Weekly national intelligencer., 1850-11-09
A NEW INVENTION.


Fnox THE cIscIsHArI DAILY TIxEs.
Mr. EDIron: noticed in your paper of the 9Th psra
description Of an instrument for surveying in which
alluded to the sole inventor The instrument is the join
invention Of Mr. JoHS l.. WHRrsroSK and myself
The experiments alluded to made for our own salts
acton and had invited view of our friends to be pre-
sent. II intention to have made them public
the time, as the invention not in Of entire
petion.
The great problem to be solved by the instrument is to re-
duce the measured surface, passed by the wheels
the true height and distance, and register results
paper just they would be measured and plotted in profile
from the usual process Of levels and chain measures Fo
the solution of this problem the principal cred. is due to Mr.
milestone. description Of the instrument, such as could
be understood by the reader would be attended with
loo much prority.
The experiments made for the purpose Of testing the
accuracy and pactcaby of the instrument and il was sub
mted to the test of repeated surveys over the
ground to aggregate distance Of upwards three miles
marked section ground being passed during the
more than twenty times, the deneatons and measures Of
which corresponded perfectly with each other.
The ground chosen for the experiments presented an ave-
rage amount of distractions and inequalities The time re-
qued to given distance WILL of course vary with
the character Of the country The operations Of the mecha
nism which records the survey not affected by the speed
at which the survey is made, that great portion Of
vey may be made and the profile drawn as fast as man can
conveniently walk the ground.
We have named the instrument Oroeraph from Greek
word meaning surveyor. Respectfully, IS gst
GEO. EsCOL SELLERS.
The following description of the Orograph is
given by Mr.. MILESTONE, one of the inventors,
and will serve to give general idea of the nstru-
ment and its mode Of operaton
The great object to be attained in making survey for
road TO draw upon paper determinate scale the profile
(as It caed) OF the line Of survey from which
estimates can be made of the of excavation and en-
bankmen &C. necessary for the construction Of the road
This profile represents the distances Of prominent points and
their relative heights, or differences Of height.
The data required to make this profile are, present. OBJ
tanned only by very slow and aborious process calling for
great degree Of skill and science the part Of the principal
operators besides the services Of several assistants To re-
duce to paper the results of these abos becomes also very
tedious undertaking.
BY this instrument the profile drawn accurately upon
web or et Of paper during the progress Of the survey
bei explanation OF the process will for the present
carriage IS mounted upon wheels accurately made revo
uons OF which, when travelled the ground determine
precisely the surface travelled distance as is done
by the wel-known perambuator crcumferentor This
distance Is registered by part of the mechanism when re-
qured hlet OF paper drawn along under stationery
pencil or pen, BY means Of wheelwo in motion by the
revolution Of the carriage wheels The velocity OF the last
having plain and smooth surfaces which have their relative
dameers increased diminished by the movements OF
mercural level and floats pendulum any similar me-
chanica indicator Of level or pependiculaty This level
by always maintaining its position with reference to tho ho
rzon or line Of true level ords means Of measuring ver-
tca angles, just the magnetic needle serves to measure
horizontal angles The motions this level the carriage
passes over irregular surfaces of ground communicated
the carriages of the friction face wheels and consequently
regulate their veocie Thus given number Of revolutions
Of the wheels of the carriage the paper further and Of
course the pencil draws longer line when on level ground
than when either ascendng or descending ground The
locality Of any particular points marked at the time of
passing them upon the line thus drawn, by simply pulling
lever which marks upon the paper line the base line
line of distance The distance Of any two of these points
readily be determined by dvders and scale of equal
parts Another pencil is mounted traverse in line
right angles the direction in which the paper moves
When this pencil is held stationary draws line upon the
parallel with that drawn by the other representing level
ground and represents rising ground when recedes from
ne other pencil and falling ground when it approaches it.
sleeper the elevation Of the ground the greater
ne velocity with which approaches eced,s from the other
'encil The several Of this pencil backward
onward and stationary produced by of friction
ace wheels derental screws &c. deriving their motion
rom the wheels of the carriage and modified the first
BY the level pendulum There many convenences
ombined in the instrument, such scales of distance and
ne numbers Of the stations printed upon the paper by the
itself signal bells to give notice Of the approach
station, &c. The engineer cam at glance, any part
The survey tell the distance he has come and difference
level Of any points in the survey.