Signedplate on base: CENTRAL SCIENTIFIC CO. / CHICAGO, ILL. / CAT. NO. 80375 SER. NO. / VOLTS 110 WATTS / LABORATORY APPARATUS (CENCO LOGO) SUPPLIES CHEMICALS
Inscribedplate on coil: 600 / TURNS / (Cenco logo)
on capacitor : CORNELL / DUBILIER (logo) / REG. U.S. PAT. OFF. / DYKANOL A / TJU 10100 / 10 MFD / 1000 VDC / Mfd. Under U.S. Pat. Nos / 1,931,373 2,041,594 / 1,850,702 / Made in U.S. Am.
FunctionAn LC circuit is one which includes an inductor, represented by the letter L, and a capacitor, represented by the letter C. A true LC circuit cannot exist because all circuits possess some sort of resistance, making them "RLC" circuits.
LC, and RLC circuits are known for creating oscillations of electric current. The frequency of the oscillations is related to the capacities of the capacitor and the inductor (capacitance and inductance). If one connects a power source with alternating current in a frequency that corresponds to the oscillation frequency of the RLC circuit, resonance occurs and the amount of electricity circulating with be very large.
This demonstrational model is an RLC circuit, where the resistance is a light bulb, and it has a variable inductance depending on how high the C-shape is located.
As the light bulb glows when enough current passes through it, it is a good way of visualizing the strength of the current in the circuit. In this demonstration, one would connect an AC power source and adjust the inductance to find the points at which the system enters resonance (at which the bulb glows very bright).
A modern version of this demonstration is available from MIT here, and on YouTube here.