The Cathode Ray Tube site
electronic glassware
History and Physics Instruments
electronic glassware
History and Physics Instruments
Geissler rotators
Fun with tubes
Fun with tubes
Geissler tube rotators are nice pieces of artwork and early technique, they were used as demonstration apparatus in Physics lessons and some times even sold as an educational Physics toy in a box together with a Grenet battery, and a Geissler tube. Most of them were used at the end of the 19th century. It must have been a fantastic light show in that days. Electrical motors where just like the Geissler tubes a new phenomena. Some of the rotators below were sold on Ebay. I used the pictures to let you see the difference between the models.
You can find more rotators at the fine website of the sparkmuseum.
You can find more rotators at the fine website of the sparkmuseum.
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The look of a spinning Geissler tube.
Picture courtesy of Alastair Wright.
Look here at YouTube for a working example!
Picture courtesy of Alastair Wright.
Look here at YouTube for a working example!
Patent of a Geissler tube rotator 1882.
Wheatstone's linear motor model
Most of this motor designs make use of a soft iron circular core, within this core
spins a set of coils. There are 4 and 6 pole models mostly with a tapered core.
On the wooden base are the connections for the motor coil and for the high tension.
A Ruhmkorff coil or static machine together with sufficient power for the motor, often
Grenet cells were used, completes the setup.
Most of this motor designs make use of a soft iron circular core, within this core
spins a set of coils. There are 4 and 6 pole models mostly with a tapered core.
On the wooden base are the connections for the motor coil and for the high tension.
A Ruhmkorff coil or static machine together with sufficient power for the motor, often
Grenet cells were used, completes the setup.
The Froment motor model
This is a different kind of motor with a static
horseshoe coil and a rotating soft iron core
with 4, 6 or 8 poles.
This is a different kind of motor with a static
horseshoe coil and a rotating soft iron core
with 4, 6 or 8 poles.
close up of the
breaker system
breaker system
This model is slightly different than the
common Wheatstone models. It has an
iron stem and the poles are not tapered.
The height is about 20 centimeter.
Probably a French model.
common Wheatstone models. It has an
iron stem and the poles are not tapered.
The height is about 20 centimeter.
Probably a French model.
Max Kohl model
Collection of rotators from an old french Pericaud catalog.
(picture courtesy of Alastair Wright)
(picture courtesy of Alastair Wright)
Pericaud rotator