Design for an instrument to evacuate air
Date
21 Juiy 1686
Creator
Unknown, Artist
Object type
Archive reference number
Manuscript page number
p1
Material
Dimensions
height (page): 188mm
width (page): 139mm
width (page): 139mm
Subject
Content object
Description
Denis Papin's design of an instrument for an experiment to evacuate as much air as possible from a barometer. The design was reported to the meeting of the Royal Society on 21 July 1686.
Papin had worked with Christian Huygens and Robert Boyle on their airpumps, and developed various set-ups to try further experiments using the airpump.
Papin had worked with Christian Huygens and Robert Boyle on their airpumps, and developed various set-ups to try further experiments using the airpump.
Transcription
Being commanded to try whether it is possible to fill up a barometer so exactly with quicksilver that no air at all may left at the top, in order to see whether such a Barometer would be not at all sensible of heat and cold.
AA is a glass receiver having its great aperture upwards
BB a glass tube sealed at one end and having its aperture inserted into the little aperture of the receiver AA.
CC a cover exactly fitted to the great aperture of the said receiver.
DDDD a pipe that makes the communication between the receiver AA and the pneumatic engine
EE the plate of the pneumatic engine
FF a shallow vessel containing some quicksilver to be purged of air
GG a wire passing through a hole at the top of tube DD
Transcribed by the Making Visible project
AA is a glass receiver having its great aperture upwards
BB a glass tube sealed at one end and having its aperture inserted into the little aperture of the receiver AA.
CC a cover exactly fitted to the great aperture of the said receiver.
DDDD a pipe that makes the communication between the receiver AA and the pneumatic engine
EE the plate of the pneumatic engine
FF a shallow vessel containing some quicksilver to be purged of air
GG a wire passing through a hole at the top of tube DD
Transcribed by the Making Visible project
Object history
At the meeting of the Royal Society on 21 July 1686, ‘A paper of Dr. Papin about a way of filling the barometer with mercury, freed as much as possible from air, was read’ (Birch 4:495).
The account is registered at RBO/6/327 with the legend and space at 328 for the image, which was not supplied.
The account is registered at RBO/6/327 with the legend and space at 328 for the image, which was not supplied.
Related fellows
Denis Papin (1647, French) , Natural philosopher
Associated place