Press, Mold
Pieces of an incomplete herb press, Canterbury, NH
Description
(.1) Press beam of beech (Fagus grandifolia) (11 1/4" x 11 1/4" x 72 1/8") with an iron fitting centered in the beam through which is threaded a 3 1/4" diameter iron screw. The beam has tenons at each end 3 1/2" thick, 6" long, and 11 1/4" high which fit through mortises in the upright beams. Iron screw wrought and then acme threaded by some sort of machine. (2) Iron pressure plate (2 1/2" H x 7 7/8" W x 7 15/16" D) which fit under press screw and applied distributed pressure onto something below. Plate has vertical sides 1" high and then chamfered to top. Flat section in center about 4" square with a 2 1/4" diameter depression in its center. Bottom of depression rounded. (.3) Bottom cross beam (11 7/8" H x 74 1/2" W x 11 1/2" D) virtually identical to cross beam (.1) but without press screw in center. Dimensions are not exactly the same but close. Beam also of beech. (.4, .5) Upright posts of beech (98 3/4" H x 5 1/4" W x 11 3/4" D). Each through mortised with housing for top and bottom cross beams. Top mortise 7" below top, 8" above post bottom. Housings 1" deep. (.7) Turned pulley (5 7/8" H x 14 1/2" dia.) made up of 6 layers of white pine (Pinus strobus) nailed together with forged nails. A 5 1/2" square hole is cut through its center for a shaft. (.8) Pine disk (5 1/2" H x 15 3/4" dia.) laminated to thickness and turned face has been striated. Center of pulley consists of a 4" thick layer of beech and to one side, a 13/16" thick piece of white pine is nailed. To the other side, a 3/4" thick piece of white pine is nailed. All nails are forged. The pulley has a 2" diameter bore hole through its center. (.9) Two-step pulley (4 1/2" H x 15" dia.) of white pine (Pinus strobus). Smaller pulley is 1 3/4" thick and a 12 1/2" diameter. Its face is striated. The larger pulley is 2 3/4" thick, 15" diameter, and its face has leather tacked to it with iron tacks. The two pieces are nailed together with forged nails. The outside of this larger pulley has four rectangular mortises cut into it at 90 degree intervals around the center bore for a connector that would key into this side. Small pulley bore about 2 3/4" diameter, large pulley bore about 2", and sandwiched between the two pulleys is a heavy iron washer-like object with a very irregular bore (about 1").