Accession No

3850

Brief Description

Mechanical model for demonstrating the centrifugal effect of the rotation of the earth, and consequent flattening at the poles. 2nd 1/2 19th C

Origin

Maker

Class

physics; demonstration

Earliest Date

1850

Latest Date

1900

Inscription Date

Material

wood (mahogany, maple); metal (brass)

Dimensions

length 386mm; breadth 197mm; height 533mm

Special Collection

Provenance

Purchased from Tesseract, Hastings-on-Hudson, New York, USA, 09/11/1991.

Inscription

Description Notes

Rectangular mahogany base with four feet. Two turned maple pillars and mahogany cross-piece. Vertical brass shaft turned by two brass gear wheels moved by mahogany handle above cross-piece. The shaft is detachable at the top and moves in a hole in the base. It carries a flexible loop of sheet brass, which deforms when rotated rapidly. Remains of red paint on shaft and loop.

Condition fair; complete.

References

Events