Sciencemadness Discussion Board - Mystery Glassware Identification Thread

Mystery Glassware Identification Thread

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electrokinetic - 13-7-2014 at 15:45

I recently received a rather large treasure trove of glassware from a friend who is a chem professor. Incredibly, he found all of it in or by the dumpster when he was leaving work!!!

This piece is stuck to the top of a Vigreux column. My friend had no idea what it was other than the obvious: it was part of a distillation setup. I have searched google, and posted it on another forum. Someone finally suggested that it is probably a distillation splash head, and I think he's probably right, but I thought I'd post it here and see what the community here says. After all, as the someone also pointed out, if it is a splash head it would be pretty pointless at the top of a fractionating column.

[Edited on 1-13-2016 by zts16]

Texium - 13-7-2014 at 16:57

I have no idea what that is, but I must say this is a great thread to have! I was actually going to start one myself, because I too stumbled on a glassware jackpot the other day and have received plenty of odd contraptions. I'll have pictures up here in a few days!

arkoma - 13-7-2014 at 17:24

hmmm--if its 24/xx I'd be willing to give it a home and let ya know.......................LOL

HgDinis25 - 13-7-2014 at 17:36

That could be a reactor of some sort: you distill something and you put a gas inlter so the gas can react in the bulb, make a higher boiling point compound and return to the reaction vessel. But really, I'm just devagating here.

It could also be just the top of a fancy reflux setup that would take a drying tube in the top of the bulb. Or without the drying tube.

UnintentionalChaos - 13-7-2014 at 19:10

Maybe it's a splash head for Kjeldahl distillation, albeit a somewhat unconventional one? There's a lot of custom glass out there that glassblowers put together on request.

prof_genius - 13-7-2014 at 20:21

It looks like custom glass, I recommend looking through old glassware catalogs, they tend to have this type of interesting and unusual glassware. Maybe ask a glassblower or someone at the university it was found.

Ascaridole - 15-7-2014 at 19:07

I'd second UC's idea of a Kjeldahl trap. Kinda interesting design actually, vapor can enter in the top and distillate can return on the bottom.

Oh, just notice the spring barbs... adds to the mystery...

[Edited on 16-7-2014 by Ascaridole]

Texium - 17-7-2014 at 12:24

Any idea what this is? Basically it's a hollow 24/40 stopper with a little hook in it. My best guess is that it's for hanging something from inside the reaction vessel, but I have no idea what, or if that's actually what it is.

There will be plenty more mystery glassware pics as I continue to unpack more of it!

Ascaridole - 17-7-2014 at 12:59

Thermometer hanger for full immersion thermometers so you can measure the vapor temperature at the head of a still or above a reaction accurately (like in semi commercial prep, not really for regular <1L size stuff). If you use a standard thermometer adapter with a partial immersion thermometer you need to calibrate it to account for the under/over immersion in the vapor stream but if you use a full immersion, yay no calibration needed.

It is also used to hang catalytic material in vapor phase reactions such as platinized mesh or copper mesh.

I think there was one more use for it but it escapes my mind at the moment....

Texium - 17-7-2014 at 13:09

Aha! That makes sense, thank you.

electrokinetic - 18-7-2014 at 08:20

Here's another one. So bizzare because I can't think of anyway to cover the open face, which I'm guessing will have liquid or gas spewing out from the inner spout.

kavu - 18-7-2014 at 09:00

That's a TLC sprayer, bottom suction tube is place into a staining solution and then air is passed through the side-arm. This will suck staining solution to the steam of air (thanks to venturi effect) and gives a uniform spray coating on a TLC plate.

[Edited on 18-7-2014 by kavu]

Texium - 18-7-2014 at 09:57

Alright, I've got two things here:

Neither belong to me, but they came from the same place that I got a lot of my equipment from.

electrokinetic - 18-7-2014 at 10:23

Quote: Originally posted by kavu

That's a TLC sprayer, bottom suction tube is place into a staining solution and then air is passed through the side-arm. This will suck staining solution to the steam of air (thanks to venturi effect) and gives a uniform spray coating on a TLC plate.

[Edited on 18-7-2014 by kavu]

Thank You! It's great to start putting functions to faces. Sounds like it will go great with the TLC plates, and such that were also in the trove.

Mystery Glassware II

electrokinetic - 18-7-2014 at 10:25

Here's another piece that I could use help identifying:

Ascaridole - 18-7-2014 at 12:30

Wow that is an unusual setup definitely custom. Its used to dry material very sensitive to thermal decomposition.

Solvent vapor enters on the top (of photo) and fill the jacket. A ST joint 10/30? (bottom of photo) thermometer goes into the bottom and is secured using the spring barbs. The vapor exits through the right side (of photo). The sample is loaded through the male ST joint on the top and connected to a vapor trap or another flask to condense the vapors coming off the sample.

Usually this is used to dry samples that are very easily decomposed under elevated temperatures. In your case this apparatus is special. Its design allows it to be used under mild pressure. This method of drying is very very slow but you don't get hotspots and charring of material as the vapor helps to keep even heating.

Also yes why the new thread?

electrokinetic - 18-7-2014 at 17:06

Quote: Originally posted by Ascaridole

Wow that is an unusual setup definitely custom. Its used to dry material very sensitive to thermal decomposition.

Solvent vapor enters on the top (of photo) and fill the jacket. A ST joint 10/30? (bottom of photo) thermometer goes into the bottom and is secured using the spring barbs. The vapor exits through the right side (of photo). The sample is loaded through the male ST joint on the top and connected to a vapor trap or another flask to condense the vapors coming off the sample.

Usually this is used to dry samples that are very easily decomposed under elevated temperatures. In your case this apparatus is special. Its design allows it to be used under mild pressure. This method of drying is very very slow but you don't get hotspots and charring of material as the vapor helps to keep even heating.

Also yes why the new thread?

Wow, thank you for the explanation. I don't know when I'll have a chance to use it but it's good to know what it is.

electrokinetic - 19-7-2014 at 11:33

Let's call this #6. It's an Ehrlenmeyer flask with a tube running through it. The picture doesn't show it but the tube is open at both ends. My guess is it's custom.

[Edited on 20-7-2014 by electrokinetic]

Texium - 19-7-2014 at 11:51

Alright, well here's #7 then (Which would make the two in my last post #4 and #5 from left to right)
It looks like a drying tube to me, but it's closed on one end, and looks rather unusual, so I wasn't sure.

[Edited on 7-19-2014 by zts16]

prof_genius - 19-7-2014 at 15:19

#6 is probably used to dissolve a gas in a liquid.

Texium - 19-7-2014 at 15:55

Quote: Originally posted by prof_genius

#6 is probably used to dissolve a gas in a liquid.

Yeah, I think you're probably right about that. It would be quite a useful piece to have.

prof_genius - 19-7-2014 at 20:45

I'm thinking of finding a local glassblower and having them make me one.

subsecret - 19-7-2014 at 21:29

I believe that the "drying tube" is for fermentation, IIRC. Filling it with a bacterial culture and turning it upright will collect any gas that is produced.

kavu - 19-7-2014 at 23:40

I cannot recall the exact use of #7 but as far as I remember it's used in biochem to measure gas formation from samples. The tube is filled with water and the sample is inserted to the bent part. As gas is formed it is collected to the closed end of the tube.

Texium - 8-8-2014 at 15:51

Quote: Originally posted by Ascaridole

Oh, just notice the spring barbs... adds to the mystery...

I take it that the spring barbs are the little pointy things on there near the joints? What are they for? I have several pieces that have them and I was rather mystified.

Dr.Bob - 8-8-2014 at 18:51

The spring barbs are for holding two pieces tightly together with a small spring (usually 2 or 3 of them around the joint). This was done before Keck clips existed, and is still used in some cases, especially when heating the glassware, as keck's melt easily.

#6 could also be used as a vacuum trap for use with an aspiraor, such that the vacuum hose from the aspirator connects to the inlet tube, which can suck up any water that gets in the trap, and a stopper with a short tube is put in the top, so that it does not pull any water back in case the vacuum weakens. Water aspirators often change the vacuum they pull based on water temp and pressure, and they can sometimes pull water back from the pipe, so using a trap is a good idea. Most people just use a filter flask, but that would work better.

NOV:5 - 5-9-2014 at 17:51

Anybody have any idea what this is? They are all over ebay..think I just bought 6 for $20...

Thanks

IrC - 5-9-2014 at 20:23

Quote: Originally posted by NOV:5

Anybody have any idea what this is? They are all over ebay..think I just bought 6 for $20.

"They are all over ebay"? I searched for "chemistry glassware" in 'Healthcare, Lab & Life Science'. 305 hits, I looked at the images of the auction for all 305. Not one had your item. Can you provide a specific link so we can see?

NOV:5 - 6-9-2014 at 16:27

Well there is the one I posted item #301294363497
The one I bought, item #121420981364
One I was watching, item #121396976090
And I've seen several as part of lots...you might try searching "vintage lab glassware" or some variant with " lot" included as a term. The pic I posted has a clear image of the device, and the helical copper strip is visible...I'd just like to know what they are..

EDIT:
The items I bought include a stopper and short curved tube in the empty side, like it was intended as a gas discharge...

[Edited on 7-9-2014 by NOV:5]

Need help identifying mystery glassware

amazingchemistry - 21-10-2014 at 22:20

Hello,
I was doing some inventory at school and found the following pieces of glassware. I have no idea what they are and would appreciate any help figuring that out.

[Edited on 22-10-2014 by amazingchemistry]

amazingchemistry - 21-10-2014 at 23:01

Here are some more

DJF90 - 21-10-2014 at 23:07

The first one looks like a fractional distillation reflux splitting head. The two bulbs with stopcocks on each end are calibrated gas bulbs, used for charging known volumes of gaseous components to reactions. Not sure about the third item, but the last one looks like a gas washing assembly (dreschel bottles are more common but for bubbling through sulfuric acid or mercury the smaller volume would be advantageous.

DJF90 - 21-10-2014 at 23:13

Second set of pictures: the first one looks to be a levelling bulb for a gas burette. The second and third is a right angled high vacuum tap, and fourth is a double oblique high vacuum tap. 5 is a gas washing bottle (dreschel), 6 is a vacuum dewar flask that is yet to be silvered, evacuated and sealed. 7 is a guard tube/"calcium chloride tube"

IrC - 22-10-2014 at 04:23

I tried long ago to see if anyone knew what this was. I still don't know so here it is again. Maybe a newer member knows.

Forgot to mention but the 2 ports left, center connect through the center metal portion. Sealed away from inside it appears like a cooling liquid inlet/outlet. The right port allows one to evacuate or fill the inside portion of the glass housing.

[Edited on 10-22-2014 by IrC]

DJF90 - 22-10-2014 at 07:11

I could not believe my eyes when I saw this apparatus in an old Ind Eng Chem paper (I was browsing online)!

Attachment: Wiley extraction apparatus.pdf (346kB)
This file has been downloaded 1781 times

amazingchemistry - 22-10-2014 at 09:52

Thank you so very much DJF90!! The third item of the first set seems to be some sort of adapter, the inlet/ outlet obviously connects to a hose of Some kind. I dont know about the fourth item on the first set though. Seems like the dreschel bottles are able to stand on their own, whereas this is not (the "bottom" is rounded, like a test tube's). Would this matter? Am I wrong in a assuming that those two pieces of glassware even go together? I found them in a box, sort of jumbled , so I don't know. For the second set, I have my doubts about the Dewar flask being a Dewar flask, as all other items on the set seem to relate to gas chemistry somehow.

IrC - 22-10-2014 at 11:18

Quote: Originally posted by DJF90

I could not believe my eyes when I saw this apparatus in an old Ind Eng Chem paper (I was browsing online)!

Thanks. Now that I know the name I found all kinds of information on it. No idea what I will do with it but at least the mystery is gone.

Dr.Bob - 23-10-2014 at 13:13

The first set of pictures, bottom left is a vacuum desiccator vacuum inlet. It sits on top of the lid and can be turned to pull a vacuum, then turned to seal it. Just replaced one of those today, so it jumped out at me.

IrC - 23-10-2014 at 14:45

Quote: Originally posted by DJF90

The two bulbs with stopcocks on each end are calibrated gas bulbs, used for charging known volumes of gaseous components to reactions

I have several of these and I have been told they are also used as gas collection bulbs. I bought them years ago to collect Deuterium gas from heavy water and Lithium metal. My goal was dual as I also wanted the Deuteride but never built the setup to react Li at 600C with D2. I did collect the LiOD, Lithium deuteroxide but have never found anything of interest to do with it other than coating the inside of 2 Be half spheres (parts of a very high speed gyro) with Am241 inside in experiments building Neutron sources to test my detectors with. The bulbs with stopcocks worked very well collecting D2 and allowing it to be used in experiments.

I still have no clue what to use the Wiley extraction apparatus for other than something odd to look cool on the shelf.

amazingchemistry - 23-10-2014 at 19:23

Thank you very much Dr. Bob. Now I know what most of these are =)

More mystery glassware

amazingchemistry - 29-10-2014 at 12:27

Sorry for relying too much on you guys, but, having never worked with anything other than simple organic an inorganic glassware I'm at a loss as to what these are and don't really even know how to start looking. I will post guesses for the items I can guess at. Thank you very much.

gdflp - 29-10-2014 at 12:41

Bottom left I believe is a gas take off adapter, bottom right is just a straight vacuum adapter for distillations instead of the normal bent one.

[Edited on 10-29-2014 by gdflp]

DraconicAcid - 29-10-2014 at 12:43

Top left looks like part of a bubbler; the 2.3 MB in the middle right is a stopcock to be attached to a round-bottom flask with ground glass joints.

Lambda-Eyde - 29-10-2014 at 12:51

Number 1 is just a tubing inlet/bubbler adapter with a ball joint, #2 is a stirrer bearing, #3 is basically the same as the first one, #4 is an air condenser (unless there are indentations at the bottom; I can't see any in the photo), #5 looks like a stopcock (with the key missing) with a ball joint, #6 is an aspirator (a vacuum pump that runs on water), #7 is just a stopcock adapter, #8 looks like a viscosimeter (or something? At least used for measuring viscosity), and #9 is just a straight vacuum adapter.

And people, keep in mind that using designations such as "in the middle" or "bottom left" is pointless, as the orientation of the pictures depends on your screen resolution.

aga - 29-10-2014 at 13:38

"bottom left" ?

Who's bottom ?

amazingchemistry - 29-10-2014 at 14:40

I was thinking #5 was a ball jointed connecting tube only, since it doesn't seem to have any sort of special place where a stopcock would go. I'd be at a loss for what to call it other than "weirdly angled connecting tube" though. As far as #6, I didn't know they made glad aspirators, I have only Seen plastic and metal Ones. That's neat. # 5 looked like an air condenser to me but I wanted to make sure (having only worked with 14 /10 and 19/22 glassware it seemed a bit strange to me)

[Edited on 29-10-2014 by amazingchemistry]

hopefully last batch

amazingchemistry - 30-10-2014 at 12:03

Here are some more

numos - 11-1-2015 at 15:01

I also had a question on glassware, and although it's not a mystery of what it does, I am unable to find it's name, much less a supplier.

http://41.media.tumblr.com/0699e98d85973620a1ca8ee0de5f4be3/...

The piece all the way on the left with the green stopcock, some kind of addition funnel, but how can I find them, what are they called? This is one of Kristof's photo's and I've U2Ued him but he hasn't been on in a few months.

Mailinmypocket - 11-1-2015 at 15:14

Here you go! http://www.laboyglass.com/air-tite/tube-storage-high-vacuum-...

Dr.Bob - 11-1-2015 at 18:48

30-10-2014

from top left

1) vacuum trap 2) 24/40 sealed tube to dry samples in vials
3) bent adapter (allows connecting several large items to a multineck flask) 4) trap/bubbler
5) ??? 6) three way valve with storage bulb - not sure what it is for
7) vacuum trap 8) manometer (simple vacuum guage) ( I think)

Argentum - 20-5-2015 at 13:40

Can anybody tell me what is this piece of glassware?

aga - 20-5-2015 at 13:47

Looks like a splash head.

Edit:

Gas should go into the bottom, and leave the top.

If any liquid splashes upwards, it is trapped in the bulb, so only Gas ever leaves the top.

[Edited on 20-5-2015 by aga]

Argentum - 21-5-2015 at 12:50

I am surprised that the tube at one end is flat and the other is so thin. And I'm surprised to find something as that in my house.

aga - 21-5-2015 at 12:55

could just be a Hookah pipe with a glass bulb full of water to cool the THC vapours.

The long part, flat at the end would be the mouthpiece.

Edit

No se exactamente lo que es. solo estan surregencias.

[Edited on 21-5-2015 by aga]

GrayGhost - 21-5-2015 at 14:20

Quote: Originally posted by Argentum

Can anybody tell me what is this piece of glassware?

Apparently is a tube antireflux.

Aparentemente es un tubo antireflujo.

Argentum - 22-5-2015 at 13:14

Quote: Originally posted by aga

could just be a Hookah pipe with a glass bulb full of water to cool the THC vapours.

The long part, flat at the end would be the mouthpiece.

Edit

No se exactamente lo que es. solo estan surregencias.

[Edited on 21-5-2015 by aga]

Thanks for the "surregencia", but I prefer saying it's a splash head-Antireflux tube

Texium - 23-5-2015 at 06:03

Alright, I have another piece of mystery glassware. It's a quite complicated and delicate piece. It looks like it must be useful for something, but I don't know what.

The tube on the bottom that I am holding in the picture goes up through the outer tube, ending with three tiny holes in the side of the inner tube that are each accompanied by an indentation in the outer tube. The bulb on top has a small hole in it. The tube with the stopcock is connected to the bottom of the outer tube. Graduations run from top to bottom, 25-0, like a burette. Seems sort of like a really fancy alternate version of a Dean-stark or something similar.

DJF90 - 23-5-2015 at 08:50

Its an auto-fill butette. The stem you're holding goes into a reservoir of solution and application of air pressure causes the burette to fill. The holes at the top of the pipe means the burette is auto-zero'd too.

Texium - 23-5-2015 at 11:19

Quote: Originally posted by DJF90

Its an auto-fill butette. The stem you're holding goes into a reservoir of solution and application of air pressure causes the burette to fill. The holes at the top of the pipe means the burette is auto-zero'd too.

Awesome, thanks! That seems quite useful, especially since I always obsess over filling burettes right to the 0 mark when I do titrations. After doing some googling, I see that they are often used with squeezable LDPE bottles. I may need to modify a wash bottle for this purpose now.

Starcruiser - 11-7-2015 at 04:38

Just bought this "device" from local flea market. Does not look like chemistry glassware to me. Any ideas ?

PS: my first post here. Reading a lot in the last couple of years, nothing remarkable to post (`till now

).

Thank you.

unionised - 11-7-2015 at 06:39

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/248049891950521758/

Starcruiser - 11-7-2015 at 07:06

Quote: Originally posted by unionised

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/248049891950521758/

Thanks. Never seen something like it in my part of the world (East Europe). Might use it for some aromatic plant extractions... or just to make some coffee.

LE

based on the same principle:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXDOCo5Cn_g

[Edited on 11-7-2015 by Starcruiser]

ave369 - 12-7-2015 at 02:04

Quote: Originally posted by Starcruiser

Just bought this "device" from local flea market. Does not look like chemistry glassware to me. Any ideas ?

Visit your local glassblower, add a few modifications into the design of this coffee maker, and you've got a Kipp apparatus!

Boffis - 12-7-2015 at 08:54

It's a "Cona" type coffee percolator, I used used have one. There was a small spirit lamp under the flask. You put ground coffee in the top and water in the bottom and placed the burner under the flask. It heated the water and the steam pressure forced the water up into the top section. You then remove the burner and the water cools, the steam condenses and draughs a vacuum that causes the coffee to be forced back through the filter.

Simple really. I doubt that this was ever intended for laboratory use but I suppose that it could be used for similar extraction. This type of Cona dates from the 50 and 60s by the late 1970s they had replaced the alcohol lamps with electric heaters though I think you could still buy the older type right up to the 1980s.

Holy shit guys:-they still make them and they still have spirit burners!!! Check out Cona in Cranleigh, Surrey, UK on t'internet

[Edited on 12-7-2015 by Boffis]

Starcruiser - 12-7-2015 at 09:55

Quote: Originally posted by ave369

Quote: Originally posted by Starcruiser

Just bought this "device" from local flea market. Does not look like chemistry glassware to me. Any ideas ?

Visit your local glassblower, add a few modifications into the design of this coffee maker, and you've got a Kipp apparatus!

I don`t know any local glassblower, otherwise I would keep him busy with some other projects too. Although with cheap e-bay glassware these days, a better alternative is to just buy the stuff.

Starcruiser - 12-12-2015 at 16:34

I`ve just got some new unknown glassware from a friend working in an organic chemistry lab. I have no idea what they are and what they were used for. My friend (new in that lab) has no idea either and was told to dispose of them (and so she did by giving them to me

)

The glass looks pretty much unused to me (meaning they are spotless).

Any ideas of what they are and their use ?

Some dimensions:

*the Y shaped thing: 240 mm in height; 25 mm inside diam. on the large "neck" and 14 mm the smaller ones;
** the pear shaped one is 180 mm tall, 80 mm wide (this one has a gas takeoff adapter at the top about 9 mm wide).

chemrox - 12-12-2015 at 16:42

I know all of these if you can make an excel sheet with pics on one column and an empty column next to it I'll fill it out for you. Otherwise it's too damned much work for no payoff. Some are custom made for projects. Others are pretty standard pieces including in complete ones.

[Edited on 13-12-2015 by chemrox]

Unknown Kontes glassware, vigreux

gnarwhal - 11-1-2016 at 01:14

Acquired this with some other pieces i plan to keep. I'd like to find out it's purpose and let it go at a reasonable price.

[Edited on 11-1-2016 by gnarwhal]

TheAlchemistPirate - 12-1-2016 at 21:13

A few weeks ago I bought some glassware from homesciencetools, and decided to include a thermometer jacket for distillation. Here is the item - http://www.hometrainingtools.com/thermometer-jacket-adapter-...

I bought the jacket assuming that their glass thermometers (they only sold one size) would fit snugly into the tube, and that their was a hole at bottom of the tube which would let the thermometer pass through. It turns out that the bottom of the tube was actually sealed , making the thermometer sit awkwardly on top of the jacket instead of passing through it. Their glass thermometer fits very loosely into the tube as well.

Even more strangely, the description states that you must insert the thermometer through a rubber stopper before putting it into the jacket. The thermometer doesn't even enter the enclosed distillation path, why would one need to include a stopper to seal around it? Is it to right the thermometer vertically because it doesn't fit?

Maybe I'm supposed to somehow cut the tube bottom off so that the thermometer enters the distillation path, and seal it with a load of silicone grease? Of course none of this would be necessary if the gases passing the jacket imparted enough heat through the two layers of mismatched glass to accurately measure the temperature, but I would find that hard to believe.

Zephyr - 12-1-2016 at 21:24

I personally have only used thermometer jackets with metal temperature probes, but they are designed so that the glass protects the metal from whatever you are distilling. I don't recommend cutting off the bottom, as it would probably break crudely and would probably be hard to get a good seal. I'd imagine the stopper they recommend is used to insulate the tube so the heat which passes through stays near the thermometer and results in a more accurate reading. For my glass thermometers I use a thermometer adapter like this: http://www.laboyglass.com/thermometer-adapter-inlet-24-40.ht...
These use a rubber gasket to secure a clean seal.

[Edited on 1-13-2016 by Pinkhippo11]

j_sum1 - 12-1-2016 at 21:28

I think the idea is that you can use it when you don't want to actually put your thermometer in your reaction for some reason.
If they are recommending a rubber ring it is probably to prevent the thermometer from rattling around.

I bought one for use as a cold finger -- although mine is a bit longer. See pic

TheAlchemistPirate - 12-1-2016 at 21:32

Those are nice jackets, though I'm a little low on money right now and am trying to be as cheap as possible

. I might as well try mine out with the thermometer touching the bottom I suppose. You guys have no idea how much I wish I'd originally bought a full distillation kit from ebay. I probably would've accomplished half the crap I talk about on these forums

. Nitric acid, I will find you someday...

[Edited on 13-1-2016 by TheAlchemistPirate]

Texium - 12-1-2016 at 22:42

Alright, now we have one master mystery glassware ID thread and it's been stickied for easy access.

Edit: The pruning that I did here was just removing several posts that had discussed merging the Mystery Glassware II thread here that got mixed up after the threads were merged.

[Edited on 1-13-2016 by zts16]

What is this glassware?

jcs27324 - 23-2-2016 at 10:05

Does anybody have any idea what this glassware is used for? It's a pressure equalizing funnel, but there is the small tubing and bulb on the side that no one can identify. Our college chemistry lab gets a lot of donated glassware, so we often times get things that have specialized functions that we can't figure out... Thanks

[Edited on 23-2-2016 by jcs27324]

Sulaiman - 23-2-2016 at 10:21

It is a soxhlet extractor https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soxhlet_extractor

[Edited on 23-2-2016 by Sulaiman]

Mystery glassware

Druïdecook - 12-3-2016 at 15:37

Hello,

I recently bought some glassware of an auction site.
That's how i becam owner of some glass pieces wich have application's that'aren't 100% known to me. Maybe you guys can give me some hints.

The auction also contained a bunch of LARGE glass pieces wich can be connected to form a distillation/rectification unit. Maybe you guys can giive me hints whats missing and what's not part of the unit. Or should i open an new subject on this?

sorry for my bad English

Greets

Photo's mystery glass attached.

Druïdecook - 12-3-2016 at 15:40

Some have broken inled's / outled's or something like that

j_sum1 - 12-3-2016 at 16:05

I bet it makes great coffee.

Seriously, I have never seen anything like it.

Druïdecook - 12-3-2016 at 16:14

The item on the second photo contains a radiation symbole so it should be used withe photo-chemistry i think.

Druïdecook - 12-3-2016 at 19:35

Also some pics from the previously mentioned distillation glassware.

Texium - 12-3-2016 at 20:38

A lot of this stuff looks very... custom, to say the least. I bet that most of it was purpose made for a laboratory that used it for a specific process on a relatively large scale. Those silvered tubes are very interesting. Do you have any idea what the laboratory that you got it from did?

Druïdecook - 12-3-2016 at 20:55

It came frome a glass museum. A lot of glassware not showed is used in high vac. chemistry. Such as an Hg diffusionpomp enz.
I think some were used in the neon light manufacturing.

Druïdecook - 12-3-2016 at 21:17

I was wondering how much of the stuff is related to each other. I know there are some missing parts (fittings , glas comp.). But I don't know for example if the large coil is a cooling condenser or a heating coil or the small coil is also a cooling condenser or a refluxdrum heater enz..

Oscilllator - 13-3-2016 at 02:09

Those ones that are silver plated may by vacuum jacketed condensers of some kind. I think they are used in very precise vacuum distillations. Perhaps thats backed up by the other vacuum-related gear you have.

unionised - 13-3-2016 at 03:04

Among other things, I think you have an ionization gauge for measuring pressure, and (in the 1st pic) a thing for collecting fractions. It looks like you can use a magnet to change the position of the bit in the middle so it stops directing the outlet of a condenser to one pipe and directs it to the other instead.

j_sum1 - 13-3-2016 at 03:26

That first pic looks like it has some kind of metal in an ampoule on the inside of the vessel. I am wondering if it is magnetic or perhaps a radioactive source.
The second pic has a little radiation symbol on it. That is likely a clue to deciphering its purpose.
A number of them have what looks like electrodes. Some electrochemistry perhaps? Some high-voltage sparking?
Then there is a piece that loooks like a perversion of a Dean Stark trap -- the pic that you posted twice.
Quite a few of the pieces have configurations reminiscent of a perkins triangle. And maybe for the same reason. (I forget what a Perkins triangle is used for.)

It looks like there is more than one source of the glassware and therefore more than one particular application. I agree with Oscilllator that it does look very custom-made for quite specific purposes. Working out which bits go with which will be a big step in figuring out what it was all used for. Take a close look at the style of manufacture, particular markings, the way that hose-fittings, joins and welds are done. You might narrow it down a bit.

Edit
Good thinking Unionised. That makes sense.

[Edited on 13-3-2016 by j_sum1]

Druïdecook - 13-3-2016 at 03:33

The silvered culmns are indeed vac jacked.
Some are vigreux, oldershaw, open, vapour-liquid and a spinningband column (with inscription : patent pending nester Faust).

Druïdecook - 13-3-2016 at 03:49

Thanx for the advices so far

I Also think it has multiple application's. I also have a box of small glass tubing with ball-socket joints the same used in the larger glass components. (roundbottom flasks, columns , pipes, lids, valves enz..)
Only most of the have only a ball or a socket joint.
A lot of small rotaflo high vacuum glass/teflon valves and t-connectors were included.
I think the collector was a glassblower with neon-light manufatoring interessest.

[Edited on 13-3-2016 by Druïdecook]

Heavy Walter - 13-3-2016 at 05:03

Hi
By sure many items belong to high vacuum systems.
The piece hold by hand is a vacuum gauge (from the sixties) a Bayard-Alpert triode gauge.

Druïdecook - 13-3-2016 at 05:20

Another thing is the electrodes from the electrochemicall flow cell.
How can i determine wich material they are made off?

[Edited on 13-3-2016 by Druïdecook]

Heavy Walter - 13-3-2016 at 05:44

Post a better/detailed picture of the cell.
If the device is old enough, could be platinum. But also tungsten or nickel.

Heavy Walter - 13-3-2016 at 05:51

The wires going through the glass wall are named "feedthroughs".
Platinum wire goes directly through most glasses, so you see it silver-colored surface into the glass.
Some alternatives are dumet wire (a reddish/copper-like color) and at the inside the cell it goes welded/pressed to other metal.
Finally, tungsten or molybdenum wires get a grayish color (surface oxide needed to seal to glass).

Modern cells tend to be made with titanium electrodes.

Finally, some chemical test with acids will help to identify them.

gsd - 13-3-2016 at 07:17

Quote: Originally posted by Druïdecook

Hello,

I recently bought some glassware of an auction site.
That's how i becam owner of some glass pieces wich have application's that'aren't 100% known to me. Maybe you guys can give me some hints.

The auction also contained a bunch of LARGE glass pieces wich can be connected to form a distillation/rectification unit. Maybe you guys can giive me hints whats missing and what's not part of the unit. Or should i open an new subject on this?

sorry for my bad English

Greets

Photo's mystery glass attached.

The first photo is of magnetic reflux divider of distillation column.
You can clearly see the metal encased in the glass which is actuated by electromagnet placed out side.

The design looks bit complicated though. Normal magnetic reflux dividers have much simpler glass internals.

gsd

Druïdecook - 13-3-2016 at 07:23

Ok thnx,

I can't get a good pic off it.

But the wire is silver shiny and is molded into the glass.
The exposed pieces (square) are also very shiny.
Only some fine bubbles (air) could be seen
Pt is a real possibillity i think.

gsd - 13-3-2016 at 07:37

You can check with permanent magnet whether the internal moves.

gsd

Druïdecook - 13-3-2016 at 08:15

Ok Thnx,

I will look for a speaker to test

greets

unionised - 13-3-2016 at 08:42

If you are waving a magnet around, you can see if the feedthroughs are magnetic.
Dumet is; platinum isn't.

Druïdecook - 13-3-2016 at 09:06

Oh ok, You were talking about the electrodes

Ok I wil try that. I assume that the wirering is the same as the square unexposed sufaces

Thnx for the clearence.

Edit: non magnetically--> Pt..

[Edited on 13-3-2016 by Druïdecook]

Dr.Bob - 14-3-2016 at 13:14

That is quite a load of glassware. I have a few pieces almost that complex, but you have much more complex pieces than almost anyone I have ever seen. The jackets columns may be worth a bit, if you can find a buyer, they can run from hundreds of dollars to thousands new, so treat them gently, they are likely valuable to someone. I have never seen a magnetic fraction diverter like that before, but neat idea.

The second set of photos has some neat ball joint glassware, I have a few pieces of ball joint (mostly S35) flasks, tubes, and fittings, plus some adapters for them, if you need any replacements or fill in pieces. And some of the pieces look like they are tops or connectors for larger reactors.

Druïdecook - 18-3-2016 at 09:48

Hi Dr Bob,

Youre comment makes me very excited..

I am thinking to try to get in contact with the museum's operating manager to learn more about the history of the items.

I don't have the intension to sell yet. It was the first idea but now I am trying to get the unit complete if my idea of it's application is right.

Especially the spinningband column with its encription fascinates me. The part of patent pending could suggest that it came from the creator of that kind of spinning band column. It may add another dimension for the real glass fanatics.

I also have some simpler designed glass item's wich application is unkown to me. I will post some pics soon.

I was thinking that the 'reactor lids' also could function as a widening/ reducing section for a spiral condensing tube (begin / end). Missing in that case is a glass pipe withe in- and outled for the coil.

Again thank you all to help withe this

[Edited on 18-3-2016 by Druïdecook]

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