A rangefinder (also rangefinding telemeter, depending on the context) is a device used to measure distances to remote objects. Originally optical devices used in surveying, they soon found applications in other fields, such as photography and in the military. They were specially useful for finding the range of a target, such as in naval gunnery and anti-aircraft artillery. The word telemeter is derived from Ancient Greekτῆλε (têle) 'distant, far away', and μέτρον (métron) 'something used to measure'.
The first rangefinder telemeter was invented by James Watt in 1769 and put to use in 1771 in surveying canals. Watt called his instrument a micrometer, a term now used with a different meaning in engineering (the micrometer screw gauge). It consisted of two parallel hairs in the focal plane of a telescope eyepiece crossing an upright hair. At the point to be measured, two sliding targets on a surveyor's rod were adjusted to align with the hairs in the telescope. The distance to the rod could then be determined from the distance between the targets on the rod by trigonometry.[1]
Several others have been credited with the invention of the rangefinder telemeter at one time or another. The Royal Society of Arts gave an award to W. Green for its invention in 1778, even though they were made aware of Watt's priority.[2]
In 1778, Georg Friedrich Brander invented the coincidence rangefinder. Two mirrors set a distance apart horizontally in a long slim box, similar to a subtense bar but located at the measuring station, and forming two images. This rangefinder does not require a measuring rod at the target and could perhaps be considered the first true telemeter. In 1790 Jesse Ramsden invented a half-image range finder. Though Alexander Selligue is often mistakenly credited with the invention, he did invent an improved telemeter with fixed lenses in 1821 and is responsible for coining the term.[3][4]
In 1881, the British Royal Artillery adopted the depression range finder, which had been developed by Captain H.S.S. Watkin for use by coastal artillery. It used the measurement of the angle of depression from the observer, sited on a high vantage point, to the waterline of the target vessel.[5]
World War II era telemeters worked optically with two telescopes focused on the same target but a distance apart along a baseline. The range to the target is found by measuring the difference in bearing of the two telescopes and solving the skinny triangle. Solutions can be obtained automatically, using tables or, rarely, manual calculation. The greater the distance to the target, the longer the baseline needs to be for accurate measurement. The baseline required for the telemeters for battleship guns is very large. More modern telemeters use an electronic technology such as lasers or radar.
Laser rangefinders are used in golf to measure the yardage of a particular shot but also to gauge slope and wind as well. There has been debate over whether they should be allowed in tournaments. While their use is banned on the professional level, they are becoming widely used on the amateur level.[8][9]
Ballistics
Rangefinders may be used by users of firearms over long distances, to measure the distance to a target to allow for projectile drop.[10] Until the development of electronic means of measuring range during the Second World War, warships used very large optical rangefinders—with a baseline of many meters—to measure range for naval gunnery.
Forestry
Rangefinders are used for surveying in forestry. Special devices with anti-leaf filters are used.
Virtual reality
Since the 1990s, rangefinders have been used in virtual reality systems to detect operator movements and locate objects.[11]
See also
GfK-Telemeter, a device to determine the viewing rate
^Farey, Pat and Spicer, Mark (2009) Sniping: An Illustrated History Zenith Press, Grand Rapids, Michigan, page 7, ISBN978-0-7603-3717-2
^Kidd, Cory D. et al. (1999) "The aware home: A living laboratory for ubiquitous computing research" Lecture Notes in Computer Science 1670: pp. 191–198, doi:10.1007/10705432_17
Dickinson, H. W. (2010), James Watt: Craftsman and Engineer, Cambridge University Press, ISBN978-1108012232
Further reading
"Range Finder (instrument)." Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica,
Army Test and Evaluation Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground Maryland (1969) Laser Rangefinders Ft. Belvoir Defense Technical Information Center, U.S. Army, Ft. Belvoir, Virginia, OCLC 227620848 (early history of the use of lasers in rangefinders)
Photographic and Imaging Manufacturers Association (1999) American national standard for photography (optics) : rangefinders and other focusing aids – performance specifications (revision and redesignation of "ANSI PH3.619-1988" as "ANSI/PIMA IT3.619-1998") American National Standards Institute, New York, OCLC 41501265
Hicks, Roger and Schultz, Frances (2003) Rangefinder: Equipment, History, Techniques Guild of Master Craftsman, Lewes, UK, ISBN1-86108-330-0
(PDF), Infantry and Cavalry School Lectures 1902-1910, Staff College Press, U.S. Army, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, 1905, OCLC 278057724, archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-03 – via archive.org
Whitehouse, J. C. (2005) "Further considerations of defocus rangefinders" Transactions of the Institute of Measurement and Control 27(4): pp. 297–316
Range-Finding in the Army. How to use range-finders to get results: the erect and inverted types,Popular Science monthly, February 1919, page 118–120, Scanned by Google Books
, Berkeley Nucleonics Corporation, archived from the original on 2011-07-11
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rangefinders.
Rangefinder Comparison - A National Forest Service document
March 10, 2023
rangefinder, photographic, camera, camera, rangefinder, also, rangefinding, telemeter, depending, context, device, used, measure, distances, remote, objects, originally, optical, devices, used, surveying, they, soon, found, applications, other, fields, such, p. For the photographic camera see Rangefinder camera A rangefinder also rangefinding telemeter depending on the context is a device used to measure distances to remote objects Originally optical devices used in surveying they soon found applications in other fields such as photography and in the military They were specially useful for finding the range of a target such as in naval gunnery and anti aircraft artillery The word telemeter is derived from Ancient Greek tῆle tele distant far away and metron metron something used to measure Portable stereoscopic telemeter from WWII The coincidence rangefinder of the Polish destroyer ORP Wicher Laser rangefinder Second World War German range finding tower at La Corbiere Jersey Contents 1 Designs 2 Applications 2 1 Golf 2 2 Ballistics 2 3 Forestry 2 4 Virtual reality 3 See also 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksDesigns Edit Telemeter salvaged from the German cruiser Admiral Graf Spee on display in Montevideo The first rangefinder telemeter was invented by James Watt in 1769 and put to use in 1771 in surveying canals Watt called his instrument a micrometer a term now used with a different meaning in engineering the micrometer screw gauge It consisted of two parallel hairs in the focal plane of a telescope eyepiece crossing an upright hair At the point to be measured two sliding targets on a surveyor s rod were adjusted to align with the hairs in the telescope The distance to the rod could then be determined from the distance between the targets on the rod by trigonometry 1 Several others have been credited with the invention of the rangefinder telemeter at one time or another The Royal Society of Arts gave an award to W Green for its invention in 1778 even though they were made aware of Watt s priority 2 In 1778 Georg Friedrich Brander invented the coincidence rangefinder Two mirrors set a distance apart horizontally in a long slim box similar to a subtense bar but located at the measuring station and forming two images This rangefinder does not require a measuring rod at the target and could perhaps be considered the first true telemeter In 1790 Jesse Ramsden invented a half image range finder Though Alexander Selligue is often mistakenly credited with the invention he did invent an improved telemeter with fixed lenses in 1821 and is responsible for coining the term 3 4 In 1881 the British Royal Artillery adopted the depression range finder which had been developed by Captain H S S Watkin for use by coastal artillery It used the measurement of the angle of depression from the observer sited on a high vantage point to the waterline of the target vessel 5 In 1899 Carl Pulfrich at Carl Zeiss AG fabricated a practical stereoscopic rangefinder 6 based on a patent of Hector Alexander de Grousilliers 7 World War II era telemeters worked optically with two telescopes focused on the same target but a distance apart along a baseline The range to the target is found by measuring the difference in bearing of the two telescopes and solving the skinny triangle Solutions can be obtained automatically using tables or rarely manual calculation The greater the distance to the target the longer the baseline needs to be for accurate measurement The baseline required for the telemeters for battleship guns is very large More modern telemeters use an electronic technology such as lasers or radar Applications EditApplications include surveying navigation to assist focusing in photography choosing a golf club according to distance and correcting aim of a projectile weapon for distance Golf Edit Laser rangefinders are used in golf to measure the yardage of a particular shot but also to gauge slope and wind as well There has been debate over whether they should be allowed in tournaments While their use is banned on the professional level they are becoming widely used on the amateur level 8 9 Ballistics Edit Rangefinders may be used by users of firearms over long distances to measure the distance to a target to allow for projectile drop 10 Until the development of electronic means of measuring range during the Second World War warships used very large optical rangefinders with a baseline of many meters to measure range for naval gunnery Forestry Edit Rangefinders are used for surveying in forestry Special devices with anti leaf filters are used Virtual reality Edit Since the 1990s rangefinders have been used in virtual reality systems to detect operator movements and locate objects 11 See also EditGfK Telemeter a device to determine the viewing rate Telemeter chronographReferences Edit Dickinson 2010 p 56 75 76 Dickinson 2010 p 76 77 Johann Gottfried Dingler Polytechnisches Journal vol 8 page 121 Stuttgart Cotta 1822 OCLC 183328327 in German A Rittig von Flammenstern Archiv fur Geographie Historie Staats und Kriegskunst vol 13 Franz Harter Wien page 561 in German Sambrook Stephen C 2015 The Optical Munitions Industry in Great Britain 1888 1923 Taylor amp Francis p 27 ISBN 978 1 317 32103 3 Fritz Deumlich Surveying Instruments Walter de Gruyter 1982 ISBN 3110077655 p 15 GB patent 189317048 Hector Alexander de Grousilliers Improved Stereoscopic Telemeter issued 1894 07 14 Golf Rangefinder Comparison Chart at Golfsmith Golf Rangefinder Comparison Chart at Golfsmith N p n d Web 06 Nov 2014 While We re Young USGA Golf com N p n d Web 06 Nov 2014 Farey Pat and Spicer Mark 2009 Sniping An Illustrated History Zenith Press Grand Rapids Michigan page 7 ISBN 978 0 7603 3717 2 Kidd Cory D et al 1999 The aware home A living laboratory for ubiquitous computing research Lecture Notes in Computer Science 1670 pp 191 198 doi 10 1007 10705432 17 Dickinson H W 2010 James Watt Craftsman and Engineer Cambridge University Press ISBN 978 1108012232Further reading Edit Range Finder instrument Encyclopaedia Britannica Online Encyclopaedia Britannica Army Test and Evaluation Command Aberdeen Proving Ground Maryland 1969 Laser Rangefinders Ft Belvoir Defense Technical Information Center U S Army Ft Belvoir Virginia OCLC 227620848 early history of the use of lasers in rangefinders Photographic and Imaging Manufacturers Association 1999 American national standard for photography optics rangefinders and other focusing aids performance specifications revision and redesignation of ANSI PH3 619 1988 as ANSI PIMA IT3 619 1998 American National Standards Institute New York OCLC 41501265 Hicks Roger and Schultz Frances 2003 Rangefinder Equipment History Techniques Guild of Master Craftsman Lewes UK ISBN 1 86108 330 0 Notes on rangefinders compasses and on contouring with the Scale of Horizontal Equivalents PDF Infantry and Cavalry School Lectures 1902 1910 Staff College Press U S Army Fort Leavenworth Kansas 1905 OCLC 278057724 archived from the original PDF on 2016 03 03 via archive org Whitehouse J C 2005 Further considerations of defocus rangefinders Transactions of the Institute of Measurement and Control 27 4 pp 297 316 Range Finding in the Army How to use range finders to get results the erect and inverted types Popular Science monthly February 1919 page 118 120 Scanned by Google Books Electro Optic Application Test Equipment Berkeley Nucleonics Corporation archived from the original on 2011 07 11External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rangefinders Rangefinder Comparison A National Forest Service document Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Rangefinder amp oldid 1138031981, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
