Liquid compass

Liquid compass.

Bowl: Grey painted brass, filler plug at side, expansion chamber at base. Bottom of bowl glazed and fitted with socket to take electric lamp. Verge ring graduated to 360 degs, verge glass carries a set of mirrored graduations engraved on the glass, and provision is made for quadrantal corrector magnets at centre of glass. The bowl contains an inner bowl, containing the card, gimballed and sprung in the outer bowl. The inner bowl has four black lubber lines painted on white background. Mounted in a grey painted brass gimbal ring Diameter 14.2" (36 cm).

Card: Diameter 7" (17.8 cm) metal card? White with black markings, graduated to 360 degrees with a second set of mirrored graduations 180 degrees out of phase. The north point indicated by a rayed globe. Attached to large flat float at centre.

Needle: Unsighted.

Pivot: Unsighted.


O.A. Height 5.9" (15 cm)

In a fitted wooden box, Dims 16.25" x 16.25" x 8.5" (41.2 cm x 41.2 cm x 21.5 cm)

Object Details

ID: ACO0510
Type: Liquid compass
Display location: Not on display
Creator: Plath, C.
Date made: circa 1938
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, Admiralty Compass Observatory
Measurements: Overall: 215 mm x 413 mm x 413 mm x 32 kg