Rolatape Measure

I once worked for a guy who had me use a wooden triangular "walking tool" (I don't remember what he called it). The tool "walked" from one point to another while holding onto the top handle and moving in a linear direction. It must have been either 6 1/2' or 79.2 inches from point to point.

His fields were a half mile long and he told me to count off x number of units (which would equal y acres) and work the field up to that point. How big was this tool from point to point and what was it called ?

Thanks.

I may actualy have purchased a pretty neat tool for .50 cents.

Thanks again for help!!

Dummy

Surveying Measurements 1 yard = 3 ft = 0.9144 meter 1 rod, perch, or pole = 25 links = 16.5 ft 4 rods = 1 chain 1 chain = 4 rods = 66 ft = 100 links 10 chains = 1 furlong 1 link = 1/100 of surveyor's chain = 7.92 inches 25 links = 1 rod = 16.5 ft 100 links = 1 chain = 66 ft 1 furlong = 10 chains = 1/8 mile = 220 yards = 660 ft = 201.168 meters 8 furlongs = 1 mile 1 mile = 80 chains = 320 rods = 1,760 yards = 5,280 ft = 1,609.344 meters league = 3 statute miles = 4,828.032 meters

Units of Linear Measure 1 chain = 100 links = 66 feet 1 mile = 80 chains = 5,280 feet Units of Area 1 acre = 10 square chains = 43,560 square feet 1 square mile = 640 acres