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Manufacturers Index - Hildreth Brothers
Patents
This page contains information on patents issued to this manufacturer.

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USPTO = U.S. Patent Office . Images of the actual patent can be viewed on the U.S. Patent Office web site but a special TIFF viewer must be installed with your browser in order properly work. More information on how to configure your computer to view these patents can be found at TIFF image Viewers for Patent Images.
DATAMP = Directory of American Tool And Machinery Patents . A sister site to VintageMachinery.org with information on patents related to machinery and tools. A much easier user interface than the USPTO's for finding information on machinery patents.

Patent Number Date Title Name City Description
37,892 Mar. 17, 1863 Improvement in horse-powers George E. Burt Harvard, MA The firm of Burt, Wright & Co. became Burt, Hildreth & Co. in 1864. In 1880 Hildreth left Burt to create Hildreth Brothers; Burt continued to operated as "George. E. Burt".
68,601 Sep. 10, 1867 Improved car-brake for stopping and starting cars Edwin A. Hildreth Harvard, MA The firm of Burt, Hildreth & Co. was created in 1864. In 1880 Hildreth left Burt to create Hildreth Brothers; Burt continued to operated as "George. E. Burt".
    Improved car-brake for stopping and starting cars George E. Burt Harvard, MA  
128,209 Jun. 25, 1872 Improvement in sawing-machines Charles B. Ballard Hartford, VT The innovation here is that the log-carrier is not a sliding table but rather swings forward on a pivot. This design is less prone to jamming with debris and wear.
Co-inventor Burt was partners in agricultural equipment maker Burt, Hildreth & Co., and Stanley Hildreth (brother of Edwin A. Hildreth) may have been a junior partner. In 1880 the latter left to form Hildreth Brothers, and Burt continued the original business as "George E. Burt". We do not know if Burt continued to manufacture this sawing machine, but the VintageMachinery.org site has an undated pamphlet advertising the Hildreth Bros.' "Balanced Rocking Saw Table".
    Improvement in sawing-machines Stanley B. Hildreth Harvard, MA  
    Improvement in sawing-machines George E. Burt Harvard, MA  
129,928 Jul. 30, 1872 Improvement in belt-splices George E. Burt Harvard, MA The firm of Burt, Hildreth & Co. split up in 1880 to become the separate firms of Hildreth Brothers and George E. Burt.
203,320 May. 07, 1878 Improvement in horse-powers Edwin A. Hildreth Harvard, MA This horse power was a successful product for Burt, Hildreth & Company. That firm began in 1855 as Burt, Wright & Company, then became G. E. Burt & Company, then in or shortly after 1864 it became Burt, Hildreth & Co. Hildreth left the partnership in 1880 to join his brother Stanley (who is a witness on this patent) to form Hildreth Brothers. That firm went on to substantially greater success than Burt's firm. About George Burt, the book "History of the Town of Harvard, Massachusetts: 1732-1893" tactfully said, after noting his numerous patents: "It is rare that inventive talent is accompanied by those business qualifications that ensure large financial success, and Mr. Burt is not exceptional in this respect."
    Improvement in horse-powers George E. Burt Harvard, MA  
205,550 Jul. 02, 1878 Improvement in machines for splitting wood Edwin A. Hildreth Harvard, MA At the time this patent was issued, the inventor was a partner in the firm of Burt, Hildreth & Company, makers of horse-power machinery. This is not the only patent from that firm that was licensed to Ames Plow Company. In 1880 Mr. Hildreth ceased his partnership with George E. Burt and entered a partnership with his brother, Stanley B. Hildreth, to form a competing firm, Hildreth Brothers. This patent date was listed in a Hildreth Bros. pamphlet on their "Power Axe Wood Splitter".
259,010 Jun. 06, 1882 Cutter for wood-splitting machines William M. Hall Worcester, MA
262,591 Aug. 15, 1882 Wood-splitting machine Edwin Alonzo Hildreth Harvard, MA Subsequently improved in their patent 321,969.
    Wood-splitting machine Stanley Barbour Hildreth Harvard, MA  
21,488 Apr. 22, 1885 Machinery for splitting wood Stanley B. Hildreth Harvard, MA "Patented in Canada April 22 1885" seen on a wood splitter from Hildreth Brothers of Harvard, Mass. See also US patent 321,969.
    Machinery for splitting wood Edwin A. Hildreth Harvard, MA  
321,969 Jul. 14, 1885 Machine for splitting wood Edwin Alonzo Hildreth Harvard, MA Improvement on their patent 262,591. See also Canada patent 21,488.
    Machine for splitting wood Stanley Barbour Hildreth Harvard, MA  
845,954 Mar. 05, 1907 Splitting-machine Edwin A. Hildreth Harvard, MA Improvements to patent 321,969.