|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Goodell-Pratt Company - Greenfield, MA
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Goodell Brothers - the
Bedrock of Goodell-Pratt Co.
by Wiktor Kuc |
3 of 19
 |
|
|
 The
brace based on Albert's first patent was manufactured by Millers
Falls Co. in the early 1870s. Several examples of this brace
exist in the collector's hands.
Albert D. steadily advanced in the ranks and by the end of his
career held a post of
superintendent. Henry E. followed his older brother and
apparently became a foreman and respected machinist.
During his employment with Millers Falls Co.,
Albert D.
patented a variety of new designs for a Bit Braces, Chucks, a Miter Box, a Scroll Sawing Machine,
a Spokeshave, and a Spirit Level. He also designed more
complex systems and has been "the inventor of many of our
most valuable machines."(4)
The quality of the designs offered by Albert D.
Goodell is well represented by the spokeshave shown in the
photograph, often and with affection called a "cigar
shave". Patented on February 19, 1884, with
No.
293,651, it is exceptionally well-suited for cutting in
a restricted space and refining an internal circular profile.
Even today, almost a hundred and thirty years since its patent, it is one of the most
desirable tools in this category and it dictates
a high price on
a
second-hand market.
A patent that is rarely mentioned in contemporary
writings is one for Spirit Level. Interestingly, levels
with the design explained in a later patent were produced at
least since 1885 and appear in the 1886 catalog. The description
from 1887 catalog stated:
“These levels are entirely new, both in
design and construction. The improvement, for which we shall
ask Letter Patent, consists in the ingenious method of
adjusting the glasses, which is done by loosening one screw
and tightening another. The points of these screws strike
the case which holds the bubble glass near the end, one
being on upper, and the other on the lower side. The stocks
are Japanned, while all the trimmings are Brushed Brass or
Nickel-plated."
Albert D. finally filed application in June, 1888 and
the patent
No.
391,242 was awarded on October 16, 1888. It was also
assigned to Millers Falls Co.
Another subject that is rarely discussed in depth is an issue of
a Langdon Miter Box, improvements to this popular tool, and who
was the author of these improvements.
Again, meet Albert D. Goodell. By the time he
engaged with this project, the Langdon Miter Box design was based on two
patents awarded to Leander W. Langdon. Aside from the complicated
organizational history of Langdon Miter Box producers, we know
that by 1875 the company was re-organized, moved to Millers
Falls, MA, and settled in Millers Falls Co.’s production
facility. It continued its operation as an independent
entity but Millers Falls Co. negotiated an arrangement
to become an exclusive distributor for Langdon Miter Boxes.(5)
The
close ties of two companies led to design work and in 1879
Albert D. Goodell filed a joint patent application with David C. Rogers, a
principle of Langdon Miter Box Co., for
Improvement in Miter Box. On November 21, 1879 the patent with
No. 220,732 was awarded. In the description we
found the
following:
 "Our invention relates to certain devices
in a miter-box, which will lessen the cost of manufacture
and render it easier in operation, and will be found in all
respects an improvement on those now made for common use;
and while to a considerable extent we employ in our
invention devices previously used, such as that for holding
the saw firmly in position while in use, so that it will
always make a clean and uniform cut, in guiding the saw,
holding the material to be worked, turning the saw at any
angle, and keeping the saw from cutting the sides or the
bottom of the box, yet in several points, especially the
latter ones, we have simplified and improved the mechanism
of the miter-box."
In 1895, sixteen years after the first patent,
Albert D. Goodell was hired again to work on improving the Langdon
Miter Box. For this round of improvements he received
patent
No. 554,092
and assigned it to Millers Falls Co., at the time already
the
owners of the Langdon Miter Box.
In all, Millers Falls Co. owned twelve patents by Albert D.
Goodell. The first patent was for his brace and chuck
developed in Buckland, MA. Ten patents were awarded during
Albert's employment and one was a "work for hire" in late 1895.
|
Patent
No. |
Date |
Patent Title and Patentee Name |
|
079,825 |
07/14/1868 |
Improvement in Bit Stock
by
Albert D. Goodell |
|
139,667 |
06/10/1873 |
Bit-Stock
by
Albert D. Goodell |
|
141,345 |
07/29/1873 |
Bit-Stock
by Albert D. Goodell |
|
220,732 |
10/21/1879 |
Miter Box by D. C.
Rogers and Albert D. Goodell |
|
228,810 |
06/15/1880 |
Ratchet Bit Brace
by Albert D. Goodell |
|
228,811 |
06/15/1880 |
Bit Brace
by Albert D. Goodell |
|
293,651 |
02/19/1884 |
Spokeshave by
Albert D. Goodell |
|
332,391 |
12/15/1885 |
Scroll Sawing Machine
by Albert D. Goodell |
|
374,593 |
12/13/1887 |
Drill Chuck by
Albert D. Goodell |
|
374,594 |
12/13/1887 |
Drill Chuck by
Albert D. Goodell |
|
391,242 |
10/16/1888 |
Spirit Level
by
Albert D. Goodell |
|
544,092 |
08/06/1895 |
Miter Box
by Albert D.
Goodell
|
Millers Falls Co. benefited from these patents for years to
come.
(4) Catalogue,
Millers Falls Company., Hardware Manufacturers,
1886, (Millers Falls, MA: 1887), 22.
(5) The Claremont Manufacturing Co., The New Hampshire
Register and Farmers' Almanac and Business Directory for 1873. |
|
|
|
|
3 of 19
|
|
|
|
