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John G. Vasquez papers

National Museum of American History

Object Details

Creator
Vasquez, John G.
Topic
Inventions
Inventors
Provenance
The collection was donated by Lillia Vasquez, widow of John G. Vasquez, 2007.
Creator
Vasquez, John G.
See more items in
John G. Vasquez papers
Summary
Papers document independent inventor John G. Vasquez. The papers include drawings, sketches, correspondence, notebooks, photographs, and prototypes for two of Vasquez's inventions.
Biographical / Historical
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.
Extent
1 Cubic foot (5 boxes)
Date
1942 - 2005
Archival Repository
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Identifier
NMAH.AC.0942
Type
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Photographs
Notebooks
Sketches
Patents
Citation
John Vasquez Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution.
Arrangement
Collection organized 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
Processing Information
Processed by Alison Oswald, archivist, and Adrienne Cain (intern), 2007.
Rights
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Genre/Form
Photographs -- 20th century
Notebooks
Sketches
Patents -- 20th century
Scope and Contents
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).
Restrictions
The collection is open for research use.
Related link
Record ID
ebl-1503510423867-1503510423874-0
Metadata Usage
CC0
GUID
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep848ffe16d-68f8-44ab-8807-a3851fadd72d

In the Collection

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  • Patents

  • United States Patents

  • Chronological

  • Inventions and Ideas

  • Transparent shoe box

  • Tent ash tray, log cabin ash tray

  • Magnetic Retainer, United States Patent #2,521,885

  • Notebooks

  • Photographs

  • Penance prayer enumerator, logs last confession dates

  • Alphabetical playing card games, like rummy = spell word game, poker = vowels are high cards

  • Dovetail measuring vernier

  • Check net pipe tap

  • Compass/protractor pivot pin

  • Cigars equipped with mouth piece

  • Mailing service-kiddie grams/kiddie mail

  • Flex-Hammer-use coil spring for handle

  • Make your own "instant" pension

  • Random ideas

  • Perforated metal file/cutter

  • Miscellaneous ideas

  • Turning tool holder

  • Pipe plugs, pipe tobacco wrapped in cigar wrapper

  • Idea: Rubber coated woodscrew, nails

  • Multiple Compartment Handbag, United States Patent #2,429,856

  • The truly safe safety pins

  • Magna ball game

  • Combination slide edge and moveable protractor

  • Magna letter/magna word game

  • Poor Man's Patents

  • Combination gear and pulley driver

  • Miscellaneous

  • Organizing toolbox decals for drawers

  • Combined Ash Tray and Holder for Smokers' Articles

  • Grinding wheel true wheel radius dresser

  • Telescope indicator hand

  • Multi-tool

  • Typewriter-continuous line or dotted line

  • Air conditioner

  • Two and three grinding wheels-simultaneous

  • Miscellaneous ideas

  • Electricity

  • Miscellaneous ideas

  • Random Idea: Not Named

  • Combination clothes pants hangers and bed back rest on back side of sheet

  • Turn buckles with handle extension wrench

  • Mill two flutes simultaneously

  • Tobacco tippy stand

  • Liquid tight and lock screws (studs)

  • Idea "Flex-Hammer"

  • Bullet shell with rifling grooves through round bore

  • Stay in file handle locking system

  • Idea: "Meteor" Spring Hammer

  • Thread chasers feeding radially

  • Deck library stand

  • Hypot-scale

  • News clippings

  • Crouton made from stale bread and cam for each width of tooth on back side and conveyor system in lapping,

  • Hydraulic jacks folding type

  • Index of inventions and ideas

  • Miscellaneous ideas

  • Grinding taper holes in stationary parts

  • Miscellaneous ideas

  • Idea: combination-A ball point pen and a nail file

  • Rivers multi-power electric generator dams

  • In sequence blade

  • Comments on weather

  • 3 and 4 sided picture frames

  • Double end lathe

  • Prototypes

  • Smoker's pipe with cooling handle

  • Magnetic hinge door closure

  • Adjustable V and block gage

  • Miscellaneous ideas

  • Potato holder when peeling a potato (attach to countertops or sinks)

  • "Air-Gen Scoop"

  • Idea: combination=screwdriver, file, scissors

  • Scissor sharpening clamp-flat

  • Solar energy calculations

  • Air brakes for aircraft carrier landings

  • Revolving tie rack and step thread

  • Miscellaneous ideas

  • The single golf club with moveable weight on the shaft

  • Idea: combination hacksaw and file

  • Scale end shock absorber

  • Miscellaneous

  • Close line cleaner

  • Vert shaper with rotating spin

  • Miscellaneous ideas

  • "The Lifter-Upper Cone"

  • Non-clog file

  • Oil, grease seals

  • Lightweight arthritic helper tools

  • Idea: the hidden saw tool handle

  • 6" x12" mirror to rearview; steam cookers for home; sock stretcher; Velcro replacement

  • Lawn mower sharpening rig

  • Amendment: US Patent Office (for cabinet magnets)

  • Idea: "Angular Carpenter's Square"

  • Magnetic Retainer prototype

  • Two-in-one band saw for log cutting

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Penance prayer enumerator, logs last confession dates
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