Australia's Science Forum

Found this interesting piece in the bottom of the Physics Lab . Dosen't necessarily mean its got any thing to do with Physics ....or for that matter School science equipment .

It consists of two equal sized copper tanks that each have a stop cock ( Tap ) on them . Between the two tanks is a dividing wall of wood ....perhaps a heat barrier ...can't think of any other reason its there .

They then gravity feed to a lower box where the liquids ( presumably ) mix . There is a cork bung in the back of the box which is rather perished but looks as though it may have been a thermometer port ....again this is only a guess .

There is a pipe that comes out of the top of the lower box . It could possibly be a vapour lock. ...or again not . Either way the combined Gas or liquid exits from here .

Does anyone have any knowledge or theories on what it is

I have one of these, in the dark depths of the storeroom!
No idea what it is though!

I have two of them. I took one to Newcastle TAFE but no-one had any ideas there either.

send the photo to Serrata - they may know
BUt I reckon it is a coffee percolator.. you put the hot coffee in one side and warm milk in the other...

Certainly too complicated for a tea pot

Interesting to hear two of you have them . Its obviously a school apparatus then .

I like the idea of a coffee perculator

Intersetingly the only google help was that the mob that made them also made anesthetic machines . I had wondered if perhaps it was a crude Chloroform generator . Put alchol in one pot and sodium hypochlorite in the other , they mix and make Chloroform that rises and is collected at the top of the mixing box . A hose goes on the end and naughty students breathe from connected gas mask

We have one in our Physics Store with a label on it - Dew point apparatus.

Had a look on Google - they are very different these days!

Thanks Liz....that's interesting .I love it when things have labels on them .
See what you mean about Dew point apparatus though ......Even with wildest imagination , Its hard to see how this could be used .

At least its a lead .Thanks again