4 control paddles for guiding Fecker telescopes
Date: circa 1933
Inventory Number: 2015-1-0013
Classification: Control Box
Subject:
Maker: J. W. Fecker, Inc. ? (founded 1926)
User: Oak Ridge Station (1931 - 2005)
User: George R. Agassiz Station, Harvard (1951 - 1982)
User: Harvard College Observatory (founded 1839)
Cultural Region:
Place of Origin:
Dimensions:
23.3 × 11.7 × 3.3 cm (9 3/16 × 4 5/8 × 1 5/16 in.)
DescriptionThis is a collection of 4 different control paddles used at Oak Ridge Observatory to guide either the 61-inch Wyeth telescope made by J. W. Fecker and installed in 1933 or the 8-inch Ross-Lundin astrograph mounted by J. W. Fecker in 1933.
All are made of aluminum, with black plastic faces. Each has push buttons for slewing the telescope in a given cardinal direction or to regulate its speed. The handles of these paddles have electrical sockets into which cables went. The top of each paddle has a circular eyelet for hanging the paddle on a convenient hook in the dome when not needed.
From the 61-inch Wyeth telescope: A circular paddle, with push-buttons labeled clockwise from the top: N, E, S, and W. On the reverse, there is a single button marked "SET." All the letters are engraved into the black plastic and outlined in white. A paper tag attached reads "O. K 5/23/90."
2015-1-0013a:
From the 61-inch Wyeth telescope: A circular paddle, with push-buttons labeled clockwise from the top: N, E, S, and W. On the reverse, there is a single button marked "SET." All the letters are engraved into the black plastic and outlined in white. A paper tag attached reads "O. K 5/23/90."
2015-1-0013b:
From the 61-inch Wyeth telescope: A large rectangular paddle with a pair of rubber feet on one side, as well as the hanging eyelet. The primary side has 5 large push buttons labeled on which the label is stamped. From the top, in 4 rows, the buttons are: S / E W / N / F. The springs underneath the buttons are missing from inside the control box.
2015-1-0013c:
From the 61-inch Wyeth telescope: A small rectangular paddle with the front side having two rows of button pairs, each labeled above and alongside with lettering engraved into the plastic and outlined with white. These read: FAST / W E / SLOW / W E. This paddle was found partly dismantled and is currently missing one pair of buttons.
2015-1-0013d:
From the 8-inch Ross-Lundin astrograph mounted by Fecker: A small square paddle marked on one side with lettering engraved into the plastic and outlined with white. There are two buttons vertically aligned. They are E and W. Along their left side is the word GUIDE.
All are made of aluminum, with black plastic faces. Each has push buttons for slewing the telescope in a given cardinal direction or to regulate its speed. The handles of these paddles have electrical sockets into which cables went. The top of each paddle has a circular eyelet for hanging the paddle on a convenient hook in the dome when not needed.
From the 61-inch Wyeth telescope: A circular paddle, with push-buttons labeled clockwise from the top: N, E, S, and W. On the reverse, there is a single button marked "SET." All the letters are engraved into the black plastic and outlined in white. A paper tag attached reads "O. K 5/23/90."
2015-1-0013a:
From the 61-inch Wyeth telescope: A circular paddle, with push-buttons labeled clockwise from the top: N, E, S, and W. On the reverse, there is a single button marked "SET." All the letters are engraved into the black plastic and outlined in white. A paper tag attached reads "O. K 5/23/90."
2015-1-0013b:
From the 61-inch Wyeth telescope: A large rectangular paddle with a pair of rubber feet on one side, as well as the hanging eyelet. The primary side has 5 large push buttons labeled on which the label is stamped. From the top, in 4 rows, the buttons are: S / E W / N / F. The springs underneath the buttons are missing from inside the control box.
2015-1-0013c:
From the 61-inch Wyeth telescope: A small rectangular paddle with the front side having two rows of button pairs, each labeled above and alongside with lettering engraved into the plastic and outlined with white. These read: FAST / W E / SLOW / W E. This paddle was found partly dismantled and is currently missing one pair of buttons.
2015-1-0013d:
From the 8-inch Ross-Lundin astrograph mounted by Fecker: A small square paddle marked on one side with lettering engraved into the plastic and outlined with white. There are two buttons vertically aligned. They are E and W. Along their left side is the word GUIDE.
Signedunsigned
Historical AttributesThis is a collection of 4 different control paddles used at Oak Ridge Observatory to guide either the 61-inch Wyeth telescope made by J. W. Fecker and installed in 1933 or the 8-inch Ross-Lundin astrograph mounted by J. W. Fecker in 1933.
ProvenanceFrom Oak Ridge Observatory, Building 6 (Wyeth 61-inch telescope) and Building 5 (8-inch Ross-Lundin telescope); transferred to CHSI, August 2015.