Case Western Reserve University
Collection of Antique Physics Instruments

Descriptions, photos, and short video clips of  apparatus used for research in musical acoustics by Dayton C. Miller
(chairman of the Case School of Applied Science Physics Department) 1890-1920

This website was created by Brian Tinker, BS 2006, as part of his physics major senior project; faculty advisor William Fickinger)

Helmholtz Resonator

Tonometer

Vibration Microscope

Fourier Analyzer

 

 

Wind Chest

Fork Clock

Phonodeik

Organ Pipe

 

Tone Bars

Tone Variator

Régnault Chronograph

Harmonic Analyzer

 

Tuning Fork

Double Siren

Flame Manometer

Harmonic Synthesizer

 

More information on these and related instruments can be found at the following sources:

Senior Project Final Report by Brian Tinker, Summer 2006
Historical Physics Teaching Apparatus, maintained by Prof. Thomas Greenslade, Kenyon College
Dayton C. Miller Flute Collection, in the Library of Congress
William Fickinger history of physics research at CWRU – Chapter 4 – Miller
David Pantalony article on Koenig’s study of vowel sounds
Rudolph Koenig’s Acoustic Catalogue (French), 1889 Paris, Smithsonian Institution
Max Kohl’s Catalogue of Physical Apparatus, Chemnitz  Smithsonian Institution