Name this piece of historic lab equipment

thingamawatzit.jpg

Do you know what this is?

Science blogger Southern Fried Scientist found it in a cabinet in his laboratory. It's got a motor, which turns some kind of centrifuge, and a set of optical lenses, which appear to be focused on the center of the centrifuge drum. It's made out of Bakelite and steel, and the older scientists in his lab agree that it's probably early 20th century vintage. Whatever it is.

One final clue, two patent numbers that are written on a plaque which also identifies Bausch & Lomb as the makers of the optics—# 1,648,369 and # 1,907,803.

What do you think, Boingers?