Albert the drinking duck
Date: 1950-1960
Inventory Number: RS1423
Classification: Toy
Subject:
toy,
Maker: Tigrett Industries Toy Division (founded c. 1955)
Inventor: Miles V. Sullivan (born 1917)
Cultural Region:
Place of Origin:
Dimensions:
box, original: 8.5 × 40 × 24.7 cm (3 3/8 × 15 3/4 × 9 3/4 in.)
box, blueboard: 10.2 × 40.6 × 24.4 cm (4 × 16 × 9 5/8 in.)
Accessories: cardboard box
Description:
Two-dimensional light yellow and light blue plastic duck with rectangular hole in the middle in which a metal tube rests connected to the top and bottom of the duck frame. Around the midpoint of the tube is a brass band fastened by a rubber band. Bottom of tube is plastic. Top of tube is surrounded by yellow-brown foam. Two red plastic stands with holes at their tops for insertion of ends of brass bands to serve as the pivot for the duck as it dips and rises. Red-dyed feather on posterior of duck.
In Collection(s)
Signedon one flap: Tigrett / Industries
Inscribedunder signature: Jackson, Tennessee / U.S. Pat. 2,659,215 / U.S. Re 22,900
on back of box: INSTRUCTIONS / 1. Remove parts CAREFULLY. Fill cup / with water. DO NOT USE ICE WATER / 2. Dip Albert's head in water for five / seconds, and shake off excess water. / 3. Brass band around Albert's midsection is his swinging axis/ Adjust it so that brass / arms extend straight out from body. Set / body between legs with brass arms in the / leg holes. IMPORTANT - brass band can be adjusted and should be at lowest point at which Albert will operate - usually about 1/16" below center line. / 4. Place Albert so his bill will go in water / when he bends forward.
on front of box, right side: HERE I AM - BACK AGAIN / AFTER ALL THOSE YEARS! / ALBERT / the drinking duck
on top of box, left side: I've been away on a good long trip / I stayed for quite a while, But now I'm back to the same old dip / With a style that'll make you smile!
on top of box, right side: I'M THE ONE AND ONLY / PERPETUAL MOTION FELLOW / ALBERT the drinking duck / ONCE I START I NEVER STOP!
on back of box: INSTRUCTIONS / 1. Remove parts CAREFULLY. Fill cup / with water. DO NOT USE ICE WATER / 2. Dip Albert's head in water for five / seconds, and shake off excess water. / 3. Brass band around Albert's midsection is his swinging axis/ Adjust it so that brass / arms extend straight out from body. Set / body between legs with brass arms in the / leg holes. IMPORTANT - brass band can be adjusted and should be at lowest point at which Albert will operate - usually about 1/16" below center line. / 4. Place Albert so his bill will go in water / when he bends forward.
on front of box, right side: HERE I AM - BACK AGAIN / AFTER ALL THOSE YEARS! / ALBERT / the drinking duck
on top of box, left side: I've been away on a good long trip / I stayed for quite a while, But now I'm back to the same old dip / With a style that'll make you smile!
on top of box, right side: I'M THE ONE AND ONLY / PERPETUAL MOTION FELLOW / ALBERT the drinking duck / ONCE I START I NEVER STOP!
FunctionAlthough billed in this case as a perpetual motion machine, the drinking duck draws its energy from the cooling due to the evaporation of the water on its foam head.
Inside the cylinder are two bulbs, one at the top, one at the bottom, connected by a tube. The bottom bulb contains a liquid that readily vaporizes and condenses at ordinary room temperature and pressure, like ethanol or methylene chloride.
When the duck's head is wetted with tepid water, the water begins to evaporate and absorbs heat from the foam head. This cools the head and creates a temperature differential between the top and bottom bulbs. The cooler head causes the ethanol vapor to condense, thus decreasing the vapor pressure in the head. The higher vapor pressure in the "abdomen" forces the liquid through the tube and increases the weight of the top bulb. The bird tips forward. When the end of the tube is no longer under water, the vapor begins bubbling through the liquid and drives the liquid out of the top bulb and into the bottom bulb again. The process repeats as long as the head continues to dip into the water.
Inside the cylinder are two bulbs, one at the top, one at the bottom, connected by a tube. The bottom bulb contains a liquid that readily vaporizes and condenses at ordinary room temperature and pressure, like ethanol or methylene chloride.
When the duck's head is wetted with tepid water, the water begins to evaporate and absorbs heat from the foam head. This cools the head and creates a temperature differential between the top and bottom bulbs. The cooler head causes the ethanol vapor to condense, thus decreasing the vapor pressure in the head. The higher vapor pressure in the "abdomen" forces the liquid through the tube and increases the weight of the top bulb. The bird tips forward. When the end of the tube is no longer under water, the vapor begins bubbling through the liquid and drives the liquid out of the top bulb and into the bottom bulb again. The process repeats as long as the head continues to dip into the water.
Curatorial RemarksThe drinking duck was originally developed by Miles V. Sullivan in 1945. It has been reported that Einstein never figured out how the device worked. According to a 1964 Time Magazine article, "the nonpareil theorist couldn't figure out those scraggly toy birds that dip in and out of a bowl of water in perpetual motion. He spent several days trying to dope it out, but never found the answer."
All components housed together in a blue-board box with lid. SMS 9/25/2018
All components housed together in a blue-board box with lid. SMS 9/25/2018
Primary SourcesFor patent, click here.