Improvements in Stands or Supports for Holding Telescopes.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Apr., 1894-1ccepted, 2nd June, 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Stands or Supports for Holding Telescopes.
I ALEXANDER THOMAS CLARKSON of 28 Bartlett's Buildings, Holborn Circus,
London E.C. Scientific Instrument Maker, 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 :-
This invention relates to certain improvements in stands or supports for holding
telescopes, the object being to facilitate the manipulation and otherwise to add to
the utility of such holders.
The invention is chiefly applicable to portable forms of the altazmuth type
(that is, those that permit the telescope to be moved in a vertical direction,
according to variations of altitude and also in a horizontal direction) but it can
also be applied to other forms and types.
In the construction shown in the drawings annexed hereto two joints are shown
for affording the vertical and horizontal movements but my improvements are
directed to the means to be provided for holding the telescope in position.
Fig. 1 is a side view of the device.
Fig. 2 is a view taken at right angles to that shown in Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a top view.
A, is a pedestal provided with a screw at its base for attaching the holder to the
stand. At A' is a joint for horizontal movement and at A is a joint for allowing
of the vertical adjustment of the holder B. The joint A' consists of two arms of
a fork between which is received the base of the bridge B', of the holder B, and
the screw stud b, passed through and clamped up between the screw head and the
screw nut b', all as clearly shown and as may be desirable.
At the ends B', of the bridge B, B', and of a piece with the whole casting are
vee pieces arranged in line and to serve practically as a trough on to which the
body of the telescope will be laid and the same will be securely held by the
straps c. (not shown in Fig. 1). The surfaces of the insides of the vee-openings B',
have facing pieces d, laid therein; said facing pieces d, being of leather, cloth, or
other anticoncussion material.
Thus, as shown there are four contact surfaces tangentially to the outer tube of
the instrument to be held or supported.
The straps c, are clamped to the outside of one of the cheeks of the vees as
shown at c', by screws and a binding plate.
The free end of the straps c, are to be passed through the holes e, of the
ends B, and the binding screws, and plate f¹ inside of the openings e, will
serve to clamp and retain the straps c, when the telescope body is laid into the
holder or rest Bd. In this wise the body of the instrument will be firmly held
and variations in size of the instruments are provided for within limits of
practical purposes and also whether the bodies be cylindrical or taper and of
varying diameters in cross section. The lines. r. indicate inclinations to which
the supports or holders can be set.
Having now particularly described the nature of my said invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
First. The improvements in holders or supports for telescopes constructed
combined and operating as and for the purpose herein set forth and described in
reference to and shown by the drawings.

page_text: Secondly. In holders for cylindrical bodies the vee rests B³, and contact
surfaces d, combined with straps c holes e passing through under the vees and the
clamping screws f, as set forth.
Dated 14th April 1894.
In the presence of :
ALEXANDER THOMAS CLARKSON,
28, Bartlett's Buildings, Holborn Circus, E.C.
WALTER A. BARLOW,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Expert,
7, John Street, Bedford Row, W.C.