Robertson-Amsler Polar Planimeter
date: label: date made
content: ca 1900
name: label: maker
content: James L. Robertson & Sons
notes: label: Description
content: This chrome-plated instrument has a 5" pole arm with a small cylindrical weight at the end. The 7" tracer arm is adjustable and has an L-shaped tracer point, so that the point is offset from the arm. The carriage for adjusting the tracer arm holds the metal measuring wheel and vernier. The instrument has no registering dial. A point extending from the back of the carriage allows the user to turn the planimeter vertically and use the other end of the tracer point. Compare to MA.333766.
label: Description
content: A wooden case covered with black leather is lined with light blue silk. The top of the case is marked: ME 4P5. A brass plate on top of the case is also marked: 4P5. The number is presumably an inventory number for the Department of Mechanical Engineering at
label: Description
content: the University of Cincinnati, which donated the object. The instrument resembles the Robertson-Amsler planimeter shown in <i>Hawkins's Indicator Catechism</i> (New York, 1903), 132, and advertised in 1897 as an "averaging planimeter." See MA.302380.01 for instructions.
label: Description
content: Hine & Robertson of New York City made steam-engine indicators and sold planimeters from the 1880s to 1897. The firm was then renamed James L. Robertson & Sons, and remained in operation until at least 1910. This device is smaller than the Hine-Robertson planimeter described by Olaus Henrici. For other planimeters sold by Robertson, see 1994.0356.01, MA.323703, MA.323704, and MA.324247.
label: Description
content: According to the accession file, this object was received at the Smithsonian in 1981.
label: Description
content: References: Advertisement for Robertson-Thompson Indicator, <i>Power</i> 17, no. 2 (February 1897): 25; John Walter, "More Information," <i>The Engine Indicator</i>, Canadian Museum of Making, http://www.archivingindustry.com/Indicator/sourceinfo.htm; Olaus Henrici, "On Planimeters," in <i>Report of the Sixty-fourth Meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science</i> (London, 1894), 515–516; "Hine and Robertson's Planimeter," <i>The Electrician</i> 26 (February 6, 1891): 432.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: New York, New York City
topic: label: Subject
content: Mathematics
label: Subject
content: Engineering
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Mathematics
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content: Planimeters
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content: Science & Mathematics
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of University of Cincinnati Department of Mechanical Engineering
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1981.0301.01
label: accession number
content: 1981.0301
label: catalog number
content: 1981.0301.01
objectType: label: Object Name
content: planimeter
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: metal (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: wood (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: leather (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: cloth (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: case: 3.7 cm x 20 cm x 6 cm; 1 15/32 in x 7 7/8 in x 2 3/8 in