12-inch Patton Reflector
At the Skyscrapers monthly meeting of February 1991, member Bob Howe reported he had been approached by someone who wished to donate a 12-inch Newtonian reflector on an equatorial fork mount. It turned out this telescope was built by one of our past presidents, Ralph C. Patton, completing it in 1929. The estimated 2,000 lb scope and mount sat in an observatory on the third floor roof of the Patton-McGuyer manufacturing company in Providence. The company owner, Jeffrey Allen, would donate the Patton scope to Skyscrapers if we would assume responsibility and liability for its removal. However, the telescope would require a permanent housing.
Some time passed before any action was taken on this proposed donation. Did we really need or want another instrument at Seagrave?
But by the time of the January 1992, executive board meeting, interest in acquiring the Patton scope had increased. The Trustees were instructed to inspect the instrument and evaluate it. At the March executive board meeting, the Trustees reported that the scope was in good shape, requiring only a crane to remove it from the company’s roof. But, the Patton would only fit in our roll-off roof observatory after some modifications to the building.
Things soon moved very quickly. Several members evaluated the optics of the Patton one night during March by observing Jupiter. By the May executive board meeting, arrangements had been negotiated to bring the Patton scope to Seagrave Observatory.
During a three day “rock fest” in July, a 6 foot by 6 foot by 3 foot foundation-hole was dug for a cement pad support for the Patton in the north end of the double roll-off roof observatory. Smack dab in the middle of this excavation was one very large glacial erratic boulder. The cement was poured directly onto this natural foundation.
On September 25, 1992, the Patton was disassembled on the company roof and a crane with rigging conveyed the instrument down onto a flatbed truck for transport to Seagrave Observatory. The scope was then re-assembled at Seagrave in the newly modified north end of the roll-off roof building.
Preliminary work had been done to rough align the Patton when it arrived. Once installed, the refurbishing of the instrument could proceed. We were fortunate to have Bob Howe to tackle this job. By the time of the annual AstroAssembly convention in October 1993, the scope had been sufficiently completed and a dedication ceremony was held. Our donor Jeff Allen was present, as was one of Ralph C. Patton’s sons. Jeff was so impressed with the results that he contributed $100 toward the completion of the project.
In November a test of the Patton’s plate glass mirror showed it to suffer from severe astigmatism as well as having a turned-down edge. The optics would have to be evaluated for re-figuring or replacement. At the August 1994, executive board meeting, Bob Howe was authorized to purchase a new mirror for the Patton scope. He later ordered a new secondary as well. Both the primary and secondary finally arrived, and by the time of April 1995, monthly meeting the new optics were installed, a preliminary collimation had been accomplished, and the drive was in working order. The restored Patton was finally useable.
