Stormer Viscosimeter
name: label: distributor; retailer
content: Arthur H. Thomas Company
label: maker
content: Fisher Scientific Company
label: maker
content: Arthur H. Thomas Company
notes: label: Description
content: This viscometer was designed by Edward J. Stormer, chief chemist of the Case Threshing Machine Co. in Racine, Wisconsin. In 1909 it was described as “distinctly new in design, and since it comes from a practical chemist who has found it superior to other forms in making a large number of determinations daily, it may be expected to appeal to other practical men.” And indeed it did. Stormer viscosimeters were soon being used for paint, clay slips, and pyroxylin solutions, as well as for corn, catsup, and cod liver oil.
label: Description
content: Stormer’s original viscosimeter consisted of a falling weight that caused something to rotate at constant speed through a viscous liquid held at a constant temperature. Viscosity would be expressed either in terms of the number of rotations in a given time, or the time needed to make a number of rotations. By 1914, Arthur H. Thomas was offering Stormers with a rotating cylinder, and this basic form remains available to this day.
label: Description
content: Inscriptions on this example read “ARTHUR H. THOMAS CO. PHILADELPHIA, PA.” and “FISHER SCIENTIFIC CO. PITTSBURGH, PA. USA.” The Metal Products Division of Koppers Co., Inc., donated it to NMAH in 1976. It was apparently used to determine the consistency of canned corn.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Chemistry
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content: Food
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content: Measuring & Mapping
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Koppers Co., Inc., Metal Products Division
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: CH.336370
label: accession number
content: 1978.0078
label: catalog number
content: 336370
objectType: label: Object Name
content: Viscosimeter
label: Object Name
content: viscosimeter
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: brass (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: birch (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: aluminum (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: non-ferrous metal (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: knurl knob: 60 mm x 25 mm; 2 3/8 in x in
label: Measurements
content: large cylinder: 75 mm x 97 mm; 2 15/16 in x 3 13/16 in
label: Measurements
content: indicator: 24 mm; 15/16 in
label: Measurements
content: base, support: 36 cm x 17.2 cm x 26.5 cm; 14 3/16 in x 6 3/4 in x 10 7/16 in
label: Measurements
content: case: 40 cm x 21 cm x 29.5 cm; 15 3/4 in x 8 1/4 in x 11 5/8 in
label: Measurements
content: dial: 32 mm; 1 1/4 in
label: Measurements
content: overall in box: 15 13/16 in x 8 in x 11 5/8 in; 40.16375 cm x 20.32 cm x 29.5275 cm