Howe Scale Company Records
name: label: Creator
content: Howe Scale Co.
label: Names
content: Ross, Thomas
label: Names
content: Strong, Frank M.
place: label: Place
content: Vermont
topic: label: Topic
content: Scales (Weighing instruments)
creator: label: Creator
content: Howe Scale Co.
setName: label: See more items in
content: Howe Scale Company Records
abstract: label: Summary
content: Records document Howe Scale Company from 1868-1963, manufacturers of scales for weighing.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: The original inventor of the Howe Scale was Frank M. Strong of Vergennes, Vermont.  In 1855 while working for the Sampson Scale Company of Vergennes, he conceived of the idea of ball bearing protection for the scale.  In 1856, along with Thomas Ross, Strong obtained the first patent.

The lever system was also simplified.  This problem of accuracy led to a new ball bearing principle.  The Strong and Ross improvement concerned a method for protecting the knife edges.   

"A scale weighs by means of a system of levers.  The fulcrum, or balancing support of this system is the sharp edge of a piece of steel called a pivot, on which the platform of the scale rests.  When a load is placed on the platform the impact causes it to shift about on the pivots.  This action tends to blunt the sharp edge of these pivots and affects the accuracy of the scale."

Frank Strong conceived of the idea of placing the scale platform on metal balls resting in cup shaped depressions over the knife edged pivots.  This enabled the platform to move freely, absorb vibrations, reduce wear on the pivots and insure longer accuracy expectation of the scale.  This invention became the first outstanding scale improvement in America, and was the real foundation of the present business.

The first scale with the new improved ball bearing was installed at Vernon Village Mills in Oenida County, New York in 1856.  In 1857 the installation of a gigantic scale on the Morris Canal, Washington, New Jersey, for weighing canal boats was completed.  The scales also took first premium at the Vermont State Fair in 1857 and 1858, competing with older and better known scales.

Also in 1857, Mr. John Howe, Jr., who owned a foundry at Brandon, lent financial assistance and in the Spring purchased all the patents taken out by Strong and Ross.  The two partners remained with the company on a salary and royalty basis.
 

In 1858 the Howe Scale Co. began to win awards consistently at fairs and exhibitions throughout the country.  By 1859 the Howe Scale Company had no competition at these annual events.  At the Paris Exposition in 1867 Howe Scale took first prizes competing against all the manufacturers of the world.

In 1868 the Brandon Manufacturing Company was incorporated.  The name was subsequently changed and the company merged into the Howe Scale Company in November, 1878.  In 1873 Howe began manufacturing hand trucks as a utility measure to facilitate handling of scales and parts within the factory.

However, that same year 1873, proved disasterous.  The warehouse, dryhouse, and office of the company was destroyed by fire.  The company moved to Rutland.

In 1886 there was a general reorganization of the Howe Scale Company.  The newly reorganized company was incorporated as the Howe Scale Company of 1886.  John A. Mead of Rutland became president.  A new Board was formed and held its first meeting in August of 1888.  In 1920 Mead died and his son in law, Carl B. Hinsman was elected president.  In 1925 the Mead interests were purchased by another management group, and Frank G. Riehl became head of the company.  The new management purchased rights for the weightograph, a device which produces weight readings on a ground glass screen by means of optical magnification.  This was one of the greatest innovations in weighing improvements since the original Strong and Ross patent.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 32 Cubic feet (77 boxes)
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1868 - 1963
custodhist: label: Custodial History
content: Collection transferred from the Division of Physical Sciences (now known as the Division of Medicine and Science), February 3, 1983.
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
identifier: label: Identifier
content: NMAH.AC.0004
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Cashbooks
label: Type
content: Charters
label: Type
content: Clippings
label: Type
content: Stock certificate books
label: Type
content: Specifications
label: Type
content: Minutes
label: Type
content: Newsletters
label: Type
content: Photographs
label: Type
content: Sales records
label: Type
content: Inventories
label: Type
content: Journals (accounts)
label: Type
content: Ledgers (account books)
label: Type
content: Legal documents
label: Type
content: Correspondence
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: The collection is divided into six series.

Series 1: Corporate Records, 1868-1953

Series 2: Sales Records, 1928-1960

Series 3: Financial Records, 1883-1928

Series 4: Photographic Scrapbooks, 1887-1925

Series 5: Specifications, 1890-1927

Series 6: Clippings, 1953-1971
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: Processed by Robert S. Harding, archivist, June 1984; revised  C. A. Orr, archivist,  11 23 88 ; revised
Robert S. Harding 11/96
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Cashbooks
label: Genre/Form
content: Charters
label: Genre/Form
content: Clippings
label: Genre/Form
content: Stock certificate books
label: Genre/Form
content: Specifications
label: Genre/Form
content: Minutes
label: Genre/Form
content: Newsletters
label: Genre/Form
content: Photographs -- 20th century
label: Genre/Form
content: Sales records
label: Genre/Form
content: Inventories
label: Genre/Form
content: Journals (accounts)
label: Genre/Form
content: Ledgers (account books)
label: Genre/Form
content: Legal documents
label: Genre/Form
content: Correspondence -- 1930-1950
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: These records, 1868 1963, include records of various companies some of which eventually merged into the Howe Scale Company.  Included are corporate records: minutes, charters, legal documents, stock certificate books, and correspondence; sales records: newsletters, inter branch correspondence, catalogs and price lists; financial records: ledgers, journals; cash books, inventories, reports, trial balances with recapitutlations; photographs; specifications; and news clippings.  The 32 cubic feet of material is housed in 15 Paige boxes, 6 Hollinger boxes, and 44 volumes.
relatedmaterial: label: Related Materials
content: Special Collections, Bailey Howe Library of the University of Vermont.  

Howe Scale Company Papers, 1856 1961