Anyone know what a Vernac by Simpson Optical is?

[guythatbrews]

I found this in a collector's hoard. Have no idea what it is. Do you?



Whatever it is it measures something in tenths.


On the bottom is a dovetail mount and a little lens. If you shine a light through the lens the windows in the face light up. When you turn the ring on the face there is a line shaped like a scroll that moves through the window with the .022 in it.



Looks like Simpson Optical was in Chicago. Web search found nothing. At least the way I did it. It is a neat little piece and maybe useful if someone knows what it does.

I'll add although this guy mostly collected toolmaker type stuff he does have a very little bit of optometry stuff too so maybe it is along that line.

Any ideas?

 

[daryl bane]

This was the older pre -electronic equivalent of todays DRO's. You mounted it on the x/y axis , usually a mill, and was more accurate than the dials.

 

[guythatbrews]

Can you elaborate on how it works? It requires illumination and has a very small range.

 

[CalG]

Think of it as a reader head. It reads a "tape measure" much like a bar code...

 

[jmm03]

Cal explained it to a degree. I used to work for a company called Infrared Industries in California, it was what Simpson turned into. The Vernac came with a laser engraved scale that attached to your tool of choice and the read head that you have magnified the scale marks. Jim

 

[guythatbrews]

I think I understand. I don't remember the range of the vernac but maybe .050"? So before moving to location set the vernac then move until the index mark lines up with the appropriate .050 on the scale.

I haven't been around much jig bore work but way back the shop where I worked had a Pratt and Whitney jigbore with the micrometer length rods and a dial indicator index. I guess the vernac was a bit quicker method of location.
Was it used with glass scales?

 

[guythatbrews]

Cal explained it to a degree. I used to work for a company called Infrared Industries in California, it was what Simpson turned into. The Vernac came with a laser engraved scale that attached to your tool of choice and the read head that you have magnified the scale marks. Jim

Your post came in while I was typing my reply. Now I understand.

Thanks for the replies.

Does anyone have any use for this thing? I can't think of anything i need it for but i can lay hands on it if anybody wants it. It is destined for the estate sale else and more the shame.

 

[gbent]

The readout head requires an engraved scale. I doubt if it was laser engraved, as it dated at least back in to the 1950's. The scale had marks every .025, as well as having decimal dimensions. The scroll that is visible on the face of the head was rotated to center the hash mark between the two lines of the scroll. Every .025 was read directly, the remaining 0-.025 was added to the direct reading. 35+ years ago I couldn't find the correct light bulb. The length from the base to the filament was critical. The best I could come up with required pulling the bulb holder from the housing slightly to get the reflection from the scale to appear bright enough to read. The differing location did induce some parallax error.

 

[guythatbrews]

When I first saw this thing I looked on ebay and nada. Now there is a manual and alao a Vernac made by infrared industries. The Vernac is listed for $450 and judging by the description they don't even know what it is. Good luck with that, huh?

 

[daryl bane]

They were the hot thing decades ago, but now I would think except for an old skool collector, worthless.

 

[guythatbrews]

Thanks for all the replies. Figured if it was machining related I'd get an answer here.