+EraSeek Posted April 18, 2004 Share Posted April 18, 2004 What is this a part of? Found while caching. Quote Link to comment
surveyor9769 Posted April 19, 2004 Share Posted April 19, 2004 Can't really tell what it is. Upper left is a Notrh reference, upper is hand level, a 3 legged tripod with some kind of instrument not a transit and the intrument person looks a little wierd, the rod person is holding some type of reflector. It could be some type of Electronic distance measuring systems (EDM) cover. It is not any that I have seen before. Distance finder printed on the face is not a term that US surveyors use. EDM is the term used for distance measuring lasers. I don't know what it is. Looks interesting. Great find. Surveyor9769 Quote Link to comment
+GEO*Trailblazer 1 Posted April 19, 2004 Share Posted April 19, 2004 A Real Rare"RELIC" I have seen the whole thing somewhere I think it was in the St. Louis Arch Museum or Monticello. I do not remember the name of the Instrument though. Quote Link to comment
boundsgoer Posted April 19, 2004 Share Posted April 19, 2004 Try going to surveyhistory.org and contacting the curator for information. I had them research a "wye" level my parents had purchased at an auction. Quote Link to comment
+Renegade Knight Posted April 19, 2004 Share Posted April 19, 2004 This is a sWAG with not much Scientific to put in front of it. My money is that it's some kind of optical distance finder that predates the EDM type machines by quite some time. The base plate doesn't look rotation friendly and that would rule out a more traditional type of survey instrument. The reflector referenced could of had a pattern that made it easy to get an exact focus which in turn would let you estimate a distance with better accuracy than otherwise. Using the base plate picture the instrumnet doesn't appear to use 'stadia' to estimate distance. Quote Link to comment
+EraSeek Posted April 20, 2004 Author Share Posted April 20, 2004 Try going to surveyhistory.org and contacting the curator for information. I had them research a "wye" level my parents had purchased at an auction. Thanks. Sounds like the place to go. Quote Link to comment
+EraSeek Posted April 21, 2004 Author Share Posted April 21, 2004 surveyhistory.org says: "Gee, that's a new one on me. Never seen anything like it. I'll keep my eye open.... " Quote Link to comment
+GEO*Trailblazer 1 Posted April 21, 2004 Share Posted April 21, 2004 (edited) You May find it under Historic Instruments Here: Historic Instruments If I only had a Brain, I could remember that name. You might search here: Library Of Congress Edited April 21, 2004 by GEO*Trailblazer 1 Quote Link to comment
+Kewaneh & Shark Posted April 21, 2004 Share Posted April 21, 2004 Here's a thought: It might not be part of a surveying instrument at all, but instead a type of holder, buckle, or bracket to hold a surveying instrument. Kind of like the leather holder I have to hold my pocket tape on my belt. Judging by the rust stains, it obviously held something. The square holes look like they could have been used to strap the item onto a belt or pack. Also, the term 'Distance Finder' might not be refering to what the item is, rather to what the pictures are of. Surveyors are distance 'finders' of sorts. Or maybe it's a fancy light switch cover. - Kewaneh Quote Link to comment
Z15 Posted April 21, 2004 Share Posted April 21, 2004 I was thinking it might be part of a wood case the instrument was carried/stored in? No other identifying marks, patten numbers etc? Quote Link to comment
+Renegade Knight Posted April 21, 2004 Share Posted April 21, 2004 I was thinking it might be part of a wood case the instrument was carried/stored in? No other identifying marks, patten numbers etc? What do you think was mounted on it? The rust and clip spots along with the potential rivet indicate that something was mounted there. The plate looks like aluminum. The instrument? rusted for a long time before it separated from the plate. Quote Link to comment
+EraSeek Posted April 21, 2004 Author Share Posted April 21, 2004 No other marks, patent or such, or maker. The two brackets on top (small forward and larger back) and obviously held something metal that slipped into place. Thats what the rusted piece is. The post in front either stopped the piece from sliding further or was a gunsight piece. The back of the plate has two long bent tabs to it like it fit into place over something. The four square holes perhaps for switches?? or toggles? Quote Link to comment
Z15 Posted April 22, 2004 Share Posted April 22, 2004 (edited) I doubt this is part of an survey instrument or a quality survey instrument. The old ones were made of brass or other stable metals. Here is a Virtual Museum of Survey History You could maybe send this photo to curator@surveyhistory.org Edited April 22, 2004 by elcamino Quote Link to comment
+Corp Of Discovery Posted April 22, 2004 Share Posted April 22, 2004 I vote for thingamabob. Altho it COULD be a doohicky. A whatchamacallit is out of the question tho. Quote Link to comment
ckhd Posted April 23, 2004 Share Posted April 23, 2004 It's definately a hootus. Unfortunately, it's missing it's orbit-nut. Quote Link to comment
+GEO*Trailblazer 1 Posted April 23, 2004 Share Posted April 23, 2004 NO! It's a thing-a-ma-jig for a watch-ya ma-callit. Quote Link to comment
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