Keuffel & Esser 4242 Polar Compensating Planimeter
date: label: date made
content: 1949-1958
label: date distributed
content: 1940
name: label: distributor
content: Keuffel & Esser Co.
label: maker
content: Keuffel & Esser Co.
notes: label: Description
content: The adjustable tracer arm on this German silver and bronzed brass instrument is evenly divided to tenths of a unit, with each unit equal to 5mm, and numbered from 5 to 36. The measuring wheel, vernier, and registering dial are white plastic. A second vernier is severely tarnished, made of German silver, and used with the scale on the tracer arm. The carriage for the measuring wheel is marked with a serial number: 12960. The pole arm fits inside a square tube and cylindrical weight, allowing the arm's length to be adjusted. The pole arm has a scale like the scale on the tracer arm, but it is numbered from 30 to 35.
label: Description
content: Unlike earlier versions of the instrument, such as 1999.0250.01, the tube has an opening with a vernier. The tube is marked on top: K+E KUEFFEL & ESSER CO. (/) PARAGON. It is also marked: MADE IN (/) GERMANY. The side of the tube is marked: 12960. An oblong German silver testing rule is marked for 5 sq. in., 10 sq. in., and 100 sq. cm. A wooden case covered with black leather is lined with chamois leather. The top of the case is marked: K+E. The serial number and tracer and pole arm settings are written in ink on a K&E label pasted inside the lid. The number 20,475 is written in pencil on the label. See 1991.0882.02 for instructions.
label: Description
content: K&E imported planimeters from the Coradi firm in Zurich to sell as model 4242 from 1901 to about 1936. When K&E began to offer model 4242 as part of its Paragon line, it changed suppliers to a German company. The instrument was not available during World War II. K&E introduced its K+E logo in 1949, and it added a tracer lens between 1958 and 1960. The price was $98.00 in 1949 and $90.00 in 1956. According to the donor, this instrument was used by her husband, the electrical engineer Robert H. Wieler (1923–1993).
label: Description
content: The instrument was received at the Smithsonian in 1998.
label: Description
content: References: Clark McCoy, "Collection of Pages from K&E Catalogs for the 4242 Family of Polar Planimeters," http://www.mccoys-kecatalogs.com/PlanimeterModels/ke4242family.htm; accession file.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: Germany
topic: label: Subject
content: Mathematics
label: Subject
content: Engineering
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Mathematics
label: See more items in
content: Planimeters
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content: Science & Mathematics
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Norma P. Wieler
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1998.0032.03
label: catalog number
content: 1998.0032.03
label: accession number
content: 1998.0032
objectType: label: Object Name
content: planimeter
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: german silver (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: bronzed brass (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: plastic (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: wood (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: leather (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: case: 5 cm x 25.5 cm x 9.3 cm; 1 31/32 in x 10 1/32 in x 3 21/32 in