Survey apparatus

The apparatus of the invention is arranged to include facing table members, each having first and second pivotally mounted table plates relative to each table member to accommodate orientation of the tables with leveling and compass structure mounted to each table to enhance alignment. A sighting structure is arranged to include a light emitting housing to provide for alignment between the tables, as well as a range finder structure arranged to indicate spacing between the tables.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The field of invention relates to survey apparatus, and more particularly 
pertains to a new and improved survey apparatus wherein the same is 
arranged to cooperate relative to one another over spatial distances. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Range finder structure is available in the prior art as indicated in U.S. 
Pat. Nos. 3,634,011 and 4,531,833. 
The instant invention is arranged to include a survey apparatus to provide 
for enhanced range finding and alignment between tables of the instant 
invention and in this respect, the present invention substantially 
fulfills this need. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of 
survey apparatus now present in the prior art, the present invention 
provides a survey apparatus including range finding and location 
indicating structure between spaced table assemblies. As such, the general 
purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in 
greater detail, is to provide a new and improved survey apparatus which 
has all the advantages of the prior art survey apparatus and none of the 
disadvantages. 
To attain this, the present invention provides an apparatus arranged to 
include facing table members, each having first and second pivotally 
mounted table plates relative to each table member to accommodate 
orientation of the tables with leveling and compass structure mounted to 
each table to enhance alignment. A sighting structure is arranged to 
include a light emitting housing to provide for alignment between the 
tables, as well as a range finder structure arranged to indicate spacing 
between the tables. 
My invention resides not in any one of these features per se, but rather in 
the particular combination of all of them herein disclosed and claimed and 
it is distinguished from the prior art in this particular combination of 
all of its structures for the functions specified. 
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features 
of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that 
follows may be better understood, and in order that the present 
contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, 
additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter 
and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which 
this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the 
designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the 
several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, 
that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions 
insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present 
invention. 
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent 
and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the 
scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar 
with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a 
cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of 
the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention 
of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to 
be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and 
improved survey apparatus which has all the advantages of the prior art 
survey apparatus and none of the disadvantages. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved 
survey apparatus which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and 
marketed. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and 
improved survey apparatus which is of a durable and reliable construction. 
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and 
improved survey apparatus which is susceptible of a low cost of 
manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly 
is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby 
making such survey apparatus economically available to the buying public. 
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and 
improved survey apparatus which provides in the apparatuses and methods of 
the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously 
overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith. 
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various 
features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with 
particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this 
disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating 
advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should 
be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there 
is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 to 8 
thereof, a new and improved survey apparatus embodying the principles and 
concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the 
reference numeral 10 will be described. 
More specifically, the survey apparatus 10 of the instant invention 
essentially comprises a first table assembly 11 cooperative with a second 
table assembly 12 to provide for alignment between the tables in a range 
finding and alignment orientation relative to one another. To this end, 
the first table assembly 11 includes a first table first plate 13 
pivotally mounted to a first table second plate 14 about a first axle is, 
with a second table first plate 16 pivotally mounted relative to a second 
table second plate 17 about a second axle 15a (see FIG. 3). A first axle 
leg 18 is mounted in parallel adjacency relative to the first axle 15, 
with a second axle leg 19 mounted in parallel adjacency relative to the 
second axle 15a, such that first legs 20 are orthogonally mounted to the 
first table first plate 13, with second legs 21 orthogonally mounted to 
the first table second plate 14. Threaded legs 22 are orthogonally mounted 
to the second table first plate 16, with fourth legs 23 orthogonally 
mounted to the second table second plate 17. As the first table first 
plate and the second table first plate 13 and 16 respectively are arranged 
for alignment relative to one another, and are to be leveled employing 
respective first and second spirit levels 29 and 29a (see FIGS. 2 and 3 
respectively), the first through fourth legs may be provided with 
adjustment of various types such as telescoping, threaded 
inter-engagement, and the like, in a manner known in the prior art and 
believed to be available in the prior art to one requiring such adjusting 
ability. Further, the first table first plate 13 and the second table 
first plate 16 are provided respectively with first and second compass 
members 28 and 28a respectively, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 
respectively. A sighting scope 24 is mounted to the first table first 
plate 13, with a sighting scope 24 mounted in longitudinal alignment on 
the first table first plate for sighting through the first sight tube, 
that includes the sight tube orthogonally intersecting cross hairs 32 to 
assist in alignment, with a second sight tube 26 mounted to the second 
table first plate for alignment with a third sight tube 27. The second 
sight tube 26 includes second tube guide indicia 31 oriented within the 
second sight tube at ninety degree intervals, with the third sight tube 27 
including a third tube mirror end wall 33 having orthogonally intersecting 
third tube cross hairs 34, such as indicated in the FIG. 3b. In this 
manner, longitudinal alignment of the sighting scope 24 is directed for 
aligning the first table first plate with the second table first plate. It 
should be noted that the sighting scope 24 is arranged for pivotal 
mounting orthogonally relative about a sight scope support shaft 24a that 
in turn is pivotally mounted orthogonally relative to the first table 
first plate. A digital range finder 35 may be optionally employed by the 
sighting scope, in a manner as indicated in FIG. 4, of a type as 
exemplified in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,531,833 incorporated herein by 
reference. To this end, a laser emitter housing 37 is mounted to the 
sighting scope (see FIG. 6) directing a laser beam 38 that is arranged to 
effect alignment with a guide plate 39 mounted to the second plate tube 
26, with the guide plate 39 having a guide plate aperture 40 to provide 
visible alignment with a target plate 41, that in turn is mounted to the 
third sight tube 27. The target plate 41 includes target plate cross hair 
intersection 42 to receive the laser beam 38 to further enhance alignment 
of the first table first plate with the second table first plate. The 
first table second plate 4 and the second table second plate 17 are 
provided with respective first and second arcuate scales 30 and 30a 
respectively that are concentric with the respective first and second 
axles 15 and 15a respectively to provide for measuring angular orientation 
of the first table second plate and the second table second plate relative 
to the respective first table first plate and the second table first plate 
in measuring angular orientations within a room and the like when 
directing orthogonal angulations. If desired, a digital indicator member 
43 may be mounted relative to the first table first plate and the second 
table first plate for providing visual indication of angular measurement 
with respective tail plates within a respective table assembly. 
As to the manner of usage and operation of the instant invention, the same 
should be apparent from the above disclosure, and accordingly no further 
discussion relative to the manner of usage and operation of the instant 
invention shall be provided. 
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the 
optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to 
include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of 
operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to 
one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those 
illustrated in the drawings and described in tile specification are 
intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the 
principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and 
changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired 
to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and 
described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may 
be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.