Object Details
sova.nmah.ac.0351
- Creator
- Adler, Charles, Jr., 1899-1980 (engineer, inventor)
- Place
- Baltimore (Md.) -- 20th century
- Topic
- Engineers -- 1920-1980
- Inventions -- 20th century
- Railroads -- 20th century
- Inventors -- 20th century
- Aeronautics and state -- 20th century
- Traffic signs and signals -- 1920-1980
- Traffic engineering -- 20th century
- Provenance
- This collection was donated by Charles Adler, Jr.'s daughter, Mrs. Amalie Adler Ascher on September 15, 1989.
- Creator
- Adler, Charles, Jr., 1899-1980 (engineer, inventor)
- See more items in
- Charles Adler, Jr. Collection
- Summary
- The collection contains correspondence, news clippings, photographs, patents, and printed materials documenting the inventive career of Charles Adler, Jr. Adler is best known for his development of the first traffic actuated signal light in 1928.
- Biographical / Historical
- Charles Adler, Jr. (1899-1980), a professional engineer and inventor was a life-long resident of Baltimore, Maryland. He began his career as an inventor at age 14, receiving a patent on an electric automotive brake. After attending Johns Hopkins University, he served briefly in the Army during World War I and worked at several jobs before being associated in 1919 with the Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad, where he developed a series of safety devices. In 1928 he developed and installed in Baltimore the first traffic actuated signal light. In 1937 he became a consultant to the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, continuing to invent safety and signal devices for automobiles, trains and aircraft. He was granted over sixty United States patents. He was a licensed pilot and a member of numerous professional engineering societies. From 1953-1959, Adler served on the Maryland State Aviation Commission and he was a member of the Maryland Traffic Safety Commission from 1952 until his death in 1980.
- Extent
- 6 Cubic feet (15 boxes)
- Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
- Gloves must be worn when handling unprotected photographs and negatives.
- Date
- 1899 - 1980
- Archival Repository
- Archives Center, National Museum of American History
- Identifier
- NMAH.AC.0351
- Type
- Collection descriptions
- Archival materials
- Patent applications
- Clippings
- Correspondence
- Photographs
- Receipts
- Citation
- Charles Adler, Jr. Collection, 1899-1980, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
- Arrangement
- The collection is arranged into six series. Series 1, Biographical Material, 1899-1980 Series 2, Scrapbooks and Clippings, 1920-1989 Series 3, Correspondence, 1928-1975 Series 4, Patents and Inventions, 1929-1980 Series 5, Photographs and Scrapbooks, circa 1920-1930 Series 6, Publications, 1952-1980
- Processing Information
- Processed by Don Darroch, volunteer, and Robert S. Harding, archivist, 1990.
- Rights
- Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning intellectual rights. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
- Genre/Form
- Patent applications
- Clippings -- 20th century
- Correspondence -- 20th century
- Photographs -- 20th century
- Receipts -- 20th century
- Scope and Contents
- The collection contains biographical information about Adler and his career. Materials relating to his professional activities include newspaper clippings, photographs and other memorabilia; his published writings include articles in periodicals and newspapers. In addition, there are patent applications, royalty receipts and correspondence, as well as lengthy descriptions of various safety devices Adler invented. Many photographs are not captioned, including images of devices Adler invented, as well as images of aircraft, automobiles, and trains. There are portraits of family members, Adler, and his associates.
- Restrictions
- The collection is open for research.
NMAH.AC.0351
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep82dd3fcc6-42d6-4c6d-9a85-bf1368a8613b
NMAH.AC.0351
ACAH
- Record ID
- ebl-1503512038161-1503512038165-0
