Hilger Watts | Theodolite Manual Link

Comprehensive manuals for vintage Hilger & Watts theodolites, manufactured from the 1930s to the 1960s, are available through specialized archives and digital repositories. Key resources include the Vintage Machinery Archive

  1. Leveling Errors: Check and correct leveling errors.
  2. Collimation Errors: Check and correct collimation errors (errors in the telescope's alignment).
  3. Index Errors: Check and correct index errors (errors in the circle graduations).
  1. Select circle: Use the optical switch to view horizontal (Hz) or vertical (V) circle.
  2. View through micrometer eyepiece: You will see two sets of graduation lines (A & B) and a micrometer scale.
  3. Rotate micrometer knob: Turn until the graduation lines of A and B are perfectly aligned (coincident).
  4. Read degrees: Look directly at the circle index (e.g., 45°).
  5. Read minutes/seconds: Read the value from the micrometer scale (e.g., 12' 30").
  6. Total angle: Combine degree + micrometer reading.

Step 1: Permanent Adjustments (Workshop Only)

Summary for the Operator:

Treat the Hilger & Watts theodolite as a mechanical clock. It is robust but relies on friction and precise glass wedges. The key skill is the Coincidence Reading —aligning those lines perfectly before writing down the number. If your FL and FR angles differ by more than a few seconds on horizontal measurements, re-level the plate bubble. hilger watts theodolite manual

Hilger & Watts Ltd.

To appreciate the manual, you must first appreciate the machine. Adam Hilger founded his company in London in 1874, specializing in scientific spectroscopes and astronomical instruments. In 1948, the company merged with E. R. Watts & Son, a firm famous for its surveying instruments and optical dividing engines. The resulting entity, , became a powerhouse in precision optics. Leveling Errors : Check and correct leveling errors

Zurück