The Winterthur Library

 The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera

Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum, Winterthur, DE  19735

302-888-4600 or 800-448-3883

 

 

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION

 

Creator:          American Philosophical Society                                    

Title:               Communications

Dates:             1786-1809

Call No.:         Mic. 839

Acc. No.:         [none]

Quantity:        1 microfilm reel

Location:        microfilm cabinet

 

 

 

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

 

 

 

SCOPE AND CONTENT

 

These records are letters and technical drawings concerning various apparatuses for homes and businesses.  They are a very small portion of the 560 "communications" kept by the Society in 11 volumes under 7 subject headings.  This film only includes 6 items classed under "Trade, Navigation, Manufactures, Agriculture, Economics;" and 6 items classed under "Mechanics, Machinery, and Engineering."  The items deal with chimney cleaning, adding a fan to a Windsor chair, stoves, canal locks, street lamps, improvements to ships, and other inventions. 

           

 

ORGANIZATION

 

 

LANGUAGE OF MATERIALS

 

The materials are in English.

 

 

RESTRICTIONS ON ACCESS

 

Collection is open to the public.  Copyright restrictions may apply.

           

 

PROVENANCE

           

Originals in: American Philosophical Society.

 

 

ACCESS POINTS

 

Topics:

            Inventions - United States.

            Mechanical drawing.

            Learned institutions and societies.

            Canals - Maryland.

            Chimneys.

            Fans.

            Lime.

Mills and mill-work.

Ships.

            Stoves.

            Street lighting.

Philadelphia (Pa.)

            Letters.

            Drawings.

 

 

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

 

Location: microfilm cabinet

 

 

Items classed under “Trade, Navigation, Manufactures, Agriculture, Economics,” no. 8:

 

Rumsey, James.  “Description of a machine for cleansing chimneys or extinguishing those on fire.”  Drawing of 10 implements for chimney cleaning, plus explanatory text,1786.  (no. 8)

 

Peale, Charles Willson, and Mr. Cram.  “Fan Chair.”  Explanation and drawing of Windsor chair, with fan above, 1786.  (no. 10)

 

Anonymous.  “An essay on warming rooms, or an improvement on, or an addition to the fireplace invented by Dr. Benjamin Franklin, called ‘The Franklin Stove.’”  Drawings of stoves and explanatory text, 1791.  (no. 11)

 

Hobron, William.  “Improvements of Street Lambs,” with several sketches of same, 1796.  (no. 17)

 

Varlé, Charles.  “An easy method to reduce calcareous matter into lime, saving both fuel and labor.”  With plan, elevation, and section of kiln, and explanatory text, 1807.  (no. 45)

 

Cliffton, J., and Humphries, James, Jr.  “Description of a model for steering a ship of about 300 tons” and “A description of Humphrey’s New Steering Wheels.”  Two drawings of ship’s steering apparatus, and explanatory text, 1809.  (no. 47-48)

 

 

Items classed under "Mechanics, Machinery, and Engineering," no. 14:

 

Americanus.  “Description of a pull lever to be applied to a ship’s windlass:  Drawing of a pull lever, with explanatory text, 1795.  (no. 14)

 

Anonymous.  Steam engine.  Wash drawing, 1798.  (no. 19)

 

Arnat, Thomas, and Lehmam, Benjamin and William.  “A section of a roof and gable end being a new invention to prevent water from leaking through….”  Drawing of section of roof and gable end, with machinery, and explanatory text, 1805.  (no. 26)

 

Evans, Oliver.  “Directions for making Oliver Evans screw mill.”  Drawing of screw mill for grinding plaster, plus explanatory text, 1806.  (no. 29)

 

Varlé, Charles.  “A cheap method to build locks for inland navigation.”  Plan and elevation of a lock, plus explanatory text, 1798.  Varlé was building canals in Maryland.  (no. 31, 31a)

 

Voight, Henry.  “Means of propelling boats and mills by paddles.”  Drawing of paddle mechanism, plus explanatory text, 1809.  (no. 35, 35a)