HAND LEVEL

A hand level is a simple compact instrument used for

reconnaissance and preliminary survey, for locating contours on
the ground and for taking short cross sections. It consists of a
rectangular or circular tube, 10 to 15 cm long, provided with a
small bubble tube at the top. A line of sight parallel to the axis of
the bubble tube is defined by a line joining a pin hole at the eye
end and a horizontal wire at the object end. In order to view the
bubble tube at the instant the object is sighted, a small
opening, immediately below the bubble is provided in the tube.
The bubble is reflected through this opening on to a mirror, which
is inside the tube inclined at 45° to the axis and immediately under
the bubble tube.
 TO USE THE INSTRUMENT :

1) Hold the instrument in hand at the eye level and sight the staff kept at the
point to be observed.
2) Raise or lower the object end of the tube till the image of the bubble seen
in the reflector is bisected by the cross-wire.
3) Take the staff reading against the cross-wire.
 ABNEY CLINOMETER

The Abney Level is a device that couples a protractor to a sighting tube. A bubble level
is attached to an indicator (pointing) arm that moves around the arc of the
protractor, and this level is visible through the top of the tube by means of a mirror
prism. Half the field of view through the eyepiece shows the bubble, and the other
half is the view of the target with stadia lines, and level line or cross hair.

In most Abney-style levels, the eyepiece is adjusted by sliding it forward or backward

to focus the bubble image, the level line and the stadia lines. Some may have a threaded
focusing mechanism, where turning the eyepiece lens moves it back or forward. The
main body consists of a sighting tube that supports the lenses, prism, etc. The prism
and the stadia and level line holder are located below the prism viewing port and are
not visible. The scale plate (protractor) has both percent and degree scale graduations
while the indicator or scale-pointing arm is provided with a Vernier scale. Like the
eyepiece, the objective lens may be adjusted by sliding or by threaded focusing
mechanism to focus the target. The bubble level on the main body is used to level the
instrument.
 USING THE INSTRUMENT

Measurement of vertical angle –

1) Keep the instrument at eye level and direct it to the object till the line of
sight passes through it.
2) Since the line of sight is inclined the bubble will go out of centre. Bring the
bubble to the center.
3) Read angle on the arc by means of the vernier.
 INDIAN PATTERN CLINOMETER

It is used for determining difference in elevation between

points and is specially adopted to plane tabling. The
clinometer is placed on plane table which is leveled by
estimation. It consists of :
1) A base plate carrying a small bubble tube and a
leveling screw. Thus, it can be accurately leveled.
2) The eye vane carrying a peep hole. It is hinged at its
lower end to the base plate.
3) The object vane having graduations in degrees at one
side and tangent of the angles to the other side of
the central opening.
 USE WITH PLANE TABLE

1) Set the plane table over the station and keep the clinometer on it.
2) Level the clinometer with the help of leveling screw.
3) Looking through the peep hole, move the slide of the object vane till it
bisects the signal at the other point to be sighted.
4) Note the reading, i.e. tangent of the angle against the wire. Thus the
difference in elevation between eye and object = distance x tangent of
vertical angle = d tanα
 BUREL HAND LEVEL

This consists of a simple frame carrying a mirror and a plain glass. The mirror
extends half-way across the frame. The plain glass extends to the other half.
The frame can be suspended vertically in grimbles. The edge of the mirror
forms vertical reference line. The instrument is based on the principle that a
ray of light after being reflected back from a vertical mirror along the path of
incidence, is horizontal. When the instrument is suspended at eye level, the
image of the eye is visible at the edge of the mirror, while the objects
appearing through the plain glass opposite the image of the eye are at the level
of observer’s eye.
FOOT RULE CLINOMETER

Foot rule clinometer consists of a box wood rule having

two arms hinged to each other at one end, with a small
bubble tube on each arm. The upper arm or part also
carries a pair of sights through which the object can be
sighted. A graduated arc is also attached to the hinge, and
angles of elevations and depressions can be measured on
it. A small compass is also recessed in the lower arm for
taking bearings.
To sight an object, the instrument is held firmly against a
rod, with the bubble central in the lower arm. The upper
arm is then raised till the line of sight passes through the
object. The reading is then taken on the arc.
Another common method of using clinometer is to keep
the lower arm on a straight edge laid on the slope to be
measured. The rule is then opened until the bubble of the
upper arm is central. The reading is then noted.
 FENNEL’S CLINOMETER

It is a precise clinometer for the measurement of slopes. It consists of

following parts :

1) A telescope for providing line of sight.

2) Two plate levels for checking horizontality of the holding staff.
3) A vertical arc which rotates or tilts along with the tilting of the telescope.
4) A holding staff.
5) A target mounted on a holding staff of the same height.
This instrument is specially designed for finding the lines of highways with a
predetermined percentage inclination (i.e. percentage slope) and for
determination of the percentage amount of inclination of existing highways.
It has a vertical arc allowing to read slopes up to + 40% or -40% with
graduation to 0.5% thus making sure estimation to 0.1%

The design of the telescope, when inclined, admits the sighted object, the
diaphragm with stadia lines and the first spirit level running parallel to the
vertical arc can be simultaneously seen in the telescope. A second spirit level
likewise is parallel to the tilting axis.
 DE LISLE’S CLINOMETER

This is another form of clinometer, similar to that of Burel hand level, used for
measuring the vertical angles, determining the slope of the ground, and for
setting out gradients. This consists of the following:
1) a simple frame, similar to that of a Burel level, carrying a mirror extending
half-way across the frame. The frame can be suspended in gimbles. The edge of
the mirror forms a vertical reference line.
2) A heavy semi circular arc is attached to the lower end of the frame. The arc is
graduated in gradients or slopes from 1 in 5 to 1 in 50. The arc is attached to the
vertical axis to allow revolving to help measure the rising gradients or away from
the observer to measure the falling gradients.
3) A radial arm is fitted to the Centre of the arc. The arm consists of a beveled
edge which acts as index. By moving the arm along the arc, the mirror can be
inclined to the vertical. The inclination to the horizontal of the line from the
eye to the point at which it appears in the mirror equals the inclination of the
mirror to the vertical.
 TO MEASURE A GRADIENT :

1) Slide the weight to the inner stop of the arm. The arc should be turned
forward for rising gradients and backwards for falling gradients.
2) Suspend the instrument from the thumb and hold it at arm’s length in
such a position that the observer sees the reflected image of his eye at the
edge of the mirror.
3) Move the radial arm till the object sighted through the open half of the
frame is coincident with the reflection of the eye. Note the reading on
the arc against the beveled edge of the arm. The reading obtained will be
in the form of gradient which can be converted into degrees if so
required.
For better results, a vane or target of height equal to the height of observer’s
eye must be placed at the object and sighted.
 CEYLON GHAT TRACER

It is a very useful instrument for setting out gradients.

It essentially consists of a long circular tube having a
peep hole at one end and cross wires on the other
ends. The tube is supported by a A- frame having a
hole at its top to fix the instrument to a straight rod or
stand. The tube is also engraved to give readings of
gradients. A heavy weight slides along the tube by a
suitable rack and pinion arrangement. The weight at its
top contains one beveled edge which slides along the
graduations of the bar, and serves as an index. The line
of sight is defined by the line joining the hole to the
intersection of the cross wires and its prolongation.
For elevated gradients, the weight is slided towards the
observer.
a) TO MEASURE THE SLOPE:
1. fix the instrument on to the stand and hold it to one end of the line. Keep the
target at the other end.
2. looking through the eye hole, move the sliding weight till the line of sight
passes through the cross mark of the sight vane.
3. the reading against the beveled edge of the weight will give the gradient of the
line.

b) TO SET OUT A GRADIENT:

1. Hold the instrument at one end.
2. Send the assistant to other end with the target.
3. Slide the weight to set it to the given gradient, say 1 in n.
4. Direct the assistant to raise or lower the target till it is bisected.

Drive a peg at the other end so that the top of the peg is at the same level as that
the bottom of the target.
 THE SEXTANT

The sextant is based on the principle that when a ray of light is reflected
successively from two mirror, the angle between the first and last directions of
ray is twice the angle between the planes of the two mirror.

The distinguishing feature of the sextant is the arrangement of mirrors which

enables the observer to sight at two different objects simultaneously, and thus
to measure an angle in a single observation. A sextant may be used to measure
horizontal angle. It can also be used to measure vertical angles. The angle
between mirrors is equal to half the actual angle between two objects.
 OPTICAL REQUIREMENTS OF THE SEXTANT:

1. The two mirrors should be perpendicular to the plane of the graduated

arc.
2. When two mirrors are parallel, the reading on the index should be zero.
3. The optical axis should be parallel to the plane of graduated arc and pass
through the top of the horizontal mirror. If only a peep sight is provided
in place of telescope, the peep sight should be at the same distance above
the arc as the top of the mirror.
 TYPES OF SEXTANT

1. Box sextant: it is a small pocket instrument used for measuring

horizontal and vertical angles, measuring chain angles and locating
inaccessible points. By setting the vernier to 90 , it may be used as an
optical square.
2. Nautical sextant: it is specially designed for navigation and astronomical
purposes and is fairly large instrument with a graduated silver arc of
about 15 to 20 cm radius let into a gun metal casting carrying the main
parts. With the help of vernier attached to the index mirror, readings can
be taken to 20 “ or 10”.
3. Sounding sextant: it is also very similar to the nautical sextant, with a
large index glass to allow for the difficulty of sighting an object from a
small rocking boat in hydrographic survey.
 PERMANENT ADJUSTMENT OF A SEXTANT

A sextant requires the following four adjustments:

1. to make the index glass perpendicular to the plane of the graduated arc.
2. to make the horizon glass perpendicular to the plane of graduated arc.
3. to make the line of sight parallel to the plane of the graduated arc.
4. to make the horizon mirror parallel to the index mirror when the vernier
is set at zero (i.e. to eliminate any index correction).

In a box sextant, the index glass is permanently fixed at right angles to the
plane of the instruments by the maker.
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