The University of Iowa Libraries
Special Collections and University Archives
Finding Aid
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Papers of T.L. Dimond Access and Restrictions: This collection is open for research. Digital Surrogates: Except where indicated, this document describes but does not reproduce the actual text, images and objects which make up this collection. Materials are available only in the Special Collections Department. Copyright: Please read The University of Iowa Libraries' statement on Property Rights, Copyright Law, and Permissions to Use Unpublished Materials. Use of Collections: The University of Iowa Libraries supports access to the materials, published and unpublished, in its collections. Nonetheless, access to some items may be restricted by their fragile condition or by contractual agreement with donors, and it may not be possible at all times to provide appropriate machinery for reading, viewing or accessing non-paper-based materials. Please read our Use of Manuscripts Statement. Acquisition and Processing Information: Donated to the University of Iowa Libraries by Thomas L. Dimond in 1987. Photographs: Box 1 |
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Scope and Contents
Atricles by and about Dimond; a book of his patents, with drawings; photographs; examples of his inventions; other miscellany. Included with this donation were several books that were either incorporated into the book collections or deaccessioned. There is a list of these books in the administrative file.
Biographical Note
Tom Dimond was born on a farm southwest of Britt, Iowa in 1904, and apparently named Leone Thomas Dimond, though he was later known as Thomas L. Dimond. His first four years of schooling were at a county school, known as the Dimond School, after which he moved with his parents into Britt in 1914. During the summer months, he helped out on the farm. He also played clarinet and saxophone with H.D. Green's dance band. He graduated from Britt High School in 1922. After graduating from the University of Iowa with a BE degree in electrical engineering in 1926, he was immediately offered a job with Bell Laboratories, then only a year old. He was shifted from job to job at Bell, which he liked, as it challenged him to learn new systems and stretch his creativity. During World War II, he worked with scanning apparatus and specialized in jamming equipment that blocked radio signals.
While working at Bell Labs he received over forty patents, including one for the "Dimond Ring" a complicated ring-shaped gadget made up of circuits that revolutionized the way telephones work. He also invented the "number reader," a device for transferring handwriting to computers. During his last ten years at Bell Labs he switched to executive positions. He retired from Bell Labs in 1967. He had married Ruth Clark in 1928, and while still living in New Jersey and using it as their home base, they travelled in the United States, Europe, South America, and Africa before moving to California in 1976, where they took up residence at Leisure World at Laguna Hills, a retirement community. Here he joined an inventors club.
Box Contents List
Box 1
Articles
Composition Book of Puzzles
Inventions
The Inventors' Club of Leisure World - January 1, 1980-1982, 1983
The Inventors' Club of Leisure World Activities
Nuclear Power Plants
Patents
Photographs
Plantronics
Retirement from Bell Telephone Laboratories
Tech Clubs - May 1, 1978 - January 1, 1980
Typed Image of Dimond
Box 2
Card reader
Desk set with teletype, presented by Teletype, to which Dimond had contacts through Bell Labs
Device for attaching numerous photographs, which Dimond named "Snappie." Stored with photographs to demonstrate its use
First Data System Cutover from Dimond invention, in plastic plaque, showing design
Number reader