Walter Ervin Burton (1903-1995) was a technical writer, photographer, and inventor. He worked as a staff photographer and reporter for the Akron Times, Time Press, and Herald Publishing Companies. He became a freelance writer in 1927, contributing hundreds of articles to various magazines. This collection consists of nine handwritten diaries detailing the life and work of Walter E. Burton. As a freelance writer and inventor, Burton worked at home, creating and/or researching mechanical projects and writing them up for journals. He spent much of his time puttering and experimenting in his basement, meticulously recording each project, its completion, amounts paid him, etc. All of the diaries contain full-page entries for each day of the year. The run of diaries is incomplete; years included are 1957, 1960 to 1962, 1982, and 1984 to 1987. Researchers interested in the development and process of analyzing the mechanics of devices would find this collection of particular significance.