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          Tripod Thread Sizes of US Makers
.  
  Until the 3 inch X 8 threads per inch standard and the ⅝ inch X 11 threads per inch standard
  were adopted the various manufactures had their own thread sizes. In the following list I have
  attempted to identify those sizes of tripod head threads. Threads were not standardized
  until 1890 and standards of lengths were not standardized until 1918 with our entry in to WW1.
  Odd thread sizes continued to be used by the makers for many years after thread standardizing.
  Thread sizes varied widely, even sometimes in the manufactures own shop. Therefore you will
  see many variations in the list. Although you can usually identify the maker by the thread, that is
  not always the case. I will continue to update this list as more information is available. Threads
  are listed by size expressed in inches and decimals and by the number of threads per inch,
  (or pitch). Fractions are used only for those that are now standard. Examples were measured
. over unworn sharp threads. When known the maker has been listed.
.  
                                                   Tripods with Male Threads
.  
Thread size                Maker
.  
.500 X 13 C. L. Berger & Sons, 1st issue military tilting level tripod, 2nd issue was ⅝ X 11
.500 X 16  
.500 X 20 C. L. Berger & Sons farm levels and transit levels
.562 X 18 standard thread on Johnson Head plane table tripods by various manufactures, (Government Standard)
⅝ X 11 modern standard
.640 X 20 (Taken from a light compass tripod believed to be W. & L. E. Gurley)
1.375 X 13 C. L. Berger & Sons and Dietzgen ( actual thread size is metric 35mm X 2mm )
1.062 X 12  
1.275 X 16 Herman Pfister of Cincinnati for wye level
1.475 X 18 L. Beckmann Co. of Toledo, Ohio
1.500 X 12 Bostrom - Brady
1.500 X 16  
1.525 X 12 Buff & Buff
1.625 X 12 David White
1.638 X 20 A. S. Aloe
1.675 X 14 (taken from a English tripod)
1.735 X 16  Hunt & Scott
1.755 X 12 F. Eckel
1.805 X 14  
1.812 X 12 C. E. Grunow, NY (Taken from a Wye Level.)
1.875 X 12 John Roach, of San Francisco, CA (Taken from a Wye Level.)
1.912 X 14  
1.937 X 12  
2.255 X 12 Buff & Buff and C. L. Berger & Sons.
2.250 X 10 C. L. Berger & Sons
2.265 X 16 Keuffel & Esser for Expedition or Explorers Transit. 2 17/64 inches X 16 threads.
2.270 X 10  
2.484 X 12  
2.562 X 12 Eugene Dietzgen
2.578 X 12 Eugene Dietzgen
2.750 X 13  
2.750 X 14 David White
2.812 X 16 W. & L. E. Gurley (normally Gurley threads are 18 threads per inch)
2.812 X 14 B. L. Makepeace
2.815 X 14 Heller & Brightly
2.830 X 24 Heller & Brightly
2.839 X 24 Heller & Brightly
2.840 X 18 W. & L. E. Gurley
2.880 X 12  Wm. Ainsworth
2.918 X 12 Bausch & Lomb
2.938 X 12 Eugene Dietzgen
2.955 X 10  ( possible Bausch & Lomb )
2.965 X 10  ( possible Bausch & Lomb )
2.970 X 13  ( possible Bausch & Lomb )
2.975 X 16 B. C. Soltmann, NY
2.985 X 12 Keuffel & Esser
3.000 X 10 Keuffel & Esser
3.000 X 18  
3.100 X 12  ( possible Bausch & Lomb )
3.125 X 12  Bausch & Lomb
3.187 X 14 Warren Knight
3.312 X 12 Buff & Berger, Buff & Buff  and C. L. Berger & Sons
3.375 X 12 Eugene Dietzgen
3.375 X11 C. L. Berger & Sons ( normally Berger is  3.312 X 12 threads per inch )
3.460 X 10  
3.460 X 14  
3.500 X 8 Modern standard. Recommended as standard by the US Bureau of Standards in 1930.
  (Eugene Dietzgen, Keuffel & Esser, W. & L. E. Gurley, Buff & Buff, C. L. Berger & Sons,
  and some others as a option continued to offer their old thread sizes until the 1960's.)
3.532 X 12  
3.584 X 24 William E. Stieren of Pittsburg, PA
3.625 X 12 Keuffel & Esser
3.625 X 18 W. & L. E. Gurley
3.640 X 12 Keuffel & Esser
3.687 X 12 Eugene Dietzgen
3.720 X 12  
3.750 X 12  
3.860 X 12 possibly Queen made by W. & L. E. Gurley
3.909 X 12 Young & Sons
3.930 X 12 Heller & Brightly
3.937 X 12  
3.969 X 10 A. Lietz Co.
4.100 X 18 W. & L. E. Gurley
4.125 X 18 W. & L. E. Gurley and some S&K instruments (copies of Gurley Wye Levels made in Japan)
4.250 X 12 Young & Sons
4.281 X 12 possible Young & Sons
4.300 X 12  
4.468 X 12  
4.500 X 11 Fauth & Co.
4.590 X 12 Heller & Brightly
4.625 X 12 Heller & Brightly
4.635 X 12 Heller & Brightly
6.858 X 12 Heller & Brightly - plane table tripod
   
                                              Tripods with Female Threads
.687 X 26 David White, Used for farm levels and transit levels.
. X 16 A. Lietz & Co., Used for farm levels and transit levels.
1.058 X 20 C. L. Berger & Sons - spring loaded three screw leveling tripod head.
1.025 X 20 Buff & Buff and C. L. Berger & Sons - spring loaded three screw leveling tripod head.
1.125 X 16  
1.187 X 10 Keuffel & Esser - spring loaded three screw leveling tripod head.
1.250 X 18 Buff & Buff
1.375 X 16 Keuffel & Esser, Used for Architects Wye Levels and Dumpy Levels.
1.437 X 16 Keuffel & Esser, Used for Architects Wye Levels and Dumpy Levels.
1.500 X 12 W. & L. E. Gurley, Used for Architects Wye Levels and other larger Wye levels
1.500 X 14 Simplex 12 inch Builder's Dumpy Level
1.500 X 16  
1.525 X 12 W. & L. E. Gurley, Used for Wye Levels and Dumpy Levels.
1.532 X 10 A. Lietz Co.
1.562 X 12 W. & L. E. Gurley, Used for Wye Levels and Dumpy Levels.
1.562 X 16 W. & L. E. Gurley, (Taken from solar compass leveling head.)
  If you can identify those that are unknown and are sure of it please let me know, and
  if you know of other sizes not listed please let me know if you are sure of the thread size.
  Often the threaded tripod plate of  instruments were changed by different makers as a repair
  or to fit a tripod other than the instruments manufacture. It is very common to find replacement
  threaded tripod plates of 3" X 8 thread on older instruments.

Copyrighted a 2005 Robert Parrish, 271 Allman Hill Rd. Weaverville, NC 28787-8510