Dry card compass

Bowl - Brass, with very heavy bottom weight. Inside of bowl, white with black painted lubber line. At centre of verge glass is fitted a socket to accommodate the deflecting apparatus, No.526A. A prismatic telescope No 526B forms part of the outfit.
Card - Diameter 5.25" (13.3cm) Paper ring 0.75" (1.9cm) wide, white with black markings, graduated quadrantally in degrees. mounted on a very light aluminium framework which carries the pivot cap at its centre.
Needle - Six needles are hung on fibres attached to their centre and the light framework, so that they are free to be affected by the Earth's vertical force.
Pivot - Brass tube attached to bottom of bowl into which is screwed a steel-tipped pivot point. This engages in a jewelled pivot cap carried at centre of framework supporting card.
Stored with ACO0483

Object Details

ID: ACO0481
Type: Dry card compass
Display location: Not on display
Creator: Unknown
Date made: circa 1910
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, Admiralty Compass Observatory
Measurements: Overall: 180 mm x 280 mm x 220 mm