Richard Steele Papers
name: label: Creator
content: Steele, Richard, 1916-1980
label: Collector
content: National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Ceramics and Glass
topic: label: Topic
content: Ceramics -- 20th century
label: Topic
content: Ceramic engineers
label: Topic
content: Ram process
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: This collection was donated to the National Museum of American History in December 1983 by Christopher Steele, son of Mr. Richard Steele.
creator: label: Creator
content: Steele, Richard, 1916-1980
setName: label: See more items in
content: Richard Steele Papers
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Richard Steele (1916-1980), a ceramics engineer, was the primary inventor of the Ram press which revolutionized the ceramics industry. Mr. Steele attended classes at Ohio State University after working during World War Two as an aircraft engineer. While working at the Research Foundation at Ohio State, he and another engineer, A. R. Blackburn (commonly referred to by Mr. Steele in the collection as "Blackie"), developed the Ram process in 1948. Up until this time, the jigger method and slip casting were used to produce ceramics.  The jigger method was a manual process which required great strength on the part of the operator.  A large amount of time was then required for shrinkage to occur and release the casting. As a result, the process also required a large amount of space to let the pieces dry.

The Ram process, on the other hand, was an automated machine process whereby dies made of special reinforced gypsum cement (as opposed to the plastic ones used in the jigger method), are pressurized on a hydraulic press and come together to mold the piece.  Air is then fed into the die to act as a releasing mechanism.  The machine is capable of pressing with 60 tons of force, up to 6,000 cycles per eight hour day.  This process enables one person to operate the press with ease and to produce approximately five times the number of ceramic pieces as someone using the jigger method.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 1 Cubic foot (3 boxes)
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1948-1963.
custodhist: label: Custodial History
content: Collection transferred to the Archives Center by the Division of Ceramics and Glass (now Division of Cultural and Community Life) in 1984. The papers were collected as documentation for ceramic objects from the Steele family, including original Nephsy ashtrays, which were the first successful experiment done using the Ram Process.
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
identifier: label: Identifier
content: NMAH.AC.0080
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Papers
label: Type
content: Journals (accounts)
label: Type
content: Sketches
label: Type
content: Audiotapes
label: Type
content: Drawings
label: Type
content: Business records
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: The collection is divided into three series.

Series 1: Sketches, Drawing Journals and Tests

Series 2: Ram Company Records

Series 3: Photographs
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: Collection processed by Carol Dreyfus, undated
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Papers
label: Genre/Form
content: Journals (accounts)
label: Genre/Form
content: Sketches
label: Genre/Form
content: Audiotapes
label: Genre/Form
content: Drawings -- 20th century
label: Genre/Form
content: Business records -- 20th century
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: The collection, which consists of notebooks, journals, photographs, correspondence, memos, brochures, and technical drawings, is divided into three series:  Sketches, Drawing Journals and Tests; Ram Company Materials; and Photographs.  The papers were selected from among Mr. Steele's files by his son, Christopher.  As a result, the papers included are somewhat sporadic and have many gaps.  However, Mr. Steele was a conscientious record keeper, so the papers in the collection provide a good illustration of his development of the Ram process.  Within the papers there are test results for water release problems, stress tests, plaster permeability tests, designs for different applications of the process, designs for dies, and other documentation.  The journals he kept document his daily activities within the Ram Company in a very complete manner.  Also included is a list of photographs with captions supplied by Mr. Steele's son Christopher.