GB1380373A - Portable telescope - Google Patents

Abstract

1380373 Telescope assembly A E RAND 23 Feb 1973 [25 Feb 1972] 9094/73 Heading G2J A portable Casagrain or Newtonian telescope comprises a portable support 12, 45, 68 Fig. 1, and 145, Fig. 5 mounting a polar axis shaft 130 Fig. 5 with tilting means about horizontal axis 86 intermediate its ends and telescooe 175 on one end of the shaft 130, means e.g. motor and gearing 140-143 for revolving the telescope about the shaft and means e.g. motor 137 for rotating the telescope about an axis normal to the polar shaft, e.g. on a stub declination shaft in support 138, and a polar telescope 150, Fig. 6 in the shaft having means imposed on its lens system for indicating the apparent declination of the polar star from the earth's polar axis, for the purpose of making the polar axis shaft parallel with the earths polar axis. The invention, shown in Figs. 5, 6, has the stand parts 12, 45, 68 as in Fig. 1. Jack 51, 52 raises a telescoping support column 46, 47 which is then held by screws 55, 56, and supports on bearings 71 a gear 69 to which is hinged plate 70 carrying latitude adjusting cleavis 64. Polar shaft is roughly set about pivot 86 by screws entering holes 88-91 offset in the cleavis, fine adjustment being made by motorized gearing 80, 82 driving screw 79 to elevate plate 70. Motor 50 rotates gear 69 about vertical axis 52. Column 46 is secured via air and spring cushions 41 at the centre of frame 13 carrying jacks 21a-c and wheels 19 are carried on cranks 30 loaded by air cushions 34. Telescope 175 is counterbalanced by weight 147 adjustable at 149. Polar telescope 150, Fig. 6, carries a microscope 161 viewing two concentric circular Scribe lines, indicating declination of Polaris and its companion star on flat lens plate 155 together with a compass rose. In another embodiment, a rod lying between polar shaft splines 131, Fig. 6, is oppositely threaded to engage the counterbalance support 148 and the polar shaft via the declination shaft casing 138 and is rotatably held in cleavis 145, whereby counterbalancing adjustment on rotation of the rod moves weight 147 and polar shaft 130 in opposite directions. Telescope casing 175 is rotatable in casing 174 for suitably positioning Newtonian side viewing opening 118, and may have a closure cap with means introducing an inert gas.