The centrolinead was invented by Peter Nicholson, a British mathematician and architect, in 1814. It was used to construct 2-point perspective drawings where one or both vanishing points existed outside the drawing board. Draftsmen could use the instrument in pairs; one for each vanishing point on each side of the station point. Centrolineads were...
• (n.) An instrument for drawing lines through a point, or lines converging to a center.
Cen`tro·lin'e·ad noun An instrument for drawing lines through a point, or lines converging to a center. 
a drafting instrument for drawing lines converging on a vanishing point outside the drawing.