131:
523:, the link has remained fixed at 0.66 feet, therefore 0.22 yards or 7.92 inches; it is the absolute length of the yard that has varied. A rare remaining application of the link is in the service of some surveying in the United States, which relates to the definition of the survey foot. During most of its useful life, a modern degree of precision in the link's measure was neither expected nor possible.
247:
25:
461:
When the
American colonies broke their ties with Great Britain in 1776, they needed to establish a system of units that fell under their own political authority. While they adopted many of the British units, the length of the yard (which determined all other units of length) was by necessity governed
453:
in
England in 1620. By correlating traditional English land measurements with the new decimal number system (which had just replaced Roman numerals), it combined ease and flexibility in taking surveying measurements in the field with ease of calculating results afterward. It rapidly gained acceptance
473:, but the standard of the yard remained the length of the artifact. The last replacement imperial artifact was made in bronze in 1845, and the most accurate measurement ever made of its length (much later) was 0.914 398 416 meters. In the U.S., the
462:
by the length of a physical artifact. The one in
American possession was slightly different in actual length from the British one, due to imprecision of manufacture. It was of only minor significance at the time.
311:. Even after the original tool was replaced by later instruments of higher precision, the unit was commonly used throughout the English-speaking world, for example in the United States customary units and the
665:
1181:
511:
announced their joint intent to retire the U.S. survey foot, with effect from the end of 2022. The link in U.S. Customary units is thereafter defined based on the
International 1959 foot.
647:
496:
based on the metric system (NAD83) was not released until 1986. Since that time, the State Plane
Coordinate Systems (SPCSs) established by the U.S. Geodetic Survey have been based in
477:
of 1893 tied the length of the U.S. yard to the meter, with the equivalence 39.37 inches = 1 meter, or approximately 0.914 401 828 803 658 meters per yard. In 1959, the
466:
508:
481:
agreement established the "international" yard length of 0.9144 meters, upon which both the customary U.S. and imperial units of length have since been based.
640:
1155:
315:. The length of the foot, and hence the link, varied slightly from place to place and time to time. In modern times the difference between the US
633:
108:
150:
46:
656:
504:
454:
in
English surveying practice, which also began to adopt the tool's chain and link lengths as units of measure within the
275:
570:
484:
Even so, the
Mendenhall Order length of the yard continues in use even in 2013 in the United States as the basis for the
478:
89:
42:
500:
units in all states. But a few states have established by law that they must remain available in survey feet as well.
61:
35:
1150:
68:
130:
1176:
319:
and the international foot is two parts per million. The link fell out of general use in the 20th century.
75:
1043:
458:. As English dominions grew over time, its system of measures came to be used in many parts of the world.
607:
679:
57:
1119:
1069:
489:
1135:
1109:
1094:
1145:
1140:
159:
450:
300:
251:
136:
474:
1038:
938:
470:
312:
585:
1114:
1074:
943:
455:
155:
82:
1170:
1017:
979:
913:
550:
520:
493:
446:
267:
1089:
1064:
974:
959:
893:
729:
714:
386:
371:
336:
329:
304:
246:
1104:
1084:
964:
898:
872:
831:
767:
757:
752:
747:
699:
689:
625:
485:
401:
316:
289:
217:
24:
1099:
1079:
1048:
1022:
867:
836:
826:
805:
800:
795:
790:
709:
534:
238:
994:
918:
877:
308:
989:
821:
465:
In 1824, the United
Kingdom officially reformed their system of units in
135:
The link is based on the length of one of the 100 individual segments in
1012:
719:
343:
908:
851:
271:
170:
262:(usually abbreviated as "l.", "li." or "lnk."), sometimes called a
969:
846:
245:
903:
841:
762:
724:
704:
684:
431:
416:
350:
293:
210:
629:
984:
18:
492:
of 1927 (NAD27) had been based on the survey foot, and a new
307:
66 feet long with 100 links, that was formerly used in land
497:
228:
540:
approximate 201.168 402 mm (based on the U.S. survey foot)
530:
274:
formerly used in many
English-speaking countries. In
586:"NGS and NIST to Retire U.S. Survey Foot after 2022"
1182:
Customary units of measurement in the United States
1128:
1057:
1031:
1005:
952:
931:
886:
860:
814:
783:
776:
740:
672:
608:"U.S. Survey Foot: Revised Unit Conversion Factors"
224:
198:
176:
166:
149:
144:
123:
49:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
575:. Horace Cox. London. p.4. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
526:With various definitions, 1 link is equal to:
509:National Institute of Standards and Technology
469:that established what came to be known as the
641:
8:
519:In many measurement systems based on former
588:. National Geodetic Survey. 31 October 2019
780:
648:
634:
626:
129:
120:
109:Learn how and when to remove this message
562:
278:modern definition, the link is exactly
537:(based on the per-1959 imperial foot)
7:
666:Comparison with imperial unit system
323:Proportions to other customary units
47:adding citations to reliable sources
490:land survey data for North America
14:
1156:Foot–pound–second system of units
332:, pole or perch (16.5 feet).
180:
23:
34:needs additional citations for
1:
657:United States customary units
505:U.S. National Geodetic Survey
479:international yard and pound
449:designed and introduced the
349:Eight thousand links make a
254:showing the individual links
427:
412:
397:
382:
367:
1198:
1049:Kilopounds per square inch
342:One thousand links make a
1151:English Engineering Units
663:
569:Holloway, Thomas (1881).
335:One hundred links make a
328:Twenty-five links make a
194:
128:
1058:Other units and measures
533:approximate 201.167 652
139:, and is 0.66 feet long.
610:. NIST. 16 October 2019
456:English system of units
1044:Pounds per square inch
572:The practical surveyor
255:
202:Imperial/US units
680:Thousandth of an inch
503:In October 2019, the
299:The unit is based on
249:
1120:Ton of refrigeration
1070:British thermal unit
43:improve this article
1136:American wire gauge
1110:Pound-foot (torque)
1095:Foot-pound (energy)
189:... is equal to ...
145:General information
1146:Body jewelry sizes
1141:Avoirdupois system
292:, or exactly 7.92
276:US customary units
256:
235:
226:
206:
200:
1164:
1163:
927:
926:
437:
436:
244:
243:
177:Conversions
119:
118:
111:
93:
1189:
781:
650:
643:
636:
627:
620:
619:
617:
615:
604:
598:
597:
595:
593:
582:
576:
567:
475:Mendenhall Order
359:
358:
287:
286:
282:
236:
227:
220:
213:
207:
201:
133:
121:
114:
107:
103:
100:
94:
92:
58:"Link" unit
51:
27:
19:
1197:
1196:
1192:
1191:
1190:
1188:
1187:
1186:
1177:Units of length
1167:
1166:
1165:
1160:
1129:Related systems
1124:
1053:
1039:Inch of mercury
1027:
1001:
948:
939:Feet per second
923:
882:
856:
810:
772:
736:
668:
659:
654:
624:
623:
613:
611:
606:
605:
601:
591:
589:
584:
583:
579:
568:
564:
559:
547:
517:
515:Absolute length
471:Imperial system
444:
325:
313:Imperial system
296:or 20.1168 cm.
284:
280:
279:
234:
225:
215:
208:
205:
199:
140:
115:
104:
98:
95:
52:
50:
40:
28:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1195:
1193:
1185:
1184:
1179:
1169:
1168:
1162:
1161:
1159:
1158:
1153:
1148:
1143:
1138:
1132:
1130:
1126:
1125:
1123:
1122:
1117:
1115:Spinning count
1112:
1107:
1102:
1097:
1092:
1087:
1082:
1077:
1075:Degree (angle)
1072:
1067:
1061:
1059:
1055:
1054:
1052:
1051:
1046:
1041:
1035:
1033:
1029:
1028:
1026:
1025:
1020:
1015:
1009:
1007:
1003:
1002:
1000:
999:
998:
997:
992:
982:
977:
972:
967:
962:
956:
954:
950:
949:
947:
946:
944:Miles per hour
941:
935:
933:
929:
928:
925:
924:
922:
921:
916:
911:
906:
901:
896:
890:
888:
884:
883:
881:
880:
875:
870:
864:
862:
858:
857:
855:
854:
849:
844:
839:
834:
829:
824:
818:
816:
812:
811:
809:
808:
803:
798:
793:
787:
785:
778:
774:
773:
771:
770:
765:
760:
755:
750:
744:
742:
738:
737:
735:
734:
733:
732:
722:
717:
712:
707:
702:
697:
692:
687:
682:
676:
674:
670:
669:
664:
661:
660:
655:
653:
652:
645:
638:
630:
622:
621:
599:
577:
561:
560:
558:
555:
554:
553:
546:
543:
542:
541:
538:
531:
516:
513:
451:Gunter's chain
443:
440:
439:
438:
435:
434:
429:
426:
423:
420:
419:
414:
411:
408:
405:
404:
399:
396:
393:
390:
389:
384:
381:
378:
375:
374:
369:
366:
363:
355:
354:
347:
340:
333:
324:
321:
301:Gunter's chain
290:US survey foot
252:Gunter's chain
242:
241:
232:
222:
221:
203:
196:
195:
192:
191:
186:
179:
178:
174:
173:
168:
164:
163:
153:
147:
146:
142:
141:
137:Gunter's chain
134:
126:
125:
117:
116:
31:
29:
22:
16:Unit of length
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1194:
1183:
1180:
1178:
1175:
1174:
1172:
1157:
1154:
1152:
1149:
1147:
1144:
1142:
1139:
1137:
1134:
1133:
1131:
1127:
1121:
1118:
1116:
1113:
1111:
1108:
1106:
1103:
1101:
1098:
1096:
1093:
1091:
1088:
1086:
1083:
1081:
1078:
1076:
1073:
1071:
1068:
1066:
1063:
1062:
1060:
1056:
1050:
1047:
1045:
1042:
1040:
1037:
1036:
1034:
1030:
1024:
1021:
1019:
1016:
1014:
1011:
1010:
1008:
1004:
996:
993:
991:
988:
987:
986:
983:
981:
980:Hundredweight
978:
976:
973:
971:
968:
966:
963:
961:
958:
957:
955:
951:
945:
942:
940:
937:
936:
934:
930:
920:
917:
915:
912:
910:
907:
905:
902:
900:
897:
895:
892:
891:
889:
885:
879:
876:
874:
871:
869:
866:
865:
863:
859:
853:
850:
848:
845:
843:
840:
838:
835:
833:
830:
828:
825:
823:
820:
819:
817:
813:
807:
804:
802:
799:
797:
794:
792:
789:
788:
786:
782:
779:
775:
769:
766:
764:
761:
759:
756:
754:
751:
749:
746:
745:
743:
739:
731:
728:
727:
726:
723:
721:
718:
716:
713:
711:
708:
706:
703:
701:
698:
696:
693:
691:
688:
686:
683:
681:
678:
677:
675:
671:
667:
662:
658:
651:
646:
644:
639:
637:
632:
631:
628:
609:
603:
600:
587:
581:
578:
574:
573:
566:
563:
556:
552:
551:Edmund Gunter
549:
548:
544:
539:
536:
532:
529:
528:
527:
524:
522:
521:English units
514:
512:
510:
506:
501:
499:
495:
494:triangulation
491:
487:
482:
480:
476:
472:
468:
463:
459:
457:
452:
448:
447:Edmund Gunter
441:
433:
430:
424:
422:
421:
418:
415:
409:
407:
406:
403:
400:
394:
392:
391:
388:
385:
379:
377:
376:
373:
370:
364:
361:
360:
357:
356:
352:
348:
345:
341:
338:
334:
331:
327:
326:
322:
320:
318:
314:
310:
306:
302:
297:
295:
291:
277:
273:
269:
265:
264:Gunter’s link
261:
253:
248:
240:
233:
230:
223:
219:
212:
204:
197:
193:
190:
187:
185:
181:
175:
172:
169:
165:
161:
157:
154:
152:
148:
143:
138:
132:
127:
122:
113:
110:
102:
99:November 2016
91:
88:
84:
81:
77:
74:
70:
67:
63:
60: –
59:
55:
54:Find sources:
48:
44:
38:
37:
32:This article
30:
26:
21:
20:
1090:Foot-lambert
1065:Bolt (cloth)
694:
612:. Retrieved
602:
590:. Retrieved
580:
571:
565:
525:
518:
502:
488:. The prior
483:
464:
460:
445:
362:1 link
298:
263:
259:
257:
188:
183:
182:1 link
167:Unit of
105:
96:
86:
79:
72:
65:
53:
41:Please help
36:verification
33:
1085:Foot-candle
1018:Pound-force
832:Fluid ounce
768:Square mile
758:Square yard
753:Square foot
748:Square inch
486:survey foot
467:legislation
317:survey foot
237:20.12
162: units
151:Unit system
1171:Categories
1100:Horsepower
1080:Fahrenheit
868:Board foot
827:Tablespoon
806:Cubic mile
801:Cubic yard
796:Cubic foot
791:Cubic inch
557:References
303:, a metal
216:0.66
209:7.92
69:newspapers
919:Acre-foot
878:Face cord
309:surveying
1032:Pressure
822:Teaspoon
545:See also
507:and the
365:≡
156:Imperial
1013:Poundal
815:Cooking
784:Derived
730:statute
720:Furlong
614:4 March
592:4 March
442:History
344:furlong
283:⁄
266:, is a
83:scholar
914:Barrel
909:Bushel
852:Gallon
777:Volume
673:Length
432:inches
294:inches
272:length
184:in ...
171:length
85:
78:
71:
64:
56:
1006:Force
995:Short
975:Pound
970:Ounce
960:Grain
932:Speed
894:Minim
887:Other
847:Quart
715:Chain
372:chain
337:chain
305:chain
288:of a
231:units
90:JSTOR
76:books
1105:Perm
990:Long
965:Dram
953:Mass
904:Peck
899:Gill
873:Cord
861:Wood
842:Pint
763:Acre
741:Area
725:Mile
705:Yard
700:Foot
695:Link
690:Hand
685:Inch
616:2020
594:2020
428:7.92
417:yard
413:0.22
402:foot
398:0.66
383:0.04
368:0.01
351:mile
268:unit
260:link
258:The
124:link
62:news
1023:Kip
985:Ton
837:Cup
710:Rod
387:rod
330:rod
285:100
270:of
214:or
45:by
1173::
535:mm
498:SI
425:≡
410:≡
395:≡
380:≡
281:66
250:A
239:cm
229:SI
218:ft
211:in
160:US
649:e
642:t
635:v
618:.
596:.
353:.
346:.
339:.
158:/
112:)
106:(
101:)
97:(
87:·
80:·
73:·
66:·
39:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
