Cylinder electrostatic machine with Leyden jar, about 1790, with components

Cylinder electrostatic machine with Leyden jar, about 1790, with components Cylinder electrostatic machine with Leyden jar, about 1790, with components

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Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Cylinder electrostatic machine for medical use, made by G. Adams, Fleet Street, London, 1792, with T-shaped prime conductor, discharging (Lane) electrometer for prime conductor, glass-legged stool, Leyden jar, discharger with glass handle, large and small brass clamps, small double Leyden jar, and miscellaneous other parts including broken remnants. It was owned and used by Dr George Fletcher, M.D., who practiced for 42 years at Chesterfield, and was given to the Museum by his youngest and last surviving child, Mrs. Mary Anne Nodder, in 1889.

Details

Category:
Electricity and Magnetism
Object Number:
1889-29
Materials:
brass, glass and metal
Measurements:
displayed dimensions: 500 x 770 x 680 mm
type:
cylinder electrostatic machines and friction electrostatic machines
credit:
Mrs M. A. Nodder.

Parts

Glass cylinder electrostatic machine on wooden base

Glass cylinder electrostatic machine on wooden base

Glass cylinder electrostatic machine on wooden (probably mahogany) base with rubbing pad on glass support and wooden handle

Materials:
glass and mahogany (wood)
Object Number:
1889-29 Pt1
type:
cylinder
Image ©
The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
T-shaped metal prime conductor on wooden base

T-shaped metal prime conductor on wooden base

T-shaped metal prime conductor on wooden (probably mahogany) base and glass support, with removable row of metal spikes and removable brass discharging sphere

Materials:
metal , wood and glass
Object Number:
1889-29 Pt2
type:
prime conductor
T-shaped metal prime conductor in wooden base

T-shaped metal prime conductor in wooden base

T-shaped metal prime conductor in wooden base

Materials:
wood , brass and paint
Object Number:
1889-29 Pt2/1
type:
prime conductor
Image ©
The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Part of:
1889-29 Pt2
Removable spikes from T-shaped metal prime conductor

Removable spikes from T-shaped metal prime conductor

Removable spikes from T-shaped metal prime conductor

Materials:
steel and brass
Object Number:
1889-29 Pt2/4
type:
spikes
Image ©
The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Part of:
1889-29 Pt2
Leyden jar, 'medical bottle' type

Leyden jar, 'medical bottle' type

Leyden jar of special type, called a 'medical bottle', as it is actually one small jar inside another.

Measurements:
overall: 265 x 73 mm
Object Number:
1889-29 Pt3
type:
bottles
Leyden jar, 'medical bottle' type

Leyden jar, 'medical bottle' type

Bottles, Leyden jar, 'medical bottle' type

Object Number:
1889-29 Pt3/2
type:
bottles
Image ©
The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Part of:
1889-29 Pt3
Insulating stool, wooden top on glass legs

Insulating stool, wooden top on glass legs

Insulating stool, wooden top (probably mahogany) on glass legs. In remarkably good shape.

Measurements:
overall: 160 x 365 x 225 mm
Materials:
mahogany (wood) and glass
Object Number:
1889-29 Pt4
type:
stools
Image ©
The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Discharger, glass handle,brass rod, ball ended

Discharger, glass handle,brass rod, ball ended

Discharger, glass handle with straight brass rod ending in brass ball

Measurements:
overall: 313 x 32 mm
Materials:
glass and brass
Object Number:
1889-29 Pt5
type:
discharger
Image ©
The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Brass clamp for cylinder electrostatic machine

Brass clamp for cylinder electrostatic machine

Large brass clamp

Measurements:
overall: 205 x 115 x 18 mm
Materials:
brass (copper, zinc alloy)
Object Number:
1889-29 Pt6
type:
clamps
Image ©
The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Discharging Lane electrometer for fitting to prime conductor

Discharging Lane electrometer for fitting to prime conductor

Discharging Lane electrometer for fitting to prime conductor. Mounts into a small hole on the top. The balls and the rod between them are not original, but were made in 1955 to complete the unit.

Measurements:
overall: 180 x 90 x 25 mm
Object Number:
1889-29 Pt7
type:
electrometers
Image ©
The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Brass clamp, with 'butterfly' turnscrew

Brass clamp, with 'butterfly' turnscrew

Small brass clamp

Measurements:
overall: 120 x 55 x 12 mm
Materials:
brass (copper, zinc alloy)
Object Number:
1889-29 Pt8
type:
clamps
Image ©
The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Double Leyden jar (two small jars joined )

Double Leyden jar (two small jars joined )

Double Leyden jar (two small Leyden jars that can be joined base to base)

Measurements:
overall: 298 x 27 mm
Object Number:
1889-29 Pt9
type:
leyden jars
Image ©
The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Two spherical conductors coated with tinfoil

Two spherical conductors coated with tinfoil

Two spherical conductors coated with tinfoil

Materials:
tin plated
Object Number:
1889-29 Pt10
type:
conductors
Image ©
The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Two copper covered discs, one zinc disc

Two copper covered discs, one zinc disc

Two copper covered discs and one zinc disc, probably electrodes, for a cylinder electrostatic machine, by George Adams, Fleet Street, London, England, 1780

Materials:
copper plated and zinc
Object Number:
1889-29 Pt11
type:
discs
Copper covered disc, for a cylinder electrostatic machine

Copper covered disc, for a cylinder electrostatic machine

Copper covered disc, one of two, probably an electrode, for a cylinder electrostatic machine, by George Adams, Fleet Street, London, England, 1780

Measurements:
overall: 102 mm,
Materials:
copper plated
Object Number:
1889-29 Pt11/1
type:
electrodes
Part of:
1889-29 Pt11
Copper covered disc, for cylinder electrostatic machine

Copper covered disc, for cylinder electrostatic machine

Copper covered disc, one of two, probably an electrode, for a cylinder electrostatic machine, by George Adams, Fleet Street, London, England, 1780

Measurements:
overall: 105 mm,
Materials:
copper plated
Object Number:
1889-29 Pt11/2
type:
electrodes
Part of:
1889-29 Pt11
Zinc disc, for cylinder electrostatic machine

Zinc disc, for cylinder electrostatic machine

Zinc disc, probably an electrode, for a cylinder electrostatic machine, by George Adams, Fleet Street, London, England, 1780

Measurements:
overall: 204 mm,
Materials:
zinc (metal)
Object Number:
1889-29 Pt11/3
type:
electrodes
Image ©
The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Part of:
1889-29 Pt11
Base from discharging electrometer

Base from discharging electrometer

Remnants from broken Leyden jar, including its discharging electrometer (the jar that broke, according to the tech file sometime before 1953, was the larger medical bottle in the early photos), and miscellaneous small parts including containers for amalgam (some with amalgam inside), empty glass bottle formerly holding mercury, wire on spools, two pieces of wire that may be part of smaller Leyden jar, bits of red wax or plasticene probably used as electrical insulation; squarish copper-covered electrode with remnants of red insulation, bent metal spike, bullet-shaped wooden (?) point.

Object Number:
1889-29 Pt12
type:
electrometers
Image ©
The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Glass curved discharger

Glass curved discharger

Glass curved discharger, from cylinder electrostatic machine for medical use, made by G. Adams, Fleet Street, London, 1792

Materials:
glass
Object Number:
1889-29 Pt13
type:
discharger
Image ©
The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Chain from accessories for cylinder electrostatic machine

Chain from accessories for cylinder electrostatic machine

Long chain from accessories for cylinder electrostatic machine for medical use, made by G. Adams, Fleet Street, London, 1792

Materials:
metal
Object Number:
1889-29 Pt14
type:
chain
Image ©
The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Short chain from accessories for cylinder electrostatic machine for medical use

Short chain from accessories for cylinder electrostatic machine for medical use

Short chain from accessories for cylinder electrostatic machine for medical use, made by G. Adams, Fleet Street, London, 1792

Materials:
metal
Object Number:
1889-29 Pt15
type:
chain
Image ©
The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum