Exterior hull plate, hemispherical (semi-circular), made of wrought iron with glass view ports. View ports include hinged cast iron deadlight cover with wrought iron pin lock on the interior of the hull to prevent light from appearing outside the submarine during night drills. Images show plate and view ports following submarine excavation and hull plate removal, x-ray photograph of view ports prior to deconcretion, view ports following deconcretion (removal of sediment concretion), and full deconcretion of hull plate and view ports, including the removal of glass and hinged deadlight covers.
Wooden part of bench for supporting and holding forward and central sections of the submarine interior bench, with notch cut out to fit around the submarine interior frame. Images show the concreted bench support following excavation and removal from the submarine; reverse-side view of concreted bench support; x-ray photograph of bench support; bench support following deconcretion, conservation treatment with polyethylene glycol, and cleaning; the reverse-side view of the same post-deconcretion condition; bench support following freeze-drying; and the reverse-side view of the support post-freeze-drying. Note the holes in all images where nails or screws were once held to attach the support to the forward and central bench.
Wooden plank used as a bench for crew operating the crankshaft, with notches carved out to fit around the frame ring supports. Images show the third section of the bench alongside the second bench section within the submarine prior to removal and the 3 different sections of the bench after cleaning, conservation treatment with polyethylene glycol, and freeze drying. Note also the carving in the front of one of the sections, which was done by a crew member to better operate the aft ballast pump.
Large bolt found on top of the head of a hammer and an adjustable wrench in the bottom of the submarine interior. Images show an x-ray photograph of the bolt prior to deconcretion, the bolt with concretion, and the bolt following deconcretion and conservation treatment with subcritical fluid technology.
Nut and bolt once connected to iron bar in between interior aft pump and horizontal rod support. Images show initial connection to iron bar in the submarine interior, x-ray photograph of the bolt and nut and the adjacent bolt, corrosion of the bolt and nut after removal from concretion, and bolt and nut after conservation treatment with subcritical fluid technology.
D-ring shackle made of iron, used to support the spar boom as part of the spar torpedo system, uncovered from suction pile excavation area about 2.3 m forward and to starboard of bow. Images show shackle following excavation with thick and compact shell and sediment concretion, x-ray photograph of shackle, and shackle following deconcretion, conservation treatment with caustic solution, and cleaning.
Oil can (oiler) containing oil, composed of brass, discovered partly fused to the forward bulkhead and concreted. Images show the oil can under heavy concretion and the oil can following deconcretion, conservation treatment with caustic solution, and cleaning.
Bull's eye lantern, made of iron, with convex glass lens. Images show concreted lantern during excavation of the submarine interior, x-ray photograph of the lantern, and lantern following and extensive cleaning and conservation treatment.
Cast iron cover from the starboard deadlight with rubber seal on the inside, removed from hinge on interior of the hull plate. Images show x-ray photograph of deadlight cover, deconcreted cover with rubber seal in place, and cover with rubber seal removed after conservation treatment with subcritical fluid technology.
Cast iron hatch cover from aft conning tower with a small viewport, bleeding valve and part of the locking mechanism. Images show the concreted hatch cover as excavated and still attached to conning tower, hatch cover during removal via crane, conning tower following hatch cover removal, and partially deconcreted hatch cover with rubber seal still attached.
Large plank of wood, possibly pine, with an associated detached smaller plank, found in the submarine bow interior. Possibly cut from the same wood as the crew bench, the two pieces were nailed together at some point to construct and hold in place against an iron pipe the main seat for Lieutenant George E. Dixon. Images show wood bench in its initial location within the submarine interior, wood bench with detached support prior to deconcretion and cleaning, and deconcreted and reconstructed wood pieces following conservation treatment with polyethylene glycol.
Metal file composed of wrought iron, initially found resting on top of a ballast block on the interior floor of the submarine. Images show the initial site of the iron file during excavation and the file after deconcretion and conservation treatment with subcritical fluid technology.
Wooden shelf from forward bulkhead in the submarine interior, found laying horizontal to the original upright orientation of the submarine. Possibly made of pine, approximately 1 inch thick, with cut-outs to fit in the bulkhead of the submarine. Images show wooden shelf within the submarine interior during excavation and wooden shelf after removal, conservation treatment with polyethylene glycol, and freeze drying. Note the rust stains on both ends where bolts had been used to secure the shelf.
Hammer made of wood and wrought iron, found laying against adjustable pipe wrench in the bottom of the submarine interior. Images show the initial location of the hammer on the submarine interior hull, the hammer concretion together with the pipe wrench following removal from the submarine, x-ray photograph of the hammer following separation from wrench concretion, and the hammer following partial deconcretion.
Iron tool handle cast in a T-shape, with a square end. Images show the tool following removal from the submarine but prior to deconcretion, x-ray photograph of the tool, and the tool following deconcretion and conservation treatment with subcritical fluid technology.
Wooden tool handle, possibly for an awl or file, egg shaped on one end to fit the hand and tapered down on the other. Images show the original location of the handle within the submarine interior with the tapered end lodged between a ballast block and the aft bulkhead, the handle after cleaning and conservation treatment with polyethylene glycol, and handle after freeze drying.
Rudder composed of wrought iron, discovered on the exterior of the submarine beneath the stern end with a large portion portside. Images show excavated rudder with concretion of coral growth and sea urchin spicules, rudder following partial deconcretion, deconcreted rudder treated in caustic solution, and fully deconcreted and cleaned rudder.
Open ended wrought iron pipe wrench. Images show heavily concreted wrench in its initial location on top of ballast block, and wrench after cleaning, deconcretion and conservation treatment with subcritical fluid technology. Second image shows the extremely fragile condition of the wrench following conservation.
Limit your search
Hunley Artifact Collection – Submarine Components and Tools✖[remove]18
