Guide to the Joseph Andrew Brink Papers 1923-1978
Cage 466

Summary Information

Repository
Washington State University Libraries, Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections
Creator
Brink, Joseph Andrew
Title
Joseph Andrew Brink Papers
ID
Cage 466
Date [inclusive]
1923-1978
Extent
5 containers., 4.25 linear feet of shelf space., 2310 items.
Language
Collection materials are in English.
Abstract
Correspondence, reports, articles, publications, research notes, technical data and other papers of a Washington State University researcher and industry consultant concerning the development of the Brink Mist Eliminator and other pollution control devices.

Preferred Citation

[Item Description]. Cage 466, Joseph Andrew Brink Papers. Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.

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Biography/History

Joseph Andrew Brink was born July 8, 1925 in Kansas City, Missouri. He received his B.S. in 1947 and M.S. in 1948 both in Chemical Engineering from Denver University. Following graduation, he worked as a research engineer at the Denver Research Institute. From 1949-1954 he was an Instructor and then Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering at Purdue. Brink completed his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering at Purdue in 1953.

In order to gain the industrial experience he felt he needed, Dr. Brink joined the Monsanto Chemical Company's Inorganic Research Department in 1954. His work centered around air pollution control. Brink's first project resulted in the development of fiber bed mist eliminators which were trademarked by Monsanto as the Brink Mist Eliminator (BME) in honor of his achievement. Brink was the only engineer in Monsanto's history to have a line of products bear his name.

After 19 years with Monsanto in various upper level research and management positions, Dr. Brink returned to education in 1973 as Chariman of the Department of Chemical Engineering at Washington State University. The WSU isotope laboratory and air pollution research branch were both under Brink's management. During this period he was also president of Brink and Associates, a private consulting firm.

Throughout his career, Dr. Brink received numerous awards and honors including the Distinguished Engineering Alumnus Award of Purdue University. In addition, he authored over 70 technical publications and patents.

Brink died suddenly on March 15, 1979 at his home in Moscow, Idaho.

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Arrangement

The Joseph A. Brink papers have been arranged in nine series: Articles and Reports by Brink, 1948-1975; Biographical and Personal, 1954-1977; Brink and Associates, 1975-1978; Conferences and Meetings, 1966-1972; Correspondence, 1950-1978; Pollution Control--Brink Mist Eliminator, 1923-1978; Reference Materials, 1923-1978; Washington State University, 1974-1978; and Work Files, 1955-1978.

These groups were artificially created by the processor due to the lack of perceived order in the collection. Much of the material is heavily interrelated. For example, the Reference Materials section contains information per taining to Brink's various work projects, which are located in the Work File. Although the collection dates fom 1923 through 1978, there are only a few items which predate 1948. The vast majority of the material in the collection dates from the mid-1950s through the 1970s.

The groups are arranged alphabetically by subject as are all of the folders in each group. Wherever possible, Dr. Brink's own folder headings have been preserved and material within folders was kept in its original order.

Series 1, Articles and Reports by Brink, 1948-1975, contains various technical or industry related reports and articles which Brink authored or co-authored. His master's thesis and doctoral dissertation are included. Some of the papers were translated into Spanish, Italian, French or German. These foreign language papers have been grouped together and placed at the end of this series.

Series 2, Biographical and Personal, 1954-1977, contains resumes, biographical sketches, awards, transcripts, newspaper clippings and other personal memorabilia.

The third series, Brink and Associates, 1975-1978, is made up of records from Brink's private consulting firm. Most of the items are financial in nature, such as check stubs, a record book, bank statements, and receipts. A prospectus for an ammonia/urea plant is also included.

The fourth series, Conferences and Meetings, 1966-1977 contains information and records from various trade-related events which Brink attended. Correspondence, itineraries and schedules make up the bulk of the material.

Correspondence, 1950-1978, the fifth series, is comprised mainly of correspondence relating to the profession or professional societies. Associations such as The American Chemical Society and the American Institute of Chemical Engineering are included.

The sixth series, Pollution Control--Brink Mist Eliminators, 1923-1978, is divided into two groups, Advertising and Patents. Advertising consists mainly of Monsanto pamphlets and brochures on Brink Mist Eliminators (BME) in English and foreign languages. Technical and sales bulletins are included. Also there are several articles dealing with air pollution which specifically mention the BME and/or Dr. Brink. In addition, photographs of the BME and its various components are located here. The second subgroup, Patents, contains copies of patents granted for BME's in Canada, Europe, the United Kingdom and the United States. Copies of a patent dealing with glass fibers is also included.

Series 7, Reference Materials, 1923-1978, is the largest group in this collection. It contains a wide variety of information which Dr. Brink collected over the years on many aspects of air pollution, air pollution con trol equipment, chemical engineering, and other technologies in this field. It is assumed he used these materials in his research and consulting work. Items such as reports, articles, and papers are included, advertising pamphlets make up a great deal of this group.

The eighth series, Washington State University, 1974-1978, has been divided into two subgroups: Correspondence and Research. Correspondence consists of letters to collegues and other University chemical engineering departments, letters to and replies from possible participants in an Environmental Exposition WSU attempted to sponsor, personnel files and information on enrollment restrictions. The Research subgroup contains papers concerning coal research, fibers, fertilizer plants and patent disclosure decisions.

The ninth and last series, Work Files, 1955-1978, concerns various records of Dr. Brinks's work with several clients both while at Monsanto and Brink and Associates. Drawings, photos, blueprints for equipment, records, mist eliminator work and reports are contained in this section.

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

Washington State University Libraries Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections  © 2012

http://www.libraries.wsu.edu/masc/

Terrell Library

P.O. Box 645610

Pullman, WA, 99164-5610 USA

509-335-6691

mascref@wsu.edu

Restrictions on Access

This collection is open for research use.

Acquisition Information

The papers of Joseph Andrew Brink were donated to the Washington State University Libraries in June 1979 (MS 79-23) by his wife, Mrs. Dorothy Brink.

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Names and Subjects

Personal Name(s)

Creator(s) :
  • Brink, Joseph A. (Joseph Andrew), 1925-1979. --Archives

Subject(s)

  • Pollution control equipment--Research
  • Chemistry, Technical--Research
  • Environmental Conditions
  • Washington (State)

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Detailed Description of Collection

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

Series 1: Articles and Reports by Brink, 1948-1975 

English:  
box-folder

"Air Pollution Abatement in Plastic Operations," 1971  1 item.

 1 / 1

"Air Pollution Control with Fiber Mist Eliminators," 1963  3 items.

 1 / 2

"An Investigation of the Continuous Mononitration of Toluene" (Thesis), 1948  1 item.

 1 / 3

Bibliography--Speech Abstracts, 1970-1972  17 items.

 1 / 4

"Cascade Impactor for Adiabatic Measurements," 1958  3 items.

 1 / 5

"Efficient Dust Control via New Sampling Technique," 1969  1 item.

 1 / 6

"Experiments on an Industrial Venturi Scrubber," 1958  1 item.

 1 / 7

"Fiber Mist Eliminators for Higher Velocities," 1964  1 item.

 1 / 8

Future Applications of Mist Eliminators, 1971  1 item.

 1 / 9

"High Expansion Foam Flow Analyses," 1975  4 items.

 1 / 10

"Mercury Air Pollution Control," 1972  1 item.

 1 / 11

"Mist Elimination for the Future"  

 1 / 11

Abstract, 1970  2 items.

 1 / 12

Art Work, n.d. undated  12 items.

 1 / 13

"Mist Eliminators for Sulfuric Acid Plants," undated  1 item.

 1 / 14

"Mist Removal from Compressed Gasses," 1966  1 item.

 1 / 15

"New Equipment and Techniques for Sampling Chemical Process Gasses " 1962  1 item.

 1 / 16

"New Fiber Mist Eliminator," 1959  1 item.

 1 / 17

"The Nitration of 2-Methyl-Napthalene"  
box-folder

Dissertation, 1953  1 item.

 1 / 18

Magazine Article, 1954  1 item.

 1 / 19
box-folder

"Nuisance Fumes Trapped," 1972  1 item.

 1 / 20

"Particle Size Measurements with Cascade Impactors," 1972  3 items.

 1 / 21

"Particulate Removal from Exhaust Gasses," 1972-1973  3 items.

 1 / 22

"Particulate Removal from Process Exhaust Gasses," 1973  1 item.

 1 / 23

"Phase Separation," undated  1 item.

 1 / 24

"Preventing Production of Airborne Pollutants from Chemical Processes," 1971  5 items.

 1 / 25

Publications, 1971-1973  63 items.

 1 / 26-28

"Removal of Phosphoric Acid Mists," 1964, 1972  2 items.

 1 / 29

Report on Phosphoric Acid Glass Fiber Mist Collection, 1959  3 items.

 1 / 30

"Safer Preheat Air for Ammonia Plants," 1967  2 items.

 1 / 31

"Summary of Progress on Phosphoric Acid Yield and Capacity Improvement Program at Kearney," 1959-1960  2 items.

 1 / 32

"Total Sampling Techniques for Air Pollution Control,"  1964  1 item.

 1 / 33

"Use of Fiber Mist Eliminators in Chlorine Plants," 1964  1 item.

 1 / 34

"Velocity Measurements in Two-Phase Bubble-Flow Regime with Laser Doppler Anemometry," 1976  4 items.

 1 / 35

Foreign Languages:  
box-folder

Associazione Italiana di Ingegeria Chimica, 1970  1 item.

 1 / 36

"Contre les Brouillards dans les Usines d'Acide Sulfurique," 1970  1 item.

 1 / 37

"Entnebelte Umwelt," 1971  1 item.

 1 / 38

"Equipos Filtrantes en la Prevencion de la Polucion," 1971  1 item.

 1 / 39

"La Lutte Contre la Pollution di L'Air la Transformacion des Plastiques," 1971  1 item.

 1 / 40

"Prevention des Polluants Atmospheriques dus aux Installations Chimiques," 1971  1 item.

 1 / 41

"Queksilber-Luftverunreinigung Kontrollverfahren bei Chloralkali-Elektrolyse-Anlagen," 1972  1 item.

 1 / 42

"Separadores de Niebla Para Plantas de Acidio Sulfurico," 1971  1 item.

 1 / 43

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Series 2: Biographical and Personal, 1949-1977 
box-folder

Biographical Sketches, 1954-1974  9 items.

 1 / 44

Distinguished Engineering Alumnus Convocation of Purdue University, 1972  1 item.

 1 / 45

Gaston DuBois Award, 1957  5 items.

 1 / 46

Personal File, 1962-1964  8 items.

 1 / 47

Purdue University Grade Reports, 1950-1953  11 items.

 1 / 48

Resumes, 1973-1977  7 items.

 1 / 49

Transcripts:  
box-folder

Denver University, 1949-1950, 1976  5 items.

 1 / 50

Denver University and Purdue University, 1949-1953  18 items.

 1 / 51
box-folder

Unidentified Photo undated  1 item.

 1 / 52

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Series 3: Brink and Associates, 1975-1978 
box-folder

Check stubs, 1975-1978  20 items.

 1 / 53

Prospectus for Ammonia/Urea Synthesis Plant for Albuquerque, New Mexico, 1975  1 item.

 1 / 54

Record Book and Bank Statements, 1975-1977  15 items.

 1 / 55

Records and Receipts, 1975-1976  60 items.

 1 / 56

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Series 4: Conferences and Meetings, 1966-1972 
box-folder

Air and Ammonia Safety Symposium Presentations, 1966  30 items.

 1 / 57

American Institute of Chemical Engineering:  
box-folder

Dallas Meeting, 1966  1 item.

 1 / 58

St. Louis Symposium, 1970  6 items.

 1 / 59
box-folder

International Clean Air Conference, 1972  15 items.

 1 / 60

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Series 5: Correspondence, 1950-1978 
box-folder

The Air Pollution Control Association and Journal, 1962-1968  23 items.

 1 / 61

American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1969  2 items.

 1 / 62

American Chemical Society, 1952-1953  2 items.

 1 / 63

American Institute of Chemical Engineering:  
box-folder

Election, 1950-1954  7 items.

 1 / 64

General, 1961-1966  60 items.

 1 / 65

American Society for Engineering Education:  
box-folder

General, 1951  3 items.

 1 / 66

Meetings and General, 1975-1978  15 items.

 1 / 67
box-folder

Cascade Impactor, 1954-1964, 1977  37 items.

 2 / 68

Chemical Engineering Process, 1962-1967  23 items.

 2 / 69

Omega Chi Epsilon, 1950-1951  7 items.

 2 / 70

Presentation of "Fiber Mist Eliminators for Sulfuric Acid Plants," 1968  18 items.

 2 / 71

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Series 6: Pollution Control -- Brink Mist Eliminator, 1923-1978 

Advertising:  
box-folder

Brink Equipment Pamphlets,  undated  6 items.

 2 / 72

Brink General File, 1968-1971  6 items.

 2 / 73

The Brink Guardian, 1970  1 item.

 2 / 74

Brink Mist Eliminator:  
box-folder

Ads, 1967-1969  3 items.

 2 / 75

Dutch Pamphlet, 1970  1 item.

 2 / 76

Fact Guide,  undated  2 items.

 2 / 77

Photographs,  undated  45 items.

 2 / 78-79
box-folder

CBS Documentary on Air Pollution, 1966-1970  5 items.

 2 / 80

Chempress:  
box-folder

Dutch I and 11, 1970  2 items.

 2 / 81-82

Originals, 1970  2 items.

 2 / 83
box-folder

Chemische Industrie, 1970  1 item.

 2 / 84

Chimie Actualites, 1970  1 item.

 2 / 85

Continental Manufacturing of Brink Mist Eliminator, 1961  2 items.

 2 / 86

Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, 1954, 1968  2 items.

 2 / 87

Enviro-Chem Newsletter, 1972  1 item.

 2 / 88

"From Pollution to Profit," 1969  1 item.

 2 / 89

H-P Element, 1976  1 item.

 2 / 90

La Rivista dei Combustibili, 1969  1 item.

 2 / 91

Mitsui-Monsanto Brochure,  undated  1 item.

 2 / 92

Monsanto:  
box-folder

Advertising Pamphlets for Brink Units, n.d.  20 items.

 2 / 93

Annual Report and Review, 1966  2 items.

 2 / 94

Magazine, 1967  2 items.

 2 / 95
box-folder

RCA Movie Script, 1967  1 item.

 2 / 96

Review of Chemical Process Industries, 1978  1 item.

 2 / 97

"The Struggle Against Pollution," 1969  1 item.

 2 / 98

Sales Bulletins:  
box-folder

201, n.d. undated  1 item.

 2 / 99

301, n.d. undated  1 item.

 2 / 100

401, n.d. undated  1 item.

 2 / 101

501, n.d. undated  1 item.

 2 / 102

Technical Bulletins:  
box-folder

ES-1 English, n.d. undated  1 item.

 2 / 103

ES-1 Spanish, n.d. undated  1 item.

 2 / 104

101, n.d. undated  1 item.

 2 / 105

Patents: 

Brink:  
box-folder

Canada, 1962-1969  4 items.

 2 / 106

Europe, 1966-1967  4 items.

 2 / 107

United Kingdom, 1963, 1966  2 items.

 2 / 108

United States, 1923, 1950-1977  41 items.

 2 / 109-110
box-folder

Glass Fiber Patents, 1963  3 items.

 2 / 111

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Series 7: Reference Materials, 1923-1978 
box-folder

Activated Carbon, 1962-1967  8 items.

 2 / 112

The AEC or CWS Air Filter, 1953  1 item.

 2 / 113

Aerosol Formation, 1962-1970  5 items.

 2 / 114

Air Pollution--Motor Vehicles, 1962  2 items.

 2 / 115

Air Quality Act, 1966-1972  30 items.

 2 / 116

AMAX Incorporated,  undated  5 items.

 2 / 117

American Air Filter Company,  undated  3 items.

 2 / 118

Atmos Mist Sampling Equipment, 1960-1966  32 items.

 2 / 119

Atmospheric Pollution Measurements, 1950-1967  24 items.

 2 / 120

Atomic Energy Commission Publications, 1969  7 items.

 2 / 121

Asphalt Separation, 1963  1 item.

 2 / 122

Basalt, 1961-1976  20 items.

 2 / 123

Bellingham Fiberglass Structural Engineering, 1976  6 items.

 2 / 124

Catalytic Combustion 1953-1977  31 items.

 2 / 125

The Catalytic-Oxidation System for Removing Sulfur Dioxide from Flue Gas,  undated  1 item.

 2 / 126

Celicote Ionizing Wet Scrubber, 1977  2 items.

 2 / 127

Centrifugal Separators, 1943,   3 items.

 2 / 128

Cesium Removal from a Saturated Air Stream, 1969  1 item.

 2 / 129

Chemical Defoamers, 1953-1969  65 items.

 2 / 130

Collection of Small Particles in Close Packed Tube Banks (thesis by Richard C. Premerlani), 1968  1 item.

 2 / 131

Contact Sulfuric Acid Plants Using Monsanto Enviro-Chem Systems Inc. Design, 1970  1 item.

 3 / 132

Cyclone Separators, 1953-1963  5 items.

 3 / 133

Development,  undated  12 items.

 3 / 134

Dryers--Air, 1964  2 items.

 3 / 135

Dust Collection Equipment -- General, 1950-1969  24 items.

 3 / 136

Electrical Precipitators, 1951-1973  36 items.

 3 / 137

Electrostatic Precipitators:  
box-folder

Information, 1969  2 items.

 3 / 138

Patents, 1929-1954  78 items.

 3 / 139-140
box-folder

Environment, 1969  1 item.

 3 / 141

Environmental Protection Agency, 1971-1973  12 items.

 3 / 142

Ershigs Literature, 1976  2 items.

 3 / 143

Evaluation of Coated Glass Fiber Beds,  undated  1 item.

 3 / 144

Fiber Bed Mist Eliminator Applications in Sulfuric Acid Plants, 1978  1 item.

 3 / 145

Fiber Tester, 1960 

 3 / 146

Fibers:  
box-folder

Carbon,  undated  2 items.

 3 / 147

Glass, 1974, 1977  5 items.

 3 / 148

Metal, 1977  3 items.

 3 / 149

Polypropylene, 1977  20 items.

 3 / 150

PPG Industries, 1977  7 items.

 3 / 151
box-folder

Film on Phosphorous Burning Tower, 1957  1 item.

 3 / 152

Filters--Bag, 1954-1977  28 items.

 3 / 153

Fire Resistant Lubricant Article, 1966  1 item.

 3 / 154

Fluorine, HF, etc., 1955-1959  1 item.

 3 / 155

Fog Formation in Partial Condensers, 1972  1 item.

 3 / 156

Foundries, 1964-1970  19 items.

 3 / 157

The Future of Brink Mist Eliminators, 1970  1 item.

 3 / 158

HC1 Compressor, 1964  1 item.

 3 / 159

High Pressure:  
box-folder

Impactor, 1962-1964  21 items.

 3 / 160

Mist Sampler, 1961-1964  14 items.

 3 / 161

Test Equipment Design Data, 1962  45 items.

 3 / 162
box-folder

Incomplete Report on Sulfuric Acid Collection, undated  1 item.

 3 / 163

Inertial Separators, 1959-1962  2 items.

 3 / 164

Instruments--Daniel Orifice Meter, 1963  5 items.

 3 / 165

Liquid Filtration:  
box-folder

Phosphorus,  1962-1964  27 items.

 3 / 166

TKPP, 1959-1965  27 items.

 3 / 167
box-folder

Mechanical Foam Breakers, 1965-1969  28 items.

 3 / 168

Miscellaneous Equipment, 1964-1966  8 items.

 3 / 169

Mist Eliminator KO's Pollution, 1962  1 item.

 3 / 170

New Particle Size Measuring Probe --Applications to Aerosol Collector and Emissions Evaluation, 1972  2 items.

 3 / 171

Oil/Water Separation, 1977  2 items.

 3 / 172

OSHA Regulations for Occupational Health and Environmental Control, 1971  1 item.

 3 / 173

Packed Bed Separators, 1962-1966  6 items.

 3 / 174

Plume Free Stacks Achieved in Phosphoric Acid Production,19711    

 3 / 175

Proceedings of Boise Conference on Energy Facts for Concerned Citizerns, 1973  1 item.

 3 / 176

Process Report on Glass Fiber Mist Collectors for Contact Sulfuric Acid Plants, 1956-1959  1 item.

 3 / 177

Pulp and Paper, 1972  39 items.

 3 / 178

Punched Plate misc, 1977  8 items.

 3 / 179

Refractory Materials, Cements, 1977  10 items.

 4 / 180

Ringleman Charts, 1956  1 item.

 4 / 181

Scrubbers--API Report, 1959  1 item.

 4 / 182

Spray:  
box-folder

Dryers, 1976  5 items.

 4 / 183

Nozzles--Drop Size, 1950-1966  22 items.

 4 / 184
box-folder

Sulfonic Acid Coalescers, 1964-1965  11 items.

 4 / 185

Thermal Precipitation, 1923-1969  11 items.

 4 / 186

These Acid Plants are Running, 1967  1 item.

 4 / 187

Ultrasonics, 1936-1970  1 item.

 4 / 188

US Department of Health Education and Welfare's Studies of Atmospheric Emissions from Sulfuric Acid and Phosphoric Acid Process Plants, 1965, 1968  2 items.

 4 / 189

Wire Screens and Cloth, 1976-1978  

 4 / 190

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Series 8: Washington State University, 1974-1978 

Correspondence:  
box-folder

Alan Johnson, University of Louisville, 1976  4 items.

 4 / 191

University of Idaho Chemical Engineering Department, 1974-1977  4 items.

 4 / 192

University of Washington Chemical Engineering Department, 1976-1978  12 items.

 4 / 193

Environmental Exposition:  
box-folder

General, 1974  32 items.

 4 / 194

Speakers:  
box-folder

Accepted, 1974  100

 4 / 195

Biographical Data, 1974  5 items.

 4 / 196

Maybe, 1974  10 items.

 4 / 197

No Responses, 1974  21 items.

 4 / 198
box-folder

Professional and Personal File, College of Engineering, 1978  1 item.

 4 / 199

Restrictions on Enrollment, 1977-1978  8 items.

 4 / 200

Research:  
box-folder

Coal, 1976  2 items.

 4 / 201

Environmental Protection Agency Projects and Programs, Region X, 1976  5 items.

 4 / 202

McDonnell-Douglas, 1977  8 items.

 4 / 203

New Fiber, 1974-1977  7 items.

 4 / 204

Patent Disclosures -- WSU, 1976  5 items.

 4 / 205

A Proposal for Training Engineers, Chemical Plant Operators, and Craftsmen for Fertilizer Plants--to the Government of Iran from Washington State University, 1975  1 item.

 4 / 206

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Series 9: Work Files, 1955-1978 
box-folder

Beltran Drawings and Photos, 1978  21 items.

 4 / 207

Borden-Smith Douglas (Florida), 1974-1977  10 items.

 4 / 208

Brink Nuclear Applications, 1962-1976  27 items.

 4 / 209

Ceramic Fiber, 1959-1977  52 items.

 4 / 210

Ershigs ITT, 1976-1977  19 items.

 4 / 211

Fibers:  
box-folder

Glass, 1977  31 items.

 4 / 212

Polypropylene, 1977  27 items.

 4 / 213
box-folder

Illinois Nitrogen, 1963-1975  114 items.

 4 / 214-217

Lists of Competitors and Patent Holders, 1966-1968  15 items.

 4 / 218

Mercury:  
box-folder

Mist Eliminator, 1970  8 items.

 5 / 219

Recovery, 1968-1972  20 items.

 5 / 220
box-folder

Navy Correspondence, 1961-1962  17 items.

 5 / 221

Oil Mist Eliminators, 1961-1962  17 items.

 5 / 222-223

Oleum Vent and Asphalt Vent, 1976-1978  39 items.

 5 / 224

Packing Instructions, 1977  1 item.

 5 / 225

Report Number 3512 on Process for Removing Mist from Exit Gasses, 1956  1 item.

 5 / 226

Sulfuric Acid Mist Eliminator, Avon California, 1961  1 item.

 5 / 227

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