Calibration system for use with measuring systems

Abstract

A measuring system includes an optical site reference, such as a reference line within a scope used in surveying, and a calibrated reference scale which provides measurements by optical comparison to the optical site reference. The calibrated reference scale includes centimeter sections which in turn include upper and lower stepped sections. The upper and lower stepped sections are symmetrical with respect to one another such that the upper and lower stepped sections can be easily distinguished from one another from significant distance. Each of the steps of each stepped section indicates a specific, corresponding offset within the stepped section. The symmetry of the upper and lower stepped sections is in the relative positions of the long and short reference members. The calibrated reference scale includes a number of digit reference sections which are spaced a predetermined distance from a reference point along the calibrated reference scale and include an alphanumeric representation of that predetermined distance. The alphanumeric representation has a predetermined height such that the alphanumeric representation itself provides a reference for offsets from a base of the alphanumeric representation. In particular, those alphanumeric representations which have horizontal components place those horizontal components so as to provide relatively evenly spaced references which the digit reference section.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A measuring system comprising: 
 an optical siting reference;    a calibrated scale for comparison to the optical siting reference, the calibrated scale including: 
 a digit reference member which includes an alphanumeric representation of an offset of a base within the digit reference member from a reference point along the calibrated scale as a number of distance increments from the reference point and wherein the alphanumeric representation has a height which is substantially equal to one of the distance increments;  
 wherein measurement is determined according to alignment of the optical siting reference with the digit reference member of the calibrated scale.  
   
     
     
         2 . The measuring system of  claim 3  wherein the alphanumeric representation further comprises: 
 one or more horizontal members which each have a uniform height and are positioned with top and bottom edges of each horizontal member at associated predetermined offsets within the digit reference member such that alignment of the optical siting reference with any of the top and bottom edges of the horizontal members indicates an offset within the digit reference member equal to the associated predetermined offset.  
 
     
     
         3 . The measuring system of  claim 2  wherein the horizontal members are spaced from one another by the uniform height.