Chisman, James A. Collection

SummaryThe James A. Chisman Collection is one reel of 35 mm. created from an original 22 mm. Edison Home Kinetoscope film created in the 1920s. The reel contains intertitles guiding the viewer through a short industrial film about process and machinery used to manufacture door hardware in the Coburn Trolley Track Manufacturing Company in Holyoke, Massachusetts. Equipment depicted includes a multiple spindle drill used for drilling holes in wheels used in the tracks, a riveting machine used on frames, and an automatic screw machine making ball seats for garage door hangers.

Biographical/Historical NotesThe Coburn Trolley Track Manufacturing Company was organized in 1888 in Holyoke, Massachusetts. The foundation of the business was Lemuel Coburn’s invention of a special form of enclosed track for sliding doors. Listed in the 1906 "American Trade Index" Archive.org (as cited 5/26/2010): “Coburn Trolley Track Manufacturing Company, Holyoke, Mass. Trolley tracks; parlor, barn and fire door hangers, overhead tramways, rolling ladders; standard fire proof doors and hardware for same. Foreign agents: W. S. Loud, 17 Dalton Chambers, 41 John Dalton street, Manchester. Cable address: ‘Coburntrac,’ Holyoke. Code, Western Union.” Coburn Trolley Track Manufacturing Company (Holyoke, Mass.), [©1910] Catalogue, no. 37 WorldCat

RepositoryNortheast Historic Film

AvailabilityThe Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Reproduction and UseAuthorization to reuse and/or reproduce must be obtained from Northeast Historic Film. See http://www.oldfilm.org/research for more information.