Inventor Name
Houdry, Eugene
Repository
Chemical Heritage Foundation
315 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
215-873-8265
http://www.chemheritage.org
Physical Description
1 box
Summary
Eugene Houdry was born on April 18, 1892 in Domont, France. In 1911, after receiving a degree in mechanical engineering, he began working for his family’s metal working business. He served the French army as a lieutenant in World War I. In 1930, he moved to the United States. Houdry revolutionized the production of gasoline by developing a process for cracking low-grade fuel into high test gasoline. During World War II, he developed a single-step butane dehydrogenation process for producing synthetic rubber. After WWII, he founded a company entitled Oxy-Catalyst, and shifted his focus to reducing health risks associated with automobile exhaust. He patented the catalytic muffler for automobiles in 1962. Houdry had been granted over 100 patents when he passed away on July 18, 1962. He was inducted into the Inventor’s Hall of Fame in 1990. These materials, compiled by G.Alex Mills, consist primarily reproductions of materials pertaining to Houdry’s life. The reproductions include images, newsclippings, articles and lectures by Houdry, articles about Houdry, and Houdry’s obituaries. Information about Houdry’s loss of French citizenship is also present. The two unique and original items within the collection are Houdry’s driver’s license from 1919, and his certificate of U.S. Naturalization from 1942.
