US1107202A - Micrometer-caliper. - Google Patents

Description

'UNITED STATES EDWARD s. SAVAGE, 0E ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

MICEOMETEE-CALIPEE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Auf. 11, 1914.

Application mea May 19, 1913. serial No. 768,566.

To all whom t may concern.'

Vie it known that I, EDWARD S. SAVAGE, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Rochester, in the county ofMonroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Micrometer-Calipers, of which the following is a speciication. n

rlhis invention relates to calipers or measuring instruments in which screw-threaded rods or spindles are employed, as measuringdevices, in connection with graduated means for indicating the degrees of movement ofthe screw or spindle, and particularly to micrometer-calipers of the type commonly described as direct-reading, wherein the incheating-means comprise a plurality of rotatable graduated members from which dimensions may be read directly, as expressed by a series of decimal figures.

@ne object of the invention is to produce a micrometer-caliper in which longitudinal movement is eliminated in the manuallyrotatable member or barrel by which the micrometer-screw is actuated, and to this end 1 employ a construction in which this barrel has only rotative movement, the relative longitudinal movement of the screw being permitted by providing the barrel with a recess into and out of which the screw may be moved longitudinally, and connecting the screw with the barrel by a feather and groove, or equivalent form of connection, to permit the barrel to rotate the screw.

Another object of the invention is to produce an arrangement in which the indicating-mechanism is arranged and housed in a simple and compact manner and Without substantially increasing the bulk of the instrument. To this end I inclose the gearccnnections between the several rotatable indicators, and between these indicators and the barrel, within a portion of the yoke, and retain them therein by a removable casing as hereinafter described and claimed.

A, third object of the invention is to provide simple and convenient means for takup wear between the micrometer-screw and the threaded member or sleeve through which it moves, these means being particularly adapted for use in connection with a caliper provided with the novelrneans above referred to for actuating the screw.

Other objects and features of the invention will be set forth in connection with the following description of the preferrred embodiment of the invention.l

'In the accompanying drawings z-Figure 1 .is a longitudinal section of a portion of a nncronfieter-caliper embodying the present invention, certain parts, including the micrometer-screw, being shown in side-elevation; Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 3 in Fig" 1 looking from left to right in the rlatter figure; Fig. 3 is a section on the line i 2-3, looking from right to left; Fig. d is a y side-elevation of the indicator-rings and the ;connecting-gears, in -their operative rela- Ition; Fig. 5 is a side-elevation, partly in longitudinal section, of a caliper embodying the inventionV in a modified form; Fig. 6 is 1a section on the line 6--7 in Fig. 5, looking from right to left in the latter figure; Fig. 7 is a section on the line 6 7, looking from left to right; Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8-8 in Fig. 1, looking from right to left in the latter figure, and showing only the parts immediately adjacent to the sec- `tion-plane; and Fig. 9 is a perspective-view` on a larger scale than the preceding figures, of one of vthe gear-members by which the in- :dicator-rings are connected.

`The novel arrangement of the barrel and ,the micrometer-screw is shown particularly ,in Figs. 1 and 8, which illustrate the invention as embodied in a micrometer-caliper of which the general form is well known, the caliper having the usual yoke or frame 10, of which only a portion is illustrated. The micrometer-screw or spindle 11 is threaded into a sleeve 12, which is seated in the yoke 10, and secured therein by a force-fit or in lany other convenient manner. The right- [hand extremity 13 of the sleeve is slotted at several points, as shown in Fig. 1, and is provided with a slightly tapered external thread embraced by a threaded ring 14. This ring is adapted te take up wear between the screw `and the sleeve, by screwing the ring more or less along the part 13 so as to contract this part against the screw.

The manually-operable member by which the screw is actuated is in the form of a barrel 15, which is journaled upon the sleeve 12, and is retained against longitudinal movement thereon by means hereinafter described. This barrel is hollow, so that it may receive and inclose the right-hand end of the micrometer-screw, and it is provided with a longitudinal groove 16, which relceives a feather or lrey 17, this key being seated in a transverse slet in the screw and fixed therein by means of a pin 1S, as shown in Figs. 1 and 8. Owing to this arrangement rotation of the barrel causes corresponding rotation of the screw, and this results in longitudinal movement of the screw through the sleeve 12, while the screw moves more or less into the barrel, the rotative connection between the screw and the barrel being maintained by the feather and groove just described. In this manner I avoid the use of a longitudinally-inovable barrel, and thus reduce the'liability to injury or clogging of the mechanism which exists in calipers of the ordinary construction, wherein the barrel or cap is simultaneously rotated Y and moved longitudinally, 'about a closelyfitting inner cylindrical surface which is more or lessrexposed in consequence of the longitudinal movement of the barrel.

rEhe novel indicating-means, constituting a feature ot' the present invention, comprises threerings 20, 21, and 22, as shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, these rings being journaled loosely upon the sleeve 12 coaxial with the micrometer-screw and the barrel. rllhe indicator-rings are inclosed by a generallycylindrical casing 28, which is seated, at its left-hand end, against a shoulder 2i on the barrel 12 and is secured in place by screws or any other convenient means. The. casing is provided' also with a right-hand end-pon tion 25, which is perforated to receive the barrel 15, and which extends o-ver and closes a part 26 of the yoke 110, which extends alongside the indicator-rings for a purpose to beV presently described. The ifirst indi cater-ring 20 is fixed to the lett-hand end of the barrel 15 by means of a force-tit, or in any other convenient manner, so that it turns with the barrel, and by engagement of its right-han`d end with the end-portion 25 of the casing 23, the ring 2O prevents right-hand longitudinal movement of the barrel. The ring 20 is provided with decimal graduations, as shown in Fig. 4 comprising two consecutive series of the digits 0 to 9, and the micrometer-screw is provided with 50 threads to the inch. Accordingly, a complete rotation of the screw advances it through a space of one-fiftieth of an inch, and at the same time the digits lon the ring 20, by reference to a lixed point on the casing 23, indicate successive one-thousandths of an inch in the longitudinal movement of the screw. In order that these digits may be visible for this purpose, the casing 23 is provided Vwith sight-openings or windows 27, in

one side, as shown in Fig. 3, these openings being protected by a sleeve 28 of mica or other transparent material, which iits within thercasing and is held in place by an inner sleeve 29 of thin sheet-metal, the sleeve 29 having perforations corresponding with the windows 27. The position of the screw is thus indicated by the digits which appear through the windows, and it will be understood that there are three windows arranged in alineinent, and corresponding to the three indicator- rings 20, 21 and 22. The second indicator-ring 21 is provided with digits arranged in the same manner as those on the ring 20, and these digits are adapted to indicate one-hundredth of an inch in the movement of the micrometer-screw, the gear-con` nectioiis between the indicator-rings being such as to cause the ring 21 to have a morement corresponding to the space between two adjacent digits at the end of each half-rotation of the ring 20, the barrel 15, and the miorometenscrew.

rEhe actuating connections between the rings 2() and 21 comprise a gear-member oi novel form, which is shown particularly in Fig. 9. This member is provided, at its ends, with pintles 30 and 31 by which it is rotatably supported, these pintles being journaled in bearing-blocks 32 and retained in their bearings by engagement with the outer surfaces of the rings 2O and 21. The bearing-blocks 32 and the gear-member are inclosed within a longitudinal recess in the part 26 of' the yoke 10, this recess haring undercut portions, as shown in Fig. 3, to

receive corresponding projections on the bearing-blocks, and thus retain them in opeiative position after they have been introduced longitudinally in the recess. The gear-member, as shown in Fig. 9, comprises three operative sections, of which the first is provided with two oppositely-disposed gear-teeth 33 of peculiar ii'orm, while the second section comprises two similar gearteetli 3e extending at right angles, or in staggered relation, to the teeth 33, and a. third section comprises a pinion 85, oi: which the teeth may be of any convenient .torni and number. The teeth and 3l of the gear-member coperate with two annular members which turn with the indicatorring 2O and which may be integral therewith, as shown. rllie first of these members has a portion 3G which is of the liull diameter of the ring, and which extends for slightly more than one-half ot' the circumference of the ring, the ends of the portion 36 being shown in dotted lines in Fig` 2. Beyond the ends of the portion 8G the ring is reduced iii diameter to form a recess 37 of slightly less than oiie-halt the circuinlerence of the ring. rThe teeth 234i cooperate with the second annular member, which comprises a portion 3S orn the full diameter oit' the ring, this portion also being ot slightly more than one-half the cir-onintercnce, and being arranged opposite to the portion 3G, as shown in Fig. 2, while in line with this portion 38 there is a recess S9 cor responding in form, but opposite in location,

llO

to the recess 37. The pinion 35 engages an annular series of gear-teeth 40 upon the indicator-ring 21.

1t will be apparent that in the position oi the parts illustrated in the drawings, the two teeth 33 rest against the part 36 in such a manner that the gear-member is locked against rotation in either direction, while at the same time one of the teeth 34 projects into the recess 39. Accordingly, the indicator-ring 21 is locked, at this time, against rotation, by the engagement between the gear-teeth 40 and the pinion 35. It the barrel 15 and the ring 20 be rotated in either direction, however, one end ot' the part 3S will come into engagement with one of the teeth 34, and at the same time the end of the recess 37 will reach one ot the teeth 33. By a continued rotation of the ring 20, accordingly, the part 38 may. cause a movement ot the gear-member, ot' the amplitude of one-fourth of a rotation, after which the position of the parts is reversed, the two teeth 34 being in locking engagement with the part 38, while one of the teeth 33 projects into the recess 37. After this quarterrotation the gear-member is locked as before, but the movement of the gear-member causes a corresponding movement of the indicator-ring 21, equivalent to the space between two adjacent digits thereon, thus bringing the next successive digit to view through one ot the windows 27, and this action may be repeated, the ring 21 being thus advanced to the extent of two digits for each complete rotation of the ring 20, corresponding to a movement of one-fittieth ot an inch on the part of the micrometerscrew. The overlap between the corresponding parts 3G and 38 on the indicator-ring 2O is equivalent, in form, to a gear-tooth conforming to the space between the opposite surfaces of one of the teeth 33 and the next adjacent tooth 34 on the gear-member, so that the parts have the rotative operation of a pair of intermeshing gears, while at the same time, owing to the oifset position of the interengaging parts, their action may be rendered intermittent, and they may be caused to interlock with each other during the idle portions of the movement of the indicator-ring.

The operative connections between the indicator-rings 21 and 22 are or may be in all respects similar to those between the rings 20 and 21, as illustrated in the drawings, and they need not, accordingly, be described, it. being understood that each halfrotation of the ring 21 results in a partial rotation of the ring 22, by which it is advanced through the space of one digit.

In the embodiment of the invention just described, the gear-teeth and the operating surfaces on the indicator-rings are exterior, the gear-members being journaled alongside the indicator-rings. An equivalent arrangement may be employed, however, in which the gear-teeth and the operating-surfaces on the indicator-rings are internal, and in which the gear-members are journaled within the rings, and such an arrangement produces a mechanism in which a completely cylindrical outer casing may be employed, with no eccentric projections. Such an arrangement is illustrated in Figs. 5, G and 7. In this case the micrometer-screw 11 and the barrel may be substantially the `:same as those previously described, and the threaded sleeve 42, through which the screw works, is fixed in the yoke 19 in the same manner as above, but no extension of the yoke is necessary to inclose the gear-memibers. 1 gitudinal recess 43, as shown particularly in Fig. 6, which receives the teeth of the gear- {members, and also provides bearings for their pintleS. rPhe casing 41 is completely cylindrical in form, and is ixed to the sleeve 42 and provided with windows, in the same The sleeve 42 is provided with a lonmanner as in the construction above described. The first indicator-ring 44 1s iixed with the recesses and projections on the indicator-ring 2() in the iirst-described construction. The gear-member connecting the `rings 44 and 45 has pint-les 48 and 49 journaled in the recess 43, and retained therein by engagement with the inner surfaces of the ring 45 and th'e barrel 15, and it is provided also with three sets of gear-teeth 49,

52 and 54, of which the iirst teeth 49 cooperate with the projection 50 and the recess 51,the second set of teeth 52 coperate with the projection 53 and the recess 63, and the third set of tee'th 54 coperate with a series of teeth 55 on the ring 45, all in a manner equivalent to that in which the parts coperate in the first-described construction.

The novel means for providing access to the adjusting-ring 14 may be the same in both the above-described embodiments of the invention, and are shown particularly in Fig. 5. The ring 14 is provided with a series of recesses 60' adapted to receive a tool by which it may be turned. The barrel 15 is `provided with an opening 61 to afford access to these recesses, and with an annular groove in which is seated a resilient. cleft ring 62. This ring may be turned within the groove so that it normally covers the opening 61, thus excluding dust from this opening, and the ring is retained frictionally, owing to its resiliency, in the position to which it has been turned. When the ring 14v is to be turned to take up wear between the sleeve and the screw, the cleft ring 62 is turned to a. position in which the opening 6l is uncovered, owing to the space between the ends of the ring. An instrument .with a fiat end, such as an ordinary screwdriver, may then be introduced through the opening Gl and inserted in one of the recesses 60., If the barrel be then turned the instrument and the ring 14 are correspondingly moved, so as to screw the ring 14: upon the sleeve to the required degree.

Vhile the novel features of my invention abo-ve particularly set forth are preferably used in conjunction, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to such conjoint use of these features, and that it is not, in general, limited to the details of construction and arrangement of the embodiments of the invention herein described and illustrated in the accompanying dra-wings, but that the invention may be embodied in various other forms within its nature as defined in the following claims.

l claim l. A micrometer-caliper having, in combination, a iixed sleeve; a micrometer-screw threaded therein; a barrel inclosing the end or' the screw; connections, between the barrel and the screw, adapted to retain them against relative rotation, but to permit relative longitudinal movement; connections, between the inner end of the barrel and the sleeve, adapted to permit rotation of the barrel but retain it against longitudinal movement; and means for indicating the longitudinal movement of the screw in accordance with the corresponding rotative movement of the barrel.

2. A micrometer-caliper having, in combination, a fixed sleeve; a micrometer-screw threaded therein; a barrel inclosing the end of the screw; connections, between the barrel and the screw, adapted to retain them against relative rotation, but to permit relative longitudinal movement; connections, between the inner end of the barrel and the sleeve, adapted to permit rotation of the barrel but retain it against longitudinal movement; and means for indicating the longitudinal movement of the screw in accordance with the corresponding rotative movement of the barrel, said means comprising graduated rings surrounding the sleeve, and actuating-connections 'between the rings and the barrel.

3. In a micrometer caliper, the combination, with a micrometer-screw, indicatingmeans actuated by the screw and comprising indicator-rings surrounding the screw, and a yoke having a portion extending alongside the indicator-rings and provided with a recess opening toward the rings and extending to the extremity of the yoke, of a series of gear-members interconnecting the rings and provided with integral oppositely extending journals, and bearing-blocks cooperating with said journals, the gear-members and bearing-blocks being loosely mounted in said recess in the yoke and being removable and replaceable by endwise movement therein.

4. A micrometer-caliper having, in combination, a micrometer-screw; a lixed sleeve within which the screw is threaded, the sleeve having an externally-threaded cleft end; an adjusting-ring screwed upon said. end of the sleeve and adapted to be rotated by the engagement therewith of a. suitable instrument; a barrel inclosing the end of the screw and manually rotatable to adjust the same, the barrel having an opening adjacent the adjusting-ring to permit access thereto; connections between the barrel and the screw adapted to permit relative longitudinal movement but to cause the screw to rotate with the barrel; connections, between the sleeve and the barrel, adapted to permit the barrel to rotate but to prevent longitudinal movement thereof; means, actu ated by rotation of the barrel, for indicating the longitudinal movement of the screw, and means mounted on the barrel. and normally closing said opening therein, but movable to uncover the opening to permit access to the adjusting-ring.

5. A micrometer-caliper having, in combination, a sleeve; a yoke lixed to the sleeve and having a part extending alongside the sleeve and provided with a longitudinal re cess having an open end directed outwardly from the yoke; a micrometer-screw threaded in the sleeve; graduated indicator-rings surrounding the sleeve; a easing inclosing the rings and provided with sight-openings and with a lateral opening to receive the extending part of the yoke and a portion closing the end of said recess therein; gear-members operatively connecting the rings and inclosed in said recess and retained therein by the casing; a barrel inclosing the end of the screw and rotatably mounted in the end of the casing, the barrel being provided with means engaging the casing to prevent longitudinal movement of the barrel and with means operatively connecting it with the indicator mechanism; means for securing the casing in place on the yoke; and connections, between the barrel and the screw, adapted to permit relative longitudinal movement but to cause the screw to be rotated by the barrel.

EDiVARD S. SAVAGE.

lVitnesses FARNUM F. Donsnv, D. GURNnn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. C.

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