Antique Adams Densimeter from Stowe & Woodward Co.

Description

This is a vintage Adams Densimeter made by Stowe & Woodward Co. in Newton Falls, MA USA. As the photos show, this device is covered by a U. S. patent issued February 12, 1924. I believe that the patent number is
1483565
. Adams Hardness was the standard for rubber hardness for many years and was utilized in industries such as tires.
Electronic Densimeters are used today to measure the specific gravity of samples, but this is a purely mechanical test instrument.
I have had this Adams Densimeter for many years and used it to measure the hardness of rubber for a design project that I worked on.
I believe that Stowe & Woodward were/are manufacturers of rubber products, so it makes sense that they may have also made rubber hardness/density instruments.
This Adams density meter is in very good condition and the gauge moves properly. The workmanship is excellent in this heavy, high quality instrument with its original leather strap and case. Its rugged design allowed it to be used in a mill or laboratory, typically to measure the hardness of rubber rollers. I have forgotten how to set it to zero and have not been able to find information on how to do so, but I expect it has something to do with the knurled knob at the base that I cannot turn. The box has significant wear and is missing some black on the outside.
The Adams
Densimeter
may be a precursor to the also vintage analog Shore Harness Durometer Type A2. The Shore Instrument & Manufacturing Co., Inc. is from New York, USA, and was issued U. S. Patent 2453042 Nov. 2, 1948, for this device that was also made in the USA.
It appears that both the Adams and Shore devices utilize a spring-loaded measurement mechanism.
Stowe Woodward LLC currently operates in the paper industry. The Company fabricates rubber, polyurethane, ceramic, and composite roller covers. The Company's products are used in paper, film, foil and textile markets, as well as other industries.
The German company Stowe Woodward AG manufactures and distributes industrial rubber goods, rubberized fabrics, polyurethane, ceramic, and composite covers for steel rolls in paper making industrial applications. The company markets its products to paper producing companies throughout Germany and internationally.
Xerium Technologies and ANDRITZ Kufferath, now operate under the division "ANDRITZ Fabrics and Rolls", covering the former Xerium product brands Huyck, Wangner, Weavexx, Stowe Woodward, Mount Hope, and JJ Plank-Spencer Johnston, in addition to the Kufferath brands
.
This is a vintage Adams Densimeter made by Stowe & Woodward Co. in Newton Falls, MA USA. As the photos show, this device is covered by a U. S. patent issued February 12, 1924. I believe that the patent number is
1483565
. Adams Hardness was the standard for rubber hardness for many years and was utilized in industries such as tires.
Electronic Densimeters are used today to measure the specific gravity of samples, but this is a purely mechanical test instrument.
I have had this Adams Densimeter for many years and originally used it to measure the hardness of rubber for a design project that I worked on.
Stowe & Woodward are manufacturers of rubber products, so it makes sense that they also made rubber hardness/density instruments.