IMPROVEMENTS IN SURVEYING INSTRU- MENTS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Herbert John Haddan, of the Firm of Herbert and
Company, Solicitors of Patents, of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster,
Civil Engineer, for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN SURVEYING INSTRU-
MENTS." A communication from abroad by Peter Kraus, of Malborghet, in
the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Architect.
Sealed the 7th November 1879, and dated the 10th May 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Herbert John Haddan at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th May 1879.
HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of the Firm of Herbert and Company, Solicitors of
Patents, of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN SURVEYING INSTRUMENTS.' A communication from abroad by Peter Kraus, of
Malborghet, in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Architect.
The object of this Invention is to provide a handy and easily portable instrument,
by the aid of which horizontal and vertical distances may be measured by one man,
so that all other surveying implements may be dispensed with. The measuring
stick consists of two legs, the upper ends of which are hinged together like the legs
of a compass; their lower ends are provided with iron points, and may be held close
together by a cap screwed upon them, so that the instrument may be used as a
walking stick or cane. The upper end of one of the legs carries a small gonio-
meter or a barrel provided with two, four, or more narrow and longitudinal slits
for measuring or picketting angles or straight lines. A rod is pivotted at one of its
ends to one of the legs, whilst its other end may be fixed to the other leg in such a
way that the points of the legs of the instrument can be kept a certain distance
apart from each other, and so that the rod is parallel with an imaginary line uniting
the points of the two legs. By a spirit level or a plummet suitably arranged on the
said rod, or any other convenient part of the instrument, the rod, and consequently
also the imaginary line uniting the points of the legs, may be brought in a horizontal
position. A measuring tape is fastened to the other leg of the instrument for
measuring the difference of the level between the two points of the ground lying
perpendicularly under the two points of the legs of the instrument.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Herbert John Haddan in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th
November 1879,
HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of the Firm of Herbert and Company, Solicitors of
Patents, of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN SURVEYING INSTRUMENTS." A communication from abroad by Peter
Kraus, of Malborghet, in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Architect.
The object of this Invention is to provide a handy and easily portable instrument,
by the aid of which horizontal and vertical distances may be measured by one man,
so that all other surveying implements may be dispensed with. The measuring
stick consists of two legs, the upper ends of which are hinged together like the legs
of a compass; their lower ends are provided with iron points, and may be held
close together by a cap screwed upon them, so that the instrument may be used as
a walking stick or cane. The upper end of one of the legs carries a small gonio-
meter or a barrel provided with two, four, or more narrow and longitudinal slits for
measuring or picketting angles or straight lines. A rod is pivotted at one of its
ends to one of the legs, whilst its other end may be fixed to the other leg in such a
way that the points of the legs of the instrument can be kept a certain distance
apart from each other, and so that the rod is parallel with an imaginary line uniting
the points of the two legs. By a spirit level or a plummet suitably arranged on
the said rod, or any other convenient part of the instrument, the rod, and conse-
quently also the imaginary line uniting the points of the legs may be brought in a
horizontal position. A measuring tape is fastened to the other leg of the instru-
ment for measuring the difference of the level between the two points of the ground
lying perpendicularly under the two points of the legs of the instrument. In the
accompanying Drawings which serve to illustrate the Invention, Fig. 1 shows the
instrument closed for transport; Fig. 2, the same ready for use, which Fig. 3 is an
enlarged view of the sleeve S with which the leg a is provided, in order to guide
the measuring tape or string O in a groove t. a and b are the two legs or bars
hinged together at c, and provided at their base with screwed points & and e,
which may be held together by a projecting nut f. The other end carries a button
g which may be unscrewed and replaced by a goniometer or barrel. This top piece
may consist of two parts, a fixed and graduated bottom part, and a movable upper
part, capable of being turned and placed at various angles. The shanks a and b
may be made hollow, and composed of several movable pieces like a telescope. The
graduated bar h turns on i, and may carry a spirit level, the other end 7 resting on
a small projection m of the shank a, or passing through a slot of the shank, or
through a slotted guide attached to the same. The free end of the rod h is usually
fixed to a by a binding screw or bolt, or other suitable means, at such a point that
the distance between the points d and e is an even measure (a yard or meter). The
divisions on the rod indicate the distance between the points d and e. The
Drawings show a plummet k suspended near the hinge c, and touching a given
mark on the staff h, when the latter is placed horizontal, which will always be the
case if the points d and e are on the same level. When not used, the staff his
attached to the shank b at n, by means of a serew or hook, or by other suitable
means. At p, a self coiling roll of a measuring tape, or an india-rubber band or
spiral spring is attached to the shank a, serving to stretch the measuring tape q as
soon as the plummet » touches the ground, so that the vertical distance between the
points d and e can be easily read off. Claim:-An instrument shaped like a pair of
compasses, capable of being closed for transport, provided at the top with a gonio-
meter or barrel, also with a staff capable of being turned on a point of one of the

page_text: shanks, of being placed horizontal by means of a plummet or spirit level, and of
being fixed with its free end to the other shank at any required distance, indicating
the distance between the two points of the compasses, in combination with a
measuring tape attached to the other shank by means of an india-rubber band or
spiral spring, substantially as described and illustrated by the Drawings, and for
the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Herbert John Haddan, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Seventh day of November, A.D. 1879.