Accession No

2047.1

Brief Description

Macalaster Wiggin type X-ray tube, by Victor, U.S.A., c. 1915

Origin

U.S.A.; Boston

Maker

Victor

Class

physics

Earliest Date

1915

Latest Date

1915

Inscription Date

Material

glass; metal (brass, copper, tungsten, at least two other metals); paper

Dimensions

length 550mm; breadth 160mm; height 220mm

Special Collection

Cavendish collection

Provenance

Transferred from Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, 1974.

Inscription

‘VICTOR
TRADE MARK
MADE IN BOSTON U.S.A.
TUNGSTEN’
‘PAT. SEP. 5:11 DEC. 30:13
JUN. 23:14 NOV. 30:15’ (target)
‘SOLD BY
FREDk. BUTT & Co., Ld.
Manufacturers of X-Ray Apparatus,
147, Wardour Street,
London, W.’ (paper label on cathode tube)

Description Notes

Glass tube with central spherical chamber, tinged purple from gas. White metal anode in side arm ending in disc. Long tube from sphere containing white metal cathode ending in concave disc at top of short cylinder. Opposite the cathode is a long glass tube containing the connection for the target, which consists of an open white metal ring, linked to a copper (?) cylinder cut at an angle with a central mica (?) disc. Side arm evacuation tube. Copper section of target carries serial number and patent details. Brass caps on electrodes to aid electrical connection; spiral brass wire connects anode and target. Broken brass wire between evacuation tube and cathode. Attached label from Cavendish reads ‘Macalaster Wiggin type X-Ray gas tube Heavy anode’.

Condition good; complete.

References

Events