|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Was featured in the TV show "Forever" episode "Fountain of
Youth".
Carre Static Electric Machine, restored by Jeff Behary for Frank Jones.
Made by Queen & Company of Philadelphia. When Frank purchased this
machine there were only two others known to exist in the USA. He since
bought a second and sent to me from France, and I have built several
replicas. The machine is unique because it combines frictional electricity
with electrical influence - and was the first machine of its type.
The Carre Dielectric Machine as it first arrived. It was never meant to
have sectors, not sure why and when these appeared... The disks are made
of ebonite on this machine.
Dodd & Struthers Thunder and Lightning Machine, used to sell Lightning
Rods. It was taken door to door with a small house that could be made to
blow apart from an electrical discharge if it wasn't grounded.
Shinn made a similar machine, and also sold lightning rods. The machines
were quite successful in demonstrating the safety of a safely grounded
structure.
Frank S. Betz Toepler Holtz Machine, as originally purchased by Daniel
Cuscela from the Dirk Soulis auction in Kansas City.
Sparks from the machine after we restored it when a leyden jar was included in
the circuit.
This photo was taken from a UV camera with quartz lenses.
Here is a photo of the same machine restored. It cost over $10K to restore
and Dan Cuscela and I spent over a year making it functional. It is the
largest machine of its type in the United States, if not the world to be
fully-functional.
Here is Benjamin Franklin's original electrical machine in the Franklin
Institute.
Here is a later version of a machine that he built to study electricity.
This is a "battery" of leyden phials, a capacitor bank used to store
static electricity.
Franklin's Bells were a clever invention to warn people when it was going to
rain. It used atmospheric electricity to attract and repel a small ball
which would strike the bells.
This is an early static machine from the late 1700s found in a barn outside of
Philadelphia. Benjamin Franklin or Joseph Priestley might have
experimented with this machine. It was generously donated to me by
Andy Barr.
Here are two examples of static electric machines from the Narodni Technicke
Muzeum in Prague. I took these photos in 2003.
This is a replica of a globe style static electric machine I built some years
ago. It used a 16" diameter smoked acrylic sphere. It is based
loosely off of the work of Otto von Guericke and Francis Hauksbee, late
1600s-early 1700s.
Here is a different replica based along the same principles having a long brass
and copper "prime conductor" to collect the electricity.
This is a disk version of the same style of machine, often called a
"Winter" machine from its original designer.
I made this machine in the mid 2000s. The disk is made of glass covered in
shellac. The friction pad is made from cow skin stuffed with horse hair.
Here is a smaller replica I made of a similar machine using sheep's wool.
This is a much larger replica I built with a 36" acrylic disk.
This machine is called a static crown and was used to "draw"
electricity from patients. I made it for Dan Cuscela to experiment
with. The base is an umbrella stand and the large solid brass key was
inspired by Ben Franklin and purchased at Home Goods. We both accidentally
impaled ourselves several times on the sharp brass nails.
Here is an example of a Toepler Holtz machine that I replicated. My uncle
Russell has it in Pittsburgh.
Here is one of the replica Carre machines I made. It's made from glass,
oak, mahogany, brass, and bakelite with some CPVC as well. I used what I
had in my shop.
This was a Toepler Holtz machine I made for Electrotherapy. John
Grizzy purchased it years ago on Ebay.
This was a third Toepler Holtz machine I made. I forget what happened to
it.
This was a quick replica I made of a Nairne style static machine.
This is Lauren, AKA "Cheeky Belly". She is a local artist and
entertainer in Palm Beach.
My daugther Madeline.
This is local artist Renata from Brasil. She does some amazing art with
her husband Craig.
Here is Sam, the Sultry Samurai.
This is Astrid, charged from a Van de Graf machine we demonstrated live on the
local news.
This is Amanda, who needed a distraction and found one in the museum...
Poor J. His first name only has one letter.
Astrid on the cover of BBC Future.
Sparks from the machine used to stand everyone's hair on end... the Frank
S Betz 24-plate Toepler Holtz machine... without Leyden Jars attached.
This is an early French static electric machine. Rescued
by Dan Cuscela from the Eli Buk auction at Grogan auction house in Boston. I
went there and hand packed all of the machines!
Benjamin Pike, an early manufacturer of static machines from the USA. He
started in the late 1700s/early 1800s but from this address the machine dates to
around 1830.
This is a static machine made by the optician Jones of London. He also
made eyeglasses for Thomas Jefferson.
This is a large Atkinson Toepler Holtz Machine from the 1880s sold my
McIntosh Battery & Optic Company. I rescued it from Pittsburgh,
Washington Jefferson College.
My uncle drove it down in a U-haul along with the rest of the physics department
that we bought.
Rare miniature Cutherbertson static machine for electrotherapy. The
largest version is at Teyler's in Haarlem, Netherlands and is the largest
antique static machine in the world.
Here is a replica I did of a Hauksbee experiment on the "mercurial
phosphor". It is mercury in a vacuum that makes light when you shake
it or rub your hand on the outside of it.
Here is a large Holtz machine in St Augustine FL. It was a small Wimshurst
machine inside to "start" the machine. The later Toepler-Holtz
machines didn't require this feature.
Dan's old girlfriend was a blast. We had a film crew that evening from
Holland filming a commercial for Jagermeister.
Very cool static machine from the Eli Buk auction. I think it sold for
$4600.
One of my friend and mentors Jim Hardesty with a sectorless Wimshurst machine he
and Graham built.
Swett & Lewis Static Machine. The ball bearing version was a design by
Stanley, same guy who invented the steamer automobile.
Original Swett & Lewis X-Ray Tubes for Static Machines, 1897
Swett & Lewis X-Ray Tube running from static machine. Vacuum too low.
Pressler X-Ray Tube running from static machine. Vacuum perfect.
A small Wimshurst Machine of German manufacture.
Epitome of Electricity, 1809.
Over $30,000 worth in books. These early books cost a fortune.
Essay on Electricity 1787. A fantastic reference.
Rare electrical book from the Abbe Nollet.
Wimshurst Machine sparks taken by Kelly McJilton.
My friend Daniel Cuscela holding a priceless copy of Franklin's Observations on
Electricity. One of the greatest electrical books ever written.
One of the most magical books to read and touch with your own hands. The
one at Franklin Institute is behind glass.
Steavenson wrote several books on static electricity in the 1800s. I have
a stack of letters and drawings between him and his publisher.
Static machine sold by LE Knott Apparatus Co. for X-Rays.
August 1759, an original article I have by Ben Franklin on Electricity in Palsy
cases.
Ethereal Fire, one of the classic early medical texts on static electricity from
1802.
Large Static Electric Machines from trade catalogues.
One of the best technical books on static ever written. My old cat Baby
Bear in the background. RIP.
Piffard modified the Tesla Coil to run from static to treat skin
conditions. It is known as the "Piffard Hyperstatic
Transformer".
A version of the Piffard Coil made by Western X-Ray Coil company.
An Electrophorus from the collection of Frank Jones.
A clamp-on table mount Winter Machine, also from the collection of Frank Jones.
Madeline, two years old, playing with a I-phone and a static machine.
For more information, visit the Electrotherapy Museum:
http://www.electrotherapymuseum.com/Museum18001900_Static_Electric_Machines.htm
