Accession No
5248
Brief Description
Wimshurst / Influence Machine, by Voltana, 1st half 20th century
Origin
Germany
Maker
Voltana
Class
electrical; demonstration
Earliest Date
1900
Latest Date
1950
Inscription Date
Material
metal (brass, at least 3 white metals); hide (leather); plastic (ebonite, bakelite, celluloid (?), at least 2 others); wood (mahogany, cork, one other); glass; paper (cardboard and at least 1 other)
Dimensions
height of machine 365mm; breadth 323mm; depth 170mm box height 390mm; breadth 340mm; depth 205mm accessories box length 495mm; breadth 360mm; height 85mm
Special Collection
Provenance
Purchased from Alan Miller, Humble Yard Fine Art, Admiral Verivon Arcade, Portobello Road; London, England on 11/05/1998.
Inscription
‘Voltana’ (main machine)
Description Notes
Wimshurst / Influence Machine, by Voltana, 1/2 20th C
Rectangular mahogany base supports pair of black-painted metal standards carrying a white metal axle which holds a pair of black plastic wheels. Each wheel carries a series of white metal foil radial strips. The rotation of the wheels is driven by a pair of leather drive belts linked to a white metal crank with wooden handle. Each wheel has a pair of wire mesh brushes moving over the foil strips to produce a charge which is collected by a pair of combs set at opposite edges of the wheels. These carry the charge to the two Leyden jars which consist of glass cylinder coated on inside and outside with white metal foil. White metal terminal connected to each of the Leyden jars, with wire running underneath to pair of white metal terminals at the front of the base, for introduction of alternating current. Two plastic-handled white metal discharging rods.
Two brass chains are used to connect the generator to the various different attachments, which can be mounted onto a brass-topped glass rod set on a tripod base.
Cardboard box covered with red paper and lined with green paper, with pushfit lid.
Separate box contains attachments: these include a set of white metal chimes, a ‘rolling ball’ consisting of a glass ball which rolls around the inside of a white metal disc set over a white metal plate; a glass jar containing 4 coloured pith balls; a plastic Leyden jar with white metal centre rod; rectangular green glass plate with white metal foil pasted onto it; brass discharging rod with 2 white metal discs (would once have carried a set of hair or string strands); wooden stand for condensor; three-pronged electrical vane in white metal; 2 vacuum tubes, one with central glass spiral, the other with foil spiral wrapped around the central cylinder; boxes for wire, chalk, etc; other assorted rods etc.
Instruction booklet.
Condition good (boxes poor, ink blot on instruction booklet); incomplete (some accessories missing)
References
Events
Description
Wimshurst generator
Otherwise known as the Wimshurst machine or Wimshurst electrostatic generator, this instrument is a device for generating a high-voltage electric charge.
The Wimshurst generator works by turning a handle, which rotates two glass or mica disks carrying metal strips, in opposite directions. The metal strips contact brushes which both induce, and then remove the charge.
The charge is then collected in capacitors similar to Leyden jars, which were the first means of storing electricity (Leyden jars are also on display, and a 'how to use' is available to explain them).
When the charge generated by the Wimshurst machine builds up to a high level, it shoots up the metal rods and sparks of up to 2 inches fire between the two metal balls. Other attachments and accessories can be added, such as bells that ring when the disks turn.
James Wimshurst invented the Wimshurst generator in the 1880’s; it became the most popular electrostatic machine of the 19th century. It was later replaced by the Van De Graf generator.
FM:45536
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