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Keuffel & Esser Y level

Datecirca 1909

Inventory Number5147a

ClassificationSurveyor's Level

Subject

Maker Keuffel & Esser Company 1867 - 1987

Repaired by Buff & Buff Manufacturing Company 1898 - 1982

User Department of Engineering Sciences, Harvard University founded circa 1918

User Harvard Engineering Camp founded 1901

Cultural Region

Place of Origin

Place of Use

Dimensionslevel: 4.8 × 47.2 × 8.7 cm (1 7/8 × 18 9/16 × 3 7/16 in.)
box: 23.5 × 50.3 × 19 cm (9 1/4 × 19 13/16 × 7 1/2 in.)
stand: 19.9 × 28.2 × 12 cm (7 13/16 × 11 1/8 × 4 3/4 in.)

Material

Accessoriesmahogany case with brass corner protectors and lock; key; sunshade; dust cover; tripod (5147b)

DescriptionBrass Y level with gunmetal finish, consisting of the following major components (from top to bottom): telescope tube in two Y supports; spirit level with attached scale; foot plate with four leveling screws.

The telescope tube has knurling around the eyepiece end. Clamped around the tube are two brass rings that protect the tube from contact with the Y supports. Bolted to the top of the tube are two knobs having two knurled rings around their edges. The larger knob is located inside the brass ring near the objective end; the smaller knob is near the eyepiece. Just inside the brass ring near the eyepiece are four brass pins projecting out from the tube.

The hinged top portion of each Y support, locks with a screw on one side. Another vertical screw secures the scope.

A spirit level is suspended from two brass posts projecting down from the telescope tube. One of these posts is bolted directly to the telescope tube; the other extends from a brass ring which is itself bolted to the tube. The spirit level has two oval glass windows. Each window is marked with an unlabeled scale having twenty-four divisions.

Below the level bar is a circular foot plate with with two knurled rings around its each. Four leveling screws project down from a star-shaped brass piece bolted around the vertical spindle before coming to rest on the foot plate. Around the center of each screw is a circular knob having two knurled rings around its edge.

Above the star-shaped brass piece is a second, tear-drop shaped piece. Projecting horizontally out from the latter are two perpendicular knobs, each with two knurled rings around their edge.

The Y level is stored in a mahogany case. Also in the case are a sunshade and dust cover.

See also the tripod for this level, 5147b.

Signedengraved on instrument: KEUFFEL & ESSER Co. / NEW YORK / 17163 / PATENTED /Dec.3.89 / Aug.12.90 / May.26.91 / Oct.13.91; plaque on lid facing front: KEUFFEL & ESSER CO. / NEW YORK / CHICAGO SAN FRANCISCO ST. LOUIS / No. 17163

Inscribedon case lid, engraved in white: Y. LEVEL / 19; on side of case in white: 19 / K-E.; plaque on lid facing top: HARVARD UNIVERSITY / 1737; orange tag: HARVARD ENG. CAMP / ASHLAND, N.H. / (in pencil) 15/18; white label affixed to inside of lid: KEUFFEL & ESSER CO. / MANUFACTURERS OF / DRAWING MATERIALS & / SURVEYING INSTRUMENTS / GENERAL OFFICE & FACTORIES, / HOBOKEN, N.J. / PARENT HOUSE, / 127 FULTON ST. N.Y. / BRANCHES: / 111 EAST MADISON ST. CHICAGO / 813 LOCUST ST. ST. LOUIS / 48 & 50 SECOND ST. SAN FRANCISCO white paper card inside case: SPECIAL ! / IN CASE OF REPAIR BEING NECESSARY, REMEMBER / the maerks of this instrument will pay expressage one way, and since they have all the tools, sizes and parts on hand, can save you considerable and do a far better repair than anyone else / MARK BOX / BUFF & BUFF MFG CO., / Jamaica Plain Station, BOSTON, Mass. / and order us to make "complete repairs", when your instrument will be given early attention and / returned promptly. / Buff & Buff Mfg. Co.

Curatorial RemarksThis is level 19 in a series of at least twelve levels once belonging to Harvard's Department of Engineering. (CHSI has levels numbered 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 12, 14, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24.); The date is approximated according to the serial number found on the instrument (17163). This information was taken from the following <a href="http://www.surveyhistory.org/how_old_is_my_k_&_e%20Instrument.htm" target="_blank">website</a>.

FunctionFor use in surveying, to measure contours.

After placing the Y level on a tripod (see 5147b) at his starting location, the user levels the instrument by means of the spirit level and the leveling screws. Then he sights a stadia rod through the telescope, moving the rod as needed until the target is centered behind the telescope's cross hairs. The difference in height between the telescope and the rod target indicates the gain in elevation over the horizontal distance between the two.

ProvenanceDepartment of Engineering, Harvard University, L.S.S. level 19. Received October 1961. Harvard University tag 1737.

Historical AttributesUsed in the Harvard Engineering Camp, Squam Lake. Early 20th Century.