35. Folding Square

Signed: I: Marke fe.

c. 1670

  Fig. 50 (bottom).

The folding rules by Le Maire and Clerget represent a standard French pattern of instrument, of which many examples survive. This English folding square is an earlier and altogether more unusual variant on the theme. The instrument has two principal legs with a maximum opening of 90°. When the right angle has been achieved the hinged supporting struts lock into a straight line. For levelling, a plumb line can be attached through a hole at the centre of the main hinge and read against a scale of degrees on the support, which also carries sectoral scales, including one for polygons. The principal legs have a range of equal parts and trigonometrical scales.

Length (closed): 182 mm

Inventory no. 39,708


Cat. No:   1  2  3  4  5  6   7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17   18  19  20  21  22  23  24  25  26  27  28  29  30   31  32  33  34  35  36  37  38  39  40  41  42   43  44   45  46  47  48  49  50   51   52  53   54   55  56  57   58  59  60  61  62   63  64  65  66  67  68  69  70  71  72  73  74  75  76  77  78  79   80   81
Next Entry   Previous   Exhibition Contents   Introduction   Summaries   Essay   Catalogue   Figures   Bibliography    Name Index
Museum Home Page