The
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 -
Mechanical drawing.
Learned institutions and societies.
Canals -
Chimneys.
Fans.
Lime.
Mills and
mill-work.
Ships.
Stoves.
Street lighting.
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
Anonymous. “An essay on warming rooms, or an improvement
on, or an addition to the fireplace invented by Dr. Benjamin Franklin, called
‘The
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
Voight,
Henry. “Means of propelling boats and
mills by paddles.” Drawing of paddle
mechanism, plus explanatory text, 1809.
(no. 35, 35a)