GB2256274A - Gauging apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

Apparatus for use in the building and construction trade for assessing the spacing between two members or the angle therebetween has first and second elongate members 10 and 11 each having a pair of parallel long edges and at each end of each member a respective transverse face extending generally normally to the adjacent long edges. Each member has an elongate through-slot 12, 13 extending along the length of the respective member and a single screw-threaded clamping bolt and wing nut assembly adjustably holds the two members together. A pin upstanding from one member engages in an elongate groove in the other member to constrain the two members to slide linearly unless the nut and bolt assembly is released sufficiently. <IMAGE>

Description

GAUGING APPARATUS This invention relates to gauging apparatus, and in particular - but not exclusively - to such apparatus suitable for use in the building and construction trades.

When constructing a building or effecting alterations to an existing building, it is often necessary for a workman to have to cut or otherwise prepare materials to fit within some gap or opening defined by other constructional elements. The usual way in which this is done is by the workman measuring the size of the gap or opening in which the material being prepared is to fit, and then transferring that measurement to the work-piece for cutting as appropriate. A flexible steel tape measure is most frequently used for these purposes. However, it will be appreciated that in the above-described circumstances it is not necessary for an absolute measurement to be made, for transfer to the work-piece; all that is needed is for the required dimension to be transferred to the work-piece and the absolute size of that dimension in some particular units is irrelevant to the workman.Besides, performing an absolute measurement and transferring that to the work-piece is prone to error, should the workman mis-remember the measured value to be transferred, or should he mis-read the tape measure or other measuring rule, either when determining the size of the gap or opening, or when marking the work-piece.

A similar difficulty may arise when preparing a work-piece to have two faces lying at some predetermined angle to one another, in order to fit within or against other constructional elements. For example, when constructing a roof, timbers have to be cut with their end faces lying at suitable angles snugly to fit against other roof timbers - and it can be difficult accurately to determine the required angle and then to mark off the cutting line on a piece of wood.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide apparatus suitable for use in the building, construction and like trades which obviates the need to make absolute measurements when transferring to a workpiece a dimension determined from previously fitted components.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided gauging apparatus comprising first and second elongate members each having a pair of parallel long edges and at each end of each member a respective transverse face extending generally normally to the adjacent long edges, each member having an elongate through-slot extending substantially parallel to the long edges of the member for part of the length of the member, and there being a single manuallyoperable screw-threaded clamping means extending through the slots of said first and second members to permit said two members to be clamped one to the other in any desired relative disposition.

It will be appreciated that a workman may use the apparatus of this invention in a number of ways, to transfer to a work-piece some dimension determined from components already fitted so as to have a constructional relationship. By loosening the screwthreaded clamping means, the first and second members may be relatively moved in a linear fashion, until the respective end faces of the two members are spaced apart by some required distance determined by offering the apparatus to the aforementioned components. Then, the clamping means is tightened, and the apparatus is moved to the work-piece, where cutting lines may be marked at the end faces of the two members.

It will further be appreciated that when used in the above manner, the apparatus will allow the determination of an exact inside measurement between two spaced-apart components. If a conventional flexible tape is used for this purpose, it can be very difficult to read the exact size of an opening, for the tape may have to be flexed round at one side.

The two members may be moved relatively between one limiting position where the two members wholly overlie one another, and a second limiting position where the end faces are spaced apart by the greatest possible distance with the screw-threaded clamping means lying at the adjacent ends of the respective slots in the two members.

In addition to the possibility of relatively moving the two members in a linear fashion, because the members are connected by a single screw-threaded clamping means, the two members may also be moved in an angular manner about the loosened screw-threaded clamping means. Simultaneously the two members may also be moved to alter the projection of either member beyond the other member by sliding the clamping means along the length of either one, or possibly both, slots of the two members.

Each of the two members may take any one of a variety of possible configurations. In a preferred embodiment, the two members are essentially the same overall shape and size and each comprises a generally planar strip of rectangular shape when viewed in plan.

Conveniently, the side edges of each member -are bevelled and, if required, may have graduations - such as in inches and/or in centimetres - provided along one or both long edges. Though the two members could have different lengths, it is preferred for the members to have essentially the same length; the two members in a preferred embodiment are identical.

The slot formed in each member advantageously extends for the greater part of the length of the member, and has a uniform cross-sectional width.

Typically, the slot may extend for at least 80% of the length of the member, or even more, and is symmetrically disposed with respect to both the long edges of the member, and the end faces thereof.

The screw-threaded clamping means preferably is in the form of a bolt having a nut adapted for manually tightening and loosening, in order to facilitate adjustment of the apparatus. The nut may, for example, be in the form of a wing-nut, or may have a boss from which projects an operating arm, to permit the nut to be tightened or loosened as required. The head of the bolt conveniently is square, and the face of the member against which that head engages is preferably formed with rebates along the length of the sides of the slot, within which rebates the bolt head may fit in a nonrotatable manner, whereby the bolt is held against rotation during tightening and loosening of the clamping means. To minimise wear on the member adjacent the nut of the clamping means, a washer is conveniently provided to spread the clamping load.

In a modified form of the present invention, cooperating means are provided between the first and second members in order to constrain the two members to move relatively in a linear fashion, unless that cooperating means is released. For example, a peg, pin or ball (all referred to hereinafter as a 'peg') may project out of the plane of one of the members and be received in a groove formed in the other member, which groove runs parallel to the length of the slot in that other member. Such a peg may be provided adjacent one end of the member carrying the peg; in that case it would be advantageous for a second peg to be provided adjacent the other end of the member. Yet another possibility would be for the peg to be in the form of a rib extending along the length of the member, and which may be received in the groove. In the above arrangements, when the screw-threaded clamping means is loosened to permit adjustment of the gauging apparatus, the two members will be constrained to move lineally, unless the clamping means is released to an extent sufficient to permit the peg to come free of the groove, whereafter the two members may relatively be pivoted, as required. Alternatively, the peg may be spring-urged to project from the member, and may be pressed against its spring bias to disengage from the groove when the two members are to be moved angularly.

In a further modification, two similar screwthreaded clampin-g means may be provided, both located in the two overlying slots, and both of which may be operated to permit adjustment of the gauging apparatus when the two members are to be moved lineally. One of the two clamping members may however be removed, when the gauging apparatus is to be used with the two members lying at some angle to one another other than o 180 By way of example only, one specific embodiment of gauging apparatus of this invention will now be described in detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a generally perspective view of apparatus constructed and arranged in accordance with this invention; and Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus of Figure 1, taken on line II-II, marked on that Figure.

The gauging apparatus of this invention comprises a lower elongate member 10 and an upper elongate member 11, both of essentially the same rectangular shape, when considered in plan. Typically, each member may be substantially 50 mm in width, and about 600 mm in length. Each of the two members may be made from a suitable resilient and strong material, such as plywood, boxwood, a plastics material reinforced as necessary or of a metal such as steel.

The two members 10 and 11 have respective elongate slots 12 and 13, extending parallel to the long edges of the respective member, essentially midway therebetween. Each slot has a length of typically 85% of the overall length of its associated member, and so has a length of about 500 mm. Each member has marked along at least one long edge metric graduations of length, as illustrated at 15. Also, as illustrated in Figure 2, the members may have bevelled long edges, as indicated at 16.

The two members 10 and 11 are normally clamped together by a bolt assembly 17, comprising a bolt 18 having a square head 19 and a wing nut 20. The slot 13 in the lower member 10 is provided with rebates 21 along the long edges of that slot, on the lower side of the lower member, the head 19 of the bolt 18 being received in a non-rotatable manner in those rebates 21.

The upper member 11 may have similar rebates (as shown in Figure 2) so that the two members may be interchangeable, if required. A washer 22 is located between the lower surface of the wing nut 20 and the upper surface of the upper member 11.

Also illustrated in Figure 2 is an optional peg 25, arranged to upstand from the upper surface of the lower member 10 and which is received in a groove 26 formed in the lower surface of the upper member 11, to extend for the full length of that member. The peg 25 may typically be provided adjacent one end of the lower member 10, and advantageously two such pegs are provided, one adjacent each end of the lower member 10.

If the members are to be interchangeable, the lower member may be provided with a similar groove, and the upper member with a pair of pegs.

In use, it will be seen that the two members 10 and 11 may relatively be adjusted either lineally, or angularly or in any combined angular and linear fashion, and then clamped in a desired disposition by means of the wing nut 20. Interengagement of one of the pegs 25 with the groove 26 will assist relative linear adjustment of the two members, but sufficient loosening of the wing nut 20 will allow the peg 25 to leave the groove 26 and so thereafter to allow angular adjustment between the two members.

The apparatus may be used for example to gauge the width between the two components - for example a doorway - by abutting the end face of one member and the opposed end face of the other member with the two components respectively, in order to obtain an exact dimension for the gap between those two components.

That gauged width may then be transferred to a workpiece (such as a door) to be cut to fit between the components, without the need for any absolute measurement to be taken. In this way, the risk of errors occuring in transferring a measured width is much reduced. Of course, the apparatus may be used other than to gauge the width of an opening, merely by aligning the end faces of the two members with the components in question. Similarly, angular determinations may be made by aligning or engaging the long faces of the two members with the required components, so permitting the transfer of an angular dimension to a work-piece to be cut or otherwise shaped.

Claims (14)

1. Gauging apparatus comprising first and second elongate members each having a pair of parallel long edges and at each end of each member a respective transverse face extending generally normally to the adjacent long edges, each member having an elongate through-slot extending substantially parallel to the long edges of the member for part of the length of the member, and there being a single manually-operable screw-threaded clamping means extending through the slots of said first and second members to permit said two members to be clamped one to the other in any desired relative disposition.

2. Gauging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the two members are of substantially the same overall shape and size.

3. Gauging apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein each member comprises a generally planar strip of rectangular shape when viewed in plan.

4. Gauging apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the long edges of each member are bevelled.

5. Gauging apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the slot formed in each member extends for the greater part of the length of the member, and has a uniform cross-sectional width.

6. Gauging apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the slot is symmetrically disposed with respect to both the long edges of the member, and the end faces thereof.

7. Gauging apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the screw-threaded clamping means is in the form of a bolt having a nut adapted for manual tightening and loosening.

8. Gauging apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the bolt has a head of square shape, and the face of the member against which that head engages is formed with rebates along the length of the sides of the slot, within which rebates the bolt head fits in a nonrotatable manner.

9. Gauging apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein cooperating means are provided between the first and second members to constrain the two members to move relatively in a linear fashion, until said cooperating means is released.

10. Gauging apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said cooperating means comprises a peg, pin or ball mounted on one member to project out of the plane thereof and received in a groove formed in the other member, which groove runs parallel to the length of the slot in that other member.

11. Gauging apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said peg, pin or ball is spring-urged to project from the member, and is movable against its spring bias to be disengaged from the groove when the two members are to be moved angularly.

12. Gauging apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said cooperating means comprises a rib extending along the length of one member parallel to the length of its slot, and received in a groove in the other member also extending parallel to its slot.

13. Gauging apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 8, wherein a second screw-threaded clamping means is provided, both said screw-threaded clamping means being located in the two overlying slots.

14. Gauging apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.