The Hipp Chronoscope - continued...

The Hipp Chronoscope, 'model 88'

In 1875, Heinrich Schneebeli, a teacher of physics at Neuchâtel, published an article on a further improved version of the Hipp chronoscope. In Ueber die Anziehungszeit und Abreissungszeit der Elektromagnete. Annalen der Physik und Chemie, Schneebeli notes that the chronoscope was used in numerous physical laboratories. He adds a detailed description of the improved instrument.

Hipp had introduced changes to the escapement and the electric part of his chronoscope. With respect to the escapement, Schneebeli writes that the simple screw to adjust the Hipp lamella u is replaced by an additional unit for calibration. Part of this unit is a lever with a little weight and a damper, to prevent self resonance. A more striking modification concerned the electric unit at the back side of the chronoscope. Instead of only one, the new Hipp chronoscope had two electromagnets. Between two pairs of coils a metal armature was placed. The position of this armature was adjusted with the help of two levers and springs. Initially, the chronoscope only allowed measurements in case the electric circuit was interrupted. The new arrangement of the electromagnets made it possible to measure time with an opened and closed circuit, thus multiplying possible laboratory set-ups. It was this version of the Hipp chronoscope that was widely used in psychological laboratories.

Description of the chronoscope in Hipp's 1877 trade catalogue

In section B of Hipp's 1877 trade catalogue, the new chronoscope figured as item 88. Today, 18 instruments of type "88" still exist. Nearly all these instruments are of identical construction. They bear Hipp's signature plus a serial number. A great number of these chronoscopes are located in collections and museums of psychological institutes.