Accession No

3359

Brief Description

Kelvin-type electric current balance, James White, 1896 (c)

Origin

Glasgow; Scotland

Maker

White. James

Class

electrical

Earliest Date

1896

Latest Date

1896

Inscription Date

Material

stone (slate); metal (brass, other, aluminium); wood; plastic (ebonite, ivorine); glass

Dimensions

length 533mm; breadth 255mm; height 208mm

Special Collection

Provenance

Transferred from Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, England, 1986.

Inscription

‘LORD KELVIN’S PATENTS
ELECTRIC
285
BALANCE
J. WHITE, GLASGOW’ (on metal plate on base-plate)
‘CENT.-AMP.
BALANCE’ (on ivorine plate on base)

Description Notes

Kelvin-type electric current balance, James White, 1896 (c).

Slate and metal baseplate mounted on rectangular wooden base with two terminals mounted on ebonite bar underneath plate; three adjustable legs; bubble level; brass frame mounted on plate supports two pairs of fixed horizontal circular coils, one on either side; suspended balance beam supports two horizontal circular coils, one on either side, midway between and coaxial with the fixed coils; fixed scale, 4 to 50 divisions (to read current directly); aluminium scale on balanced beam, 0 to 64 divisions; aluminium pointer sliding along track on aluminium scale; clamping screw, zero adjust lever at front of instrument; brass-framed glazed top cover with hinged front door; hole in top glass for thermometer.
Similar to Wh: 3360, but a later model.

Condition: fine; incomplete (accessories missing).

References

Events