The instrument operates in a totally automatic fashion. Once the start button is depressed, the indicator will begin to register revolutions over a fixed period of three seconds. The hands then stop and the reading may be taken from the dial at leisure. The pointer remains in a fixed position until returned to zero by depressing the reset button.

The instrument has a large, easy to read dial, with black figures indicating revolutions per minute and red figures on the inner circle indicating feet per minute readings, without any calculations.