Re: [ATM] Unique New Equatorial Platform Design

[Michael Lindner <mikell@optonline.net>]

On Mon June 12 2006 1:46 am, creator wrote:
> I would still welcome reference info, if possible, thanks.

These are likely not the references Mel refers to, and I'm sure there are 
other references I could name as well (I recall reading some similar designs 
somewhere else, but as I have a rather large ATM library it would take a 
while to go through all the material by hand). At any rate, the book "Unusual 
Telescopes" by Peter Manly has the following on pp 122-124:

"Falling weights are a common power source in telescope drivers but the 
methods of regulating the rate of fall vary widely. Bruce Smith of Salt Lake 
City, Utah sets the weight on top of a sand filled cylinder...This telescope 
won an award at the RTMC in 1979...a similar drive on a home-made mount was 
used by Shelburne Wesley Burnham on his 6" Clark refractor...in the late 
1800s [reference to Sky & Telescope May 1944, p 11]"

"A similar weight driven principle using hydraulic fluid...built by Harold 
Fisher of Mount Hermon, KY [reference to Sky & Telescope June 1978]"

"Tom Fangrow...eliminated the falling weight by making the weight of the 
telescope press against the fluid medium...a polar aligned hinged platform...
[references to Telescope Making magazine #27 spring 1986 and Sky & Telescope 
September 1985]"

"...Donald Menzel and Fernando de Romana...rested on a bicycle pump filled 
with water...a hose clamp regulated the rate at which water left the pump...
[reference to Sky & Telescope April 1976]"

I can understand that you independently designed your drive, and I applaud you 
for it, but I don't think your claims of uniqueness are warranted.

Clear skies.
-- 
Michael Lindner
http://www.starastronomy.org *** http://home.att.net/~mikel
http://www.atmsite.org *** http://www.atmlist.net
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