Guage

[Purfler]

image.jpgI know this isn't a tool, but I'm not sure where else to seek advice. It is a massive brass duplex test guage by Shepard, Davies of Sydney. 175mm in diameter, machine turned mechanism and hand painted face. It weighs 5.5kg. The threaded coupling is stamped with 10/44, which I take to be date of manufacture. The J (broad arrow) B stamp I assume indicates a military connection. Any thoughts gratefully accepted.

Regard,

tim

[Chief Tiff]

Pretty! I'm fairly sure it would have been a gauge used to check or perform calibration on pressurised components; by using two independent bourdon tube mechanisms you would be assured that so long as both needles were reading the same pressure the gauge would be correct. If one started reading different then one or both needed recalibrating using a dead-weight tester. It's something that could be carried by mobile repair units, or carried by ships.

The broad arrow mark does indicate that it was supplied to the government; highly likely it was the Department of Defence as they were the biggest procurer. The two initials I don't know but I suspect they would indicate which department ordered it.

The 10/44 is a bit odd; it's not unusual to have the purchase year stamped by the broad arrow but to also show the month is a bit rare. Saying that, my experience is mainly based on the UK MOD systems; the Aust DoD may have procured things slightly differently.

Anyway, what are you going to do with it? Brass steam gauges are usually mounted on a wooden plaque with an engraved plate indicating what ship it came from, what are your plans for this?

[Purfler]

Pretty! I'm fairly sure it would have been a gauge used to check or perform calibration on pressurised components; by using two independent bourdon tube mechanisms you would be assured that so long as both needles were reading the same pressure the gauge would be correct. If one started reading different then one or both needed recalibrating using a dead-weight tester. It's something that could be carried by mobile repair units, or carried by ships.

The broad arrow mark does indicate that it was supplied to the government; highly likely it was the Department of Defence as they were the biggest procurer. The two initials I don't know but I suspect they would indicate which department ordered it.

The 10/44 is a bit odd; it's not unusual to have the purchase year stamped by the broad arrow but to also show the month is a bit rare. Saying that, my experience is mainly based on the UK MOD systems; the Aust DoD may have procured things slightly differently

Anyway, what are you going to do with it? Brass steam gauges are usually mounted on a wooden plaque with an engraved plate indicating what ship it came from, what are your plans for this?

I have aver couple of other, smaller, guages and some faux nautical things -clock and barometer, that I paid little for. SWMBO liked the idea of mounting them together on a panel. I have to say though, this is such a magnificent object that I'd much prefer for it to be used as intended. If anyone knows of a restoration that might need it I'd gladly donate it.

I'm always looking out for antique and vintage tools (I seem to have more than fifty saws, about half backsaws - I'm a sucker for brass and timber). One of my daughters said I should not talk about this in public ), but I think it is safe here.

Regards and and thanks for the information.

Tim

[camoz]

5.5kg's

Here is a bit of history on John Shephard, who I think is connected.

http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/shephard-john-11675

My guess, it was a piece of testing equipment used In the manufacture of torpedoes in Australia https://static.awm.gov.au/images/col...070360--1-.pdf (page 11 paragraph 2). Now all we need to do is find someone restoring 1944 torpedoes.

cheers,

Camo

[NCArcher]

Does it only have one process connection?

[cava]

That looks great, and mounted on a board would be a good talking point!

[Purfler]

5.5kg's

Here is a bit of history on John Shephard, who I think is connected.

http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/shephard-john-11675

My guess, it was a piece of testing equipment used In the manufacture of torpedoes in Australia https://static.awm.gov.au/images/col...070360--1-.pdf (page 11 paragraph 2). Now all we need to do is find someone restoring 1944 torpedoes.

cheers,

Camo

Many thanks for this. I had seen the ADB entry, it is the right Shepard. The torpedo connection is an intriguing possibility. I know nothing about steam or ships, but did wonder if a guage that could read to 650 pounds was more than they might need. You have opened up another line of enquiry for me which I will follow.

Thank again,

Tim

[Purfler]

Does it only have one process connection?

Yes. Sorry I missed your post before.

Tim

[Purfler]

5.5kg's

Here is a bit of history on John Shephard, who I think is connected.

http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/shephard-john-11675

My guess, it was a piece of testing equipment used In the manufacture of torpedoes in Australia https://static.awm.gov.au/images/col...070360--1-.pdf (page 11 paragraph 2). Now all we need to do is find someone restoring 1944 torpedoes.

cheers,

Camo

I cannot find restoration, but I did find manufacture:

http://users.tpg.com.au/borclaud/ranad/about_rantf.html

regards,

Tim

edit: I just found that a triple expansion stem engine in a WW2 Liberty ship had steam delivered at 220 pounds, ie almost three times the maximum of this guage. I found a photo of a Liberty ship engine room but I'm on a stupid iPad and cutting and pasting links is a pain. The guage seems the right size for a ship of that kind, however none were dual reading. Duplex guages seem to have been used in critical applications where you had to be certain of the reading, the example I found was train brakes. As the military didn't have trains made for them - I think- it is much more likely it is naval. The search for information is all good fun.

[NCArcher]

That's a really nice old gauge. I'm an instrument technician and I've worked with lots of pressure gauges but I've never seen a duplex gauge with a single input before. I'm not sure what the purpose of the twin display is. If it only has one connection then the needles will move at the same time. It would be a bit of a bugger to calibrate and get the needles to move identically. I did a bit of a search and all the duplex gauges I could find have two process connections.
Still a nice gauge though.

[Purfler]

That's a really nice old gauge. I'm an instrument technician and I've worked with lots of pressure gauges but I've never seen a duplex gauge with a single input before. I'm not sure what the purpose of the twin display is. If it only has one connection then the needles will move at the same time. It would be a bit of a bugger to calibrate and get the needles to move identically. I did a bit of a search and all the duplex gauges I could find have two process connections.
Still a nice gauge though.

Many thanks for this. I might have an answer: http://www.antiques-atlas.com/antiqu...auge/as172a297

it is the closest I can find to this one.

Regards

Tim

[camoz]

This is the closest I have found:

http://www.gilai.com/product_776/Bra...ewrance-London

cheers,

Camo

[Purfler]

This is the closest I have found:

http://www.gilai.com/product_776/Bra...ewrance-London

cheers,

Camo

Bingo!

Many thanks.

Tim

[Purfler]

I was randomly wondering about the guage I posted about years ago and found another for sale (no connection to me) in its original box.

s-l1600.jpg

[Bushmiller]

Tim

A little research indicated that the duplex gauges were used to save space and could register two separate pressures. However, what is strange and NC Archer noted this, is that it only has a single connection at the bottom of the gauge. There is a distinction in that this is termed a "Test" duplex gauge. I don't know the significance of this. Possibly it could be used on, for example, a ship's boiler and the two readings are a safety device in case one fails. An overpressurised boiler is not a good thing!

It clearly has a little age on it and is most appealing, whatever it is . Did you mount it on a board?

Regards
Paul

PS: I have just followed Camoz's link. . Ok, pressure testing of boilers before delivery, but still does not fully explain the two gauges from the single input. Perhaps the two dials were required to maintain integrity for the boiler certificate.