Submitted by Mark Cartwright, published on 01 April 2016. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.
woodwork for inventor 2016 133
In Digital Bodleian are prints of William Henry Fox Talbot (1800-1877), pioneer and inventor of modern photography; the Henry Taylor album, comprising a selection of prints by Julia Margaret Cameron (1815-1879); and Prints from the Hyman Collection of British Photographs, including portraits and landscapes, as well as photographs of natural, industrial and social documentary subjects. Also available are items from other Oxford organisations, including a series of images taken by Arnold Fairbairns to illustrate a history of Lincoln College by Stephen A. Warner (1880-1948).
Relatively little is known about these post-war breech loading rifles. Only a few prototypes/trials rifles and carbines were likely produced around 1867. Some of the components are clearly adapted from the Bridesburg Civil War rifle-muskets. The operation is somewhat similar to the Remington rolling block design. Pulling the breech block open also cocks the hammer. This one was originally rimfire but was converted to centerfire. See "The Men Behind the Guns" by John Walter in "Classic Arms & Militaria" from June/July 2016 for patent diagrams and images of the carbine version submitted to trials in 1867 as well as information about Barton H. Jenks. During the Civil War, Alfred Jenks & Son ran the Bridesburg Armory and manufactured around 200 rifle-muskets a day for the Union war effort. The company's usual products in peace were textile related equipment. Barton Howard Jenks (1824-1896), son of Alfred Jenks and nephew of fellow arms inventor William Jenks, also raised and armed the "Bridesburg Volunteers" to defend his home state of Pennsylvania. The left side of the frame is marked "BARTON. H. JENKS/eagle head/PHILADELPHIA/U.S," and the upper tang has "MODEL/1867." The front sight is absent, and the rear sight is the same as those used on the Civil War rifle-muskets.
Boyd was also planning and tinkering. He solved the most common problem of rope-suspension bedsteads (collapse) by devising a stabilizing screw-fastening system that tied the horizontal rails and vertical posts into a strong frame. With the help of George Porter, a Massachusetts-born cabinetmaker, he had the fastening system patented in 1833. At the time, black inventors were legally able to obtain patents, however, there were obstacles that made the preparation and submission of patent materials prohibitive. Six years later, in 1839, Henry opened his bedstead manufactory at the northeast corner of Broadway and Eighth Street.
Our country has left so much talent and progress on the table due to government and social policies regarding who could be registered as a deeded landowner, patented inventor, licensed businessman, and, even, human being.
Thank you for the wonderful article. Henry Boyd was a remarkable person who accomplished amazing things in his lifetime. His story is particularly close to me since my third great grandfather and his brother purchased their freedom from indentured servitude in the first quarter of the 19th century (before 1825), which appears to be around the same time that Mr. Boyd purchased his freedom. My third great grandfather along with many of his descendants from my family-line, were carpenters/woodworkers as well, which influenced me to take up woodworking after retiring from a 47-year Engineering career. Many courageous and industrious people like Henry Boyd and my ancestors helped to build this great nation of ours, while sacrificing much and enduring many hardships, including being denied the ability to enjoy the full citizenship that their labor acquired for others. We all owe homage and a debt of gratitude to all of them that gave so much yet received so little in return.
On the other hand, Moller International has already produced a working prototype and is seeking FAA approval and crowdsourcing the necessary funds to conduct the necessary tests to bring it to market. Created by aerospace inventor Paul Moller, who has been working in aerospace for the past thirty years, the prototype vehicle - known as the M400X (aka. Skycar), - this car is a vertical take-off and landing vehicle that is also capable of horizontal flight. 2ff7e9595c
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