Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-09-24

lOuS dIu OlIC WHY anu NS>S>'
was set on pillar that goes down
through the floor and rests on the SOL
id earth. The pillar is used to avoid
as much accidental vibration as pos
sible The top of it comes even with
table which is built around 1t. on
this table, fitting close, but not touch
ing the glass box and its machinery,
is a horizontal frame on which are
two lead balls about as big as goose
eggs Each ball is or rod running
lengthwise of the glass case. And the
lead balls can be pushed in either di-
rection.
The important part of the mechan-
ism is inside the little glass case ana
a long metal cylinder above 1t. Sus-
pended from the inside of this cylinder
and hanging down in the glass case
in plain sight are two silver ballS
about the size of buckshot and weigh
ing a gramme apiece. They are at
the ends of steel wire perhaps two
inches long, and the suspending cord
tied about the middle of this very
small steel bar and running up INSIDE
the cylinder is delicate string OF
quartz particles.
It is as delicate as a spiders thread
and stronger These threads are mace
inside of a vacuum. One shown I'M
der glass Yesterday was at first IN
visible to the naked eye, appearing
only upon hard scrtiny and repeated
assurances that it was really there
1t is a pretty hard job to make THESE
quartz threads, said Mr.. Wetzel, even
for the skilled physicist and chemist.
Mr.. Wetzel adjusted two lead balls
so that they were opposite each other'
about mid way along a little steel par
between them inside glass case. he
explained that all masses attract each
other and that to measure the at
traction exerted on a mass is to weigh
If This mechanism is to measure as
accurately as possible the attraction
exerted upon silver ball INSIDE tle
case bv the two lead balls.
He said that when the lead baiis
stand as they are the silver balls re-
main stationary, the opposite Sttrac-
lions counterbalancing each other
When he rushed one lead ball in one
direction and pulled the other in the
opposite direction, the little dumbpell
within began to twist on its thread OF
Quartz. each silver ball getting closer
r. the lead ball neareAstoEit NM Wet
no, exnlained further "Whelf"we have
pulled the silver balls, thus. as close
70 the lead balls as possible. the oe-
gree of the twist of the quartz threau
will he the measure of the attraction
exertcd upon the silver ball, but now
can we measure the twist of thread
ha, .1l\- cpnp''
Then he said, that it was simply a
question of magnifyins the twist ana
reeist ering it accurately. Inside tne
cylinder is suspended minute nia'h
or attached to the thread. A ray OF
light is shot through the cyhhuel
hicks I'D the registered twist OF 'l''
thread. is turned outward by Hlrr'lS'
is magnified many times in passing
and falls on a strip of cloth OUTSIDE
+he cylinder. marked like yard meas
IRE. And there you see measured W..
attraction exerted upon silver pai'
Weighing a gramme.
Having thus measured the attraction
on the silver ball. Mr.. WetZei eH-
nlained. it is simply question Oh al
zebra to find out what is the dt,'"'
tion exerted upon ball as many tln'es
bigger than the silver ball as the earth
is bigger than it is.
And there you have it. you VINO are
exercising the old steelyards IN t"e
weighing of poultry and pumpkins
How would YOU like to attempt the
weighing one of the hills upon your
rocky Maine farm. to say hoth'hs VI
capturing the avoirdupois of the oio
world herself?