WHEELS
.....Three different wheels were used by Vern to measure distance. Measuring between telephone poles or buried type terminals were most important. The map wheel was not used too often.
 
The first wheel Vern used was mounted inside of his car, just under the dashboard. the example at right has stopped at 1302 feet. Behind it was a cable extended under the car to the transmission where an adapter was placed in the line going to the Speed-O-meter. Depending on the size tires, etc. different gears were placed in the adapter to improve accuracy. This device proved expensive and when moving around the mid-west it was hard to locate shops to handle the device.

The measuring wheel came into being in the 60's which made it easy estimate distance along a road. Vern did use in going across fields but it slipped a lot and got caught in weeds. The first device had a larger wheel than that show left. the only reason for a smaller wheel would be that it stored better when not in use.

Feet were recorded in tumbler type meter which is tripped each time a pin, mounted to the side of wheel, passed the meter. Vern's wheel was designed to be exactly five feet around, measured at the outer surface of the wheel.

Problems that came up included: Handle folding down because tightening device wore out, or pins marking each foot on wheel would be displaced, or tripping handle on meter would not stay tight, or going too fast the wheel would bounce and skip. Vern would quite often wheel the distance  more that once to be sure they were measured correct.
Vern picked up this map wheel in Hector, Minnesota where the Engineering office was being closed down. Continental had just purchased the Engineering firm there and Vern was using the office space to create drawings for construction in Mound, on Lake Minnetonka. The wheel is Swiss jeweled marked with the metric system. He did not use it very often.
Other items picked up were a paper weight and scissors. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
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