Commonly either type of illumination can be used and modified as
occasion requires. The filar micrometer is seldom used on small
telescopes, since to work easily with it the instrument should be
permanently mounted and clock-driven. Good work was done by some of the
early observers without these aids, but at the cost of infinite pains
and much loss of time.
The clock drive is in fact a most important adjunct of the telescope
when used for other purposes than ordinary visual observations, though
for simple seeing a smooth working slow motion in R. A. answers well.
The driving clock from the horological view-point is rudimentary. It
consists essentially of a weight-driven, or sometimes spring-driven,
drum, turning by a simple gear connection a worm which engages a
carefully cut gear wheel on the polar axis, while prevented from
running away by gearing up to a fast running fly-ball governor, which
applies friction to hold the clockwork down to its rate if the speed
rises by a minute amount. There is no pendulum in the ordinary sense,
the regularity depending on the uniformity of the total friction—that
due to the drive plus that applied by the governor.
Figure 134 shows a simple and entirely typical driving clock by Warner
& Swasey. Here A is the main drum with its winding gear at B, C is the
bevel gear, which is driven from another carried by A, and serves to
turn the worm shaft D; E marks the fly balls driven by the multiplying
gearing plainly visible. The governor acts at a predetermined rotation
speed to lift the spinning friction disc F against its fixed mate,
which can be adjusted by the screw G.
The fly-balls can be slightly shifted in effective position to complete
the regulation. These simple clocks, of which there are many species
differing mainly in the details of the friction device, are capable of
excellent precision if the work of driving the telescope is kept light.
For large and heavy instruments, particularly if used for photographic
work where great precision is required, it is difficult to keep the
variations of the driving friction within the range of compensation
furnished by the governor friction alone, and in such case recourse
is often taken to constructions in which the fly balls act as relay
to an electrically controlled brake, or in which the driving power is
supplied by an electric motor suitably governed either continuously
or periodically. For such work independent hand guiding mechanism is
provided to supplement the clockwork. For equatorials of the smallest
sizes, say 3 to 4 inches aperture, spring operated driving clocks are
occasionally used. The general plan of operation is quite similar to
the common weight driven forms, and where the weights to be carried are
not excessive such clocks do good work and serve a very useful purpose.
[Illustration: FIG. 134.—Typical Driving Clock. (_Courtesy of The
Clarendon Press._)]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account