SURVEY & ARTILLERY (cont'd)

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- L -

LADOIS

PROFILE - Former French company (69, rue Gambetta Malakoff -Paris), late 19th c.
The Online Compass Museum doesn't possess any information about this company - your help is needed.
LADOIS produced small pocket compasses but also the famous General PEIGNÉ System (see the relevant entry below).


This model is unfortunately in relative bad condition: The mirror in the lid is missing just like one of the folding rulers on the lid. It had not the typical additional plunger-type needle brake of the Peigné system but only a locking lever at the side.

(Use of copies of the pictures by courtesy of the eBay seller cl1663)

Technical Data
- Diameter: c. 85 mm
- Depth: c. 25 mm
- Divisions: 360 deg.
- Clinometer: not visible
- Weight: c. 350 g

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L.A.T. - Les Accessoires Topographiques

PROFILE - Former French company (44, rue Etienne DOLET - 94230 CACHAN).
The Online Compass Museum doesn't possess any information about this company - your help is needed.
L.A.T. produced materiel for survey works.

Advertisement for survey materiel

L.A.T.'s logo

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LAWES RABJOHNS Ltd.

PROFILE - Former British manufacturer (or retailer - compass made by F. BARKER?)
SCHMALCALDER type surveyor's compass, i.e. with prism and alidade (see F. Barker catalogue)

Technical Data
- Diameter: 86 mm
- Depth (closed, with lid): 30 mm
- Height (alidade upright): 100 mm
- Weight: 265 gr

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LEMAIRE

The French company LEMAIRE (see Wrist-top and Marching compasses) built also among other instruments an artillery level called sitomètre (see next entry).

LEVELS

These instruments are called sitomètre in French and Sitometer in Swiss German. The name comes from the French expression for elevation angle which is called angle de site. The azimuth angle is called angle de gisement.

French level called sitomètre

Early system produced by the French companies LEMAIRE, MORIN and SECRETAN in he 1930's.



For details see SECRETAN		 French level called clisimètre

Early system produced by the French company MORIN in the 1930's



Swiss level called Sitometer



For details see BÜCHI

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ABNEY LEVEL

This system is called Abney level. It was designed by Sir William de Wiveleslie Abney (born 24 July 1843 - died 3 Dec. 1920) and is very popular in England and the U.S.A. Sir Abney was an English astronomer and chemist best known for his pioneering of color photography and color vision. Sir Abney invented this instrument under the employment of the School of Military Engineering in Chatham, England in the 1870's. It is described by W. & L. E. Gurley (*) as an English modification of the Locke hand level, noting that it gives angles of elevation and is also divided for slopes, as 1 to 2, 2 to 1, etc. Since the main tube of this instrument is square, it can be applied to any plane surface. The clinometer scale is graduated to degrees, and read by vernier to 10 minutes.

Multiplying the TAN no. (tangent) of the angle (given in a table)  by the distance in metres to the base of the object gives its height.

* W. & L. E. Gurley, A Manual of the Principal Instruments Used in American Engineering and Surveying, Troy, N. Y., 1893, p. 228.
 (Source: WIKIPEDIA)

Abney level made by
F. BARKER & Son
(see catalogue at right)


(Click on pictures for enlarged views)

All pictures by www.TRADEMARKLONDON.com


Prismatic compass with SINGER-type green paper dial with fixed prism and folding sighting vane. 
The compass transit lock engages when the sighting vane is folded down, and has a "brake" button to help settle the card for a reading.
The 5" version has no adjustable telescope (no draw tube).


 Technical Data
- Dimensions: 5 x 2 1/2 in.  (12.5  x 6 cm)
- Compass diameter: 1 1/2 in. (38 mm)
- Compass calibrated in 360 degrees.



BARKER catalogue 1909

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LIETZ

PROFILE - A. LIETZ was a former U.S. manufacturer (for more information click HERE).
Product range - among others, they built the famous Forestry Compass which was available in two versions : 360 degrees and four quadrants (compare with Keuffel & Esser).
On this compass, the cardinals West and East appear reversed (their position left and right of North is swapped left to right). This is a typical feature on some U.S. geologist's compass: The needle indicates here the direction that you are facing when your turn on the spot with the compass in your hand (look for "quadrant" in MISCELLANEOUS / Terminology). You will also find more details in this Tutorial.

STANDARD POCKET COMPASS
U.S. FOREST SERVICE

Technical Data
- Dimensions: 83 x 75 x 18 mm
- Weight: 190 gr
- Divisions: quadrants
- Material (case and lid): aluminum, black paint
- Bubble level in the lid (possibly missing but not represented in the LIETZ 1959 catalog)

The needle's horizontal position is balanced by means of a small weight wound around the needle's southern end.
The declination adaption range covers plus/minus 32.5 degrees, so that the compass can be used from the farthest point of the East coast to the extreme western end of Alaska.

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- M -

M1918

PROFILE - British design, maybe late 19th c. It appears in F. BARKER's catalogue as early as in 1909 (see in LINKS , the website www.TRADEMARKLONDON.com) together with the 4 in. (10 cm) prismatic compass described in P. Dériaz' manual THE PRISMATIC COMPASS (1917).

The graphic (below, centre) shows the French Model 1918 that could be utilized together with different cannon types, among others the French 155mm howitzer type M1918. This drawing is to be found in a Maintenance Manual (TM 9-1595) issued during WWI and reprinted during WWII by the U.S. Secretary of War in 1943.

BARKER catalogue (1909)
 Maintenance Manual (copy available)

 Technical Data
- Diameter: 100 mm (4")
- Height: .. mm
- Weight: ... gr

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Map Pockets

Description
Examples of ancient map pockets for military use or hiking. Some had transparent walls, others pockets for drawing tools (colour pencils, eraser, ruler etc.). Some can be carried with a shoulder strap, others with two short straps for example on a bike's steering handles. Some also had a small integrated compass.


(click on pict. to enlarge)


Technical Data
Leather map holder with transparent walls, compass and shpuolder strap (France, 1920's)
- Content: map (1/20.000) of area East of Paris, around Drancy, type 1889, dated 1928.
- Dimensions : 230 x 140 mm
- External pocket for a booklet (training data of artillery soldiers in 1929)


Official pocket (Meldertasche) of the Wehrmacht during WWII




 Technical Data
Leather map holder with pockets for colour pencils, eraser, ruler etc.
- Two compartments inside
- Straps for bike steering handles
- Germany, 1930's and WWII
- Dimensions: 270 x 190 mm

MashPriborIntOrg (Машприборинторг in cyrillic letters)

PROFILE - Name of a company in the former Soviet Union located in Moscow (see GK-2).

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Map Reader

Description : This instrument is used to measure distances on maps. It is made of a tiny wheel that can follow the curves of a road. This wheel is connected to a pointer that shows the measured track on a dial. Some compasses are equiped with map readers with several scales - see in particular Breithaupt (model Cokil) and Peigné (metallic version made by Ladois).

The instrument shown at right (built in the 1950's-60's) displays divisions that allow for direct reading of distances on maps with the scales 1:20,000, 1:40,000, 1:80,000 and 1:100,000 on one side while the opposite side has divisions for the scales 1:25,000, 1:50,000, 1:75,000 and 1:200,000.

(Photo at right: click for enlarged view )


(Click pictures for enlarged views)


(Pictures tyntyla26)
 Old English instrument marked
ROTA METER

Technical Data
- Diameter: 1 inch
- Outer scale: 12" (= 1 foot)
- Inner scale: 25 feet
- Casing: silver, Birmingham 1896




(Click on each picture above for enlarged views)
Instrument comprising a map reader on one side, a compass on the other and a pencil.



The pouch can be hung onto a pocket. 		Technical Data
- Dials' diameter: 35 mm
- Length: 11.5 mm
- Map reader dial range:
100 mm / 10 km, resp. 3.9 in. (inches to miles) 

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Mark IV

This compass is set in a wooden frame the sides of which were sawn off. Only part of words are still visible at left: (LI?)NE OF and at right: DIR(ECTION?). The only evidence of its British origin is the Mk.IV. (Mark IV) indication engraved on the back side preceded by the Army's symbol, the arrow also called crow foot.
YOUR HELP IS NEEDED FOR A BETTER CHARACTERIZATION.



Click on picture for detailed view

Pictures Mary Jones		 Technical Data

- Dimensions: 2 x 2" (50 x 50 mm)
- Depth: 5/8" (15 mm)

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MERIDIAN

PROFILE - former Swiss manufacturer (for more information click HERE).
Not to be mistaken for the MERIDIAN called compass model made by the former German company WILKIE and the actual K&R (see also MARCHING compasses).


Model MK-2001

Click on picture for enlargement

Technical Data
- Dimensions (folded): 65 x 50 x 18 mm
- Weight: 80 gr
- Divisions: 400 grades
- Leather case

The compass attached on a tripod

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Miners' compass

Definition: special compass for survey tasks in mines galleries (s. items built by FPM, MORIN, SECRÉTAN).
(Click on pictures for enlarged views)

DESCRIPTION
Left: description of a miner's compass in an old French encyclopedia for measuring instruments and metallurgical tools (1813).
(Translation - see original text in the French part : poche de mineur)

A miner's compass assembly generally comprises:
1. a compass to measure the galleries' orientation
2. a graduated half-circle with plumbline to measure their slope
3. a chain to measure the distance between the stations
4. several brass screws, to attach the chain
5. a protractor to transfer the measurements on the drawing
6. (optional) an optical sight.

Pictures www.frickeinstruments.de

Click on pictures for enlarged views
 Miners' Compass complete with semi-circle hanging protractor, plumb bob, adjustment keys etc.
Technical Data
- Maker: Noesselt & Staritz, Breslau (Silesia, now Poland), late 19th c.
- Compass card: silver-coated, with 360-degree scale.
- Dimensions: wooden case (c. 30 x 23 cm).
On the back of the case is still the original leather bag.

Detail view of a compass: see SECRÉTAN

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MORIN

Profile - Former French company (for more information, click HERE).
See also the categories Marching compasses, Nautical compasses and Pocket compasses

Morin equipped the French armies and the industrie since the mid 19th c. The catalogue for the year 1930 gives a perfect overview of its product range. The various items are shown together with the catalogue illustration.





Technical Data
- Diameter: 80 mm
- Depth (closed): 27 mm
- Height (alidade upright): 60 mm
- Weight: 300 gr
Technical Data
- Diameter: 80 mm
- Depth: 12 mm
- Weight: 110 gr
See example FENNEL Technical Data

Compass equipped with a clinometer: The zero reference is situated on a tangent defined by a retractable lever. The needle can be blocked by means of a piston sliding through the loop fitting (free when extended).
The same model exists also bearing the name of the italian manufacturer of optical instruments SALMOIRAGHI.

Technical Data
- Diameter (compass): 90 mm
- Depth (case, closed): 30 mm
- Height: (alidade upright): 75 mm
- Weight: 200 gr
Export Version (cardinal points in English)
Technical Data
- Dimensions: 70 x 70 x 15 mm
- Weight: 50 gr
Trough or Plane Table compass

 Technical Data
(...)
NOTE: the Online Compass Museum doesn't possess this item. The picture was sent by a visitor. The Museum has four other exhibits (see RICHER, SECRETAN and two no name, one being part of a military theodolite (see trough compass below).
Square protractor
(See "protractor, square" below)
Miners' compass
Special compass for survey works in mines' galleries (see also description and exhibits made by SECRÉTAN and FPM).
Technical Data
- ...
Prismatic compass designed by Berget
MORIN catalogue no. 9925

The compass unfortunately w/o its prism
(Click for enlarged view)

Technical Data
- Dimensions (overall): 110 x 85 mm
- Compass diameter: 40 mm
- Divisions: 400 grades
- Weight: 85 gr
MORIN produced together with SRPI a modern version of Général Peigné's system (see further down).

(Picures Jaypee -private collection)

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- P -

PARKES

PROFILE - James Parkes was a British manufacturer of telescopes. He founded his company in 1839.  He was succeeded by his son and the company was renamed James Parkes & Son (1843 – 1862). Both companies traded from 5, St. Mary’s Row, Birmingham.
We presume that there is a connection with a certain Robert Parkes who lived in the late 16th century and was cited by Simon Forman in his book Longitude. Parkes was apparently a manufacturer of telescopes.
Description of the production scope in a catalogue for the year 1848:
"Measuring tapes, land chains, mathematical instruments, miners' & mariners' compasses, watchkeys, seals etc."
Parkes's trademark was a human left eye shown open together with an eyebrow. The "eye" trademark also appeared on both sides of Britain's coat-of-arms in an 1867 catalogue (see image at right - click to enlarge).




Compass open with the vanes erected (compare with the compass made by the  German  FENNEL or the French MORIN, above).		 Technical Data
- Diameter (sighting vanes folded): 60 mm
- Diameter (sighting vanes deployed): 70 mm
- Depth (closed with lid on): 21 mm
- Weight: 120 g

(Pictures courtesy of TRADEMARKLONDON)

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Général PEIGNÉ's system

This compass type was designed by the French Général Paul Peigné (for his résumé, click HERE).
It was built by several companies like MORIN, LADOIS and S-L. A short version of the users' instructions was glued on both sides of the wooden casing (printed by Delagrave et Cie). Late 19th until early 20th century. This compass is equipped with an alidade that could be used both with the compass needle to take azimutal bearings and with the clinometer to measure elevation angles. The magnetic needle oscillations can be slowed by depressing a thin piston gliding through the transit locking screw. The clinometer scale is printed inverted so as to be read in the mirror. It was one of the major official compasses used in the French Army during WWI.
(Drawing at right: French Infantry petty officers manual 1914/15)



Compass system by Gen. PEIGNÉ in the MORIN catalogue for 1930
(Click on the picture for the full catalogue text in French)		 Civil version (360 degrees) by Colonel Peigné, 1897.
The first and oldest known version states his former grade as Lieutenant-Colonel.

 Military version (6400 mils) with signature
"Gal Peigné", 1916.


 



The user's instructions
Above: short, glued on the compass casing
At right: 4 pages (separately avail. see SHOP)		 Technical Data
- Dimensions: 92 x 90 x 35 mm
- Diameter of compass rose: 70 mm
- Divisions: 6400 mils, clockwise
- Clinometer: 0-1000 (unit ?) upwards and downwards
- Weight: 200 gr
- Side ruler (casing deployed): 160 mm

 

Map reader for five scales
(1:50.000, 1:80.000, 1:100.000, 1:200.000 and 1:320.000)
and modern stylized signature		 Metallic cylindrical version. It was also  manufactured by LADOIS (see top of page)
A square Bakelite version was made by S-L
in the 1930's.

Technical Data
- Diameter: 83 mm
- Depth: 26 mm
- Divisions: 6400 mils, clockwise
- Clinometer: degrees, no separate scale
- Weight: 320 gr
- Ruler flap: 70 mm

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PLANE TABLE

The tool called plane table (plain table prior to 1830) is a device used in surveying and related disciplines to provide a solid and level surface on which to make field drawings, charts and maps. The early use of the name plain table reflected its simplicity and plainness rather than its flatness (Definition by WIKIPEDIA).

Its consists of a board usually attached to a tripod and articulated by means of a knee joint so that it can always be levelled.
The picture at right shows a simple product out of MORIN's catalogue c. 1930. On it are placed a Peigné compass and an alidade.

We display below a square one with integrated compass and double level. A sighting system could be attached by screws.

Technical Data
- Dimensions : 300 x 300 mm
- Compass diameter: 80 mm

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Small Portable Devices

There existed also portable plane tables with all elements needed to carry out topographical works.
Our first example is the one designed by the French officer Capitaine Henri HUEL.





The wooden case was probably covered with leather or fabric so as to hold the pens in place. The lid is hollow and contains a protractor.		 Technical Data
- Dimensions (folded) : ... x ... mm
- Compass diameter: ? mm
- Divisions : four 100 grades quadrants

Instructions for use: This device also allowed for working on horse back (see also DELCROIX' system).



(Click on the picture for full text view)

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CHAIX plane table
A very ingenious system was designed by the French Paris-based company TOPOCHAIX (see CHAIX above) .



(Click on picture for enlarged view)		 Short description:
the device (A) comprises:
1° a sliding table (B) with a rotating protractor (C)
2° two rolls (D) on which a stripe of transparent paper (F) is wrapped around and on which the drawings are made.



(copies can be ordered)

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Tavoletta di Monticolo

Another system was developed in Italy probably in the late 19th c. by A. Monticolo, who was an engineer with the company 'Officine Galileo'. The device was called 'Tavoletta di Campagna' (di Monticolo) and produced from 1908 until the second half of the 20th c.

For a comprehensive description (in Italian language) refer to the following websites:
- Nottolini
- Arxiv-Papers (page 72)



Technical Data
- Dimensions : 130 x 180 mm mm
- Compass/clinometer diameter : ... mm
- Compass and clinometer : two windows on the round dial
- Rangemeter (with prism)
- Reduction tables (attached on rear face)

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PLANE TABLE COMPASS

(see TROUGH COMPASS)

Protractor, square

DESCRIPTION - A square protractor is an instrument utilized to measure the geographical position of any point on a map with grid reference. It is graduated with several scales in a vertical and an horizontal direction.
It consists of a square frame with several scales. The distance between the point and the grid lines is measured simultaneously with a horizontal and a vertical branch.
The German company BUSCH printed the shortened users' instructions of several instruments (like their famous marching compass) on a cardboard flyer, on which the square protractor had to be cut-out.

Antique item: see MORIN above.
Modern items: see Google result

(Click for enlarged view)		 Square protractor (WW II)

Technical Data
- Dimensions: 86 x 86 mm
- Material: Aluminium
- Weight: 2 gr


BUSCH cardboard flyer: how to use the sq. protractor and the measuring device called Messwinkel.
(fac simile can be ordered).

The Gunner's manual (1940) :
How to use the sq. protractor (Planzeiger)

BUSCH flyer: The sq. protractor (top right) drawn inside the Messwinkel to be cut out.

(Click for enlarged views)

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- R -

RICHER, L'HERMITE, LEJARD et Cie

PROFILE - Former French manufacturer of survey instruments located in Paris. See also TROUGH COMPASS.
Trough compass for plane table

 (See definition under MISCELLANEOUS / Glossary and Definitions)

Technical Data
Wooden casing, ivory scales
- Dimensions: 120 x 44 x 15 mm
- Weight: 40 gr

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ROSPINI (Brüder)

PROFILE - Rospini was the name of two brothers (Brüder in German). They were instruments makers in Graz, Austria, written Gratz until the early 20th century. Instruments signed ROSPINI and dated between 1840 and 1860 are known, made either by Andreas or by "C. Jos." (Carl Joseph?).
This compass features a clinometer (see also FENNEL and MORIN) and an additional 24-hours-scale. Such instruments were used to compensate for variations of magnetic North and true North in areas of big magnetic disturbance (e.g. iron ore in the ground) by using the known position of the sun at a given time, using sun tables. Effectively, most ships had a variation of this with the pelorus, which had a vertical gnomon in the centre and North could be ascertained by the shadow and the use of sun tables from an almanac.



Photo David Geras
 Technical Data
- Clinometer with swivel-out lever
- Divisions: 360 deg. and 24 hours, counter-clockwise (see pic. below)
- Diameter: 67 mm / Depth: 10 mm


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ROSSIGNOL

PROFILE - Camille Rossignol was a French officer and weaponsmith (for his résumé, click HERE).

He invented a compass system and filed for a patent (no. 167.980, 14.10.1885, Boussole militaire devant servir à diriger les troupes et au levé des plans - Military compass for leading troops and survey tasks). Its unusual design features a boom with the rear part of the sight and two rulers. The sight's rear part is a notch in the fitting of the marching course setting screw. The right-hand side ruler is a distance measuring scale (1:80.000). The left side features a ruler in milimeter. The zero reference of both rulers is located in the compass' center, so that the divisions read 40 to 100 mm and respectively 3 to 8 km. The compass capsule can rotate. It has a transparent bottom made of horn and a cross, one arm of which being painted black. For taking a bearing, one has to observe in the mirror the magnetic needle and turn the capsule until the black cross arm lies under the North pointer. The compass was delivered with a leather pouch and a wooden box.
Pict. at right:
C. ROSSIGNOL
Chef-Armurier (Chief weaponsmith)
Bté SGDG (Patented)


Top: leather pouch, ruler left side

Bottom: wooden case



On some items, the surface has been intentionally scratched so that the chromated protection doesn't betray the user's position through light reflexion.		 (Click on pictures for detailed view)

The Magnetic needle and the black cross arm. On the capsule's base plate are divisions engraved which make it possible to take the magnetic declination into account.



Serial no. on the rear sight

 Divisions:



The mirror automatically stops at an angle of 45° by means of a spring and a triangular cam.

The distance measuring scale 1:80.000



 Technical Data
- Dimensions:
140 x 55 x 18 mm
- Weight: 115 gr
Materials
- Compass case: steel
- Ground plate: horn, transparent
- Divisions: 360° clockwise
- Serial No. : 168
- Copies of patent, user's instructions and manual (fac simile) can be ordered as well as of the following booklet:



(Click on the picture to see a drawing of the compass)

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CONT'D