Henry Quackenbush
Henry Quackenbush | |
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Born | Henry Marcus Quackenbush April 27, 1847 |
Died | September 8, 1933 | (aged 86)
Occupations |
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Known for | founding H.M. Quackenbush Co. |
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Henry Marcus Quackenbush (April 27, 1847 – September 8, 1933), commonly called "H.M.", was an American
Early apprenticeship and invention of extension ladder
Quackenbush was born in
The H.M. Quackenbush Co.
In 1871, he founded the Quackenbush Company in Herkimer, New York, and obtained his first air gun patent (issued June 6, 1871) for his Eureka air pistol. The pistol is now a collectors item.[3]
Air rifles
The company began producing air rifles in 1876. Their spring/air design, as well as the steam-powered manufacturing plant itself, were considered to be innovative at the time.[6]
In the 1880s, they began mass production of so-called "gallery guns",[clarification needed] and the Quackenbush name appeared in carnival and amusement arcade shooting galleries throughout the United States.[4]
The company went on to play a key role in the standardization of
Nutcrackers
In 1913, Quackenbush invented the spring-jointed nutcracker and a nutpick, designs still in wide use today.[2] Over the years, his company produced over 200 million, and metal nutcrackers seen today stamped with the hallmark "HMQ" or "QBC" were those made by the Quackenbush. The company stopped making air guns in the 1930s, but continued making nutpicks and nutcrackers.
Other innovations
The company also developed and manufactured many other products over the years -- ranging from rifles and sport firearms to kitchen gadgets and seafood tools. Based on
In addition to the items he invented and manufactured, Quackenbush also had to invent the machinery needed to produce the items, which included many innovative manufacturing techniques and methods.[4]
Death of founder and the company since
H.M. Quackenbush died in 1933, at age 86. He is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery in Herkimer, NY.
The following year, his company was incorporated in New York by surviving family members as H. M. Quackenbush, Inc. Operations continued in the following decades under the direction of various Quackenbush family members.[4] During World War II, the company contributed significantly to wartime production, and manufactured a number of military supplies -- including bullet cores, shell casings and other screw machine products used in the war effort.[4]
Since then, most of the company's once prospering, large factories and facilities in
In 2005, the company ceased operations and closed, and its assets were purchased by another plating industry company,
In July 2021, the Herkimer County Industrial Development Agency (IDA) approved a quit claim resolution turning over the former H.M. Quackenbush property on North Prospect Street in Herkimer, New York, to the Herkimer 9 initiative who have plans to revive the site including it having a museum honoring Quackenbush. [9]
In June 2023 the Quackenbush factory site was added to the New York state and United States national registers of historic places.[10]
References
- ^ Quackenbush website
- ^ a b c "Nutcracker history - invention of the nutcracker". ideafinder.com. Retrieved 20 June 2012.
- ^ a b c "H.M. Quackenbush Guns". quackenbush.com. Archived from the original on 7 July 2013. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "All Things Quackenbush - The Inventor Henry Marcus Quackenbush". weebly.com. Archived from the original on 23 February 2014. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
- ^ "Improved extension-ladder patent" (PDF).
- ^ Groenewold, John - "Quackenbush Guns", Quackenbush Co., N.Y., Jan. 1, 1999.[1][permanent dead link]
- ^ Heuck website
- ^ Whyco Finishing Technologies website
- ^ TIMES TELEGRAM website
- ^ Dizdarevic, Selma (2023-06-07). "Herkimer 9 Foundation outlines big plans for Quackenbush Factory landmark". Daily Sentinel. Retrieved 2023-06-07.