Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Guide to the Robert B. Rice Papers

Summary

Collection ID:
NMAH.AC.0322
Creators:
Rice, Robert B., 1900-1976
Dates:
1915 - 1954
Languages:
Collection is in
English
. Some materials in
German
.
Physical Description:
30.1 Cubic feet
81 boxes
Repository:
Personal papers and correspondence (ca. 1946-1953) of Rice; publications, mostly on Diesel engines, their components and technical problems; material from Rice's academic career; directories of Diesel engine manufacturers and brochures describing their products; technical manuals and reprints of technical articles.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
The collection contains personal papers and correspondence, c. 1946 1953, of Robert B. Rice, as well as publications about diesel engines, their components and technical problems, dating from 1915 1954. It also includes academic material: class notes, examination questions, and theses required for the masters degree. There are directories of manufacturers of diesel engines, both foreign and domestic, and copies of brochures and technical manuals describing their products. Diesel engine applications in road transportation, railroads, electrical generation, ships, and aircraft are described in numerous brochures and published articles. Technical articles on diesel fuels (including coal) and lubricants are also included. There are numerous papers on other types of internal combustion engines.
Included are specifications, parts lists, instruction books, design data, pamphlets, test data, and drawings for American and foreign diesel engines, parts, and accessories, 1936 1947; research reports, trade literature, facts sheets, articles, test data, catalogs, and handbooks on disel engines for railroad, aircraft, and marine use, 1926 1967; diesel engine charts, 1943 1945; and materials on metals, fuel lubrication, jet propulsion, steam engines, turbines, and thermodynamic and heat power problems.
The collection is arranged into seven series. Series 1, Indexes and Directories, consists primarily of catalogues of diesel engines. Series 2 is composed of Rice's Professional and Academic Material. Series 3, Diesel Engines, consists of information on manufacturers of diesel engines; this information is sub divided into U.S. and foreign manufacturers and it is arranged alphabetically. Series 4 -6 provide information on Electric Utility Generator Units, Diesel Components and Technical Problems, and Fuels and Lubricants. Series 7, Reference Materials, is divided into Files and Blueprints, Manuals and Publications, and Design Drawings and Technical Data for the DZ 710 Aircraft Diesel.

Arrangement

Arrangement
The collection is divided into seven series.
Series 1: Indexes and directories
Series 2: R.B. Rice professional and academic material
Series 3; Diesel engines (by manufacturer)
Series 4: Electric utility generator units
Series 5: Diesel components and technical problems
Series 6: Fuels and lubricants
Series 7: Reference materials

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Rice was a consulting engineer and professor of engineering at Newark College of Engineering, 1928-1936, and at North Carolina State University, 1937-1956.

Administration

Author
Don Darroch
Custodial History
Collection transferred to the Archives Center from Engineering and Industry (now Division of Work and Industry), January 1989.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Collection donated by Robert B. Rice, October, 1972.
Processing Information
Collection processed by Don Darroch, 1989.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Use
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.
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research but is stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.
Preferred Citation
Robert B. Rice Papers, 1915-1954, Archives Center, National Museumof American History

Related Materials
The Archives Center also holds collection #308, the Robert B. Rice Film Collection, 1936-1945. In addition, there is a small group of Rice's papers, primarily concerned with his academic career, in the Archives of North Carolina State University at Raleigh.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Diesel motor Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Engineers -- 1910-1960 Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Personal papers -- 20th century Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Internal combustion engines Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Engineering -- 1910-1960 Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Engineering and Industry Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

Archives Center, National Museum of American History
P.O. Box 37012
Suite 1100, MRC 601
Washington, D.C. 20013-7012
Business Number: Phone: 202-633-3270
Fax Number: Fax: 202-786-2453
archivescenter@si.edu