Method of and Apparatus for Drawing Maps and Plans.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Aug., 1891-Accepted, 14th Nov., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Method of and Apparatus for Drawing Maps and Plans.
I, CHRISTIAN ALBERT JENSEN of 77 Chancery Lane in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a
communication to me from abroad by Andor Bodding of Drammen, Norway,
Captain) 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 a method of and means for drawing or setting out
plans or maps of roads, estates and the like whereby the same may be obtained
directly by travelling on or over the desired ground on a vehicle of some kind, a
velocipede being preferably used for this purpose.
According to this invention a surveyor's table or drawing board is placed on a
velocipede or other vehicle and across this board is mounted a longitudinally
movable sliding rod or bar carrying at one end a pencil which rests on the board,
and being suitably connected with one of the rotating parts of the vehicle, for
instance, the driving axle of the velocipede in such manner that as the vehicle goes
forwards the said sliding rod will also be moved forwards at a reduced velocity, and
the pencil make a line on the board the length of which will depend upon the
distance travelled by the vehicle and upon the gearing wheels, which transmit the
motion from the wheel of the vehicle to the recording rod. The pencil will of
course in this manner only make a straight line, but in order to obtain a geometric
plan or map of the road travelled by the vehicle, it is necessary to have the table
always set right, that is to say, whenever the vehicle changes its direction of travel,
the table must also be turned exactly the same number of degrees in the opposite
direction, so that it will keep the same position relatively to the configuration of
the district.
According to this invention this result is attained by connecting the table with
the wheel or pair of wheels of the vehicle by means of which the steering of the
same is effected in such a way that when the steering wheel is turned in order to
change the direction of travel of the vehicle, the table will be turned in the opposite
direction. This connection between the table and the steering mechanism is further
arranged so that the connection may be broken at will, and is constantly broken
except when the turning of the steering wheel is performed. This operation is
performed momentarily or as nearly so as possible (the vehicle being if necessary
stopped or its velocity lessened) and the said connection then broken, whereupon
the driving wheels and the vehicle frame will, while the vehicle describes a curve,
swing in line with the steering wheel. The table, which by the first operation (the
turning of the steering mechanism) has been turned a certain number of degrees
corresponding both to the angle of the steering wheel to the frame of the vehicle
and to the configuration of the district is now by the turning back of the driving
wheel in line with the steering wheel turned back again the same number of degrees
relatively to the ground travelled over. As however the said connection is broken
the table will remain in its new position relatively to the vehicle frame and con-
sequently also to the recording sliding rod. The table will then be set right.
relatively to the landscape and the pencil during the following period of travel will.
make a line, forming an angle with the line already drawn, conforming with the
angle between the two sections of the road.
"The road it will be understood, according to this method has to be travelled on
in sections of straight lines, as it will be seen from the above, that curves cannot be
drawn in this manner.
The invention also consists in means whereby the table may always be turned.
around the pencil as centre, instead of around a fixed point on the frame, which

page_text: possible in this case if a true map is to be obtained.
On the annexed drawings is shown one way of carrying out the invention but it
will be easily understood that the construction of apparatus may be modified without
departing therefrom.
Fig. 1 shows the whole apparatus in side elevation.
Fig. 2 is a section through the table, showing more especially the arrangement
of the pencil.
Fig. 3 shows part of the table in inverted plan.
Fig. 4 is a part sectional detail view.
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the principal parts of the apparatus.
Fig. 5 is a detail view.
The apparatus which is called "the cyclograph" by the inventor consists of five
principal parts namely:-the motor, the gearing, the recording mechanism, the
table and the orienting mechanism.
The motor is shown to be a bicycle; it may also be a tricycle or any other kind
of vehicle of known construction or specially constructed for the purpose.
The intermediate gearing serves to transmit the motion from the motor wheels to
the recording-mechanism in such manner, that the latter produces a drawing of the
path travelled by the vehicle or motor on a reduced scale. As shown the gearing
consists of five pairs of toothed wheels, of which the first one a is mounted on the
crank shaft of the bicycle, while the upper wheel h engages with the rack on
the underside of the sliding rod L. This rod carries the pencil and as shown in the
drawing the rod is intended to move one foot for every ten thousand feet traversed
by the bicycle. The gear wheels are of course made interchangeable so that any
scale may be easily obtained on the maps. The gear wheels are enclosed in a
casing to protect them from dust, rain and other detrimental influence.
The recording mechanism consists of the sliding rod L, being as stated formed
with a rack on its lower side, so that it may be pushed forwards by the wheel h.
The rod L is mounted horizontally in guides and fixed to the standard c,
Fig. 1, and the rod is capable of sliding freely in these guides.
At the front end of the sliding rod is placed a pencil 7, which is loosely fitted in
vertical metal tube k (Fig. 2). The tubek terminates at the top in a knob M and
is movable in another tube n; this latter tube terminating in a screw cap o, having
an aperture through which the tube k passes. The upper part of the tube k is
surrounded by a spiral spring, fastened to the tube at p and pressing against the
cap o. By this arrangement the pencil is pressed against the drawing board with a
suitable yielding pressure. The tube k also carries a pin r, passing out through a
slots in the tube n which slot is continued laterally at t; when therefore the knob m
is drawn upwards and turned sideways the pin may be brought into the said
notch t, that is to say, the pencil is thereby put out of action.
The tube n with parts connected therewith is arranged in a longitudinal slot "
(Figs. 2 and 5) at the front end of the sliding rod and is pressed against the front
end of this slot by means of a spring which is fixed to the said tube n and to the
rear end of the slot u. The tube has a collar w by means of which it rests on the
rod L, and the lower part of the tube below the said collar is preferably made
somewhat thicker than the part above the same.
The table A is carried by the supports or framework B which are fixed to or
made in one piece with the standards c c (Figs. 1 and 5). Connection between
the framework B and the table is established by way of a stud D and socket E.
The socket E is fixed to the cross-frame F on which the plane-table rests.
In order to enable the table to turn around the pencil as centre, every time the
direction is changed; the table rests loosely on the cross-frame F, so that it may
be moved horizontally in every direction. On the corners of the table are placed
lugs J, corresponding with similar lugs I on a ring H, which ring is placed against
the bottom side of the cross-frame F, so that it may be bolted to the lugs J by
means of screws 1 (Fig. 5). The ring H is held securely to the cross-frame F

page_text: during the travel of the bicycle in a straight line by means of clamps G (Figs. 3
and 4) which embrace the ring H and have two screws 2 one of which engages with
an annular groove 3 in the ring H, while the other one is placed on a lug 4 of the
clamps, which lug when the clamps are pushed up to the arm of the cross-frame
overlaps the same, so that by setting the screws when the clamps are in this posi-
tion (as shewn in the drawing) the ring H will be pressed tight up to the arm,
thereby locking the table so that it cannot be rocked. If the screws are loosened
again, the ring H and consequently the table may be moved and turned in any
direction within certain limits, determined by the construction.
Adjusting the table by means of the cross-frame F and the stud D by turning
one against the other, is only done when starting the work. During the surveying
the orienting of the table is always performed by turning the table on the cross-
frame F.
:
On the upper face of the table the following arrangements are made on two
opposite sides of the table are mounted bars or rails K on each of which a slide or
carriage M runs. These carriages or saddles M are connected with each other by
two rails or cross pieces. On these latter again are mounted two carriages or
slides O, which are connected with each other by means of a flat ring or disc O'
(Fig. 5). To this ring is fixed a toothed wheel P. The table may thus be turned
with the toothed wheel P around the axis thereof as centre and on the other hand
the wheel P may be pushed in any direction relatively to the table, in which
instance the above named carriages M M and slips O O will slide upon their
respective guide rails, the said carriages having small wheels or rollers 5 (Fig. 2)
to lessen friction. The disc O' which unites the carriages 0 is made sufficiently
large to serve as bearing for the racks U U, engaging with the wheel P.
The orienting-mechanism is arranged as follows:-On the steering pillar R is
axially mounted one half of a bevelled tooth-wheel or segment Q the centre of
which coincides with the axis of the pivot R¹ serving as joint between the driving
and steering parts of the bicycle.
The said segment Q engages with a bevelled wheel S of the same diameter and
the spindle 6 of which carries a tooth-wheel T mounted at the same level as and
having the same diameter as the aforementioned wheel P. The lower end of the
spindle 6 rests in a journal on the cross bar 7 fixed on and between the two
supports B and at its upper end the spindle is journalled in a frame 8, Fig. 5,
carried by the standards c'. The wheel P has a boss y which fits around the said
thicker part of the pencil-tube. The boss is connected with the wheel P by
means of arms or spokes :. The wheel P is accordingly capable of turning round
l
with the pencil as its centre.
The two rack-bars U and U¹ engage with both the wheels P and T and are
longitudinally movable in the guides r and r' (Fig. 5) of which the former are fixed
to the standards c¹ while the latter are carried by a cross piece fixed to the sliding
rod L. Besides this the rackbars U and U₁ as above mentioned rest on the disc or
ring O whereby the steady working of the same is secured. The tooth-wheel T
is vertically movable on its spindle 6, and rests on one end of a lever 9 (Figs. 1
and 5) which near its centre is pivotted to a projection on the steering pillar while
its other end is connected to a rod 10. The latter is pressed downwards by the
spiral-spring 11, so that it normally keeps the wheel T above the racks U, U'
out of engagement with the same. By means of a lever 12 arranged on the handle
bar the rod 10 may be lifted, whereby the front end of the lever 9 carrying the
wheel T is lowered so that the teeth of the racks engage with the teeth of the
wheel T. In this way the gearing of the parts may be established or broken at
will. It will be noticed that the lever 9 is carried by the steering pillar and when
this latter is turned the lever will be carried with it to one side or the other. For
this reason the front end of lever 9 (see Fig. 54, showing plan of the lever) is forked
where the spindle 6 passes through its end, so that the said lateral movement of the
lever is not hindered.
.
The working of the machine is as follows:-At the starting point the table is set

page_text: right by turning the cross frame F on the stud D and fastened by means of the
socket E and other appliances as generally used on surveyors' tables. During the
surveying the socket E keeps this position relatively to the cross-frame F. The
clamps G (of which two are preferably used) are then pushed along the ring H up
to the arms of the cross-frame F and fastened as above described. The bicycle is
then started and the pencil will make a straight line on the board. When a curve
of the road is being approached the screws 2 on the clamps G are loosened and the
moment before the steering spindle is being turned in the direction of the next
station (that is to say the next point where the direction of travel must be changed
again) the tooth wheel T is lowered by the rider pressing on the lever 12 in such
manner that T engages the racks U U'. The steering pillar being now turned it
will by means of the segment Q. wheel S. spindle 6. and wheel T cause the racks
to be moved in opposite directions. This movement of the bars will again cause
the wheel P to turn around the pencil and as the said wheel P is fixed to the disc
or ring O¹ uniting the slides mounted on the cross pieces N, the wheel P will take
the table along with it so that it will turn in the opposite direction to the steering
pillar but exactly the same number of degrees and with the pencil as axis of rota-
tion. As soon as the steering pillar has been turned into the new direction the
gear wheel T is again lifted out of engagement with the racks.
During the period following hereupon when the driving wheel turns back into the
same direction as the steering wheel, the whole framework of the vehicle will turn
or swing around the steering pillar pivot R¹ just as many degrees as the steering
spindle was turned before and the table will thereby be turned back again the same
number of degrees as it was then turned around the pencil as centre and at the
moment the driving wheel takes the same direction of travel as the steering wheel,
the table will have been oriented exactly as it was before changing the direction of
travel. The clamping screws 2 are then set again and the work proceeded with as
before.
It is obvious that as soon as the wheel T engages with the racks U U', the
pencil is hindered from following the slide rod L as the wheel P is locked by the
wheel T through the racks so that it can only turn but not move horizontally
forwards. Notwithstanding this the rod L will move forward and to allow this
movement independent of the pencil, the pencil tube as above described is arranged
in a longitudinal slot at the end of the rod and kept at the front end of the same by
the spring v.
When the turning of the bicycle is performed this spring will there-
fore be compressed and as soon as the turning is performed and the racks out of
engagement with the wheel T the spring will force the pencil together with the
wheel P forwards as much as the amount of way travelled during the turning.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is.
1. The above described method of producing on a suitably reduced scale a map
of the road travelled on by a vehicle utilizing the rotation of one of the wheels or
axles of the vehicle for the purpose of moving a pencil in a straight line on a
surveyor's table mounted on the vehicle and utilizing the turning of the steering
wheel by changes of direction for the purpose of turning the table in the opposite
direction of the wheel in order to keep the table oriented after the turning of the
whole vehicle in a new direction.
2. An apparatus for the production of maps of roads or the like direct by
travelling on the road with a vehicle consisting of a surveyor's table placed on the
frame of the driving wheel or wheels of the vehicle and movable in any direction
in the horizontal plane and being connected with the pivot of the steering wheel in
such a way that when this latter is being turned the said table will be turned the
same number of degrees but in the opposite direction and around the pencil as the
axis of rotation.
3. In an apparatus as secondly claimed the combination of a pencil (/) with a

page_text: longitudinally movable sliding rod (L) and a wheel (P) revoluble around the
pencil and mounted on one of two sets of slides (O. M) which latter are
movably arranged on rails crossing each other at right angles by which arrange-
ment the table may be moved in any direction in the horizontal plane without
interfering with the pencil and the pencil move across the table in any direction
relatively to the latter and by reason of the racks (U U¹) engaging with the said
wheel (P) the table may be turned around the pencil as axis.
4. In an apparatus as secondly claimed the combination of the steering pivot (R)
with a segment (Q) fixed to the same and engaging with a wheel of the same
diameter mounted on a spindle (6) which also carries another wheel (T) of the
same diameter the latter being capable of being put in or out of gear with the
racks U U' by means all as substantially herein described.
5. The construction of apparatus for drawing maps and plans as shown.
Dated thi. 05th day of Av 1901
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.