Collection inventory

Overview of the Collection
Creator:	Belcher, Samuel L., 1933-
Title:	Samuel L. Belcher Collection
Inclusive Dates:	1991-2008
Quantity:	.75 linear ft.
Abstract:	Biographical material, patent information, and product data related to Samuel Belcher's innovations in blow molding.
Language:	English
Repository:	Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries 222 Waverly Avenue Syracuse, NY 13244-2010 https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center

Biographical History

Samuel L. Belcher (1933-2009) was an American plastics inventor and entrepreneur, especially noted for his many innovations in plastic blow-molded packaging.

He began his career with Rubbermaid, Inc. and later worked for Owens-Illinois and Wheaton Industries. He was Product Manager of Container Machinery for the U.S. Plastics Machinery Division of Cincinnati Milicron. He was president of his consulting firm, Sabel Plastechs of Moscow, Ohio, from 1987 until 2009

Among his technical achievements are the first PET bottle with an integrated handle, which he patented and licensed to Mitsubishi of Japan; the first flip-top, living-hinge closure for liquid detergent bottles, patented at Owens-Illinois; the McDonald's foam clamshell package, patented at Owens-Illinois in 1974; the first injection blow molding machine for PET bottles, developed while Director of Research at Wheaton; and the plastic spice turntable, the largest volume single item ever produced by Rubbermaid.

In all he developed 54 patents. Belcher edited the volume Practical Extrusion Blow Molding (New York: Marcel Dekker, 1999) and authored Practical Guide To Injection Blow Molding (CRC Press, 2007). Belcher was inducted into the Plastics Hall of Fame in 2003.

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Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Samuel L. Belcher Collection consists of biographical material, subject files, videotapes and writings.

Biographical material contains information about Samuel Belcher’s career and awards he received.

Subject files contains one blueprint drawing of a Beta II Process machine, patent information on the PET bottle with handle, and photographs of various machines and products.

Videotapes contains tapes from various companies about machines and processes.

Writings contains texts and illustrations of presentations given at ABC conferences in 2007, 2008 and 2009.

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Arrangement of the Collection

The collection is arranged alphabetically by topic.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.

Use Restrictions

Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

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Related Material

Twelve plastics artifacts donated with the collection have been transferred to the Plastics Artifacts Collection.

One book by Belcher has been transferred to general collections for cataloging. Issues of the Society of Plastics Engineers Blow Molding Division Newsletter from 1983-2004 (incomplete run) were transferred to Rare Books for cataloging. Please refer to the Classic Catalog to locate these items.

All media in this collection has been digitized. Please contact the repository listed above for more information.

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Subject Headings

Persons

Corporate Bodies

Subjects

Genres and Forms

Occupations

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Samuel L. Belcher Papers.
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Gift of Donna Belcher, 2011.

Finding Aid Information

Created by: SDG
Date: 9 Nov 2011
Revision history: 8 Apr 2022 - media processed/updated (MRC); 1 Apr 2024 - added note about digitized media (IRP)

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Inventory

Note on alternate formats:

All media in this collection has been digitized. Please contact the repository listed above for more information.

	Biographical material
Box 1		Awards 1995-2008 - certificates and information regarding Belcher's receipt of various industry awards
Box 1		Plastics Hall of Fame 2003 - papers and articles about Belcher's induction into Plastics Hall of Fame
Box 1		Miscellaneous 2006

	Subject files
Box 1		Blow molding calculator - calculator and trouble shooting guide from Quantum Chemical Company 1995
Box 1		Drawing: beta II process
Box 1		Patent for PET bottle with handle 1991
Box 1		Photographs of machinery and products

	Videotapes
		Titles and information about videotapes is copied verbatim from printed and handwritten labels on the items.
Box 1		ABC 2007 PowerPoint v2, Sabel Plastechs 2007 - CD-R conference presentation (CD) (ID#: belcher_sl_001)
			Where are we going? Up or Down
Box 1		ABC 2009, Sabel Plastechs 2009 - DVD-R conference presentation (DVD) (ID#: belcher_sl_003)
Box 1		ABC PowerPoint 2, Sabel Plastechs - CD-R conference presentation (CD) (ID#: belcher_sl_002)
Box 2		Automa Blow Moulding Machine: Plus at 0.7D – Plus at 2D – Plus at 2DD – Plus at 5 – plus at 5D – Plus at 2D Co-Optionals (VHS; running time 30:00) (ID#: belcher_sl_004)
Box 2		Automa: Injection Stretch-Blow Moulding Machines – Model: NSB 20 (VHS; running time 15:00) (ID#: belcher_sl_005)
Box 2		Cincinnati Milacron, Cyclone Accumulator Head, VT-6300-080 06/12/1997 (VHS; running time 3:47) (ID#: belcher_sl_006)
Box 2		Cincinnati Milacron, Eclipses E-75 Polycarbonate Production, VT 6300-099 10/28/1993 - date on VHS enclosure: 2/21/1997, different from cassette date (VHS; running time 9:00) (ID#: belcher_sl_007)
Box 2		Cincinnati Milacron, T-Series Large Part Appls. Combo Tape 02/17/1997 (VHS; running time 60:00) (ID#: belcher_sl_009)
			T-1100 Vertical Clamp/35lb. Accumulator Head (55 gallon drum production), VT-6300-170, includes VT-6300-165 T-Series flat
Box 2		Cincinnati Milacron, Tracker “Keeping Your Process on Track", VT 6300-157 (VHS; running time 8:50) (ID#: belcher_sl_008)
Box 2		FGH Systems: B&W 40, B&W 6000DE, B&W 8000DE, copy (VHS; running time 120:00) (ID#: belcher_sl_010)
Box 2		Graham Engineering Corporation: Accumulator Head Update, Blow Molding Machines (VHS; running time 5:25) (ID#: belcher_sl_011)
Box 2		Jackson Machinery: FlexiMatic TM Toner Bottles (VHS) (ID#: belcher_sl_013)
Box 2		Jackson Machinery: FlexiMatic TM Trimming Wheels (VHS) (ID#: belcher_sl_012)
Box 2		Mag-Plastic: 2 Stage Process (VHS; running time 120:00) (ID#: belcher_sl_014)
Box 2		Sabel Hand Over Hand PET Bottle Machine 07/30/1997 (VHS; running time 30:00) (ID#: belcher_sl_015)

	Writings
Box 1		Conference presentations 2007-2009 - includes CD-Rs of powerpoints "Where are we going? up or down," (2007) and "What can we do to cut costs and improve the bottom line?" (2008).

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