Howard Grubb
Encyclopedia
Sir Howard Grubb FRS (1844-1931) was an optical designer
from Dublin, Ireland
. He was head of a family firm that made large optical telescope
s, telescope drive controls, and other optical instruments. He is also noted for his work to perfect the periscope
and inventing the reflector sight
.
, founder of the Grubb Telescope Company
so Howard developed an early interest in optics
. After training to be a civil engineer
, Howard joined his father's firm in 1864 and gained the reputation of a first class producer of telescopes. In 1871 he married Mary Walker with whom he had six children.
Glubb was elected Fellow of the Royal Society
in 1883 and of the Royal Astronomical Society
in 1870. In 1887 he was knight
ed by Queen Victoria. Sir Howard was a long time member of the Royal Dublin Society
, serving as Honorary Secretary from 1889 to 1893, and as Vice President from 1893 to 1922. In 1912 he was awarded the medal of the Society, only the third person to receive it. Sir Howard Grubb died in 1931.
s. Grubb was also known for building accurate electrically driven clock drive
s for equatorial mount
ed telescopes. Some of the telescopes produced by Howard Grubb include the 27-inch refractor for the Vienna Observatory
(1878), the 10-inch refractor at Armagh Observatory
(1882), the 28-inch refractor at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich
- the UK's largest refractor (1893), and the 10-inch refractor at Coats Observatory, Paisley
(1898). In 1887 Grubb's firm built seven normal astrograph
s for the Carte du Ciel
international photographic star catalogue project, 13-inch refracting telescope
s all designed to produce uniform photographic plates.
In 1900 Grubb invented the reflector or "reflex" sight
, a non-magnifying optical sight
that uses a collimator to allow the viewer looking through the sight to see an illuminated image of a reticle or other pattern in front of them that stays in alignment with the device the sight is attached to (parallax
free). This type of sight has come to be used on all kinds of weapons from small firearm
s to fighter aircraft
. It is also at the heart of all modern head-up display
s.
During the First World War the Grubb factory was in demand for the production of telescopic gun-sights and during this time he was credited with perfecting a periscope
design for Royal Navy
submarines.
Optical engineering
Optical engineering is the field of study that focuses on applications of optics. Optical engineers design components of optical instruments such as lenses, microscopes, telescopes, and other equipment that utilizes the properties of light. Other devices include optical sensors and measurement...
from Dublin, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. He was head of a family firm that made large optical telescope
Optical telescope
An optical telescope is a telescope which is used to gather and focus light mainly from the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum for directly viewing a magnified image for making a photograph, or collecting data through electronic image sensors....
s, telescope drive controls, and other optical instruments. He is also noted for his work to perfect the periscope
Periscope
A periscope is an instrument for observation from a concealed position. In its simplest form it consists of a tube with mirrors at each end set parallel to each other at a 45-degree angle....
and inventing the reflector sight
Reflector sight
A reflector or reflex sight is a generally non-magnifying optical device that allows the user to look through a partially reflecting glass element and see an illuminated projection of an aiming point or some other image superimposed on the field of view...
.
Biography
Howard Grubb was one of eight children of ThomasThomas Grubb
Thomas Grubb was an Irish optician and founder of the Grubb Telescope Company.He was born probably near Portlaw, County Waterford, Ireland, the son of William and Eleanor Grubb....
, founder of the Grubb Telescope Company
Sir Howard Grubb, Parsons and Co. Ltd.
Sir Howard Grubb, Parsons and Co. Ltd. was a telescope manufacturer, more commonly known as Grubb Parsons based in Newcastle upon Tyne.-History:...
so Howard developed an early interest in optics
Optics
Optics is the branch of physics which involves the behavior and properties of light, including its interactions with matter and the construction of instruments that use or detect it. Optics usually describes the behavior of visible, ultraviolet, and infrared light...
. After training to be a civil engineer
Civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
, Howard joined his father's firm in 1864 and gained the reputation of a first class producer of telescopes. In 1871 he married Mary Walker with whom he had six children.
Glubb was elected Fellow of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
in 1883 and of the Royal Astronomical Society
Royal Astronomical Society
The Royal Astronomical Society is a learned society that began as the Astronomical Society of London in 1820 to support astronomical research . It became the Royal Astronomical Society in 1831 on receiving its Royal Charter from William IV...
in 1870. In 1887 he was knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
ed by Queen Victoria. Sir Howard was a long time member of the Royal Dublin Society
Royal Dublin Society
The Royal Dublin Society was founded on 25 June 1731 to "to promote and develop agriculture, arts, industry, and science in Ireland". The RDS is synonymous with its main premises in Ballsbridge in Dublin, Ireland...
, serving as Honorary Secretary from 1889 to 1893, and as Vice President from 1893 to 1922. In 1912 he was awarded the medal of the Society, only the third person to receive it. Sir Howard Grubb died in 1931.
Optical work
Under Howard Grubb the Grubb Telescope Company gained an even greater reputation for quality optical instrumentOptical instrument
An optical instrument either processes light waves to enhance an image for viewing, or analyzes light waves to determine one of a number of characteristic properties.-Image enhancement:...
s. Grubb was also known for building accurate electrically driven clock drive
Clock drive
In astronomy a Clock drive is a regulatory mechanism used to move an equatorial mounted telescope along one axis to keep the telescope in exact sync with the apparent motion of the celestial sky...
s for equatorial mount
Equatorial mount
An equatorial mount is a mount for instruments that follows the rotation of the sky by having one rotational axis parallel to the Earth's axis of rotation. This type of mount is used for astronomical telescopes and cameras...
ed telescopes. Some of the telescopes produced by Howard Grubb include the 27-inch refractor for the Vienna Observatory
Vienna Observatory
Universitäts-Sternwarte Wien is an astronomical observatory in Vienna, Austria. It is part of the University of Vienna. The first observatory was built in 1753–1754 on the roof of one of the university buildings....
(1878), the 10-inch refractor at Armagh Observatory
Armagh Observatory
Armagh Observatory is a modern astronomical research institute with a rich heritage, based in Armagh, Northern Ireland. Around 25 astronomers are actively studying stellar astrophysics, the Sun, Solar System astronomy, and the Earth's climate....
(1882), the 28-inch refractor at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich
Royal Observatory, Greenwich
The Royal Observatory, Greenwich , in London, England played a major role in the history of astronomy and navigation, and is best known as the location of the prime meridian...
- the UK's largest refractor (1893), and the 10-inch refractor at Coats Observatory, Paisley
Coats Observatory, Paisley
Coats Observatory is one of four public observatories operating in the UK, all of which are sited in Scotland.Coats Observatory is located in Oakshaw Street West, Paisley and was designed by Glasgow architect John Honeyman, with funding coming from local thread manufacturer Thomas Coats...
(1898). In 1887 Grubb's firm built seven normal astrograph
Astrograph
An astrograph is a telescope designed for the sole purpose of astrophotography. Astrographs are usually used in wide field surveys of the night sky as well as detection of objects such as asteroids, meteors, and comets.-Design:...
s for the Carte du Ciel
Carte du Ciel
The Carte du Ciel and the Astrographic Catalogue were two distinct but connected components of a massive international astronomical project, initiated in the late 19th century, to catalogue and map the positions of millions of stars as faint as 11th or 12th magnitude...
international photographic star catalogue project, 13-inch refracting telescope
Refracting telescope
A refracting or refractor telescope is a type of optical telescope that uses a lens as its objective to form an image . The refracting telescope design was originally used in spy glasses and astronomical telescopes but is also used for long focus camera lenses...
s all designed to produce uniform photographic plates.
In 1900 Grubb invented the reflector or "reflex" sight
Reflector sight
A reflector or reflex sight is a generally non-magnifying optical device that allows the user to look through a partially reflecting glass element and see an illuminated projection of an aiming point or some other image superimposed on the field of view...
, a non-magnifying optical sight
Sight
Sight may refer to:*Visual perception*Sight , used to assist aim by guiding the eye*Sight , a 2005 concert DVD by Keller Williams*Sight , a first-person shooter video game created by FPS Creator...
that uses a collimator to allow the viewer looking through the sight to see an illuminated image of a reticle or other pattern in front of them that stays in alignment with the device the sight is attached to (parallax
Parallax
Parallax is a displacement or difference in the apparent position of an object viewed along two different lines of sight, and is measured by the angle or semi-angle of inclination between those two lines. The term is derived from the Greek παράλλαξις , meaning "alteration"...
free). This type of sight has come to be used on all kinds of weapons from small firearm
Firearm
A firearm is a weapon that launches one, or many, projectile at high velocity through confined burning of a propellant. This subsonic burning process is technically known as deflagration, as opposed to supersonic combustion known as a detonation. In older firearms, the propellant was typically...
s to fighter aircraft
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
. It is also at the heart of all modern head-up display
Head-Up Display
A head-up display or heads-up display is any transparent display that presents data without requiring users to look away from their usual viewpoints...
s.
During the First World War the Grubb factory was in demand for the production of telescopic gun-sights and during this time he was credited with perfecting a periscope
Periscope
A periscope is an instrument for observation from a concealed position. In its simplest form it consists of a tube with mirrors at each end set parallel to each other at a 45-degree angle....
design for Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
submarines.
External links
- Short biography of Sir Howard Grubb
- Royal Observatory, Greenwich, home of the 28-inch refractor
- Photos of Grubb telescope construction
- http://books.google.com/books?id=pIzpAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA353&lpg=PA353&dq=Transactions+of+the+Royal+Dublin+Society+March+20+1901&source=bl&ots=SoFiUSEcXx&sig=NG5Wek7LoxTHzY1hPxgw_Z076b0&hl=en&ei=wbGXTd-_MuGX0QGg0uz6Cw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBcQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=grubb&f=falseThe scientific transactions of the Royal Dublin Society By Royal Dublin Society - A NEW COLLIMATING TELESCOPE GUN SIGHT FOR LARGE AND SMALL ORDNANCE By SIR HOWARD GRUBB FRS Vice President Royal Dublin Society]