Circular instrument dividing engine, made possibly by either Peter & John Dollond (active 1766-1804) or perhaps Edward Pritchard around 1800. The cast brass, 34 ¾-inch dividing plate, is supported on a heavy metal cast frame on a massive wooden tripod table with four drawers.
A dividing engine is used to accurately graduate scales onto scientific instruments such as sextants. This engine was used by Walter T. Parsons until his death in 1928. According to his account it was purchased from optical instrument-makers the Dollonds; he also states that the Dollonds purchased it from Edward Pritchard, who was an apprentice of influential instrument-maker Jesse Ramsden, pioneer of dividing engine construction.
Details
- Category:
- Industrial Metrology
- Object Number:
- 1930-366
- Measurements:
-
overall: 1120 mm x 1000 mm x 1070 mm, 205kg
overall, inc pallet: 225kg
- type:
- circular dividing engine
- credit:
- Parsons, W V
