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Patents

 Subject
Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings

Found in 6 Collections and/or Records:

Laboratory notebooks, diaries, and appointment calendars, 1880-1933

 Series
Accession: 1893Identifier: 1893-VII.
Scope and Content:

The Elmer Sperry papers contain a complete record of his published patents and his laboratory notebooks. These notebooks, which do have some gaps, can be used to trace the evolution of Elmer Sperry's approach to arc lighting, street railways, electrochemistry, gyroscopic technology, internal combustion engines, and the technological problems he encountered with each of these projects. Sperry was very articulate in his diaries and explored a variety of technological and scientific issues in them. It is evident that he drew on the work of a number of academic physicists and mathematicians and tried to apply their insights to experimental problems. Sperry's diaries contain a large number of sketches which reflect an appreciation of modern science. However, the diaries also show that in many ways Sperry was a nineteenth-century artist-engineer rather than a modern scientist whose insights are based on mathematical models.

Dates: 1880-1933

Lawrence Sperry Aircraft Company, 1918-1927

 Series
Accession: 1915Identifier: 1915-IV.
Scope and Contents:

The Lawrence Sperry Aircraft Company records include technical and sales correspondence, engineering drawings, and reports that document the development of the aerial torpedo, automatic pilot, airplane stabilizer, and other aeronautical instruments. Correspondence with the Navy's Air Service Department describes the company's research, development and testing programs. There are also a number of reports on test flights. Patents and financial records document the relationship between the Lawrence Sperry Aircraft Company and the Sperry Gyroscope Company, as well as the agreements of both with the Curtiss Aeroplane & Motor Corporation. The Perry-Curtiss joint venture culminated with the invention of the flying bomb (1917-1918), which placed Sperry controls on a Curtiss-designed plane.

Dates: 1918-1927

Patent and Licensing Records, 1914-1965

 Series
Accession: 1915Identifier: 1915-VIII.
Dates: 1914-1965

Patents , 1937-1992

 Series
Accession: 2607Identifier: 2607-I.
Scope and Contents:

Series I. Patents, 1937-1992 is divided into two separate subseries. Subseries A. contains patents issued to Kwolek while Subseries B. holds patents that were used for research and reference.

Dates: 1937-1992

Technical Records

 Series
Accession: 2333Identifier: 2333-I.
Scope and Content:

Contains technical drawings and information, including patents, design drawings, diagrams, instruction sheets, parts lists, and memoranda from the technical divisions of the company.

Dates: 1897-1960; Majority of material found within 1920-1960

The Maryland Steel Company, 1890-1927

 Series
Accession: 0884Identifier: 0884-II.
Scope and Content:

The largest portion of the records deals with the Sparrows Point plant when operated by the Maryland Steel Company. It includes organization and title papers, organization charts, maps and drawings and financial and operating statements. The records give considerable information on Wood's technical contributions, including patents for mill improvements, notebooks covering production and tests and descriptions of the organizaton of work. There is also correspondence with salesmen and customers, notes on wages and working conditions and comparative reports on other British and American iron and steel works. There is particularly rich documentation on the construction and functioning of the company town.

Dates: 1890-1927