snow, Jr., Treasurer; L. D. Bartlett, Clerk. Directors - John Putnam, S. W. Putnam, Benjamin Snow, Jr., Charles Burleigh, John Q.Wright, L. D. Bartlett, Rodney Wallace, and George E. Towne. |
| QUELLE | [Bishop: History of American manufacturers 3 (1868) 371] |
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