Inventor Name
Hoopes, Penrose Robinson
Repository
Hagley Museum & Library
Manuscripts & Archives Department
P.O. Box 3630
Wilmington, DE 19807-0630
302-658-2400
https://www.hagley.org/research
Physical Description
14 linear ft.
Summary
Penrose R. Hoopes was born in St. Davids, Pa., on March 7, 1892. After studying engineering at Penn State College, he served in the engineering departments of various machine manufacturers. In 1922 he started a private consulting business dealing with the design and installation of factory equipment, especially high-production machinery and automatic machines for metal working. Hoopes was an inventor of numerous automatic machines, particularly those used in the production of hardware, clocks, paper and rubber goods. He was also a contributing editor of MATERIALS HANDLING CYCLOPEDIA, and a member of ASME and the Franklin Institute. Hoopes was also interested in the early history of American technology, particularly clockmaking. He authored several historical works and prepared a manuscript bibliography of early technical Americana. He died in Philadelphia in 1976. The papers of Penrose Hoopes relate to his professional career as a designer and inventor who specialized in factory equipment and high production automatic machinery. The correspondence (1923-68) is arranged alphabetically by firm name for 78 companies for which Hoopes did consulting work designing production machinery. They include a number of the country's largest manufacturers of producers' and consumers' goods. The files contain detailed information on a variety of machinery, with drawings and blueprints. Of particular note are World War II orders to the Ferracute Machine Company from the Soviet government. The employee records and sales promotion data include job applications, requests by Hoopes to local draft boards for reclassifications, and requests for security clearance. There are also sales promotion notes, drawings and lists. The technical material includes clippings, drawings and data sheets for such devices as cams, lock nuts, crankshafts, superspeed presses, automatic feeds, clock escapements, friction brakes, clutches and reciprocating rubber trimmers. It also includes patent data on lock nuts (1896-1900). The articles and notes include typescripts on power press design, cams and vending machines, plus material for an article on beauty in mechanical design. However, the bulk of this series relates to Hoopes' interest in early American technology and inventors. It includes much relating to Hoopes' two books, EARLY CLOCKMAKING IN CONNECTICUT (1934), and CONNECTICUT'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE STEAMBOAT (1936), as wellas an article, SPECIAL PRODUCTION MACHINERY (1950). There is additional material on clocks and orreries, including a draft of an article on early American clockmaking (1638-1838). There is another article on Thomas Stephens, inventor of a process for making potash, and on another inventor, Moses Coates (1746-1816). The series also includes notes on 18th century patents, and collections of patents issued to Andrew C. Campbell and for hook-and-eye closures. Finally, there is Hoopes' manuscript of TECHNICAL AMERICANA, a bibliography of works on scientific invention, technology and invention published prior to 1826, along with the index card file used in compiling the work.