Accession No
4346
Brief Description
Self-contained Wheatstone Bridge, with direct-reading temperature scale, Whipple Indicator type, by Cambridge Scientific Instrument Company Ltd., English, 1905
Origin
England; Cambridge
Maker
Cambridge Scientific Instrument Company Ltd.
Class
electrical
Earliest Date
1905
Latest Date
1905
Inscription Date
Material
wood; glass; hide (leather?); metal
Dimensions
box length 335mm; breadth 195mm; height 255mm
Special Collection
Cambridge Instrument Company Collection
Provenance
Donated by the Cambridge Instrument Company.
Inscription
“THE CAMBRIDGE SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENT CO. LTD. ENGLAND / Whipple’s Patent Temperature Indicator / No. 2558” (on top)
Description Notes
Self-contained Wheatstone Bridge, with direct-reading temperature scale, Whipple Indicator type; made by Cambridge Scientific Instrument Co., 1905;
Similar to Wh: 4345, but with two glazed windows and galvanometer clamp tapping key controls in lid; circular handle fixed on shaft; two levelling feet, operated from top; without exchangeable resistance coil; temperature range 0 to 2 200 degree fahrenheit;
Condition: Fair (galvanometer suspension broken); complete
References
Events
Description
This instrument shows direct readings from an attached resistance thermometer. The Indicator can be a considerable distance from the thermometer without affecting the accuracy of the readings, which meant it could be installed in a convenient location, saving time and and reducing the need to disturb the conditions being measured. Robert Stewart Whipple designed the Indicator for Cambridge Scientific Instrument Company in 1902 as an improvement on the Callendar Recorder.
Robert S. Whipple (1871-1953), whose father George was the Superintendent of Kew Observatory, joined Cambridge Scientific Instrument Company in 1898 as personal assistant to the Company’s co-founder, Horace Darwin. Whipple had previously worked as an assistant at Kew, and assistant manager for L. P. Casella. He became Managing Director of CSIC in 1905, and served as Chairman from 1935 until 1950, remaining a Director until his death. In 1944, Whipple donated his private collection of historic scientific instruments to the University of Cambridge, founding the Whipple Museum.
02/04/2020
Created by: Morgan Bell on 02/04/2020
FM:43691
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