Assayer's Scale/Apothecary Balance
Chemistry; Metallurgy; Pharmacology
Physical Description: A rectangular oak case with glass panels stands on adjustable metal feet. The front page of the case is internally counterweighted to be lifted vertically by a metal handle. Inside the case is a brass beam balance with two pans suspended from curved wires. At the base of the stand is a white metal plate with horizontal markings. In front of the balance is a vertical black rod with incremental markings denoted 'milligrams'. The pans hold circular, curved glass disks.
Functional Description: Used to weight an initial sample of crushed ore to conduct an assay. The box prevents dust from accumulating and affecting accuracy of the balance, as well as restrict air flow when the assay is in process. Known standard weights would be placed in the left pan and compared to the weight of the sample in the right. Adjustable feet allowed accurate leveling of the device.
Larissa Harris; Karen Oppliger
c. 1920
English
Physical Object
MTMC 9995
USA (Chicago)
Newton Balance
Chemistry
The balance is contained in a cage of red-brown wood, atop a glossy black 20mm base made of either ceramic or stone, under which is larger red-brown colored base. Some scuff marks of normal wear and tear appear present on the front face as well as in the top back corners of the wooden cage, possibly from its position against a wall. Three tarnished adjustable feet hold the stand approximately 20mm above the ground, allowing for more precise measurements. In addition to the adjustability of the feet, there is a top-down level built into the glossy black base with which the level of the balance can be measured.
The main access way to the scale is through a glass-paned vertical-lift door approximately 390mm x 215mm. The door is counterweighted and stays open when lifted. A set of strings attaches the door to the frame and prevents it from being completely removed. On the reverse side of the balance an identical door exists and is available to use similarly, however, it is not counterweighted and must be held open.
Below the cage and beneath the glossy black base is a wooden drawer of similar dimensions to the door. A round-tipped tarnished knob is attached via screw to the front face which is used to pull the drawer out. If desired the drawer can be removed from the base entirely. Contained within the drawer is two brushes of unknown type with handles made of worn, rolled plastic.
Also contained in the drawer is a wooden object approximately 76mm x 25mm x 30mm in height. It is unknown the use of this object, however it is a hollow trough shape or wide U with a groove in each vertical wall supposedly to rest an object across. This wooden object is likely composed of three pieces each glued together in this formation. The contents of the drawer also included a ‘Directions’ sheet with instructions on how to carefully set up the balance, as well as general information about the product. This instructions sheet was in a distinctly early 20th century style and, though slightly stained and discolored, was easy to read and understand.
The physical components used for measurement are mostly composed of brass and aluminum, likely with some iron or steel screws used to connect pieces.
The main mast of the balance stood in the middle of the cage and formed the stem of a ‘T’ shape with the other half of the center weighing mechanism. This top section is quite intricate with many parts, where the function or purpose of some remain undiscovered. A focal point of this section is a piece of aluminum with a ten-inch ruler, zero in the middle extending left and right to five inches. Resting on this ruler were very small, light, and thin silvery square arches with a loop on top.
An adjustable bar running across the top of the cage can be used to lift and move these pieces across the scale and remain equidistant apart using two static prongs attached to the horizontally shifting cage-bar. Hanging from each side of the top section of the ‘T’ are the plates for measurement. According to the ‘Directions’ sheet, this balance had a maximum accuracy limit of 200g. The plates hang from S-hooks and, when not resting on supporting fingers, swing freely. Between the plates, screwed into the base of the ‘T’, is an ivory-colored plaque with the words “Made by Newton Balance Corp./-For-/Arthur H. Thomas Co./Philadelphia, U.S.A.”. Above the words are hash marks with a slight upwards curve and, similar to the ruler above, the middle is the resting mark. A downward needle extending from the top section stops in front of these hashmarks and as the scale is used indicates which side is heavier, and by what amount. The hashmarks are approximately 10mm apart with 4 sub-hash marks in between.
To use the balance, the first step is to release the plates from their supports, which is done by turning a knob just above that which opens the drawer counterclockwise. Once the rests have been removed the plates hang freely and the function of measuring can be commenced. This process of measurement was attempted with a selection of objects, however, other than a visual representation of how the mass of one object compared that of another, the ability to use this object as a means of scientific experimentation was unattainable.
Larissa Harris; Mark Franchi
1900-1921
American English
Physical Object
Newton Balance No. 228 - A.H.T. Co., No. 21318
United States of America
Metallurgical Microscope
Magnification; Metallurgy; Science; Identifying; Inspecting; Research
Physical Description: This microscope is very clearly labeled as a metallurgical microscope. The material of the microscope appears to be brass with a shiny black enamel finished over the body and brass accents on the eyepiece, body tube, and fine/course adjustment knobs. The objective lens are composed of an unknown shiny metal that could possibly be aluminum or steel, and in comparably better shape than the rest of the microscope material. The lens do not appear to go up to a very high power of magnification, which is consistent with the monocular model. Based off of previous models from Wetzlar Co. that depict the objective lens in both a different material and in more complex powers, this particular part appears to be a replacement and likely not part of the original microscope material. The microscope comes in a wooden box with no other additional pieces or parts included.
Functional Description: The metallurgical microscope is intended to be used to study and inspect opaque objects by means of reflective light microscopy. These objects usually include metal, ceramic, and optical samples. Since this particular model is monocular, the functions of this microscope will be limited to a low power of magnification and only a singular eyepiece for observing.
Larissa Harris; Emma Durocher
1927-1931
English
Physical Object
MCMT-2464
No. 258479
Germany
Raman Spectrometer
Chemistry, Spectroscopy
Functional: The Raman Spectrometer was and is used to measure stretching of bonds by measuring the inelastic scattering of light, which are output in lines of light also known as excitation lines, for the sample being collected. To test a sample the experimenter would place a glass capillary tube with a sample of the material being detected on the sampling apparatus, which is a black pedestal surrounded by concave mirrors, or under the microscope. The mirrors found around the apparatus will reflect light back at the sample from different angles so as to get the best reading of raman by testing the sample from all angles. Another way to test the sample would be to place the sample under the microscope, which is found to the left of the black pedestal when viewed from the front, on a glass plate. The microscope then scans the energy lines using its own scanning mirrors to measure the sample from all sides. The microscope is best utilized when something is under high temperatures and pressures (Hariba). Next the laser must be set to the right intensity and frequency, which can be determined by the ampere meter and the power meter, depending on the sample. “Samples are excited using either an argon ion laser or krypton ion laser which provide a multitude of excitation lines”(University of Sydney). This allows for accurate measurement of the vibrations of the sample. The laser is initiated by the user and once turned on will shine through a series of mirrors ,located around the base of the machine, and lenses, which are maneuverable and set by the operator to concentrate the light to one intensity before it hits the sample, which can also be moved up and down using the black knob attached to the apparatus. The concave mirrors will reflect the laser back towards the sample and then the shift in wavelength is then observed for the sample by a detector, in this case a photomultiplier, that measures the intensity of light leaving the sample. The photomultiplier provides analysis of the sample around the range of 1.5 um. The machine will also output a numerical value for the change in Raman on the top of the machine. The experimenter then reads this information given a graphical representation of the shift in wavelength.
Physical: The Raman Spectrometer consists of a large rectangular center module made of sheet metal. Surrounding this main piece are various instruments and dials. The whole system is set up on a table; on the back side of the center structure there is a laser emitter which is the longest object on the table, extending the entire length (1820 mm). The laser is sent through a series of lenses and mirrors that wrap around to the front of the system and shine into the sampling apparatus. The sampling apparatus is a stage in a square box with concave mirrors located on three out of the four faces with the other face allowing the laser light in. To the right of the sampling apparatus is a microscope that is used similarly to the sample apparatus. On top of the main housing, from left to right, there is a power meter in the front, in the middle back there is a meter measuring cm and change in centimeters, and on the far right there is a small digital display. The on/off switch is located on the right face of the machine behind the microscope.
Emily Lilla, Patrick Kidwell, Jacob Walcott, Kennedy Oparka, and Kelsey Bland
1928: Invented
C.V Raman & K.S. Krishnan
Similar to IR Spectrophotometers
Physical Object
English
U 1000
Enraf Nonius Cad 4 Turbo X-ray Diffractometer
X-ray Crystallography
Physical Description:
Machine is black, white and gray with a square base. The back of the base has several slots for the cords to be attached. On the back side is also a long thin piece of silver metal with inscriptions SERIE NR., U.S.PAT. 3.636.347, and BRIT.PAT. 1.267.440. One side of the base has two metal boxes attached an equal distance apart horizontally and centered vertically. On the base stands two separate columns. The first column is bent in the middle forming the shape of a V. This column has three lights on top with the words x-rays on, shutter closed, and shutter opened. One of three lasers is attached to this column as well. On the area of the column that the laser is located is also a chunk of metal with the inscription SIEMENS, Type, Nr, 60 kV, kW, and MADE IN GERMANY. About one third of this piece of metal is yellow with the inscription CAUTION X-RAYS, THIS EQUIPMENT PRODUCES X-RAYS WHEN ENERGIZED. On the opposite side of the machine is a black flat piece of metal with a circular area and a longer narrower area. In the middle of the circular area is a pillar that holds the mineral specimen. In this area is also a microscope attached to the base, as well as a circular piece of silver metal with numbers inscribed along the edges. Along the narrower area of the flat black piece is a second column, which looks like the first column. This column holds only a laser, which is located directly across from the laser on the first column, and two slots for the cords. There is a small bar that begins right before the laser that attaches column one to column two.
Functional Description:
To operate the x-ray diffractometer, a small crystal sample is loaded into a glass container and then placed in the path of the x-rays. A computer is then used to start up the machine, which takes about 3 days to run. At the end of the 3 days, an image is produced which shows the diffraction pattern of the sample.
The crystals in the sample diffract the x-rays in multiple directions, which then shows up on the image produced. This pattern can then be used to produce an image of electron density within the crystal, which leads to an image of the exact positioning of the atoms within the crystal as well as the locations of chemical bonds.
Sean Golden, Caleb Korson, Alex Person, Stefan RhodeHumphries
c. 1973
Physical Object
Netherlands