Davis & Horn Page-type direct current motor
date: label: date made
content: ca.1838
label: date made
content: ca1838
label: date made
content: ca 1838
name: label: maker
content: General Electric-Sprague
label: designer
content: Page, Charles Grafton
label: maker
content: Davis & Horn
notes: label: Description (Brief)
content: Nameplate reads: "Manufactured by / Davis & Horn / Boston." This is a balance beam electromagnetic engine with reciprocating armatures. Two curved horseshoe type magnets are wound with stiff wire, the armatures are connected by brass arms above the wooden holding plate. The magnet polarity is changed by a cut-off on the shaft of the balance wheel. Electrical connections are made under the baseboard. A small engine of this type was used to drill steel plates for gas burners. This is a very early instance of a practical application for motors. Reference: American Journal of Science, 1838, vol 35, pages 263-265.
setName: label: See more items in
content: Work and Industry: Electricity
label: Exhibition
content: Lighting a Revolution
label: Exhibition Location
content: National Museum of American History
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: from Colgate University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, thru C. L. Henshaw
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: EM.318743
label: catalog number
content: 318743
label: accession number
content: 234695
objectType: label: Object Name
content: Electric Motor
label: Object Name
content: electric motor
label: Other Terms
content: Electric Motor; Electromagnetic Devices
physicalDescription: label: Measurements
content: overall: 7 1/2 in x 12 1/4 in x 5 3/4 in; 19.05 cm x 31.115 cm x 14.605 cm