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Outline
The Engineers Transit
and Theodolite
Lecture 6
GE10: General Surveying I

Department of Geodetic Engineering

University of the Philippines, Diliman

I. Engineers Transit
I. Main Parts
I. Upper Plate
II. Lower Plate
III. Leveling Head Assembly
II. Setting up the transit
III. Leveling of the Transit
IV. Care of the Transit
II. Theodolite
I. Types of Theodolite
I. Repeating Theodolite
II. Directional Theodolite
III. Digital Theodolite
II. Main Parts
III. Setting up the theodolite

Engineers Transit

Main Parts

Credited to Roemer, a Danish Astronomer, who

in 1690 used the instrument to observe the
passage (transit) of stars across the celestial
meridian

1. Upper Plate (or Alidade)

2. Lower Plate
3. Leveling Head Assembly

Essentially a telescope and two large protractors

1 protractor mounted in the horizontal plane and
the other in a vertical plane

An instrument of precision

Main Parts of the Engineers Transit

Parts of the Engineers Transit

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I. Upper Plate

Consists of the entire top of the
transit

Entire assembly rotates about a
vertical axis

Contains the ff:

vertical circle and vernier

standards: supports the telescope and level tube

compass box

circular cover plate and plate level vials

upper clamp

tangent screw

needle lifter

I. Upper Plate
1. TELESCOPE

Used for:
1. Fixing the direction of LOS
2. Viewing the objects
3. Magnification in the FOV

Can be rotated about its horizontal axis
Direct position => level vial is above the telescope
Reversed position => level vial is below the telescope

I. Upper Plate

I. Upper Plate

2. STANDARDS

3. COMPASS BOX

Integral parts of the upper plate

Used to:
1. Hold into position the horizontal
axle level
2. Elevate or depress the telescope by
rotating on an axis perpendicular to the

Used to:
1. Establish magnetic meridian
2. Allow rough checks on measured angles
Magnetic needle can be lifted from its pivot by the
needle lifter

LOS

I. Upper Plate
4. PLATE LEVEL VIALS

Positioned at right angles to each other

I. Upper Plate
5. VERTICAL CIRCLE

Attached to the telescope and rotates with it

Used to measure vertical angles

Used to establish the upper and lower plates in a

horizontal plane

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I. Upper Plate
6. PLATE VERNIERS

Two opposite verniers (A & B)

A vernier is adjacent to the
eyepiece where it is easily used

B vernier is 180o from A vernier

I. Upper Plate

I. Upper Plate
7. TELESCOPE CLAMP

Tightened to hold the telescope horizontal or at
any desired inclination

Located near the horizontal axle of the transit

I. Upper Plate

8.TELESCOPE TANGENT SCREW

9. UPPER CLAMP

a.k.a. vertical circle tangent screw

Enables the telescope to be rotated

in small movements about the
horizontal axis when the telescope
clamp is tightened

Useful when setting the cross hairs
precisely on a distant point sighted

I. Upper Plate
10. OPTICAL PLUMMET

Small telescope thru the vertical center of the

transit
Enables the instrument to be centered over a
given point quickly and precisely by means of
an optical system

A locking device
When tightened, it causes the
upper and lower plates to lock
together
Most have round heads and
usually turn in the direction
tangent to the motion they control

II. Lower Plate

Or horizontal circle

Where horizontal angles are measured

Graduated on its upper face and divided around
its circumference into 360o and further
subdivisions

Can be held stationary while the upper plate is
rotated or can be rotated independently

As one unit, can be rotated also with the upper
plate

The underside is attached to a vertical and
tapering spindle called the outer spindle

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II. Lower Plate

1. LOWER CLAMP

Attached to the horizontal

circle
Does not rotate with the
horizontal circle
Used to control the rotation of
the horizontal circle
Stops any motion between the
leveling head and the lower
plate

III. Leveling Head Assembly

Lower part of the transit

Allows the transit to be leveled and centered over
a point

Consists of:
1.
2.
3.
4.

bottom horizontal foot plate

4 leveling screws
plumb bob chain
a device that permits small lateral movements of transit

II. Lower Plate

2. LOWER TANGENT
SCREW
Used to make precise settings
after the lower clamp is
tightened
It moves the lower plate to a
desired exact position using a
small range of movement

III. Leveling Head Assembly

1. LEVELING SCREWS

Used for leveling the

instrument by the plate levels
Operate in pairs and always
turned in opposite directions
Screws are loosened when
desired to shift transit
laterally with respect to the
foot plate

III. Leveling Head Assembly

2. PLUMB BOB CHAIN

Chain with a hook:

Suspended from the bottom part of the leveling head
assembly

Hangs between the tripod legs

Used for attaching a string an a plumb bob so

that the instrument may be set exactly over the
selected point on the ground

Plumb bob string always hang vertical due to
gravity

SETTING UP THE
TRANSIT

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1. POSITIONING THE TRIPOD

2. MOUNTING THE TRIPOD

1. 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

2. 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

3. Set the tripod in a convenient height (no need to

stretch or stoop)

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

1. Remove the transit from its carrying case by

grasping it with both hands at the leveling
head assembly or at the upright standards
2. With one hand, screw the leveling head of the
transit and firmly onto the tripod head while
holding the standards at the other hand
3. The transit should fit snugly and bear firmly.
4. Remove the objective cap and replace with the
sunshade

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

LEVELING THE PLATE LEVEL BUBBLE

LEVELING OF THE
TRANSIT

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LEVELING THE PLATE LEVEL BUBBLE

1. The bubble is centered by rotating screws 1 and 2 in
opposite directions

the rotations (see figure) will cause the bubble to
move from left to right
2. Next, rotate the instrument so that the one end of the
bubble tube is aligned with the remaining screw
3. Center the bubble in this position by rotating this
remaining screw
4. The rotation indicated in the figure will cause the
bubble to move away from level screw 3

LEVELING THE PLATE LEVEL BUBBLE

5. Return to the original position and check
centering of the bubble.
6. Rotate through 180o so that end A of the bubble
tube is on line with level screw .
7. Repeat the previous steps so that all bubble tubes
are leveled in every direction.

CARE OF THE TRANSIT

CARE OF THE
TRANSIT

1. Store the transit in its carrying case when not in use

2. Remove the transit from the tripod and carry it in its
box when transporting in a vehicle or over a long
walking distance
3. If it becomes went or damp, dry it off with absorbent
cloth or preferably in sunlight
4. The objective lens should not be wiped as it is easily
scratched

CARE OF THE TRANSIT

5. Protect the instrument at all times from any shock
or sudden jolt

never allow the instrument to fall or drop

6. Hold the transit in the arms with the tripod

sticking out to the side or behind NOT on the
shoulder
do this when:
1. Carrying it inside a building
2. There is danger of striking the instrument against
any obstructions

clean it by rubbing gently with a piece of soft cloth

moistened in alcohol or with a piece of lens paper
finish off with a camels hair brush

CARE OF THE TRANSIT

7. The transit should be lifted from the carrying case
by grasping the standards and NOT by the
telescope.
8. Tripod legs should be spread apart to make it
stable.
9. Tripod shoes should be sunk firmly to the ground.
10.It should never be left unattended because it may
be upset by passing vehicles, stray animals,
playing children, wind or maybe stolen.
11.Avoid setting the transit on concrete slabs,
boulders, and steel plates

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CARE OF THE TRANSIT

12.Graduated circles and verniers should not be touched
with the fingers. This will tarnish their surfaces.
13.Tarnished surfaces should are cleaned by applying a
thin film of oil which is left for a few hours and then
wiped off with a soft clean rag.
14.Tighten clamps in a definite and firm manner, not too
severe.
15.A waterproof cover for the transit should always be
brought along in case of rains, showers and
thunderstorms.

MAIN SCALE AND VERNIER

READING
TRANSIT VERNIERS

MAIN SCALE AND VERNIER

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 =

s
n

where:
LC = Least Count
s = value of the smallest division on the main scale
n = no. of divisions on the vernier

MAIN SCALE AND VERNIER

LEAST COUNT (Example)

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

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READING TRANSIT VERNIERS

Theodolite

The name given to the earliest version of a

s = 30 min

n = 30

LC = 30 min/30  LC = 1 min
Readings:

Check:

CW: 178o30+12 = 178o42

178o42+ 181o18 = 360o

device to measure angles in the horizontal and

vertical planes, designed and built in England in
about 1725.

Theodolite in the 1800s were not capable of
the ability to be transited or turned 1800 about
its horizontal axis, although this capability was
included in an instrument called transiting
theodolite.

In Europe, the name theodolite was retained; in
the United States the term transit was kept.

CCW: 181o00+18 = 181o18

Types of Theodolite
1. Repeating Theodolite
2. Directional Theodolite
3. Digital Theodolite

Types of Theodolite
1. Repeating Theodolite:

can measure a horizontal angle as many
times as required by adding them
successively on the graduated circle

capable of accumulating angles on its
horizontal circle by means of its upper and
lower motions

horizontal scales may allow horizontal angles
to be read directly to 10 sec or 20 sec.

Types of Theodolite

Types of Theodolite

2. Directional Theodolite:

3. Digital Theodolite:

Horizontal circle remains fixed during a series of

observations
Telescope is sighted on each of the points and
directions rather than angles to these points are read
on the circle
Required horizontal angle is determined by calculating
the difference of two observed directions
A reading on a directional theodolite represents the
mean of two diametrically opposed sides of the circle.
It is equivalent to averaging the readings of the A and
B verniers of a transit.

Resembles very closely a standard theodolite since

horizontal and vertical angles in a survey are measured
in a similar manner.

It can be combined with an EDM instrument and

microcomputer to assemble into what is called a total
station instrument or an electronic tachoemeter.

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Parts of a Theodolite

Parts of a Theodolite

Parts of a Theodolite

Parts of a Theodolite
Reading
Microscope

Adjustable mirror to illuminate vertical circle

Adjustable mirror to illuminate vertical circle
Clamping screw for vertical circle

Vertical circle tangent screw

Clamping screw for vertical circle

Inverter
knob

Vertical circle tangent screw

Horizontal
Tangent
Screw

Horizontal Clamp
Horizontal Clamp

Parts of a Theodolite (Wild T2)

Horizontal Circle Reading

(Wild Theodolite, T2)

Reading:
= 94010 + 0244.4
= 9401244.4
where 0.4 is estimated

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Horizontal Circle Reading

(Wild Theodolite, T2)

References:
Davis, R.E., et. al (1981). Surveying:
Theory and Practice. USA: McGraw-Hill,
Inc.
La Putt, J.P. (2007). Elementary Surveying.
Philippines: National Book Store.

THANK YOU

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