Please help identify this physics apparatus!











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6
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enter image description here



This was my grandfather’s and have no idea what it is only that it is some piece of physics equipment!



The main black cylinder doesn’t seem like it wants to rotate but not sure if it should?










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  • I'm voting to close this question as off-topic.
    – AccidentalFourierTransform
    1 hour ago






  • 2




    @AccidentalFourierTransform: How about explaining why you think it's off-topic? It seems obviously on topic to me.
    – Ben Crowell
    1 hour ago






  • 2




    @AccidentalFourierTransform While it is not clear cut ( maybe a topic for meta) I would happily class this as a "experimental design" question as it is clearly physics equipment meant for some experiment. This would put it squarely on topic for the site as per the help section. Equally other similar questions have been posted before and been accepted e.g. physics.stackexchange.com/questions/298079/…
    – J.Doe
    1 hour ago















up vote
6
down vote

favorite












enter image description here



This was my grandfather’s and have no idea what it is only that it is some piece of physics equipment!



The main black cylinder doesn’t seem like it wants to rotate but not sure if it should?










share|cite|improve this question
























  • I'm voting to close this question as off-topic.
    – AccidentalFourierTransform
    1 hour ago






  • 2




    @AccidentalFourierTransform: How about explaining why you think it's off-topic? It seems obviously on topic to me.
    – Ben Crowell
    1 hour ago






  • 2




    @AccidentalFourierTransform While it is not clear cut ( maybe a topic for meta) I would happily class this as a "experimental design" question as it is clearly physics equipment meant for some experiment. This would put it squarely on topic for the site as per the help section. Equally other similar questions have been posted before and been accepted e.g. physics.stackexchange.com/questions/298079/…
    – J.Doe
    1 hour ago













up vote
6
down vote

favorite









up vote
6
down vote

favorite











enter image description here



This was my grandfather’s and have no idea what it is only that it is some piece of physics equipment!



The main black cylinder doesn’t seem like it wants to rotate but not sure if it should?










share|cite|improve this question















enter image description here



This was my grandfather’s and have no idea what it is only that it is some piece of physics equipment!



The main black cylinder doesn’t seem like it wants to rotate but not sure if it should?







electromagnetism electricity electromagnetic-induction induction instrument






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share|cite|improve this question













share|cite|improve this question




share|cite|improve this question








edited 3 hours ago









Qmechanic

100k121811130




100k121811130










asked 3 hours ago









user37250

10118




10118












  • I'm voting to close this question as off-topic.
    – AccidentalFourierTransform
    1 hour ago






  • 2




    @AccidentalFourierTransform: How about explaining why you think it's off-topic? It seems obviously on topic to me.
    – Ben Crowell
    1 hour ago






  • 2




    @AccidentalFourierTransform While it is not clear cut ( maybe a topic for meta) I would happily class this as a "experimental design" question as it is clearly physics equipment meant for some experiment. This would put it squarely on topic for the site as per the help section. Equally other similar questions have been posted before and been accepted e.g. physics.stackexchange.com/questions/298079/…
    – J.Doe
    1 hour ago


















  • I'm voting to close this question as off-topic.
    – AccidentalFourierTransform
    1 hour ago






  • 2




    @AccidentalFourierTransform: How about explaining why you think it's off-topic? It seems obviously on topic to me.
    – Ben Crowell
    1 hour ago






  • 2




    @AccidentalFourierTransform While it is not clear cut ( maybe a topic for meta) I would happily class this as a "experimental design" question as it is clearly physics equipment meant for some experiment. This would put it squarely on topic for the site as per the help section. Equally other similar questions have been posted before and been accepted e.g. physics.stackexchange.com/questions/298079/…
    – J.Doe
    1 hour ago
















I'm voting to close this question as off-topic.
– AccidentalFourierTransform
1 hour ago




I'm voting to close this question as off-topic.
– AccidentalFourierTransform
1 hour ago




2




2




@AccidentalFourierTransform: How about explaining why you think it's off-topic? It seems obviously on topic to me.
– Ben Crowell
1 hour ago




@AccidentalFourierTransform: How about explaining why you think it's off-topic? It seems obviously on topic to me.
– Ben Crowell
1 hour ago




2




2




@AccidentalFourierTransform While it is not clear cut ( maybe a topic for meta) I would happily class this as a "experimental design" question as it is clearly physics equipment meant for some experiment. This would put it squarely on topic for the site as per the help section. Equally other similar questions have been posted before and been accepted e.g. physics.stackexchange.com/questions/298079/…
– J.Doe
1 hour ago




@AccidentalFourierTransform While it is not clear cut ( maybe a topic for meta) I would happily class this as a "experimental design" question as it is clearly physics equipment meant for some experiment. This would put it squarely on topic for the site as per the help section. Equally other similar questions have been posted before and been accepted e.g. physics.stackexchange.com/questions/298079/…
– J.Doe
1 hour ago










1 Answer
1






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17
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It looks like an induction coil with the make and break device at the bottom and a switch right at the bottom. If you connect it up to an accumulator be very, very careful as the output between the two ball when separate could be lethal. Also the electrical insulation elsewhere may be poor and you might get a shock just by touching the switch.



Use with very great care and preferable have somebody who knows about such devices with you.






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  • Yup, I played with one of these as a child.
    – mongo
    1 hour ago











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1 Answer
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active

oldest

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1 Answer
1






active

oldest

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active

oldest

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active

oldest

votes








up vote
17
down vote













It looks like an induction coil with the make and break device at the bottom and a switch right at the bottom. If you connect it up to an accumulator be very, very careful as the output between the two ball when separate could be lethal. Also the electrical insulation elsewhere may be poor and you might get a shock just by touching the switch.



Use with very great care and preferable have somebody who knows about such devices with you.






share|cite|improve this answer





















  • Yup, I played with one of these as a child.
    – mongo
    1 hour ago















up vote
17
down vote













It looks like an induction coil with the make and break device at the bottom and a switch right at the bottom. If you connect it up to an accumulator be very, very careful as the output between the two ball when separate could be lethal. Also the electrical insulation elsewhere may be poor and you might get a shock just by touching the switch.



Use with very great care and preferable have somebody who knows about such devices with you.






share|cite|improve this answer





















  • Yup, I played with one of these as a child.
    – mongo
    1 hour ago













up vote
17
down vote










up vote
17
down vote









It looks like an induction coil with the make and break device at the bottom and a switch right at the bottom. If you connect it up to an accumulator be very, very careful as the output between the two ball when separate could be lethal. Also the electrical insulation elsewhere may be poor and you might get a shock just by touching the switch.



Use with very great care and preferable have somebody who knows about such devices with you.






share|cite|improve this answer












It looks like an induction coil with the make and break device at the bottom and a switch right at the bottom. If you connect it up to an accumulator be very, very careful as the output between the two ball when separate could be lethal. Also the electrical insulation elsewhere may be poor and you might get a shock just by touching the switch.



Use with very great care and preferable have somebody who knows about such devices with you.







share|cite|improve this answer












share|cite|improve this answer



share|cite|improve this answer










answered 3 hours ago









Farcher

46.5k33592




46.5k33592












  • Yup, I played with one of these as a child.
    – mongo
    1 hour ago


















  • Yup, I played with one of these as a child.
    – mongo
    1 hour ago
















Yup, I played with one of these as a child.
– mongo
1 hour ago




Yup, I played with one of these as a child.
– mongo
1 hour ago


















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