STANDARD - Survey Instrument Antique Center!

19
The finer and finest classes of field instruments, such as those provided with
micrometer-microscopes, should always be placed in their boxes for safe conveyance
no matter how short the distance for fear of improper handling, and because of
danger of unequal expansion, temporary as it may be, of such parts as would come
in contact with the body or fingers.
1
Carrying an instrument on its tripod without slightly; clamping its principal
motions, will wear out the centers. When carrying on its tripod,
Plflmn tftlA^PonP J in TRANSIT when placed on a line with its centers;
e P e
} in LEVEL, when hanging down.
When carrying an instrument in the box it is important that it be placed therein
exactly in the position and manner designated by the maker. Therefore, upon receiving
a new instrument, the first step should be to study its mode of packing, and
if necessary a memorandum should be made for future guidance and pasted in the
box. This will save time and vexation, as some of the boxes for field instruments
must necessarily be crowded to be light and portable.
Before placing an instrument with four leveling screws in its box, the foot-plate
should be made parallel to the instrument proper, and then brought to a firm
bearing by the leveling screws. The instrument must also be well screwed to the
slide-board, if one is provided, as is the case in most of our transits. Having put
the instrument in the box in such a position, that no part of it will touch the sides,
the principal motions are now to be checked by the clamp screws, to prevent motion
and striking against the box. Wii,a instruments not standing erect in their
boxes, but which are laid on their sides in resting-places, padded with cloth, specially
provided for that purpose, their principal motions must not be clamped until
the instrument has been secured in a complete state of repose in these receptacles,
so as to be entirely free from any strain. Care must be taken, too, that all of the
detached parts of an instrument, as well as its accessories, are properly secured
to their receptacles before shutting the box.
When shipping an instrument over a long distance it is commendable to fill the
hollow space between it and its box with small soft cushions made of paper, or of
excelsior or shavings wrapped in soft paper, taking care not to scratch the metal
surfaces, nor to bend exposed parts, nor to press against any adjusting screws.
For greater safety in transportation by express, the instrument-box itself should
always be packed in a pine-wood box one inch larger all around. For the ordinary
size of field instrument the packing-case should be provided with a strong rope
handle, which, like the strap of the instrument box, should pass over the top of the
case and through holes in the sides, the knots being within the case and strongly
secured. In cases where the gross weight of the entire package, as prepared for
shipment in the above manner, exceeds 40 or 50 Ibs., then two men should handle it,
and two strong rope handles, one at each end of the packing-case, should be provi*
ded. In order to check jars and vibrations while en route, the loose space between
the instrument-box and the packing-case is to be filled with dry and loose shavings.
The cover bearing the directions should always be screwed on and marked in large
black letters. Example:
THIS SIDE UP.
HANDLE WITH GREAT
Scientific Instrument.
Mr. George Brown,
36 West Street,
Value $
Cleveland \
_^
Ohio.
From JOHN SMITH, Chicago] Illinois.