Air pump

Air pump designed by Francis Hauskbee. Air pumps allowed experimenters to create a partial vacuum in the glass bell at the top of the device by pumping air out using the handle. Apart from proving that a vacuum was possible, the air pump gave rise to many experiments such as studying the effects of rarefied air on combustion, magnetism and sound. Francis Hauksbee used this air pump in the course of his public lectures at the Royal Society.