Description

Important Connecticut Invention by Captain Townshend, c.1890, signed “Townshend, Patd. Jan 31, 1888,” and “Stackpole & Brother, New York, 2204.” The instrument is made of brass, with 8″ (20 cm) diameter six-spoked main circle inset with silver scale divided every ten seconds of arc and labeled with double degrees 0 – 180 (on two sides), and 0 – 720 full circle. Two mirrors are mounted independently at the center of rotation, each with vernier (divided every ten arcseconds thus reading to 20 seconds in double degrees) arm and magnifier. Each mirror arm can be adjusted manually by long control rod, or driven in fine motion by clamp and tangent screw. One views through the adjustable telescope to the fixed mirror (with one clear and two silvered areas itself mounted tied to the telescope on long arm with clamp, tangent screw, vernier, and magnifier), then to the adjustable mirrors and to the targets. Thus one can sight three objects and measure two angular separations simultaneously (as two bright stars from the moon, for the lunar longitude method, or three coastal landmarks, for triangulation in coastal navigation). It is equipped with mahogany handle, two interchangeable achromatic telescopes, one sighting tube, screw-on solar filter, three insertable rectangular filters, and the original fitted mahogany case. Condition is very fine noting a little spotting to the original lacquer finish. Captain Townshend (1833 – 1904) was a resident of New Haven, Ct, and recommended his device for sighting sun, moon, and fixed stars, etc. Very few examples of his double reflecting circle have survived.