Enos G. Allen - Assigned Patents | VintageMachinery.org

Manufacturers Index - Enos G. Allen

Enos G. Allen
Boston, MA; Athol, MA, U.S.A.
Manufacturer Class: Wood Working Machinery

Patents

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Patent Number	Date	Title	Name	City	Description
6,365	Apr. 17, 1849	Planing-machine	Enos G. Allen	Boston, MA
6,809	Oct. 23, 1849	Planing-machine	Enos G. Allen	Boston, MA
7,793	Nov. 26, 1850	Cutter for planing-machines	Charles Briggs	New Bedford, MA
		Cutter for planing-machines	Enos G. Allen	Boston, MA
16,428	Jan. 20, 1857	Steam-pressure gage	Enos G. Allen	Boston, MA	This gauge uses an expansible pressure diaphrahm, made of metal and in the form of a vertical cylinder with a dome-shaped top. The walls of the diaphragm have a deep helical indentation circling around it, which allows it to expand when pressurized. The actuating arm for the indicator mechanism is attached vertically to the top of the dome. Previous attempts to make a diaphragm had used rubber or other pliable materials, but Allen's corrugated metal was new.
18,526	Oct. 27, 1857	Steam-pressure gage	Enos G. Allen	Boston, MA	First in a trio of interesting steam-gauge patents granted to Enos G. Allen, who was superintendent of the National Steam Gauge Co. This patent was subject to litigation from one Henry W. Farley (see patent 26,900), whose patent application was denied due to this Enos G. Allen patent. Farley won in the circuit court but the decision was appealed: "Farley v. National Steam-Gauge Co." in the DC Circuit Court. The brief describes this invention as "an improvement upon steam-gauges, consisting of the application of a volute spring, as set forth, which increases both in width and thickness from its centre to its circumference, in combination with a disc of rubber or other elastic material". Farley later applied for a virtually identical patent but was turned down. "...it is incontestable that Farley was the first to make a completed machine including double-tapered spring, elastic diaphragm, coupling box, and indicator, and that this was effected about the 4th of March 1857... Although the testimony on the part of Allen is in many parts obscure, and its weight greatly impaired by his declarations and conduct subsequent to Farley's invention, yet the credibility of his witnesses must not be overthrown by his mysterious declarations and conduct, however unenviable a light these may reflect upon himself. From the testimony of these witnesses, I have become satisfied that Allen had in 1855 and 1856 prepared double-tapered coiled springs, elastic diaphragms, and coupling boxes... for the purpose of applying them to steam-gauges, and had so declared his intention and explained his purpose to these witnesses." The judge pointed out, however, that it is not necessary for an inventor to produce a complete realization of his invention, but rather if he has "manifested it before the world in any form which evidences the completeness of the idea, and which is sufficient, when communicated to others, to enable those skilled in the particular art to reproduce his invention, he has done enough to entitle himself to a patent". The 1860-02-02 Scientific American carried an announcement that the National and American Steam Gage (sic.) Companies were consolidating, and that henceforth the National gauges made under the patents of E. G. Allen would be made by American Steam Gage Company.
26,152	Nov. 22, 1859	Combination steam-gage	Enos G. Allen	Boston, MA	"In the use of large steam engines especially marine engines, have heretofore been employed pressure gages, for indicating the pressure of steam in the boiler, vacuum gages by which the amount of condensing power applied to the cylinder is regulated, a counter for registering the number of revolutions of the propelling wheel or wheels and a clock for indicating the exact time, these all being inserted in separate cases independent of each other, supported by separate standards and each furnished its its own set of cocks, couplings, pipe, &c. ... The present invention consists in combining in one instrument, having but one case and one dial plate, so as to constitute a new article of manufacture, a pressure gage, one or more vacuum gages, a counter for registering the number of revolutions of the propelling wheel and a clock for indicating the exact time. By this arrangement but one case and one set of couplings, standards &c. are required, thereby diminishing the cost of manufacture nearly fifty per cent..." See the inventor's subsequent patent 26,871 for a discussion of the shortcomings of this design.
26,871	Jan. 17, 1860	Steam-gage	Enos G. Allen	Boston, MA	Last in a trio of interesting steam-gauge patents by Enos G. Allen. "In the construction of steam gages, the spacing or graduating of the dial plate constitutes a very expensive part of the manufacture, as each dial has to be marked differently from the others. This difficulty arises from the fact, that it has been found impossible to manufacture any number of the springs which communicate the pressure of the steam to the index hand exactly alike, and so that they shall all possess the same amount of tensile power. The nearest approach to accuracy has heretofore been attained by the use of a volute spring tapering both in width and thickness as described in the schedule of Letters Patent of the United States, granted to me (patent 26,152). But I have found in practice, that it is impossible to so make these springs that they shall be all exactly alike, owing partly to their form, they being too thin to permit their being planed down from the bar of steel of which they are made, to the required shape or so as to taper two ways and consequently are constructed entirely by forging, which is not only an expensive operation but one which precludes the possibility of obtaining perfect accuracy in the spring, as the steel so forged cannot be uniform throughout... The present invention consists in constructing the volute spring of a bar of steel of uniform thickness throughout and tapering in width on one side only, which form of spring I have found by repeated tests to produce the most accurate results, as the bar of steel, which when coiled, constitutes the spring, can as it is of uniform thickness, be reduced the to the required shape by planing, thereby avoiding the imperfections and great expense of forging. Moreover this form of spring enables me, without difficulty or great cost, to manufacture all the springs so exactly alike that instead of being obliged to mark each dial plate by accurate and actual experiments, so as to correspond with its spring, as has heretofore been necessary, I am enabled to prepare the dial plate by electrotyping, as any spring will answer for any dial..."
186,000,306	Feb. 04, 1860	An improved construction of combination steam gauge	Alfred Vincent Newton	, England	This seems to be the British equivalent of US patent 26,152.
		An improved construction of combination steam gauge	Enos G. Allen	Boston, MA
41,590	Feb. 16, 1864	Improvement in metallic cartridges	Enos G. Allen	Boston, MA
45,306	Dec. 06, 1864	Improvement in bullets for small-arms	Enos G. Allen	Boston, MA	This bullet has a projecting band around it that helps it be gas-tight in the barrel while registering in the rifling.
58,196	Sep. 25, 1866	Improved railway-frog	Enos G. Allen	Boston, MA
RE2,405	Dec. 04, 1866	Improvement in railroad frogs	Enos G. Allen	Boston, MA
176,918	May. 02, 1876	Improvement in planing-machines	Enos G. Allen	Boston, MA	Assignee E. F. Kendall seems to have been a local businessman and wool dealer; the patent papers describe him as "Trustee" but we don't know trustee for what. Bankruptcy? He was assigned a couple of Enos Allen patents but was not assignee on any others. We cannot find any evidence that this patent planer was ever manufactured.
181,893	Sep. 05, 1876	Improvement in planing-machines	Enos G. Allen	Boston, MA