Leisure Time LX20 - Manual (Page 26)

the tilt-plate. If the main crossbar of the DLA is already
tightened into place this will inhibit your installation of the tilt-
plate. You will therefore see that by re/easing the screws on the
ends of the DLA crossbar your installation of the wedge tilt-
plate will be facilitated.
2. SUPERWEDGE (For 10" and 12"LX200)
The Superwedge permits use of the 10" and 12" LX200 telescope
in an astronomical, or "equatorial," mode. The wedge fits onto the
field tripod, described below, and accepts the base of the 10" and
12" LX200 fork mount (Fig. 10).
NOTE: The Meade Superwedge is designed solely for use in
conjunction with the Meade field tripod. The Superwedge
should never be used without the field tripod (e.g., by placing
the Superwedge alone on a table top and then mounting the
telescope on the wedge). The 10" and 12" LX200, placed onto
the Superwedge alone without the field tripod attached to the
wedge may become seriously imbalanced, to the point where
the telescope may actually tip over.
The Superwedge for the 10" and 12" LX200 telescope is of
modern design, with several important features incorporated to
simplify and facilitate telescope operation. After using the
Superwedge for your telescope, you will find that the functional
design features included are of very significant value in routine
telescope operations. Some of these features include:
• Attachment of the Superwedge to the field tripod by means of
only one manual knob. (For photographic applications with
the telescope where extreme steadiness is required, 3
additional hex-head screws are provided).
• Quick azimuth adjustment by loosening the manual knob as
described above.
• Bubble level for rapid tripod/wedge leveling.
• Etched latitude scale for fast adjustment of the latitude angle.
• Built-in latitude adjustment control.
To assemble the Superwedge, follow this procedure (note that all
required wedge hardware and manual knobs are shipped within
the wedge carton):
a. Locate the two 8-32 nylon set screws on the rim of the tripod
head and remove them. Attach the tangent arm to the tripod
using the supplied 8-32 X 1/2" socket cap screws. (See Fig.
11 a., below.)
b. Push the field tripod threaded rod up so that the threaded rod
extends above the top of the tripod head.
Holding the threaded rod in position, place the
Superwedge on top of the tripod head so that the threaded
stud extending from the tripod head passes through the
center hole on the wedge floor. Make sure the pin extending
from the bottom of the azimuth thrust bar is positioned in the
slot on the tangent arm (see Fig. 11 a., above).
Install the large hand knob/compass onto the threaded stud.
Pass the three 5M6-18 X 1-1/4" button head screws through
the clearance slots on the wedge floor and thread them into
the tripod head.
The lower tilt plate locking screws (3, Fig. 11) are installed in
the factory to allow the tilt plate to be adjusted for any latitude
greater than 25 degrees and less than 55 degrees. If viewing
in a region with a latitude greater than 55 degrees, move the
locking bolts to the lower mounting holes (4, Fig. 11).
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3. Mounting the Telescope On the Wedge
With 7" or 8" LX200 telescopes, three knobs are supplied for
mounting the telescope's drive base to the tilt-plate of the
equatorial wedge. With the 10" and 12" LX200, three socket
screws are provided for this purpose.