Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Mysterious bottle

woelen - 9-10-2006 at 13:41

Here follow a few pictures of a weird bottle. It is a nice piece of glasswork, but I'm wondering what it is used for.










It is not my own bottle, but a bottle of someone I know. If you need more info about the bottle, then as for it, and I can ask for more description or pictures. But if someone recognizes this kind of bottle, then of course I would be very pleased to be notified about that. It is a funny looking thing, but I don't see a real practical use for it. Any ideas?

Eclectic - 9-10-2006 at 14:29

It sort of looks like a nebulizer that doesn't really fit the bottle. Maybe an automatic dispenser? I can't make out the inner details.



[Edited on 9-10-2006 by Eclectic]

not_important - 9-10-2006 at 21:45

Yes, it looks somewhat like an auto-dispenser, but the upper section isn't very clear. I'm assuming that the outer upper section is cap to cover the works when not in use, a shot or two with that removed might be useful.

DrP - 10-10-2006 at 05:57

Looks a bit like a demijohn - can't make out the workings in the top part though. Could be a fancy bubbler unit to relieve pressure during home brewing of wine. Although if it came out of a lab then this obviously won't be the case.

matei - 10-10-2006 at 12:06

It's a spray bottle for developing thin-layer chromatography plates. The bottle to which it is attached looks too large though.

not_important - 10-10-2006 at 19:02

Quote:
Originally posted by matei
It's a spray bottle for developing thin-layer chromatography plates. The bottle to which it is attached looks too large though.


Doesn't look quite right for that. There usually is a tube for the air feed, and either a very fine tube inside the larger one, or an obvious nozzle near the top.


http://www.sigmaaldrich.com/Area_of_Interest/Analytical__Chr...

http://www.coleparmer.com/catalog/product_view.asp?sku=34695...

YT2095 - 11-10-2006 at 02:00

I`m currious about those 2 wires in it?

Ph? Thermo-couple? electrolysis?

Cold Fusion!:o

matei - 11-10-2006 at 05:09

Those aren't wires. They are stripes enbedded in the glass cap. Old laboratory glass tubes were usually marked with a stripe which had a colour according to the respective glass type.

Mr. Wizard - 11-10-2006 at 06:18

It almost looks like the self measuring liquor dispensing things they use in bars. :D

YT2095 - 11-10-2006 at 06:35

Quote:
Originally posted by matei
Those aren't wires. They are stripes enbedded in the glass cap. Old laboratory glass tubes were usually marked with a stripe which had a colour according to the respective glass type.


Cool and thnx for that, I`ll rest easy now knowing it`s some sort of Cold Fusion bomb :P

and no, I have no idea what function it performs, sorry.

chromium - 11-10-2006 at 06:42

Is not this just overcomplicated bottle for pouring liquids?

Upper test tube like thing is stopper and if its removed smaller tube lets air in and bigger one is where liquid comes out when bottle is tilted.

YT2095 - 11-10-2006 at 08:23

yeah, I see where you`re going with that, like some sort of decanter for PPTs that doesn`t cause excessive turbulance and just takes off the top liquer.

woelen - 12-10-2006 at 09:55

Thanks for all responses so far. I asked for pictures of the top part and here they are.





Also, it can be added, that this bottle is not something for dispensing a liquid for use in a bar. The glass is so-called Jena-glass, high quality lab glassware and not something to be used in common household, shops or bars.
All parts also are very precisely made for each other. All parts fit perfectly into each other, and so this is not an assembly of different parts of different pieces of labware. This whole thing is made with a purpose. But we don't know what purpose.

I like the idea of chromium, it indeed could be something like that. The thin tube is bent upwards, if the mouth of the larger tube is directed downwards for pouring. This indeed could be used as a pouring device, provided, the bottle is not too full.

[Edited on 12-10-06 by woelen]

unionised - 12-10-2006 at 10:51

Well, to me it looks like a sprayer like this one (Sorry, but this is the best picture I could find online)
http://www.alltechweb.com/productinfo/technical/datasheets/1...

woelen - 12-10-2006 at 23:11

I doubt it is a sprayer. The little tube inside the bottle does not go all the way down to the bottom. If this were a sprayer, then it would be very annoying. Only approximately 25% of volume is accessible due to the short tube. So, I still think more in the direction of the decanting botle.

labi - 15-10-2006 at 20:31

matei it is not a TLC sprayer. it may be some type of cold diffuser used to diffuse volatile essential oils

woelen - 1-11-2006 at 07:49

Could this bottle be used for inhaling vapor of some volatile compound?

The tube, sticking into the bottle only is short, such that it is above the surface of the liquid. The bottle could also be filled with a sponge, impregnated with the liquid from which the vapor must be inhaled. The short tube does not prevent such usage.

If you look very well, then you can see that there is a small piece of wadding in the second small tube, which could well be used as the air-inlet, when you are inhaling. This tube is closed by the piece of wadding. This prevents evaporation of the liquid, when the bottle is not used. I assume the piece of wadding is removed when one wants to inhale. On inhaling, air is drawn from the bottle, and through this tube, fresh air can be drawn into the bottle, going along the liquid, and then going to the bigger "mouth".

Mr. Wizard - 1-11-2006 at 08:17

The tube running to the side of the plug could be for regulating air flow as you pour. By putting your fingertip over the hole you can carefully regulate the liquid flow rate. I have a gasoline (petrol) can with a vent hole that serves the same function. It's very handy when you don't want to spill anything, and the air intake keeps the liquid flow smooth without periodic 'glugs'.