Bethlehem in Northampton County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Bending Press
What is it?
| | Machine Bio | |
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., June 30, 2024
1. Bending Press Marker
Straightened or formed curves in armor plate for battleships
Who made it?
Built by Bethlehem Iron Company from the plans of
Sir Joseph Whitworth & Co., Manchester, England, 1890
Who used it?
Bethlehem Iron Company, later Bethlehem Steel, Bethlehem, PA
What did it do?
This machine used hydraulic pressure to apply up to 7,000 tons
of force to shape steel. The press remained in service for well
over 100 years and was eventually used to bend steel for
storage tanks and reshape deformed steel mill equipment such
as the railroad cars that carried steel ingots.
Donated by Bethlehem Steel Corporation
Erected by National Museum of Industrial History.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1890.
Location. 40° 36.775′ N, 75° 22.195′ W. Marker is in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in Northampton County. It is at the intersection of 3rd Street and Pierce Street, on the left when traveling east on 3rd Street. Marker is in Foundry Park, near the National Museum of Industrial History. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address:
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in Southeast Pennsylvania and in Lehigh Valley. It is also in the American Northeast and in the Mid-Atlantic. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Ladles (here, next to this marker); Electric Arc Furnace (here, next to this marker); Ingot Mold (here, next to this marker); Hoisting Engine No. 5 (here, next to this marker); Forging & Finished Products (here, next to this marker); Steel Production (here, next to this marker); Iron Production (here, next to this marker); Charging Machine (here, next to this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Bethlehem.
Also see . . . National Museum of Industrial History. (Submitted on July 11, 2024, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.)
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., June 30, 2024
2. Bending Press and Marker
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., June 30, 2024
3. Bending Press
Credits. This page was last revised on July 11, 2024. It was originally submitted on July 11, 2024, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This page has been viewed 142 times since then and 15 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on July 11, 2024, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.
