•SURVEYING INSTRUMENTS

INSTRUMENT HANDLING,

• 1. ALWAYS HAVE ONE HAND ON THE

INSTRUMENT WHEN MOUNTING IT ON THE
TRIPOD. 
• 2. MAKE SURE MOTIONS ARE UNCLAMPED
BEFORE TURNING THE INSTRUMENT.
• 3. NEVER PLACE THE INSTRUMENT DIRECTLY
ON THE GROUND.
• 4. DO NOT AIM THE TELESCOPE DIRECTLY AT
THE SUN.
• 5. AVOID HEAVY SHOCKS OR VIBRATIONS.
6. NEVER LEAVE THE INSTRUMENT
UNATTENDED.
7. DO NOT USE THE INSTRUMENT IN THE RAIN.

8. NEVER CARRY THE TOTAL STATION ON THE

TRIPOD TO ANOTHER LOCATION (manual levels
and optical theodolites are exempt from this rule).
9. DO NOT DROP OR EXPOSE THE DATA
COLLECTOR TO MOISTURE
10. SWITCH THE POWER OFF BEFORE
REMOVING THE BATTERY.
11. REMOVE THE BATTERY FROM THE TOTAL
STATION BEFORE PUTTING IT INTO THE CASE.
12. MAKE SURE THAT THE TRIBRAC CLAMP IS IN
THE LOCKED POSITION (ARROW DOWN).
13. Observers should stay 1.0 meters away from the
instrument.
14. Do not touch the tripod legs after the instrument has
be levelled and setup over the point.
15. Do NOT step within 30cm of the tripod feet.
THEODOLITE AND TRANSIT
• . The most important application of transits and theodolites was
observing horizontal and vertical (or zenith) angles, but they could
also be used to obtain horizontal distances and determine elevations
of points by stadia, accomplish low-order differential leveling, and
establish alignments.
TRIPOD
• Leveling instruments, whether tilting, automatic, or digital, are all
mounted on tripods.
• The legs are made of wood or metal, may be fixed or adjustable in
length, and solid or split.All models are shod with metallic conical
points and hinged at the top, where they connect to a metal head.
• An adjustable leg tripod is advantageous for setups in rough terrain or
in a shop, but the type with a fixed-length leg may be slightly more
rigid.
Settenig up the tripod
• to set up the tripod so that:
      it is secure
      the head is approximately
level
      the instrument telescope will
be at eye level
      you will be able to see the
staff through the telescope
• Undo carrying straps
• Extend legs
• Set tripod in position - if the
ground is sloping place two legs
on the down hill side
• Firmly press the two tripod feet
on the down hill side into the
ground using your own foot on
the tripod's foot plate. (This will
tilt the head) Foot plate on
tripod leg.
•  Move the third leg so that the
head looks level and the
instrument telescope will be at a
comfortable height when this leg
is firmly pushed into the ground.
• Notes:

If the tripod head is not almost

level you may have difficulty
setting up the instrument.

Do not lean on the tripod when

using it, as this could disturb the
setting of the instrument.
• Tripod set up, legs secure, head
levelat a suitable height for use,
ready for the instrument.
• Using a methodical approach keeps the task simple.
• Each leg of a tripod is adjustable for length. The legs are locked by a
lever clamp (left) or screw (right).
• Once the legs have been set to the correct length it is important that
the locking lever or screw is tight. Otherwise, the leg may move in use
which means the instrument will have to be set up again, and all
readings taken again as the instrument height will have changed.
• Tripod Head has a polished level
surface for the instrument to
stand on. Some tripods have a
cover to protect the head when
not being used. Take care not to
damage the surface.
•
The Tripod Screw is captive and
mounted on a movable bracket
to allow the instrument to be
centred over a station if
necessary.
• The instrument base plate (trivet
stage) is threaded to take the
tripod screw. The three raised
'feet' are machined to give a
stable contact with the tripod
head.
• The tripod screw has a large
head and is designed to be
tightened and undone by hand.
Do not apply undue force
Levelling rod /staff
• The staff is simply a large ruler,
available in lengths of 3, 4 or 5
metres and usually made of
aluminium with telescopic
sections.
• The sections have locking
buttons to ensure accurate
length is maintained.
• Some staffs also have an
extended length scale in mm on
the back. Measurements are in
metres and cm (10mm blocks)
which enable heights to be
estimated to 1 mm. Alternating
colours are used to differentiate
each metre length, the most
common being black and red on
a white background.
• Measurements are in metres
and cm (10mm blocks) which
enable heights to be estimated
to 1 mm. Alternating colours are
used to differentiate each metre
length, the most common being
black and red on a white
background
Check that the staff is vertical.

Staff leaning forward

Staff vertical
lowest reading
Staff leaning back
reading high