An Improved Levelling, also Angle, Gradient, and Distance Measuring Instrument for Surveying or other Purposes.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 24th July, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 24th Apr., 1895-Accepted, 6th July, 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Levelling, also Angle, Gradient, and Distance Measuring
Instrument for Surveying or other Purposes.
I, JAMES WILLIAM SHEPARD, of 3, Colonnade, Cheltenham, in the County of
Gloucestershire, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in instruments for use in levelling and
for taking, determining, and measuring angles, gradients, distances, and for all
similar purposes, and is a further development of my invention for which former
Letters Patent were granted to me dated the 29th day of August, 1892,
No. 15,476.
In making my improved instrument I provide a dished plate with an annular
recess formed in the face of same, and a pommel, or stud, in the centre, into this
recess I fit a dial with a hole in the centre to take the pommel, about which it (the
dial) is free to revolve; in the centre of the pommel a set screw with a milled head
(which is larger than that of the pommel,) is fitted, which when screwed down
upon the dial clamps it to the dished plate in any required position; upon slackening
the screw the dial can be rotated in the dished plate.
The outer circumference of the dial is divided and marked into degrees.
The face of the outer circumference of the dished plate is divided and marked
into four equal divisions, these divisional marks or pointers represent the four
cardinal points of the compass when taking horizontal angles; by means of these
pointers the various angles can be read off the dial according to the position of
same in relation to the said pointers. I further mark upon the outer circum-
ference of the dished plate vernier scales, to enable the operator to read off fractional
parts of a degree, also scales for showing the difference between hypothenusal and
horizontal lines, and a gradient scale.
Attached to the dial, folding sights, or eyepieces, are hinged, the form and
manipulation of which will be hereinafter described.
The dished plate containing the dial is mounted upon a stand, consisting of a
bracket and circular base plate upon which the bottom of bracket rests and is
secured, lugs are provided on the ends of the said bracket and also at the underside,
or back, of the dished plate, hinge pins are passed through each pair of lugs and
the dished plate hinges or pivots on these pins so that it can be turned into a
horizontal or vertical position, and locked in any desired position, by a suitable
appliance.
The base plate of the said stand rests on another circular base plate upon which
the former is free to revolve about a central pommel, or stud, attached to, or
forming part of, the bottom base plate, a screw nut is provided on the pommel
for the purpose of clamping the stand in any desired position upon the bottom
base plate.
The bottom base plate which rests on the top of a tripod, when used with
same, is attached to the latter by means of a screw pin, which projects upward
through a vertical hole in the pommel provided on the bottom base plate, and a
screw nut, provided for the purpose, engages with the projecting end of the
aforesaid screw, and when this nut is screwed down on to the top of the pommel
the stand is clamped in any desired position to the tripod, and upon removal of

page_text: the screw nut the instrument can be disengaged from the tripod and used
without it, or the legs of tripod may be detached, leaving the instrument attached
to the top of the tripod.
I further provide levelling screws, which pass upward through the top of
tripod near the edge of base plate, the points of screws, when screwed up, lift
the base plate enabling the instrument to be. placed at the desired level upon the
top of tripod.
Two spirit levels are fitted upon the base plate of the stand at right angles
with each other, these are used for setting the instrument in a true vertical
position.
A magnetic compass (which is provided with a stop,) is also fixed to the base
of stand on the opposite side to the spirit levels, the cardinal points of the
compass are in the same relative position as the four pointers marked on the
surface of the dished plate (above referred to,) when the dished plate is in a
horizontal position, so that upon rotating the stand horizontally till the compass
dial stands true with the magnetic needle, the pointers on the dished plate are
brought in true position with the maguetic north, in which position the dished
plate will be clamped, then upon revolving the dial, horizontal angles, or points'
in relation to the compass, may be taken or defined.
The before mentioned eyepieces or sights consist of a pair hinged to the dial
opposite to each other for all ordinary purposes, and a single eyepiece or sight,
set at right angles with the pair, which is used in connection with one of the
aforesaid pair for taking distances; to effect this the dial is set at zero, the
object is first sighted through the pair of eyepieces first above mentioned,
the dished plate is then clamped and the dial rotated until the third eyepiece
is in alignment with one of the pair of sights and the object, when the angle can.
be read off from the dial, a scale is provided for giving the distance according to
the angle registered. Heights, or distances between objects at a distance are
obtained in a similar manner when the distance is known.
The lower ends of the eyepieces are hinged to the dial, as aforesaid, in such a
manner that they will fold down either inwards or outwards, the object of which
is to overcome the difficulty experienced in taking horizontal angles with some
instruments now in use, when there is considerable elevation or depression, this
is accomplished by inclining the eyepieces to any required angle by which means
a wide range of view can be obtained.
In taking observations the instrument is first set in a true vertical position, by
means of the levelling screws, the nut which attaches it to the tripod is then
screwed down clamping the instrument to the tripod, then for taking horizontal
angles place the dished plate in a horizontal position, rotate the stand till the dial
of the compass stands true with the magnetic needle, then clamp the stand to the
bottom base plate, the four pointers on the circumference of the dished plate will
then stand in true relation to the four cardinal points of the compass, and with
the magnetic north, as before stated, the instrument is now in position for taking
horizontal angles, or points in relation to the compass.
For levelling purposes turn the dished plate in a vertical position on the stand,
then set the dial at zero with the pointer at top of dished plate and clamp by
turning the screw in centre of dial, slacken the nut which clamps the stand to the
bottom base plate so that the instrument may revolve on same, levels may then be
sighted in any direction through the eyepieces. Vertical angles and gradients
may be obtained by slackening the nut at centre of dial and turning the eyepieces
-the pair which is used for all ordinary purposes,-till the object is sighted, the
angle or gradient can then be read off from the dial as before described.
By means of the gradient scale the proportion of a gradient may be read off the
dial without either calculation or measurement, or gradients may be set out in
similar manner.
I may sometimes divide the bottom base plate of the instrument,
and
or.
the stand,

page_text: into degrees, and provide pointers and verniers on the same, so that horizontal
angles may be taken, as well as vertical, in one reading.
may sometimes also use with, and upon my instrument other descriptions of
sights than those above described, and a telescope, for sighting long distances if
necessary or desired, also tangent screw adjustments and glasses for reading the
verniers, all or either of the above as desired.
I also provide a base board or plate which can be attached to the top of the
tripod and used in connection with the instrument as a plane table, in which case
a straightedge would be attached to the base of stand revolving with it, and
projecting to form an alidade or ruler for plane tabling work the screw and nut
used for attaching the instrument to the tripod, being also used for attaching the
base board or plate to same, the screw passing through a hole in the centre of board,
the levelling screws above described being used for levelling the table. Or the base
board or plate may be used with the instrument without the tripod legs, and will
be attached to the instrument together with the tripod top which contains the
levelling screws by the same screw and nut.
The instrument may be of any size, or made of any description of metal, or
combination of metals, or other suitable materials.
Dated thin 014
TJ 1001
JAMES WILLIAM SHEPARD.
Herbert P. Blake,
70, High Street, Southampton, Agent for the Applicant.
An Improved Levelling, also Angle, Gradient, and Distance Measuring
Instrument for Surveying or other Purposes.
I JAMES WILLIAM SHEPARD of 3 Colonade Cheltenham in the County of
Gloucester Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to improvements in instruments for use in levelling and
taking determining and measuring angles gradients distances and for similar
purposes and is a further development of my invention for which former Letters
Patent were granted to me dated the 29 day of August 1892 and numbered 15476.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood and more easily carried
into practice I have appended hereunto three sheets of drawings upon which I have
fully illustrated the nature of my said improvements together with the mode of and
means for carrying the same into effect.
Figure 1 is a general view of my instrument.
Figure 2 is a cross vertical section through same.
Figure 3 is a plan of the base of stand.
Figure 4 is an elevational view of the ends of one folding arm.
Figure 5 is a similar view to Figure 4 of the end of the other arm.
In making my improved instrument I provide a circular metal stand or tripod
top A which is provided with the flanges a¹ on the under side to which adjustable
legs are attached forming a tripod for ordinary purposes. The instrument however
may be used without the tripod legs in situations where it would not be convenient
to set up a tripod. The stand is also provided with the levelling screws a' which
pass upward through the stand A and operate against the underside of the plane
table B which may be of wood or other material and of any convenient shape or
size. A screw pin or bolt C passing upwards through a hole a in centre of
stand A engages with the female screw b¹ provided in the centre of the plane

page_text: table B by which means the winged nut when screwed up clamps the plane
table B to the stand A. When using the levelling screws a² the winged nut
requires to be slackened and tightened after the plane table has been levelled,
the steadying pin E being provided to prevent it turning round on the stand.
The milled head c² is furnished upon the pin or bolt C for the purpose of raising
or lowering it as required and the diagonal hole is provided through the head of
came for a plumbline to pass.
A circular metal base plate F of the same size as the stand A and having the
bush in the centre through which the screw bolt C passes is provided and rests
upon the plane table B being clamped to same by means of the milled nut which
engages with the top of the bolt C and screws down upon the bush a steady
pin E being provided to prevent it from rotating upon the plane table B or upon
the stand when the plane table is not in use.
A second circular plate H to which a bracket is fixed is provided to form a stand
and has a hole in the centre to fit the bush f¹ in centre of base plate F. The
milled nut J which is fitted to the bush f' clamps the stand H to the base plate in
any position required.
Upon the plate H forming the base of the last named stand two levels Kare
attached by means of screws by which they may be adjusted. The compass L is
also fixed to the base of this stand having the cardinal points of same at right
angles with the bracket. A slot or mortise h' is formed in the base of stand H
underneath the compass into which one end of the straight edge or rule M is fitted
and is so arranged that the bevelled side m' of the rule which rests on the plane
table aligns with the centre of compass L and the centre of stand H. The rule M
is graduated into inches measuring from the centre of stand H and numbered from
the same the inches are subdivided, thus forming a rule by which surveys can be
plotted direct to paper to any scale upon the plane table it is obvious that the rule
turns round with the stand when the same is rotated so that augles as well as
distances may be plotted at the same time also vertical angles or gradients noted.
Upon the top of the aforesaid bracket H' or stand H a circular dished plate N
is hinged at n by which means it may be turned either in a vertical or horizontal
position and locked by means of the plug or bolt P which is actuated by a
spring p' so that to release the dished plate it is necessary for the plug P to be
first drawn back.
Upon the face of the dished plate N an annular recess n³ is formed with a bush n
in the centre into which recess the dial R is fitted the edge of which is bevelled.
The dial R has the hole r' in the centre to receive the bush n³ around which it
revolves, in the centre of the bush a set screw n' with a milled head, is fitted, which
when screwed down upon the dial R clamps it to the dished plate N. The outer
circumference of the dial is divided into degrees and is also provided with four
divisional marks at each 90° which are used as pointers. The folding arms S
and S' are hinged to the dial for the purpose of sighting as hereafter described.
The face of the outer circumference of the dished plate N is divided into
four divisions of 90° each these are also used as pointers for reading the dial when
taking observations and represent the four cardinal points of the compass when
taking horizontal angles in relation to the compass I further mark upon the outer
circumlerences of the dished plate vernier scales, also scales for showing the
difference between hypothenusal and horizontal lines and a scale for gradients.
The folding arm S above referred to is provided with the turned up end s in
which the slot s³ is provided for sighting through. The other arms is provided
with a frames which is pivoted on the hinges so that it may be placed at any
convenient angle with the arms for taking observations. This frame contains
three parallel wires or hairs & the centre one being a fixture for general purposes
while the other two are adjustable for sighting a stadia rod or staff.
The instrument may be used without the plane table B and rule M in the same
way as a theodilite and for similar purpose and may be of any size or made of any
description of metal or combination of metals or other suitable materials.

page_text: I may sometimes divide the bottom base plate F of the instrument or stand into
degrees and provide pointers and verniers so that horizontal angles may be taken
as well as vertical angles at one reading.
I may sometimes also use with and upon my instrument other descriptions of
sights than those above described and a telescope for sighting long distances if
necessary or desired also tangent screw adjustments, and glasses for reading the
verniers all or either of the above as desired.
Having therefore now described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
The improvements in levelling angle gradient and distance measuring instruments
for surveying and other purpose substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth
and shewn upon the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 23rd day of April 1895.
JAMES WILLIAM SHEPARD.