Brass water bottle level
Brass water bottle level
Obtained from the UK
This large brass water bottle level has seen some use. It is hard to date, but probably somewhere from the 19th century. Or at least, that would be my guess as by the end of the 19th century better (and cheaper) optical alternatives were made. Without a date it is however hard to tell exactly. The instrument works by looking along the two glasses which are connected by the brass tube. When filled with water the water level automatically sets to the same height and can be used as a vertical reference. All in all it is a rather crude device from a measuring standpoint.
The engineering is quite beautiful and simple. The tube consists of three parts that screw together with a gasket between the parts. The glass is mounted on the end of the rods with a gasket between glass and bottom plate. On top a nut is mounted which can be unscrewed with the key. The instrument has a traditional 19th century staff mount without thread. Rather than having a ball joint between the mount and the rod this instrument only has a swivel connection allowing horizontal rotation alone. Whic, when mounted relatively level is good enough considering that the water remains level anyway.
brass-bottle
Data sheet
- Material
- Brass
Glass
You might also like
3 other products in the same category:
Brass water bottle level
Obtained from the UK