Barlow's Wheel

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Barlow's Wheel is the name given to an early demonstration of an electric motor, designed and built by English mathematician and physicist, Peter Barlow in 1822. An electric current passes through the hub of the wheel to a mercury contact on the rim; this is contained in a small trough through which the rim passes. Due to health and safety considerations brine is sometimes used today in place of mercury. The interaction of the current with the magnetic field of a U-magnet causes the wheel to rotate. The presence of serrations on the wheel is unnecessary and the apparatus will work with a round metal disk, usually made of copper.

"The points of the wheel, R, dip into mercury contained in a groove hollowed in the stand. A more rapid revolution will be obtained if a small electro-magnet be substituted for a steel magnet, as is shown in the cut. The electro-magnet is fixed to the stand, and included in the circuit with the spur-wheel, so that the current flows through them in succession. Hence the direction of the rotation will not be changed by reversing that of the current; since the polarity of the electromagnet will also be reversed."

(Excerpt taken from the 1842 edition of the Manual of Magnetism, page 94)