Vernier protractor of sorts. Need information

[gbritnell]

Gentlemen, when I bought my lathe there were some miscellaneous tools laying about and the fellow that was helping get rid of everything asked if I wanted any of it. Most of it I had no need for but there was this protractor type tool that caught my eye. Not so much that I would have a need for it but that it was just a fine looking tool.
I took it home with the lathe and cleaned it up. The main level vial is adjustable and when checked against my machinist level it was a little off so I adjusted it. The vials, lets call them X and Y are mounted on a curved beam that has minute graduations on it. As you move them from -0-, left side to the right side you divide up one degree.
It was probably quite a sophisticated tool back when. My question is, does anyone know anything about it? From the wording on it I know it was made in Germany or possibly Austria.
Thanks for the help
gbritnell

 

[mklotz]

George,

I'm having difficulty understanding how it works. Would it be possible to show us a picture with the thing set to some known angle (e.g., 30.5 degrees)?

My SWAG is that it's meant for measuring existing angles. Set it on an inclined something and adjust until the levels read zero, then read the angle off the scales. (insert WAG disclaimer here)

 

[Blogwitch]

G,

That is a basic clinometer.

Normally, the degree scale at the side is detended so that you can accurately set the full degree, or it might have a vernier system where you align a few short lines against the degree scale to make sure you are spot on degree. You should only use it on each full degree mark, not in between.

You can set the degree and minutes beforehand and adjust the job until the bubble shows level.

For taking a reading of an angled part, you slide the bubble to the far left of the curved bar, and then adjust the degree scale until the bubble starts to move to the right. Move the degree scale down by one degree.
Then by moving the level along the curved bar (it is curved, even though it might not look it), a minutes reading will be given when the bubble is level. Add that to the shown degree and you will have an accurate reading of the angle.

By setting it to 0-0, it can be used as a machinists level for setting up your machine.

I hope that explains it well enough to understand.

I used to use these on helicopter rotor heads for setting up the angle of attack of the blades.


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[gbritnell]

Thanks Blogs. I had posted the same information on another forum and got an answer but not as complete as yours.
Marv. If you'll notice on pictures 3&4 there is somewhat of a vernier to set the whole degrees, then as Blogs said you move the head with the level vials until they are centered then read the minutes vernier that you see in picture 5. And yes the bar that the vials moves on is curved. Quite a piece of work.
George

 

[Blogwitch]

George,

The big silver lump is my clinometer. It looks a lot more complicated than yours, but it only does the same job, just that I twiddle a knob rather than moving along a slide.

I picked mine up off ebay for cents on the buck. The chap didn't know what he had.
If you can pick one up cheaply, they are well worth having in your arsenal, but those little digital levels seem to have taken over from them now.

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