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Wimshurst Machine [169054]

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Tools, Hardware & Locks Start Price:10.00 USD Estimated At:100.00 - 150.00 USD
Wimshurst Machine  [169054]
SHIPPING & HANDLING: The customer is responsible for all shipping and packaging charges. We offer shipping service as a convenience to our buyers. Items are not shipped until the invoice and shipping charges are completely paid. Shipping costs will be calculated and billed separately after your items have been paid for. Purchases will be shipped via our approved, insured carriers: FedEx, UPS, USPS or DHL. Pick up is available from our Reno office, once you have received your invoice post auction
A Wimshurst Machine generates an electric potential between two electrodes using the principle of electrostatic induction. The key parts are two counter-rotating dielectric disks spun by two pulleys and a crank, two Leyden jars that store the electrical charge, two double-ended brushes (one on each side), two collecting combs that wrap around the two disks, and an adjustable spark gap. When the crank is turned, electrical charge moves and collects in the Leyden jars until the voltage is sufficient to jump across the spark gap. This commercial model is well made and generates a nice spark when cranked. Some minor adjustments could make this function even better. The two rubber belts are cracking and will need to be replaced eventually. Base is 12 x 8 inches, and it is about 16 inches tall. This Wimshurst Machine is clean and a delight to behold, spinning and sparking or not. James Wimshurst (1832-1903) was an English inventor who worked as a shipwright and spent his free time inventing. He improved on the electrostatic generators of others to the extent that his "duplex machine" was named after him.