Museo Galileo
italiano
Virtual Museum
In-depth
Gimbals

Suspension mount consisting of two mobile rings hinged together at right angles. Used, for example, to suspend magnetic compasses and nautical clocks, which were thus steadily maintained at the horizontal despite the ship's pitch and roll. Also known as a Cardanic joint after the mathematician Girolamo Cardano (1501-1576), its presumed inventor, although it is actually documented in more ancient times.