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Title
Clarence Weston Hansell Collection

Collection Number
SC 209

OCLC Number
122487859

Creator 
Hansell, C. W. (Clarence Weston), 1898-1967

Provenance 
Donated by Mrs. Clarence W. Hansell in 1970.

Extent, Scope, and Content Note 
Professional and personal correspondence, scientific manuscripts, and publications relating to Hansell's radio and television research (ca. 1928-1948) for the Radio Corporation of America (RCA), his service (1945) for the United States Government as a scientific investigator in Germany, and his research and publications on the ionization of air and its biological effects, and on the nature of matter and energy. Correspondents include the American Institute of Medical Climatology and W. Wesley Hicks, president of Wesix Electric Heater Company of San Francisco, California.

Arrangement and Processing Note
Finding aid updated and revised by Kristen J. Nyitray in June 2023. The collection includes and box and folder listing. 

Language
English 

Restrictions on Access
The collection is open to researchers without restriction.

Rights and Permissions 
Stony Brook University Libraries' consent to access as the physical owner of the collection does not address copyright issues that may affect publication rights. It is the sole responsibility of the user of Special Collections and University Archives materials to investigate the copyright status of any given work and to seek and obtain permission where needed prior to publication.  

Citation 
[Item], [Box], Clarence Weston Hansell Collection, Special Collections and University Archives, Stony Brook University Libraries.

Historical Note
This biographical sketch is based on materials prepared by Hansell.

Clarence Weston Hansell was born on January 20, 1898 at Medaryville, Indiana. As an Indiana farm boy he attended the one room elementary school of White Post Township, Pulaski County, and the Medaryville high school, from which he graduated in 1915. He attended Purdue University, receiving the Bachelor's of Science degree in Electrical Engineering in 1919 and an honorary Doctorate of Electrical Engineering in 1952. From the age of thirteen he served during summer vacations as a farm hand on various Indiana farms. In 1917 he spent the summer as a lathe operator for Ross Gear and Tool Company in Lafayette, Indiana. In the summer of 1918 he took an operations training course with the Commonwealth Edison Company in Chicago. In the fall of the same year he was enrolled in the Student Army Training Corps of the U.S. Army, stationed at Purdue University, until after the end of the first World War. After graduation, from June 1919 to May 1920, he was employed in the test training course of the General Electric Company at Schenectady, N.Y., during a portion of which time he was in charge of factory tests of Alexanderson high frequency generators. Urged by the U.S. Navy, the General Electric Company organized and incorporated the Radio Corporation of America for the U.S. application of Alexanderson's generators.

From May to September 1920 he was in the Radio Engineering Department of General Electric Company, engaged in testing and placing in service trans-oceanic radio transmitting stations for the Radio Corporation of America. Some of this work was done at the former Marconi Station, located on the Raritan River between New Brunswick and Bound Brook, New Jersey. From September 1920 until 1929 he was employed by the Radio Corporation of America, during which time he was engaged in developing and placing in service the transmitting facilities with which RCA established its world-wide public service radio communications business. His activity was taken over by RCA Communications, Inc. in 1929 and then by RCA Laboratories in 1942.

In 1925 Hansell founded the RCA Radio Transmission Laboratory at Rocky Point, Long Island, N.Y. This laboratory developed the world's largest radio transmitting station, which was located adjacent to its facilities. The Rocky Point Laboratory had an active part in RCA developments of radio and television broadcasting and radio relaying systems, which have grown to services of great magnitude. During the second World War the laboratory was engaged in development of radio communications equipment, radio navigational equipment, and radar and low drag antenna systems for high speed military aircraft. In 1932 Hansell became interested in ionized air and its biological effects after having observed powerful effects produced by strongly ionized air upon one of his associates in the Rocky Point Laboratory. In 1945, while serving as a scientific investigator with the Technical Industrial Intelligence Committee in Germany for the U.S. Government, he obtained and reported information concerning air ionization investigations there. This led to an association with Mr. W. Wesley Hicks of San Francisco. President of Wesix Electric Heater Company, Mr. Hicks soon became one of the most active promoters and the most effective supporter of air ionization research in the United States. This association continued until the death of Mr. Hicks on December 8, 1960. Many others were brought into the field and have made important contributions. The present result is that the utilization of artificially ionized air seems to be ready to assume great importance in air conditioning and in therapeutics.

A nonprofit membership organization called The American Institute of Medical Climatology has been organized in Philadelphia. One of its purposes is to promote air ionization medical research and to spread knowledge of its results. Hansell was General Chairman for an International Conference on Ionization of the Air sponsored by the Institute in 1961, at the Franklin Institute, in Philadelphia.

Hansell was a Fellow of RCA Laboratories, The American Institute of Electrical Engineers and The Institute of Radio Engineers. He was a member of the Franklin Institute, Electrochemical Society, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Sigma Xi, and American Institute of Medical Climatology. He was the author and co-author of technical papers and was issued more than 300 United States patents and many more in other countries. Before moving to Princeton, New Jersey, in 1958, he was President of the Board of Education of Union Free School District No. 6, Port Jefferson, Long Island, N.Y. He also was President of the Port Jefferson area Planning Commission and was a member of the Port Jefferson Rotary Club. Mr. Hansell retired from RCA in 1963 and moved to Florida. Until his death in 1967 he spent a great deal of time in Port Jefferson, N.Y., with his married daughter and her family. During his retirement he worked on several manuscripts on ionization and the nature of energy and matter.

Subjects
Hansell, C. W. (Clarence Weston), 1898-1967
Radio Corporation of America.
Wesix Electric Heater Company (San Francisco, Calif.)
Biology -- Research -- United States.
Ionization.
Long Island (N.Y.) -- Intellectual life.
Intellectual life.
Biology -- Research.
United States.
New York (State) -- Long Island.

INVENTORY 

Box 1

Biographical and personal files
Photograph of Clarence Weston Hansell
Cabin Cruiser Plover (1933-1934)
Newspaper clippings, primarily about Port Jefferson and the School District (2f)
Purdue University alumni circulars and correspondence (2f)
American Institute of Medical Climatology
Court briefs: Miller, John M., Plaintiff, v. National Broadcasting Company, Inc. and RCA Communications Inc. on Miller Patent no. 1,756,000. U.S. District Court, District of Delaware. Brief for Defendants.; Miller, John M., Plaintiff-Appellant, v. same parties in above. U.S. Circuit Court of Appeal for the Third Circuit, October Term, 1934. Brief for Defendants-Appellees.

Notebook: 1924, January 8-1928, May 3. Belfast, Maine-Rocky Point, New York “Wave Antenna for Transmission, Belfast Station, Field Log, E.L.J.-219.” 93 p.

Box 2
Notebooks:
April 11, 1925-September 12, 1930. Rocky Point, New York Engineering Department, RCA. unnumbered leaves.

September 26, 1939-July 22, 1933. Rocky Point, New York, RCA Communications, Inc. 329 p.

July 27, 1933, July 27-November 19, 1935. Rocky Point, New York, RCA Communications, Inc. unnumbered leaves

November 22, 1935-January 27, 1937. Rocky Point, New York, Transmitter Research and Development Laboratory, RCA Communications, Inc. 333 p. Some notes laid in.

February 8, 1937-January 21, 1939. Rocky Point, New York, RCA Communications, Inc., Transmitter Research and Development Laboratory. 121 p.

Box 3

Report on Trip to England. October, 1937.

Hansell Docket 8018 - Chemical Process of Separation

Various patents. None by Mr. Hansell, but all are about radio direction finders and airplane detection

Pulse system patents

U.S. Army. Signal Corps. Contract W-2279-sc-8, File 9-SCRL-42... Report on work done by Rocky Point Laboratory... RCAC SO-42-105 and 124, RCAL SO-21501.... Typescript, with photographic illustrations. 1942. Correspondence attached.

Miscellaneous, ca. 1939-1943

Box 4

RCA Laboratories Planning Committee, Television and Frequency Modulation Sub-Committee, Group VI-Radio Relay. 1943-1944.

RCA Laboratories Planning Committee, Television and Frequency Modulation Sub-Committee, Group VI-Radio Relay. 1943-1944 (continued).

RCA Laboratories Planning Committee, Television and Frequency Modulation Sub-Committee, Group VI-Radio Relay. 1943-1944 (continued).

Radio Relay Report for Planning Committee. Includes Typescript draft notes for “Radio and Cable Television Relay Systems,” by Mr. Hansell. Also, Radio Technical Planning Board reports, 1944.

RCA Laboratories Planning Committee, Television and Frequency Modulation Sub-Committee, Group VI-Radio Relay. 1943-1944 (continued).

Box 5

“History of Frequency Shift Keying,” (by Mr. Hansell?) Typescript carbon. 75 p.

Modern pioneers; Antenna history; Suggested research. ca. 1939-1947. Letters, correspondence, reports, etc. Includes: Hansell, C.W., “Development of Radio Relay Systems.” Reprinted from RCA Review, 7(Sept. 1946), no. 3, 367-84; Radio relay. 1944-1945. Letters, correspondence, papers, etc.; “Development of Radio-Relay Systems by the Radio Corporation of America.” Typescript carbon and galley proofs.

Correspondence and notes about the paper, and correspondence with the Institute of Radio Engineers, for whose 1946 Cleveland Section Meeting the paper was originally prepared.

Correspondence, notes, memoranda, applications, etc. 1943-1946. Includes 20 p. “Suggestions” on “How to make a success of RCA Laboratories.” Typescript carbon memorandum. (2f)

Correspondence, notes, papers concerning preparation and actual stay in Germany. (3f)

Box 6

Combined Intelligence Objectives Subcommittee Evaluation Reports. Also other reports.

Four small notebooks used by Hansell in Germany.

Guellich, G.E., Optical Industries in Germany. July, 1945. FB-15955. Facsimile of typescript, prepared for Technical Industrial Intelligence Committee (T.I.I.C.)

Hansell, C.W., Miscellaneous Developments in German Science and Industry. PB-1638. Original typescript. Other Correspondence and reports related to investigations made in Germany, 1945-1947.

PB-1638, photostatic copy, with various correspondence and maps attached. 1945-1947.

Box 7

PB-1638, photostatic copy, with various correspondence and maps attached. 1945-1947.

Correspondence and papers concerning arrangements for the trip to Germany and correspondence on further investigation of material microfilmed in Germany. 1945-1947.

Correspondence and notes, ca. October-November, 1945. (In folder marked "German Science.")

Correspondence and notes, ca. December, 1945.

Papers and correspondence regarding trip to England, 1945.

U.S. Publication Board. Report. 1945: No: 28, 31, 55, 58, 59, 60, 67, 69, 70, 76, 77, 78, 81, 93, 95, 113, 115, 124, 128, 132, 145, 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 157, 158, 159, 164, 166, 185, 197, 199

Box 8

List of unclassified reports by TICC, TIIB, TIDD, October 14, 1946.

U.S. Publication Board. Report. 1945: 202, 205, 215, 232, 234, 243, 272, 273, 295, 301, 303, 305, 308, 309, 310, 330, 331, 332, 333, 334, 336, 337, 338, 354, 358, 359, 361, 371. (Hansell was co-author of no. 303)

Combined Intelligence Objectives Subcommittee (C.I.O.S.); Telefunken G.M.B.H. Item no. 1, 7 and 9. File no. XXXI-52. London, 1945.

Combined Intelligence Objectives Subcommittee (C.I.O.S.); Restricted cyclotron investigation Heidelberg. Item no. 21 and 24. File no. XXIX-47. 1945.

Combined Intelligence Objectives Subcommittee (C.I.O.S.); Institutes of the Bevollmächtigter für Hochfrequenz-Forschung. Item no. 1 and 7, File no. XXXI-37. (1945)
(Hansell contributed to all three C.I.O.S. reports above)

Correspondence and notes, 1946-1947

Correspondence with Knoll, Max, Dr. and Lamberty, Oscar J.E.; also some C.A.R.E. folders and personal items. ca. 1945-1947.

Box 9

Correspondence, notes, and clippings, ca. 1946.

Cost of radio relay systems. ca. 1946-1948

National Electronics Conference meeting, Chicago, 1946

Matter and energy. Research notes, papers, correspondence, etc.

Box 10

Hansell, C.W., A Proposed Model to Explain Creation of Matter and the Interchange of Matter and Energy. Princeton, New Jersey, RCA, 1959. duplicated. PEM-1388 Correspondence, copies of correspondence, carbon typescripts and other materials included.

Unidentified holograph notes on matter and energy

Notes, clippings, etc. on matter and energy, ca. 1950-1963

Electron Dynamics. 1946-1965. Research notes, drafts, articles and photostats and correspondence

Matter and energy. Research notes, and holograph drafts. Many notes dated 1964-1965

Matter and energy, holograph drafts and notes

“Thermodynamics Handbook.” Holograph notes.

Box 11

PEM-1399, with notes, corrections, correspondence, etc. 1959.

Manuscript on matter, energy, and electrons, with notes, typescript drafts. ca. 1961-1965.

Manuscript on matter, energy, and electrons, with notes, typescript drafts. ca. 1961-1965 (continued).

Manuscript on matter, energy, and electrons, with notes, typescript drafts. ca. 1961-1965 (continued).

Manuscript notes on electron affinities of atoms and Bohr's hydrogen atom.

Typescript manuscript of an alphabetical glossary or dictionary of scientific information. (possibly for a book on atmospheric ionization or electrons)

Hansell, C.W., Atmospheric Ionization and Its Effect upon Life, An Important Factor in Therapeutics and in Air Conditioning. Corrected typescript for proposed book.

Box 12

Atmospheric Ionization... (see Box 10, f.7), Chapter 3, with notes, correspondence, articles, offprints, extracts, etc.

Atmospheric Ionization... (see Box 10, f.7), Chapter 4, with notes, etc. ca. 1950-1952.

Holograph and typed drafts of another book on ionization, with notes and correspondence. This may be the work Mr. Hansell referred to in a draft of a letter (laid in Box 11, f.1) dated after 1963, "From time to time I have engaged in the writing of a book in which my intention is to present what I have learned and suspected concerning air ionization, over a period of about 35 years." Includes the typescript of Hansell's Bibliography of Published References Relating to Ionization of the Air and its Biological Effects (See also Box 12)

Box 13

“Hansell's Handbook.” Reading and research notes, reference information, etc. ca. 1941-196?

Matter and energy papers and drafts, as well as notes and correspondence on ionization. ca. 1950-1962

Matter and energy papers and drafts, as well as notes and correspondence on ionization. ca. 1950-1962 (continued)

Matter and energy papers and drafts, as well as notes and correspondence on ionization. ca. 1950-1962 (continued)

Hansell, C.W., Atmospheric Ionization and its biological effects, summary of research to August 1, 1960. Princeton, New Jersey, RCA Laboratories, August 15, 1960. PEM-1755. 95 p. Duplicated.

King, G.W.K., Ionization of the air and electrical field effects in biology; bibliography of published references, 1962-1966. 3d ed. Princeton, New Jersey, Radio Corporation of America, Astro-Electronics Division, November, 1966. duplicated.

Box 14

Hansell, C.W., comp, Ionization of the air and its biological effects; bibliography of published references. Princeton, New Jersey, RCA Service Company, Government Service Department, June, 1962.

Hansell, C.W., comp, Ionization of the air and its biological effects; bibliography of published references. Original typescript, with memoranda.

Hansell, C.W., comp., Bibliography of published references relating to ionization of the air and its biological effects. Princeton, New Jersey, RCA Laboratories, December 15, 1960. Duplicated.

Hansell, C.W., Air ionizers and ionization instruments offer new business for RCA. August 5, 1960. 14 p. Duplicated.

Hansell, C.W., Some notes relating to therapeutic application of ionized air. Princeton, New Jersey, RCA Laboratories, November 15, 1960. 7 p. Duplicated.

Hansell, C.W., Ionization of the air and its biological effects. Rocky Point, New York, RCA Laboratories Division, Radio Transmission Section, October 31, 1951. 114 p. Engineering Memorandum 62-42. Typescript carbon.

Correspondence and notes about PEM-1755, Atmospheric ionization and its biological effects. 1960. 

PEM-1755, Atmospheric ionization...with collections of supplementary materials, xeroxed articles, etc.

PEM-1755, Atmospheric ionization...with collections of supplementary materials, xeroxed articles, etc. 

Various holograph manuscript drafts.

Drafts of two articles and miscellaneous notes.

Box 15

Subject files. These alphabetically arranged files include clippings, articles, working papers, correspondence, and related materials.
Antibiotics
Bacteriology
Biology (2f)
Diathermy
Electrets
Electric Heating
Electrical Precipitation

Box 16

Electrofax
Endocrine Systems
Subject files (continued)
Ionization-Morocco Experiment
Ionization Patents
JTAC Subcommittee on Spurious Radio Emissions
Medical Electronics
Physics

Box 17

Psychology
Ionization: 1933-1950
Ionization: 1951

Box 18

Ionization: 1952
Ionization: 1953 (2f)

Box 19

Correspondence with Hugo Gernsback, June 22, 1953
Ionization: 1954
Ionization: 1955

Box 20

Ionization: 1956
Ionization: 19571958
Ionization: 1958-August 1959 

Box 21

Ionization: January 1, 1958 August 1959 (2f)
Ionization: August 19, 1959-December 31, 1959
Ionization: June 1959-October 1959
Ionization: 1960 (3f)

Box 22

Ionization: popular publications (4f)

Box 23

Ionization: popular publications
Circuit breakers
Ionization: 1960-1961
Ionization: 1961

Box 24

Ionization: 1961
Photograph: unidentified, 1961
Ionization: 1961
Photograph: RCA Service Company Air Ionization Equipment (5 items)
Ionization: 1962 (3f)

Box 25

Ionization: 1963
Ionization: 1963-1966
Ionization: 1966-1967 (includes Vedeneev, Vladimir Ivanovich et al., Bond energies ionization potentials and electron affinities. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1966.)
Ionization: International Conference…papers
Proceedings of the International Conference on Ionization, October 16-17, 1961
Proposal for the Study of Extra-terrestrial Environment, September 16, 1961
Neuropathology and Neurophysiology, including Electroencephalogy
Paper: Charge, Mass and Energy, 1959
Medical summary, undated

Box 26

Compilation of publications, undated
Publications on ions, undated (3f)

Box 27

Publications, ca. 1926
Ten years research in the region bordering on Physics and Medicine, 1949
Publications: 1931
Publications: 1934
Publications: 1944
Publications: 1946
Publications: 1947-1952

Box 28

Publications: 1949 (2f)
Publications: 1951
Publications: 1952
Publications: 1953
Publications: 1954
Publications: 1955
Publications: 1956
Publications: 1957
Publications: 1958
Publications: 1959 (3f)

Box 29

Publications: 1959
Publications: 1960 (2f)
Publications: 1961 (3f)

Box 30

Publications: 1961
PHILCO Air Ionization, 1961
Airborne Negative Ion Therapy, 1958
Publications, 1962 (2f)
Proceedings of the International Conference on Ionization, October 16-17, 1961, vol. 1

Box 31

Proceedings of the International Conference on Ionization, October 16-17, 1961, vol. 2
Compilation of publications, undated
RCA annual reports and other publication, undated

Box 32

Unidentified publications, undated
Compilation of publications, undated
RCA annual reports and other publications, undated
AT&T annual reports and manuscript publication, undated

Box 33

Photographs: equipment, undated (1-68)