Toby Stensland wrote, without linefeeds:

> in our lab there is a very simple device to vary the power delivered
> to a AC motor (universal vacuum type motor).  It consists only of a
> potentiometer (100k, to select voltage), a red disc capacitor marked
> V130LA10A,

  MOV = Metal Oxide Varistor = surge supressor.

> a orange capacitor ... marked .22-200 DC, a small resistor looking
> thing (diode maybe?),

  Likely a Diac - trigger device with threshold somewhere in the 8 to
30V range.

> and a triac (SK3659 or MAC15-8).

  Standard light dimmer circuit.
--
  Cheers,
        Paul B.