Improvements in Field Sketching Boards
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 13th June, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 13th Mar., 1895-Accepted, 13th Apr:, 1895
Improvements in Field Sketching Boards:
GEORGE ALBAN Lewes Lieutenant Colonel in Her Majesty's Army, of The
Royal Military College, Camberley do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows::
On my field sketching board, the compass, in addition to the compass as used
hitherto, is provided with a moveable ring made of any convenient material but
preferably celluloid ivory or brass; this ring revolves outside the compass box
and has marked on it cardinal points or divisions of degrees or other useful
divisions. This ring can be adjusted in any direction and can be clamped by a
set screw. In place of the india rubber or elastic bands hitherto used on
sketching boards my board is provided with leather straps having spiral springs
fastened to each end, the other ends of the spiral springs being attached to the
board. The springs may be on one end of the straps only whilst the other end
of the strap is attached to the board. I sometimes screw the springs or the
leather strap on the upper side of the board and sometimes on the lower side, in
the latter case I mount. one or more rollers on the edges of the board or in slots
cut through the board over which the straps pass, thus avoiding friction between
the leather straps and the edges of the board.
"
These straps allow of the ruler being aligned without any subsequent "jump
taking place as in the case of india rubber or elastic bands; they are also much
more durable. I usually plate these springs to prevent rusting. In place of the
compass fixed permanently on the sketching board as hitherto used I sometimes
make my compass detachable so that it may be taken off for separate use or
packing. I have several methods of attaching it to the board, but the method I
prefer is to mount on the board a double V slide which may be straight or taper;
into this is slid a corresponding adapting piece attached to the compass and when
in position a spring clip attached to the board holds the adapting piece in position
and prevents it from moving cut until the clip is pressed back. The adapting
piece is attached to a ring which goes around the compass, so arranged that it
allows the compass to be moved round to any bearing and clamped in that position
by a set screw or other convenient arrangement.
Dated this 29th day of May 1894.
G.. ALBAN LEWES.
Improvements in Field Skewning boarus.
I, GEORGE ALBAN LEWES, Lieutenant Colonel in Her Majesty's Army, of The
Royal Military College, Camberley, 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:-
On my field sketching board, the compass in addition to the compass as used
hitherto is provided with a moveable ring made of any convenient material but
preferably celluloid, ivory ar brass, this ring revolves outside the compass box
Price 811

page_text: and has marked on it cardinal points or divisions or.divisions of degrees or
other useful divisions. This ring can be adjusted in any direction and can be
clamped by a set screw. In place of the india rubber or elastic bands hitherto
used on sketching boards my board is provided with leather straps having
spiral springs fastened to each end, the other ends of the spiral springs being
attached to the board. The springs may be on one end of the straps only,
whilst the other end of the strap is attached to the board. I sometimes screw
the springs or the leather strap on the upper side of the board and sometimes on
the lower side, in the latter case I mount one or more rollers on the edges of the
board, or in slots cut through the board, over which the straps pass, thus
avoiding friction between the leather straps and the edges of the board.
"
These straps allow of the ruler being aligned without any subsequent "jump
taking place, as in the case of india rubber or elastic bands: they are also. much
more durable. I usually plate these springs to prevent rusting. In place of the
compass fixed permanently on the sketching board as hitherto used I sometimes
make my compass detachable so that it may be taken off for separate use or
packing. I have several methods of attaching it to the board but the method I
prefer is to mount on the board a double V slide which may be straight or taper;
into this is slid a corresponding adapting piece attached to the compass and when
in position a spring clip attached to the board holds the adapting piece in position
and prevents it from moving out until the clip is pressed back. The adapting
piece is attached to a ring which goes round the compass, so arranged that it allows
the compass to be moved round to any bearing and clamped in that position by a
set screw or other convenient arrangement.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
-
Figure 1 is a plan and Figure 2 an underside view of a sketching board
constructed according to this invention.
a is the board, b a metal tube fixed in a recess in it and c the compass fitting
the tube b and free to be turned in it, a pin or projection c¹ being provided on the
compass case to facilitate this. d is a ring fitting on the tube band free to turn
on it. e is a set screw whereby the ring d can be clamped in any position. ff are
the straps which are of leather having one end fixed to the back of the board and
the other attached to spiral springs 7 9 as shown at Figure 2 or both ends of the
straps may be attached to springs.
Figure 3 is a plan of a modification in which the straps f in place of passing over
the edges of the board pass over rollers in slots through it. In this arrangement
also the compass c in place of being fixed to the board is made detachable. The
way in which this is done is shown to a larger scale at Figures 4, 5 and 6, Figure 4
being a side elevation of the compass and Figures 5 and 6 a side elevation and plan
of the board with the compass detached. j is a metal plate fixed to the board and
having a dovetailed slot in it. k is a corresponding dovetailed projection fixed
to a swelling on the ring embracing the.compass. To the projection k is fixed
a spring carrying a pin or projection which when the compass is home into
place drops into a hole in the plate j.
The false or outside bottom of the compass box o Figure 4 is made to screw on
the box, the action of screwing up being to clamp the ring against the upper
projection m and so hold the
68
compass Bet in any required direction.
"
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
claim is :-
1. A ring surrounding the compass and free to be turned independently of it.
2. The combination of the tube b, compass c and ring d substantially as described.
3. The combination of the board the straps and the springs substantially as

page_text: 4. The combination of the board, the compass, a ring in which the compass is
free to turn and means for detachably fastening the ring to the board.
5. The arrangement for fastening the ring to the board substantially as described
and shown at Figures 4, 5 and 6.
6. Field sketching boards substantially as described and shown in the drawings.
Dated this 12th day of March 1895.
G. ALBAN LEWES,
Lt. Colonel.