Westinghouse Shallenberger Ampere-hour Meter, 1888-1890
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Oliver B. Shallenberger, chief electrician at Westinghouse, invented the first successful AC ampere-hour meter in 1888. This meter measures the flow of electric current through a circuit. Early meters like this helped companies that supplied electricity to customers monitor usage and charge appropriate rates. Shallenberger's meter also paved the way for the acceptance of AC power distribution.
Oliver B. Shallenberger, chief electrician at Westinghouse, invented the first successful AC ampere-hour meter in 1888. This meter measures the flow of electric current through a circuit. Early meters like this helped companies that supplied electricity to customers monitor usage and charge appropriate rates. Shallenberger's meter also paved the way for the acceptance of AC power distribution.
Artifact
Meter (Measuring device)
Date Made
1888-1890
Creators
Place of Creation
United States, Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh
Creator Notes
Manufactured by Westinghouse Electric Company, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, using the patents of O. B. (Oliver Blackburn) Shallenberger.
Keywords
United States, Massachusetts, Medford
Electrical generation and distribution
Collection Title
Location
Not on exhibit to the public.
Object ID
29.1333.4
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company.
Material
Metal
Brass (Alloy)
Color
Black (Color)
Gold (Color)
White (Color)
Dimensions
Height: 9 in
Width: 6.25 in
Length: 7 in
Inscriptions
on plate: NO. 11586/ WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC CO./ PITTSBURGH PENNA. U.S.A./ O. B. SHALLENBERGER'S PATENTS/ AUGUST 14 1888./ NO. 388003 & 388004/ CAPACITY 40 AMPERS on readout: WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC CO./ PITTSBURGH PA U.S.A./ O. B. SHALLENBERGER'S/ PATENTS NO'S 388003/ AUG. 14, 1888 388004/ NO. 11586 CAPACITY 40 AMPS
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