Object Details
- Description (Brief)
- This toy electric motor was made by the H-K Electric Toy Company of Indianapolis, Indiana around 1906. The patents on this object refer to an electric toy that recreates mechanical motion. A dry cell battery could fit in the center of the toy, energizing the electromagnets on the side, contracting its three lever-arms. When this contraction happens, the shaft rotates, and the protruding part of the shaft comes into contact with the metal prong causing the circuit that powered the electromagnet to break. This releases the lever-arms, which rotates the shaft as they rise, re-engaging the electromagnets and continuing the cycle. The weighted flywheel and staggered strength of the levers helped ensure that the drive shaft continued to rotate. The drive shaft could be connected to a variety of factory toys and provide them with a sense of realistic motion like their full size counterparts.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Credit Line
- Bequest of the Estate of Greville I. Bathe
- 1906
- ID Number
- MC.329034
- catalog number
- 329034
- accession number
- 278175
- Object Name
- toy, electric motor
- engine, electric, toy
- toy, electric engine
- Physical Description
- steel (overall material)
- wood (overall material)
- Measurements
- overall: 6 in x 5 3/8 in x 7 5/8 in; 15.24 cm x 13.6525 cm x 19.3675 cm
- overall - from catalog card: 6 in x 7 in x 5 in; 15.24 cm x 17.78 cm x 12.7 cm
- flywheel - from catalog card: 3 1/2 in; x 8.89 cm
- Related Publication
- Maass, Eleanor A.. Greville Bathe's "Theatre of Machines": The Evolution of a Scholar and His Collection
- See more items in
- Work and Industry: Mechanical and Civil Engineering
- Family & Social Life
- Engineering, Building, and Architecture
- Engineering Steam Toys and Models
- National Museum of American History
- Record ID
- nmah_847234
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a6-9fa7-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
