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HELP> What is this ? Detonator of some sort ?

G

goldwingkk

Member
Hi , I just joined here to see if anyone knows what this thing is . My dad brought it home from somewhere about 50 years ago and mentioned that it was a detonator for a mine or something .It's in the garage ever since . Is it dangerous ? Any value ? IMG_7513.jpgIMG_7515.jpgIMG_7516.jpgIMG_7517.jpgIMG_7518.jpgIMG_7520.jpgIMG_7521.jpgI'm in Kilkenny , Ireland . 2 euro coin in photo to show size.
 
Its a horn from a sea mine, very nice display, if you come up with a value and want to sell it let me know,,,,,,,,,,, Dave
 
Hi Goldwingkk,
Welcome to the forum, thats a lovely item and displayed beautifully, as Dave has pointed out it is indeed a horn from a sea mine, not my area so am unable to tell you which model it is from but no doubt someone here will have that information for you.
Best regards Weasel.
 
Hi goldwingkk,Welcome to the forum,I am fairly sure someone will identify the horn for you,very nice desirable display item,
Cheers,
Don,
 
As Millsbomber said , it's a mine horn . If you check the brass collar it will have markings on it that will probably give you a date & country of origin . It could be either British or German & from either WW . Very nice item !
 
No, that was wrong info above. Shugar/Chlorate horns were used much more early, in the beginning of sea mining. What you have is an early battery, as used for sea mines thats based on what is called in german a "Bunsen Tauchelement". The glass tube contains Potassium Bichromate in Sulphuric Acid. What you can't see in this nice display (I like it very much) is the Zink/Carbon element situated below the glass tube. With this battery 2 Volts at a few amperes could be produced for up to 30 Minutes. Your horn is called a "Hertz Horn", named after its inventor. Bending the lead tube breaks the glass tube and releases the acid solution on the Zink/Carbon element, producing enough electricity to set off an electric igniter. Like the other blokes before I also would appreciate it very much if you would give me a holler if you should ever decide to get rid of this nice display.
Bellifortis.
 
It could help to know how they are marked the sides of the nut at the base of the horn.

Regards
stecol
 
Thank you all very much .It's great to know what it actually is there are markings on the sides of the brass nut . I will read them and put it up tomorrow .It has survived being moved about in the garage all these years and I'm afraid it might get broken , so would I sell it on this page or e bay or what value is it ?. Am I allowed to put my e mail address up here ? or a link ? Thank you all again.
 
Thank you i just washed it with water and an old brush as it had years of dust and grime on it This forum has been a great help I hope it gets a safe home soon as it's a miracle it has survived in my place all these years , Thanks again.
 
goldwingkk said:
Thank you all very much .It's great to know what it actually is there are markings on the sides of the brass nut . I will read them and put it up tomorrow .It has survived being moved about in the garage all these years and I'm afraid it might get broken , so would I sell it on this page or e bay or what value is it ?. Am I allowed to put my e mail address up here ? or a link ? Thank you all again.
Click to expand...

I can see no date . On one side of the brass nut is the capital letter "E". ..........next side has "W.B." .............next side is difficult to see but is like "HT2" ............................. and another side has "NAO" but the letter "A" does not have a cross bar but a vertical bar which makes it look like an arrowhead pointed upwards. This "NAO is inside an oval circle. The other sides are blank. Does this help dating it ? Thank you .
 
It's a Brtish mine horn made by Westinghouse Brake Co. Ltd, of Kings Cross, London. Amongst many other things they made "...Carburettors, horns and batteries for mines..." during WWI and afterwards.

It looks like the horn fitted to the Type H (and other) moored contact mines. The N and O either side of the pheon (broad arrow) might mean Naval Ordnance, so a British mine horn rather than one made for export to the likes of the Portuguese or Russian Navies. HT2 might be H Mk2 perhaps? First produced in 1917, the Type H Mk2's service with the Royal Navy continued through the inter war periods to the early years of WWII.



Tom.
 
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