Author Topic: Clock? Compass? Measuring tool? Can anyone help me identify this?  (Read 2696 times)

xLux

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Clock? Compass? Measuring tool? Can anyone help me identify this?
« on: September 14, 2009, 11:25:07 am »
Hi, Thanks for reading. I bought this little item almost 10 years ago at a car boot sale with my father for 20p and have always wondered what it is!

I do not know anything about it, so please forgive my ignorance, but I believe it is gold, with a red stone in the back (with an ingraved 'R'), the face of the dial is quite damaged by either sun or water, but it says "inches" in really small letters under some of the numbers, although there is 1-12 like a clock face, there is also 1-25 in smaller numbers underneath. There are cogs inside, and the small disk that sits half outside the object moves.

I have more photo's if needed. Can anyone shed any light on this? Thanks  :D


KC

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Re: Clock? Compass? Measuring tool? Can anyone help me identify this?
« Reply #1 on: September 14, 2009, 05:33:17 pm »
Two questions here for you xlux....

1)  It appears from a photo that the word patent is on the face?  3rd pic enlarged?  Any word or partials would be appreciated.

2)  Does the cog on the outside move....lets say you roll it along a surface to measure something....does it move the dial?
I'm from the South - but please don't mistake my Southern Manners/Accent/Charm as a weakness!


KC

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Re: Clock? Compass? Measuring tool? Can anyone help me identify this?
« Reply #3 on: September 14, 2009, 10:08:45 pm »
Took the words out of my fingers sapphire......figur ed it was for mapping!
I'm from the South - but please don't mistake my Southern Manners/Accent/Charm as a weakness!

xLux

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Re: Clock? Compass? Measuring tool? Can anyone help me identify this?
« Reply #4 on: September 15, 2009, 01:27:58 am »
Yes! The dial moves but there are no handles on the face. Having a closer look at the face and the last link posted (Mellors & Kirk catalogues), it is the Morris's Patent Wealemefna!! Except mine is in gold and has this red stone on the back with the R in it.

I would have never found all of this out if it wasn't for you guys! Thank you!!

Do you think there's any around that are the same as mine?

sapphire

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Re: Clock? Compass? Measuring tool? Can anyone help me identify this?
« Reply #5 on: September 15, 2009, 04:49:51 am »
Taken from the "English Mechanic and World of Science"  Vol. 33, London, 1881




[18486.]—I have only just had my attention drawn to 'F. B. A. S. a" and other correspondents' remarks on the Wealemefna in the English Mechanic of Jan. 31, Feb. 7, 14, and 21, 1879.

After making the drawings for the special machinery, and also the fixtures for the interchangeable manufacture of the Martini-Henri at the Birmingham Small Arms Company, I established works for the manufacture of my patents on the same principle—the interchangeable system. I brought out the " chartometer," and found that merely because the derivation of that word, from рта and ˇiirpoc was at once apparent, people fancied they were familiar with that name, and professed to have seеп it before, and I determined that the origin of the next name I gave an invention should—to prevent a repetition of that annoyance—be somewhat obscure.

With the exception of a firm of Jews who coupled their pretensions to be sole licensees with the announcement that the word was Danish, and invented by themselves, the name seems to have completely fulfilled my intention, and the ingenious suggestions of the correspondents of the Еnglish Mechanic go no nearer to the derivation of the word than did Punch when making the Wealemefna the subject of a comic article.

However, by far the most ingenious explanations are those that have appeared in the English Mechanic, but the fact remains that the

Wealemefna is not derived from " "(world-rule-measure) nor from the anagrammatic transposition "a new female." Meanwhile it would be a pity to dispel a mystery—which U capable of being uitraveiled—as interesting to the public, apparently, as the solution.

The Wealemefna was selected by the Admiralty as ''the Hist prize for charts on board Н.М.Ь. Jíntaiiniíi " when the Prince of Wales's sons were being trained there.

I would note that the hands may bе always brought to zero from any position by not more than two blows on the periphery of the roller with the first finger—holding the instrument in the left hand—when the wheels and hands are so made аs to "spin" round.

At the works, all the pieces made by interchangeable machinery, without the use of afile, including all screws, hollow, and other spindles, wheels which work practically without backlash, the rollers which are hardened and sized to a fraction of a thousandth of an inch by special machines, and the cases. Skilled hand-labour (and filing) is, however, employed in the gold and silver work.

The manufacture of my instruments was at first undertaken by a firm of old standing, who, after much work, gave it up, as they concluded, and assured me, that the requirements were so peculiar to insure accuracy and no backlash, that it was impossible they could be brought out at a marketable price, as the most expensive skilled labour would be indispensable ; and they ridiculed my proposal to manufacture them on the interchangeable principle, and employ girls in the manufacture.

I may add, that to bring them out at the price at which they are now sold, cost me over L 1,000 and years of labour.

Ed. Buasell Morris, Assoc.M.InBt.C.E., M.Inst.M.E.

[Mr. Morris has invited our inspection of several forms of his ingenious little mysteriously-named measurer, and though it is late in the day to call attention to it—and probably unnecessary—we may just say that it is a most handy and accurate companion. Its inventor has recently brought out a miniature form of the instrument, which registers up to 10ft., and maу be carried in the waistcoat pocket, or worn as a watchguard-pendant.—Eu.j