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John George Vasquez Papers,
1942-2005 |
Extent and Forms of Material: 1 cubic foot, includes photographs and prototypes
(5 boxes)
Creator: John George Vasquez
Abstract: Papers document independent inventor John G. Vasquez. The papers include drawings, sketches, correspondence, notebooks, photographs, and prototypes for two of Vasquez’s inventions.
Repository: Archives Center, National Museum of American History,
Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.; archivescenter@si.edu;
202-633-3270; www.americanhistory.si.edu/archives
Collection Number: AC0942
Processing Note: Processed by Alison Oswald, archivist and Adrienne Cain (intern), 2007.
© 2010 by the Smithsonian Institution. All rights reserved.
Information for users of
the collection
Conditions Governing Access: The collection
is open for research use.
Physical Access: Researchers must handle unprotected
photographs with gloves.
Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use: Copyright held by the Smithsonian Institution.
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees
concerning copyright restrictions. Reproduction permission from Archives Center: fees for reproduction apply.
Preferred Citation: John G. Vasquez Papers, 1942-2005, Archives Center,
National Museum of American History, box number X, folder number XX, digital file number XXXXXXXX
In-depth information about the collection
- Administrative/biographical history
Scope and content
System of arrangement
Acquisition information
Access points
Container listing
John George Vasquez was born in Meriden, Connecticut, on February 22, 1916 to Italian immigrants,
John and Sebastiana (Larosa) Vasquez of Canicattini Bagni, Sicily. In the late 1920s, John apprenticed
as a barber, which became a favorite lifelong hobby. He was later recognized as a “Master Barber.”
Vasquez graduated from Hartford Public High School and attended the University of Connecticut.
In 1941, Vasquez married Lillia B. Schultz (b. 1920) of Wilmington, Vermont. They raised five children
of their own: John E. Vasquez, Benedict R. Vasquez, Lewis P. Vasquez, Constance I. Sullivan, and
Joseph D. Vasquez. Additionally, Vasquez and his wife were foster parents to at least fifty children
in the State of Connecticut. The Vasquezes lived in Hartford until 1959 when they moved to
Rocky Hill, Connecticut. Vasquez had a successful career designing and tool making at Pratt &
Whitney Tool and Die Company of West Hartford. While working at Pratt & Whitney, John filed his
first patent for a combined ash tray, and he began recording his thoughts, dreams, ideas and
inventions in pocket-size notebooks. Vasquez holds three United States patents: Combined
Ash Tray and Holder for Smokers’ Articles, 1945 (#D142,753); a Multiple Compartment Handbag,
1947 (#2,429,856); and Magnetic Retainer, 1950 (#2,521,885). Vasquez completed his career
as a blueprint supervisor at Pratt & Whitney with over 30 years of service. John G. Vasquez
died on January 6, 2006.
The papers document the work of independent inventor John G. Vasquez and
include drawings, sketches, correspondence, notebooks, photographs, and a
prototype of Vasquez’s invention, the Magnetic Retainer.
Series 1, Inventions and Ideas, 1942-2005, is divided into two subseries:
Subseries 1, Chronological, 1942-2005 and Subseries 2, Miscellaneous, 1948-2003.
The majority of the inventions and ideas consist of one file folder per invention/idea
and contain sketches and/or notes. Many of the inventions/ideas are signed and dated
by Vasquez. The random ideas folder contains a letterhead for “John G. Vasquez, inventor,
designer of practical ideas for improved living.” Subseries 2, Miscellaneous, 1948-2003,
is comprised of numbered lists of ideas. In some instances, the lists contain small sketches.
Series 2, Notebooks, 1960s-1970s, undated, consists of fourteen 3” x 5” spiral
bound notebooks maintained by Vasquez to record his thoughts, dreams, ideas and inventions.
The notebooks contain statistics, facts, newspaper clippings, motivational phrases, and
other data such as how much energy an appliance uses or the qualities of a “good shop man.”
Series 3, Patents, 1945-1956, is divided into two subseries: Subseries 1,
United States Patents, 1945, 1947, and Subseries 2, Poor Man’s Patents, 1955, 1956. The patents
are arranged chronologically by patent number and there is one file folder of poor man’s patents.
A "poor man's patent" is when an inventor writes a description of his/her invention and mails it
to themselves or someone else by regular or certified mail to protect one’s invention.
Unfortunately, this method does not protect an invention.
Series 4, News clippings, 1948, 1981, contain three newspaper articles
from the Hartford Daily Courant about Vasquez.
Series 5, Photographs, 1948, undated, contains three black-and-white
photographs; two document Vasquez, the other features his Multiple Compartment Handbag
(United States Patent #2,429,856) of 1945.
Series 6, Artifacts, 1945 and 1947, contains two prototypes: a
Magnetic Retainer (United States Patent #2,521,885) 1947, and a Combined Ash Tray
and Holder for Smokers’ Articles, 1945 (United States Design Patent #D142, 753).
The papers are arranged into six series.
- Series 1: Inventions and Ideas, 1942-2005
- Subseries 1, Chronological, 1942-2005
- Subseries 2, Miscellaneous, 1948-2003
- Series 2: Notebooks, 1960s-1970s, undated
- Series 3:Patents, 1945-1956
- Subseries 1, United States Patents, 1945, 1947
- Subseries 2, Poor Man’s Patents, 1955, 1956
- Series 4: News clippings, 1948, 1981
- Series 5: Photographs, 1948, undated
- Series 6: Prototypes, 1945 and 1947
This collection was donated by Lillia Vasquez, widow of John G. Vasquez, 2007.
Subjects/Topical:
Inventors
Inventions
Form/Genre:
Notebooks
Photographs
Patents
Sketches
| Box |
Folder |
|
| |
|
SERIES 1, INVENTIONS AND IDEAS,
1942-2003 |
| |
|
Subseries 1, Chronological,
1942-2005 |
| 1 |
1 |
Index of inventions and ideas |
| |
2 |
Close line cleaner, 1942 |
| |
3 |
Air brakes for aircraft carrier landings, 1943 |
| |
4 |
Cigars equipped with mouth piece, 1943 |
| |
5 |
Lawn mower sharpening rig, 1943 |
| |
6 |
Revolving tie rack and step thread, 1943 |
| |
7 |
Scissor sharpening clamp-flat, 1943 |
| |
8 |
Telescope indicator hand, 1943 |
| |
9 |
Random Idea: Not Named, 1943 January 15 |
| |
10 |
Penance prayer enumerator, logs last confession dates, 1943 January 2 |
| |
11 |
Dovetail measuring vernier, 1943 January 6 |
| |
12 |
Double end lathe, 1943 January 20 |
| |
13 |
Combination slide edge and moveable protractor, 1943 February 2 |
| |
14 |
Combination slide edge and moveable protractor, 1943 March 4 |
| |
15 |
Stay in file handle locking system, 1943 February 10 |
| |
16 |
Mill two flutes simultaneously, 1943 February 14 |
| |
17 |
Adjustable V and block gage, 1943 February 16 |
| |
18 |
Alphabetical playing card games, like rummy = spell word game, poker =
vowels are high cards, 1943 February 19 |
| |
19 |
Vert shaper with rotating spin, 1943 February 19 |
| |
20 |
Turn buckles with handle extension wrench, 1943 March 1 |
| |
21 |
Thread chasers feeding radially, 1943 March 4 |
| |
22 |
Typewriter-continuous line or dotted line, 1943 March 4 |
| |
23 |
Smoker’s pipe with cooling handle, 15 March 1943 |
| |
24 |
Transparent shoe box, 1943 March 27 |
| |
25 |
Two and three grinding wheels-simultaneous, 1943 March 27 |
| |
26 |
Scale end shock absorber, 1943 March 27 |
| |
27 |
Crouton made from stale bread and cam for each width of tooth on back side
and conveyor system in lapping, 1943 March 29 |
| |
28 |
Combination clothes pants hangers and bed back rest on back side of sheet,
1944 |
| |
29 |
Tent ash tray, log cabin ash tray, 1944 |
| |
30 |
Compass/protractor pivot pin, 1944 February 1 |
| |
31 |
Two-in-one band saw for log cutting, 1944 March 12 |
| |
32 |
Hydraulic jacks folding type, 1944 March 20 |
| |
33 |
Combination gear and pulley driver, 1944 March 24 |
| |
34 |
Bullet shell with rifling grooves through round bore, 1944 April 14 |
| |
35 |
Electricity, 1944 April 25 |
| |
36 |
Rivers multi-power electric generator dams, 1944 April 26 |
| |
37 |
Check net pipe tap, 1944 April 27 |
| |
38 |
Grinding wheel true wheel radius dresser, 1944 April 29 |
| |
39 |
Pipe plugs, pipe tobacco wrapped in cigar wrapper, 1944 November 17 |
| |
40 |
Oil, grease seals, 1944 November 28 |
| |
41 |
Turning tool holder, 1944 December 12 |
| |
42 |
Grinding taper holes in stationary parts, 1944 December 12 |
| |
43 |
The truly safe safety pins, 1945 July 24 |
| |
44 |
Amendment: US Patent Office (for cabinet magnets), 1947 February 26 |
| |
45 |
Random magnet idea, 1947 May 15 |
| |
46 |
Liquid tight and lock screws (studs), 1948 May 20 |
| |
47 |
Tobacco tippy stand, 1948 May 24 |
| |
48 |
Bolt with cemented rubber and thin metal washer (anchor) studs, 1948
November 9 |
| |
49 |
Mailing service-kiddie grams/kiddie mail, 1954 |
| |
50 |
Hypot-scale, 1954 February 4 |
| |
51 |
Air conditioner, 1954 March 8 |
| |
52 |
Sander with replaceable sanding cloth mesh, 1954 May 4 |
| |
53 |
Magna letter/magna word game, 1954 May 4 |
| |
54 |
Magna ball game, 1954 May 5 |
| |
55 |
Non-clog file, 1954 May 11 |
| |
56 |
Perforated metal file/cutter, 1954 May 11 |
| |
57 |
Magnetic hinge door closure, 1955 January 28 |
| |
58 |
Pill pulverizer, 1955 February 18 |
| |
59 |
In sequence blade, 1960 June 22 |
| |
60 |
Suggestions for shavers, 1960 June 22 |
| |
61 |
Solar energy calculations, 1981 February 9 |
| |
62 |
“Air-Gen Scoop,” 1981 March 4 |
| |
63 |
Organizing toolbox decals for drawers, 1992 June 3 |
| |
64 |
Flex-Hammer-use coil spring for handle, 1996 July 22 |
| |
65 |
Comments on weather, 1997 |
| |
66 |
“The Lifter-Upper Cone,” 1998 October 22 |
| |
67 |
Make your own “instant” pension, 1999 April 11 |
| |
68 |
Deck library stand, 2001 |
| |
69 |
Lightweight arthritic helper tools, 2003 |
| |
70 |
Multi-tool, 2004 August 3 |
| |
71 |
Idea: the hidden saw tool handle, 2004 September 19 |
| |
72 |
Potato holder when peeling a potato (attach to countertops or sinks) 2004
November |
| |
73 |
6” x12” mirror to rearview; steam cookers for home; sock stretcher; Velcro
replacement, 2004-2005 |
| |
74 |
The single golf club with moveable weight on the shaft, 2005 October
5 |
| |
75 |
3 and 4 sided picture frames, 2005 October 23 |
| |
76 |
Idea: “Angular Carpenter’s Square,” undated |
| |
77 |
Idea: combination=screwdriver, file, scissors, undated |
| |
78 |
Idea: combination hacksaw and file, undated |
| |
79 |
Idea: combination-A ball point pen and a nail file, undated |
| |
80 |
Idea “Flex-Hammer,” undated |
| |
81 |
Idea: “Meteor” Spring Hammer, undated |
| |
82 |
Idea: Rubber coated woodscrew, nails, undated |
| |
83 |
Random ideas, undated |
| |
|
Subseries 2, Miscellaneous, 1948-2003 |
| 4 |
2 |
Miscellaneous, 1948 |
| 1 |
84 |
Miscellaneous ideas,1996 |
| |
85 |
Miscellaneous ideas, 1997 |
| |
86 |
Miscellaneous ideas, 1998 |
| |
87 |
Miscellaneous ideas, 1999 |
| |
88 |
Miscellaneous ideas, 2000 |
| |
89 |
Miscellaneous ideas, 2001 |
| |
90 |
Miscellaneous ideas, 2002 |
| |
91 |
Miscellaneous ideas, 2003 |
| 2 |
1-3 |
SERIES 2, NOTEBOOKS, 1960s-1970s, UNDATED |
| |
|
SERIES 3, PATENTS, 1945-1956 |
| 4 |
1 |
Subseries 1, United States Patents, 1945, 1947 |
1
4 |
92
1 |
Multiple Compartment Handbag, United States Patent #2,429,856, 1945 |
| 1 |
93 |
Magnetic Retainer, United States Patent #2,521,885, 1947 |
| 4 |
3 |
Subseries 2, Poor Man’s Patents, 1955, 1956 |
| |
94 |
SERIES 4, NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS, 1948, 1981 |
| |
95 |
SERIES 5, PHOTOGRAPHS, 1948, UNDATED |
| |
|
SERIES 6, PROTOTYPES, 1945 AND 1947 |
| 5 |
|
Combined Ash Tray and Holder for Smokers’ Articles, 1945 |
| 3 |
|
Magnetic Retainer prototype, 1947 |
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