Improved Levelling Staff and Attachments for Surveying and other Purposes.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd June, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 21st Mar.. 1894-Accepted, 22nd June, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Levelling Staff and Attachments for Surveying and other
Purposes.
I LEWIS HARCOURT COLES of 8 Clifford Street W. in the County of London
Quartermaster and Captain 1st Middlesex Volunteers Royal Engineers do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows
-
A staff which may be used as a walking stick, made of wood or any other
suitable material, which has attached to it one or more spirit bubbles or other
means of obtaining both plumb and level.
A protractor is also attached for obtaining angles of various degrees. For
obtaining inclinations, slopes and gradients, a measure is used divided into inches
or any other suitable lengths, which may be attached to either end of the staff.
For the purpose of taking heights of distant objects a foresight is so arranged that
it can either be raised or lowered, or drawn to or from the backsight. When
adjusted the heights of distant objects are read upon a scale.
A line or measure may be attached to a revolving eye at top, bottom or
elsewhere on the staff for the purpose of describing arcs and circles using the staff
as a fixed centre.
The staff can also be used as a measuring rod and may be marked or divided for
that purpose.
A compass may also be attached for taking magnetic observations.
A portion of the line can also be used as a tracing line.
Arrangements may also be made fou obtain
LEWIS HARCOURT COLES.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Levelling Staff and Attachments for Surveying and other
Purposes.
I LEWIS HARCOURT COLES of 8 Clifford Street Bond Street County of London
Quartermaster and Captain 1st Middlesex Volunteers Royal Engineers do hereby
declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN LEVELLING STAFF
FOR MILITARY SURVEYING & C. 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 levelling staves, and is more especially
adapted to military surveying, by means of which plumb, level any angle or incline
may be obtained, also heights of distant objects and inaccessible distances may be
obtained, it may also be used to measure gradients and slopes.
In order that the invention may be more readily understood, I have illustrated
it, in the accompanying drawings forming part of the Specification of which the
following is the description.
The staff is made of wood or other suitable material, and by preference to
resemble an ordinary walking stick.
The head A Figs. 6 & 7 consists of a ferrule in which a spirit level ‘O' is
fixed which enables the stick to be held perfectly vertical if required. The cap'P'
which protects this level, when not in use, contains a mariner's compass.
To this head and also to the bottom ferrule 'B' there is attached a revolving
ring 'D' & 'E' to fasten a cord or tape to for laying out angles and the like.

page_text: A protractor 'G''H,' is jointed to the staff which when not in use folds up in
the slot F' and is kept secure by a sliding ring 'I. This may be fixed by means
of the leg when used for measuring angles, the end of protractor leg 'H' is fixed
into block 'J' then the eye in ring 'D' forms the centre to which all the
markings on protractor converge. These markings are graduated to degrees and
minutes of a circle.
The leg 'H' is marked in such a manner that when slid through the notch 'R'
in head A' an observation can be taken through a sight at the free end of the
leg 'H' and past another sight 'N' to the distant point as shewn in Figs. 4
.and 5.
The leg His graduated at one side so as to shew the angles of inclination, but
at the other there is a scale marked in such a way that the height of the observed
-object is given at once by the formula-scale-number x base in yards +37 height
in inches, the 37 standing for the height of the instrument, the staff is marked in
feet and inches.
=
The level 'L' Figs. 6 and 7 is so set that staff may be used as an ordinary level
when resting on blocks J'and 'K.'
A bottom ferrule 'B' is provided with a spike 'C' for steadying and holding
the staff in the ground. The spike 'C' when not in use may be turned inwards for
-safety.
For performing the various functions of which this staff is capable, the following
articles are required, although I do not claim them as part of my invention,
apart from their combination with the staff-viz.-Three or more spikes to hold
the staff cord or tapes firmly to the ground when laying off angles, a spring
'measuring tape about 6 feet long, a cord 5 feet long fitted with swivel and ring,
a cord or tape of suitable length for tracing, fitted with swivel and one or more
rings an ordinary geometrical protractor and a rule, the whole of these articles
may together with pencil and india rubber be carried in any suitable receptacle.
The staff may be not only used for every purpose to which the instrument known
as the "field level" now used in the army may be applied, but is also capable of
being used for taking levels distances and the altitudes of objects with either
accessible or inaccessible bases, also for striking circles and taking magnetic
bearings and for taking ordinary measurements.
In order more clearly to demonstrate the applications and uses of my invention
I illustrate on Sheet '1' of the drawings herewith the various ways in which the
staff may be used.
Fig. on that sheet shews its use in taking steep slopes-with the spring tape ✗
extended at right angles from the ring 'D' and the cord 'Y' crossing at the
required angle from the ring 'E.'
Fig. 2 as employed in laying off angles.
Fig. 3 the method of laying off flat slopes.
Fig. 4 shews the staff when used for taking altitudes when the base is accessible
-and
Fig. 5 as used when the base is inaccessible.
Having now particularly 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
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven- 4
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1st. The combination of levels protractors and tapes as herein set forth, and
described for laying out angles, and measuring angles gradients and slopes.
2nd. The combination of protractor and level for taking heights at a distance.
3rd. The general combination of the parts herein described and shewn in the
drawings and the various uses to which the same are to be applied.
Dated this 20th day of March 1894.
i
LEWIS HARCOURT COLES.