Today’s mystery object

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

Beck of London were into making microscopes, and this looks like some kjid of surveying device, but you can't see through it, there is a plastic? disc in one end as seen in photo. There is a rack and pinion to move the top member back and to, and levelling screws underneath. Anyone got any ideas?

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

[David JuppParticipant @davidjupp51506]

That plastic disc has a modern symbol found on power buttons. I'm not sure when the symbol came into widespread use, but my feeling is that the device pre-dates that piece of plastic.

[Mike E.Participant @mikee-85511]

Necessity being the mother of invention, it looks like an attempt at a home made builders level.

[JourneymanParticipant @journeyman]

Looks like a 'Dumpy Level' but not sure if all the optics are there. Possibly by J.R. Beck, London, Ltd. (later Griffin & George) !

John

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

David

Why didn't I spot that! I've had a bit of a dismantle and found there is a laser pointer down the middle, obviously replacing whatever was there before, and the level on top is diffenent as well, but I'd still like to know what it was before it was modified, the rack and pinion thing would seem to be of little use in any long range instrument, but then the bottom bit with the 360 degree protractordoen't look like it was originally part of the top bit, the paint is completely different. Perhaps it's the ultimate bitza, a microscope body mounted on an old theodolite base?

[Clive HartlandParticipant @clivehartland94829]

It is more than likely a Drain Laser, there are very few drain lasers in the survey field and all that I have seen are, 'Bitza's in fact my drain laser is made from a modified projection laser. It reaches out about a half mile.

Clive

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by duncan webster on 19/09/2018 14:33:48:

Perhaps it's the ultimate bitza, a microscope body mounted on an old theodolite base?

.

MichaelG.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Posted by David Jupp on 19/09/2018 14:17:10:

That plastic disc has a modern symbol found on power buttons. I'm not sure when the symbol came into widespread use, but my feeling is that the device pre-dates that piece of plastic.

That was my first thought as well!

It's clearly a 21st century facsimile and not ancient at all

Neil

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

I haven't found a picture of the London Model 15

… It's probably the incredibly scarce one

But others in the London range are included here: **LINK**

https://archive.org/stream/beckmicroscopes00beckuoft#page/n0/search/london

MichaelG.

[Jon LawesParticipant @jonlawes51698]

Best treat with care then! As LASER operators say, don't ever look into the beam with your remaining good eye.

[Robert Atkinson 2Participant @robertatkinson2]

It's a collection of bits, a tribrach, microscope tube with rack, bubble level and laser pointer. The collar holding the laser in is machined so not a complete bodge. I can see puutong a laser on a tribrach to level it but the microscope horizontal "translation" does not make much sense.

Robert.

[Author]

Posts