US2600266A - Pendulum retaining means - Google Patents

Description

June 10, 1952 QROTHWHLE'R 2,600,266

PENDULUM RETAINING MEANS Filed March 6, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVEN TOR. CHARLES O. ROTHWEILER A T TOR/YE Y.

June 10, 1952 c. ROTHWEILER PENDULUM RETAINING MEANS 5 SheeuarSheec 3 Filed March 6, 1947 INVENTOR. CHARLES O. ROTHWELER A TTO PNE' Y,

Patented June 10, 1952 PENDULUM RETAINING MEANS Charles Rothweiler, Milwaukee, Wis.,

to David White Company,

assignor Milwaukee, Wis., a

corporation of Wisconsin Application March 6, 1947, Serial No. 732,831

4 Claims.

My invention relates to. improvements in astrolabes and more particularly to a pendulum construction in a type of astrolabe for finding astronomical latitude and longitude.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, readily accessible means of controlling the pendulum action in every direction.

Another object of my invention is to provide a pendulum that can be set to permit a predetermined limited action during its operation.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a locking means that will retain the pendulum in a rigid position, thereby preventing damage or injury to the delicate spring arrangement of the pendulum during the transportation of the device.

Other and further objects of my invention will become more apparent as the description proceeds and when taken in conjunction with the drawings in which Figure 1 is a perspective outside view of an assembled astrolabe mounted on a base, and illustrating the position of the locking screws that control the action of the pendulum within the enclosure of the device.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the astrolabe taken at the line through the observing scope and the lens arrangement thereof.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional View of the. astrolabe taken at the line 3--3 in Fig- "v Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the looking screw assembly for the pendulum.

Figure 5- is a side view of the outside of the locking screw assembly as shown in Figure 4, and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the pendulum assembly showing the arrangement of the mirror, the springs, and the depressions within the side of the frame of the pendulum, into which the locking means engage.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views and referring now to the same, the character I shows a main casting forming an enclosure for housing the optical arrangement and pendulum, and having an approximate Y shape or contour. This main casting I9 is attached to a main plate H which is of a flat radial contour and which encloses and houses the azimuth circle and acts as a protection for it. There is a tangent screw l2 shown mounted to the top of the plate II for moving the instrument slowly in azimuth. This screw device [2 is also arranged for disengagement from the azimuth circle for fast motion of the azimuth. The azimuth circle is graduated in the conventional manner from 0 to 360 and is attached to an outer spindle l3 and a spindle clamp shown as 14 which allows the azimuth circl to remain stationary while the instrument is rotated, or to rotate with the instrument about its vertical axis. Obviously, the graduations on the azimuth circle would permit setting the instrument at any desired degree on the azimuth.

The spindle I3 is constructed in a conventional manner consisting of an inner and outer member such as are commonly used on surveying transits. The outer portion being fitted to a cuff bearing on. the base and is attached to the azimuth circle. The clamp screw l4 keeps the spindle from turning after the azimuth circle has been zeroed. The inner spindle is attached to the main plate supporting the instrument on the base which is threaded to fit the top of the tripod or a base l5 as shown, and four leveling screws 16 are shown to allow the level adjustment. There are also two level vials I1 mounted on the plate H for the adjustment of the instrument.

The body I0 is provided with an observing scope shown as l8 which is. provided with an object lens. cell as shown. in Figure 2, a horizontal tell-ite mirror 19 is mounted on the pendulum 20, and a lens arrangement 2| also forms a part of the body Hi. There is also shown a finder scope 22 which is doweled to the main casting l0 so that its optical center is nearly parallel to the center of the observing scope l8, and a small adjustable mirror is mounted in the bottom center of the finder to reflect the light from the lens, to the eye piece 23 forming a part of the finder scope arrangement.

There is an illuminating system consisting of a battery mounted within a case 24 attached to the main casting Hi. This battery energises a light 25 controlled by means of a manually operated switch 26 in the conventional manner.

The pendulum 20 consists of a light-weight frame assembly supporting a horizontal mirror I9. It is suspended at its top by two sets of leaf springs. One set of springs 21 allows a forward and backward motion of the pendulum, while the other set of springs 28 allows for sideways motion. There are four vanes 29 attached to the bottom of the pendulum frame below the mirror I 9 and hang between the vanes of the dampening device fixed to the main plate, and thus all motion of the pendulum is air dampened in a small clearing space between the vanes 29 and the vanes of the dampening device.

There are shown four pendulum locking screws In Figures 4 and 5 I show a detailed construction oi these pendulumlocking screws 30,

in which the screw threadedly engagesa bushing 32,.which in turn threadedly engages themain casting l0 and which is provided with a lock nut 33. The outwardly extending flanges of the bushing 32 and the lock nut 33 are shown provided-with apertures 34 for engagement of the locking pins. (not shown). The. conical point 35 of the screw 30 engages the depression Bl in the pendulum frame 20. The-pendulum is locked within theenclosure formed by the main casting It! by turning the screw to engage the conical point. and put it into engagement with the depression 31 in the pendulum 2 0. The screw 30 engages the bushingfBZ and is locked-into a fixed position by means of the nut 33, thus disengagementfof 'the conical point 35 with the depression 3,! to a small degree, will permit controlledaction of the pendulum'20 and limit its movement forward, backward, as well as side- JYS- In the chosenembodiment of my invention there are features not heretofore disclosed in the prior art. However, I am fully cognizant of the fact that many changes in the form and configuration of the component parts may be made without in any way affecting their efficiency or operativeness, and I reserve the right to make such changes as I may deem necessary or convenient without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described claim and desire to secure the United States is:

1. A pendulum controlling and retaining means comprising a main body, said body comprising a plurality of locking screws disposed in adjustable bearings mounted in said body inopposite relation to one another,said screwsprovided' with conical points disposed inwardly, a corresponding number of concave depressions arranged within the side of said pendulum, the conical points of said screws registering with said concave depression, and means for retaining said screws in any pre-determined fixed position within said bearings for the control of said pendulum.

2. A pendulum controlling and retaining means comprising a main body, a plurality of screws dis my invention, what I by Letters Patentin her of concave depressions 4 posed in bearings adjustable mounted in said main body in opposite relation to one another, said screws provided with conical points inwardly disposed, a corresponding number of concave depressions disposed within the side wall of said pendulum, the conical points of said screws registering with said conical depressions, and means on said screws for limiting the travel of said screws in any pre-determined fixed position for the control of said pendulum.

3. A pendulum controlling and retaining means comprising a main body, a plurality of locking screws disposed in bearings threadedly mounted in said main body in opposite relation to one another, said screws provided with conical points inwardly disposed, a corresponding numprovided with the side of the pendulum frame, the conical points of said screws registering with said concave depressions, and locking means for retaining said bearings in any pre-determined fixed position for controlling the movement retard the movement of said pendulum.

4, A pendulum controlling and retaining means comprising a main'body, a plurality of locking screws disposed in adjustably mounted bearings mounted in said main body in opposite relation to one another, two of said screws mounted near the top of said main body and two nearthe bottom of said main body, said screws provided with conical points inwardly disposed, a corresponding number of concave depressions disposdwithin the side of said pendulum, the conical points of said screws registering with said concave depressions, and locking means for retainingsaid hearings in any pre-determined fixed position for limiting themovement of said screws intheir contact'wi'th said pendulum.

CHARLES ROTHWEILER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS of said screws to

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