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Harry G. Chinn Papers


Finding aid created by: Horsford, Sean
Date: 2022-04-23

Biographical History

Harry G. Chinn (dates unknown) was a British engineer and inventor in the field of plastics. He specialized in the development of processes involving the heat sealing of plastics and holds seven patents in this field. These patents range from the heat sealing of large tarps together for agricultural use, to heat sealing of plastic packaging for food product distribution. Chinn worked for the Union Carbide Corporation (Bakelite Corporation) and for Riegel Paper Corporation. He was also a stockbroker and later in his career transitioned into teaching high school physics, chemistry, and math.

Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Harry G. Chinn Papers contain technical reports, patents, plastic samples, printed materials, publications, traning manuals, and writings. The bulk of the collection relates to Harry's time at the Union Carbide Corporation working with heat sealing and plastic packaging.

Patents contains patents Chinn held on heat sealing a plastic package.

Plastic samples contains plastic-coated paper made for the Riegel Paper Corporation and plastic packaging, which contains sewing needles, for Union Carbide.

Printed materials contains business cards and guides to packaging.

Publications contains articles and full periodicals, such as Kabelitems and Plastic Greenhouses.

Technical reports consist of large bound notebooks that contain lab results, studies and other data related to Chinn's time at the Union Carbide Corporation.

Training manuals are from Union Carbide and relate to packaging development, extrusion, and blow molding.

Writings consists of five notepads of research notes and a personal journal Chinn used on business trips.

Arrangement of the Collection

The collection is arranged alphabetically, then chonologically and maintains the original order of the collections when possible.

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.

Subject Headings

Persons

Chinn, Harry G.

Corporate Bodies

Riegel Paper Corporation.
Union Carbide Corporation.

Subjects

Plastic coating.
Plastic films.
Plastics -- Analysis
Plastics in packaging.
Plastics industry and trade.
Plastics.

Places

United States.

Genres and Forms

Clippings (information artifacts)
Patents.
Periodicals.
Research notes.
Specimens.
Technical reports.

Occupations

Inventors.
Physicists.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Harry G. Chinn Papers,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Gift of Norma Shepperd, 2019.

Table of Contents

Patents

Plastic samples

Printed materials

Publications

Technical reports

Training manuals

Writings

Inventory