Existing comment:
English-made electrostatic generator, around 1750
Franklin knew that researchers in Europe used friction machines to generate static electricity for their experiments and soon acquired on similar to this. Turning the crank caused the glove to rub against the pad, generating a charge in the brass rod. The charge could be stored in the Leyden jar (invented in 1746) or used for physical effect -- for example, to ring bells. |