By Michael Maune
Title: Clarence B. Richey papers, 1940s-1990s
Primary Creator: Richey, C. B. (d. 2003)
Extent: 9.0 Cubic feet. More info below.
Arrangement:
1. Media and other material, 1940s-1980s (3.5 cubic feet) The media series includes slides, negatives, photographs, and microfilm, as well as various papers associated with slides and albums. They document machinery Richey developed, machinery shows, and equipment in use on farms. The series is further arranged into topical and form subseries:
Homemade and miscellaneous equipment , 1940s-1960s Documents equipment developed by Richey and others not developed by him. Includes photos of notebook pages that show designs for experimental farm equipment. Also features photos and negatives from Richey’s time at Ohio State University. Arranged by topic.
Farm equipment slides, circa 1970s Documents various kinds of farm equipment. Arranged by topic.
Albums, 1940s-1980s Documents several studies and projects done by Richey at Purdue and other places, predominantly focusing on tillage and planting. The albums also include material on the twin channel gasifier furnace Richey developed. Each album has been removed from its original binding and placed in folders and slide sheets, with the original order maintained.
Miscellaneous, 1950s-1980s Documents machinery and machinery shows. Includes slides and negatives. Predominantly features international conferences attended by Richey. Also features several slides from a lecture Richey gave. Arranged chronologically.
Farm machinery, shows, and conferences, 1960s-1980s Negatives and photographs document machinery and machinery shows, both international and domestic. Arranged chronologically.
2. Films, 1971-1976 (0.2 cubic feet)
Documents the operation of farm machinery, predominantly featuring soybean pullers. Arranged chronologically.
3. Notebooks, 1943-1998 (4.3 cubic feet) The notebooks document various parts of Richey’s work at each of his different places of employment. They are further arranged into topical and form subseries:
Workbooks, 1943-1998 Briefly documents the daily activities of Richey in his engineering work. Most Sundays are omitted. Arranged chronologically.
Miscellaneous Record Books, 1950-1978 Documents work done in India with the Ford Foundation and other projects. NOTE: Part of this subseries is housed separately on microfilm. Arranged chronologically.
Massey Ferguson Record Books, 1964-1969 Photos, design sketches, and captions document projects Richey participated in while at Massey Ferguson. Arranged chronologically.
Purdue Record Books, 1970-1981 Photos, design sketches, and captions document projects Richey participated in while at Purdue serving as faculty. Arranged chronologically.
Purdue Projects, 1982-1989 Documents the design of down-draft channel gasifier and other projects. Arranged chronologically.
4. Books, 1935-1979 (0.5 cubic feet) The books series includes primarily volumes Richey owned or influenced. They are further arranged in form subseries:
Masters Theses, 1972-1973 The series predominantly features three Masters theses of students Richey advised or on whose thesis committees he served. Arranged chronologically.
Miscellaneous books, 1935-1979 Includes one textbook owned by Richey.
5. Papers, 1940s-1970s (0.5 cubic feet) The papers document various facets of Richey’s work at Purdue and other places. They predominantly document notes from courses Richey taught at Purdue and the Ohio State University, including “Agricultural Engineering” and “Power and Machinery Management.” They also include blueprints for farm machinery. Arranged by topic.
Date Acquired: 07/22/2010
Subjects: Agriculture, Engineers, Purdue University. School of Engineering
Forms of Material: Black-and-white photographs, Blueprints, Color photographs, Motion pictures (visual works), Negatives (photographic), Photograph albums, Theses
Languages: English
Clarence Bentley Richey graduated from Purdue University in 1939 with a Bachelors of Science in Mechanical Engineering. He went on to work for the Ohio State University, Electric Wheel Company, Massey-Ferguson, and Ford Motor Company, serving in various positions. In 1970, Richey accepted a position as a professor at Purdue’s department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering (ABE). He served in this role until 1976, when he retired and became Professor Emeritus. Richey continued to work at Purdue at least until 1986 in the ABE department, working on various projects.
Richey was responsible for numerous innovations in agricultural engineering, holding many patents on designs he created for various farm equipment. Among his accomplishments was a design for an efficient gasifier that produced energy from biomass. He also developed a lift for physically disabled farmers to be able to reach the seats of their tractors. In promoting and developing his designs, Richey traveled the world to view and participate in various showcases of agricultural engineering.
He died in Ann Arbor, Michigan on June 23, 2003.
Repository: Purdue University Libraries, Archives and Special Collections
Alternate Extent Statement: 14 mss. boxes, 1 cubic foot box, 17 film containers, 4 small flat boxes, 1 flat file
Acquisition Source: Professor William Field, ABE
Acquisition Method: Donation
Processing Information: Whenever possible, original order of the materials has been retained. All materials have been housed in polyester sleeves, acid-free folders, and acid-free boxes. Oversized blueprints and a textbook have been separated for preservation purposes. One textbook, The Motor Vehicle Manual, and the 1979 PURA directory have been separated and added to the Purdue history collection.
Other URL: http://lib.purdue.edu/spcol/fa/pdf/Clarence_B_Richey_papers.pdf
