Massey's patent, frictionless ocean depth sounder

Made:
1836
Massey's patent frictionless sounder Massey's patent frictionless sounder Massey's patent frictionless sounder

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Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Massey's patent frictionless sounder
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Massey's patent frictionless sounder
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Massey's patent frictionless sounder
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Massey's patent frictionless sounder, c.1836. Used to determine the depth of water below a ship.

This sounding machine is a modification of the one patented by Edward Massey in 1836.

The rigid guard ring protected the rotator from damage, especially if the sounder struck against the ship's hull while being hauled inboard. During the hauling-in operation the vanes are prevented from rotating by a stop attached to a metal plate which is forced down by the water pressure.

The sounder was used with a deep-sea lead of 56lbs weigh, being connected to it by 3 feet of sounding line. In earlier sounders the rotator was separated from the counting mechanism by a short length of line.

Details

Category:
Navigation
Object Number:
1874-69
type:
sounder
credit:
Massey, E.