Spirometers (lung testers)

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13rebel
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Spirometers (lung testers)

Post by 13rebel »

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bryans fan
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Re: Spirometers (lung testers)

Post by bryans fan »

Fascinating. Thank you for sharing.
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Re: Spirometers (lung testers)

Post by coppinpr »

Lung testers disappeared from makers' catalogues very suddenly and pretty much all at the same time when a belief that illness, most notably tuberculosis, could be passed on by using them (this may well have been true).
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Re: Spirometers (lung testers)

Post by badpenny »

That was my understanding too.
I remember signs on buses that said No Spitting for the same reason.
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Re: Spirometers (lung testers)

Post by radiochrissie »

This brings back memories of repairing spirometers in a hospital I worked in years ago. I had to replace the bellows inside an old spirometer because it was leaking air, after I fitted the new bellows I had the bright idea to open the old one up. :o
The contents looked like honey fungus, and the stink...... !WEIRD!
I never did that again.
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Re: Spirometers (lung testers)

Post by badpenny »

........... and this year's award for the most disturbing mental image goes to .......
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Re: Spirometers (lung testers)

Post by pennymachines »

I've uploaded the pretty Hill Climber lung test wall machine to the new Museum.
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Re: Spirometers (lung testers)

Post by pennymachines »

A couple of spectacular spirometers in the Morphy auction:
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H1097-L133608959.jpg
H1097-L133605356.jpg
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Re: Spirometers (lung testers)

Post by badpenny »

Enough to take your breath away ............
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Re: Spirometers (lung testers)

Post by pennymachines »

I'm reliably informed that the two above are modern recreations (although the catalogue does not say so).

Here's something different - a 1902 beverage vending spirometer: Pat. GB190116965
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spiro1.jpg
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gameswat
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Re: Spirometers (lung testers)

Post by gameswat »

And to think I once admired your taste in machines PM. :o That's a pretty damn awful homemade copy of Caille Rubber Neck. The real machines are quite superb in comparison, and have the previously talked about Alfred E Newman marquee casting on them.
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rubber neck.jpg
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Re: Spirometers (lung testers)

Post by pennymachines »

:lol: Yep, that does look kind of spectacular by comparison - I only really focus on the European stuff. !!HYPNO!!
Favourite has to be the Hill Climber. This image from Wenn der Groschen fällt appears to be a patent drawing. Can't find the patent though.
A special form of strength tester are the machines for testing the lung force, in which the player blows with all his might through a hose. The air pressure of the blowing is measured and, as with the other devices, recorded on a scale. However, these devices soon went out of fashion as it was generally considered unhygienic to use the same mouthpiece over and over again.
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hillclimb.jpg
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Re: Spirometers (lung testers)

Post by pennymachines »

Found it: GB190201196 John Jofeh, 1902
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Re: Spirometers (lung testers)

Post by gameswat »

The photos are of John Gresham's former machine now in the US. I got to look it over many years ago and sadly someone removed the figure and other parts to make it just a single player instead. Nothing that can't be restored one day as the patent shows you everything.
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Re: Spirometers (lung testers)

Post by pennymachines »

Gameswat wrote: Fri Jan 12, 2018 9:37 pm The photos are of John Gresham's former machine now in the US.
Yes, taken by Sweetmeats when it was in John's Pocklington museum (a year or two after I visited same).
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Re: Spirometers (lung testers)

Post by pennymachines »

These wonderful spirometers were in the Smith Collection sale of 1994:
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Coney Island Love Spirometer
Coney Island Love Spirometer
Gasser 'How Many Lamps Can You Light?' Lung Tester
Gasser 'How Many Lamps Can You Light?' Lung Tester
Caille Mascot Strength & Lung Tester
Caille Mascot Strength & Lung Tester
Caille 'Rubber Neck' Lung Tester
Caille 'Rubber Neck' Lung Tester
Mills Lion Lung Tester
Mills Lion Lung Tester
Mills Balloon Lung Tester
Mills Balloon Lung Tester
Mills 'Hats Off' Lung Tester
Mills 'Hats Off' Lung Tester
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Re: Spirometers (lung testers)

Post by 13rebel »

Some stunning items there. Any ideas as to how the 'How many lamps can you light' machine would work? You can make a lamp go out by attaching electrodes to a bulb, immersing them in calcium hydroxide and blowing into a tube/straw submerged into the liquid, but that would be the wrong way round. !PUZZLED!
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Re: Spirometers (lung testers)

Post by pennymachines »

I should think it works much like the others - blowing into the tube moves a gauge with a contact which moves over terminals to progressively light the bulbs.

The one below (attributed to The National Spirometer Co. in the OP's link) dispenses electricity too.
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Colby Automatic  Medical Shocker & Spirometer
Colby Automatic Medical Shocker & Spirometer
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Re: Spirometers (lung testers)

Post by 13rebel »

Thanks Mr PM, it seems so obvious now. !DOH!
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john t peterson
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Re: Spirometers (lung testers)

Post by john t peterson »

Shock your lips? :shock:

Sure cure for Phantom Kissers. :evil:

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