Engineers Transit

A theodolite is any precise instrument designed to measure horizontal or vertical

angles about a point.
A transit is a theodolite with a telescope that can be reversed in direction with
respect to the rest of the alidade by rotating it about its horizontal axis without
removing it from its bearings.
Three main parts of an engineer's transit are:
The Alidade.
Composed of the telescope assembly attached to the telescope axis mounted on
top of the standards, the vertical circle and vernier, plate bubbles, transit compass
box, horizontal circle with two verniers A and B 18000' apart, horizontal plate
attached to an inner spindle which rotates within the outer spindle, and other minor
parts as operating accessories.
The Circle
Composed of a lower plate with a graduated circle attached to the outer spindle
which is seated in the tapered socket of the leveling head.
The Leveling Head
Composed of a tapered socket, leveling screws, base plate, and ball and socket
joint.
Two types of telescopes with respect to focusing:
Internal focusing telescope - is one that has an objective lens not moving while
the focusing screw is being operated in focusing the object that is sighted.
External focusing telescope - when in the process of focusing using the focusing
screw the objective lens moves in and out of the telescope barrel.
SETTING UP THE TRANSIT
1. POSITIONING THE TRIPOD

On fairly level ground: tripod is set up near and over the selected point with
the legs well spread apart to ensure stability see to it that the tripod head is
nearly stable
On hillsides or along a slope: 1 of its legs should extend uphill and the 2
downhill each tripod leg is then moved as required to make the tripod head
nearly level
Set the tripod in a convenient height (no need to stretch or stoop)

2. MOUNTING THE TRIPOD

Remove the transit from its carrying case by grasping it with both hands at
the leveling head assembly or at the upright standards

With one hand, screw the leveling head of the transit and firmly onto the
tripod head while holding the standards at the other hand
The transit should fit snugly and bear firmly.
Remove the objective cap and replace with the sunshade

3. ATTACHING THE PLUMB BOB

Plumb bob and a string is attached to the transit by suspending it from the
hook and chain that hangs at the bottom of the leveling head.
Raise or lower the plumb bob using the sliding loopknot
Lower down the plumb bob within about 0.5 cm above the ground point
Bring the plumb bob close to the center of the point by moving or pressing 1
or 2 tripod legs more firmly into the ground

4. FINAL CENTERING

See to it that the wing nuts of the tripod is tightened

Shift the leveling head of the transit along the foot plate to exactly center the
plumb bob
Use the optical plummet if available for accurate centering:
Look at the optical plummet shift the instrument until the reticle is precisely
centered on the ground point

READING TRANSIT VERNIERS

MAIN SCALE AND VERNIER
1. LEAST COUNT
Fineness of reading of the vernier and main scale
Determine by dividing the length of the smallest division on the main scale by
the total number of vernier divisions.

LC = n
where: LC = Least Count
s = value of the smallest division on th
n = no. of divisions on the vernier
2. READING TRANSIT VERNIERS
A horizontal or vertical angle is read by finding the graduation on the vernier
scale which coincides with a graduation on the main (circle) scale used
In case of double vernier, there will always be 2 coincident line
1 for a CW angle & the other for a CCW angle
The index mark of the vernier will show the number of degrees or fractional
part of a degree (usually in multiples of 30, 20, 15 or 10 min) passed over on
the main scale

Additional fractional parts of a degree (to be added to the main scale reading)
are to be determined from the coincident graduation on the vernier