US1198096A - Folding square. - Google Patents

Description

W. D. ARMSTRONG.

FOLDING SQUARE,

-.A \PPLlCATI0N FILED FEB. 12. I916.

Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

wmmtoz v WDHRMSTRONG WALTER DOANE ARMSTRONG, or GATE, WASHINGTON.

mmense.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it; known that I, i/VALTER D. Aimstrnolvda citizen of the United States, residing at Gate, in the county of Thurston and State of iVashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Squares, of whichthe following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to animproved foldingsquare and has for its primary object to provide a very simply constructed and serviceable implement of this character for use by carpenters and other mechanics in ascertaining the rise or degree of inclination of rafters and the like, as well as the lineal measurement of the same, laying off stair steps, and for various other similar op erations.

It another and more particular object of the invention to provide a folding square embodying a frame, a square. blade pivotally mounte .l.in the frame and having a degree scale. on its pivoted end whereby the blade will normally tend to gravitate to a horizon tal position when' the frame is ,t in place upon the work," and a tongue, pivotally mounted. in. the scale and adapted to fold upon the blade, said'blade and. tongue. being foldable together into the frau'ie.

It is a further general ol ect of the. invention to produce a device of the above char- ,acter which may be inexpensively manufactured, ,is strong and du able in construction and highly serviceable and convenient in practical use.

With the above and other .objects'in view, my invention. consists in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which,

Figure l is aside elevation of .my 'improved folding square, showing the-tongue and, blade in one of theirset positionswith respect to the square frame; Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the device set IIIIJOSllZlOIl for use as a tri-square, a portion of theframe being broken away: Fig. 1) is a vertical section talten on the line 3-43 of Fig. 2; and Fig. i is a perspective view showing the square folded or closed. '4

' lh l erring in detail to the drawing, 5 designates the frame of a square in which the .u'iovahle parts are mounted. This frame 1 Specification of Letters Patent.

FOLDING SQUARE.

Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

Application men February 12, 1916. serial No. 78,008.

consists of a single rectangular metal bar recessed or cut away to provide a substantially semicircular, transversely extending chamber 6 in one end thereof and a relatively narrow longitudinal channel 7' communicating with one side of this chamber and. terminating adjacent to the opposite end of the frame bar. The chamber 6 and the channel 7 open upon one of the longitudinal edges of the frame, and into the same the foldable parts of the square are adapted to be closed. I

8 designates the blade of the square which is relatively narrow and is integrally formed at one end with the substantially semi-circular scale plate 9 and projects laterally from said plate. One or both sides of the scale plate are marked otf-in' any suitable mannerinto a multiplicity of blocks 10 which are adapted to contain suitable indicia, and at the outer edge of the scale plate the same is graduated through- 90 of its circumferential extent. as shown at 11, the. gruduations being'properly spaced and suitably marked. Indicating characters are also stan'qied along the remaining 90 of the edge of the scale. plate, as at 12: and in the illustrated embodiment, these characters indicate the rise of roof rafters of various lengths when pitched to dilferent degrees. The various lengths of rafters are stamped in the blocks ll) on the face of the scale plate and are visible through radially disposed slots 13 provided in one of the side walls of the compartment. 6 in the square frame. The degrees 11 ,on the edge of the scale plate are read through a sight opening 14: and the indicating numerals 12 'on the edge of said plate through a second opening 15 provided in the Wall of the chamber 6. The scale plate Sis mounted to pivot or turn upon a pin 16 whichis fixed at one of its ends in one wall of the cham- .in which one end of the metal tongue 19 is, m

mountedto turn upon a pivot pin 20 traversing said slot and fixed in the extension 17 of the scale plate. The pivoted end of the and thus retain said plate and the square blade in their set positions.

One wall of the longitudinally extending channel 7 in the frame 5 is provided with an opening 24 at the end of the frame 6 so that the extremity of the blade 8 may be seen when the blade is disposed within the channel 7 and thus enable the user to ascertain 'when said blade is in its proper horizontal position, for which purpose the end edge of the blade is provided with a suitable index mark. At this end of the frame 5, a thumb screw 25 is threaded in one of the walls of the channel 7 and is adapted. to be adjusted .into binding engagement with the tongue 19 of the square in order to retain the parts in their closed or folded positions with respect to the frame.

In the drawing, I have shown numerals stamped on one wall of the frame 5 along one edge of each of the slots 13 thereof and in line with the respective semi-circular sefies .of blocks 10 on the face of the scale plate. These numerals are indicative of the run of rafters in various lengths and the numerals in the blocks 10 are read in accordance with the run of the particular rafter, said numerals indicating the requisite lineal measurement of the rafter for the degree shown through the opening 14 and having a rise from the horizontal, as indicated on theedge; of the scale plate'through the opening l5.mVVhile I have thus illustrated in the drawing, the parts of the device provided with: the. (indicating characters to be employed for a particular purpose, it is obvious that the scale plate and the walls of the frame, 5 may .be otherwise suitably marked in accordance with the various op erations, for which such an implement can be advantageously employed- As thepresentzinvention resides in the mounting and relative arrangement ofthe movable parts so that they can be compactly folded, it would'besuperfluous, for purposes of this specification, to elaborate further .upon the many and varied uses of the invention,

In the actual use of my. invention, I have found that the mounting. and arrangement ofthe several partsJas' described, affordsa device which may be easily and quickly handled and arranged in position upon the material whereby the degree of bevel or inclination or the lineal measurement of parts to be cut may be quickly ascertained. The construction of the frame or body of the device in which the movable elements are mounted may, of course, be considerably varied from that disclosed in the drawing. The device is also susceptible of a great many other modifications in the form,- proportion and arrangement of the elements described and it will, therefore, be understood that I reserve the priv lege of adopting all such legitimatechanges as may be fairly embodied within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What I claim is l. In a folding square, a frame, a blade having a substantially semi-circular scale plate on one end thereof pivotally mounted 1n the frame and provided with a projection on one side of its pivot affording a weight to cause the gravity movement of the scale plate when the frame is disposed at an inclination, and a tongue mounted in said scale plate for movement to a position at .right angles to said blade and adapted to be folded with the blade into said frame.

2. In a folding square, a frame, a blade having a substantially semi-circular scale plate on one end thereof pivotally mounted in the frame and provided with a projection on one side of its pivot affording a weight to cause the gravity movement of the scale plate when the frame'is disposed at an inclination, a tongue pivotally mounted in said scale plate for movement to a position at right angles to said blade and adapted to be folded with the blade into said frame, and a set screw mounted in the frame for binding engagement upon said tongue to retain the same and the blade in their folded positions.

3. In a folding square, a frame, a blade having a substantially semi-circular scale plate on one end thereof pivotally mounted in the frame and provided with a projection on one side of its pivot affording a weight to cause the gravity movement of the scale plate when the frame is disposed at an in- I clination, a tongue pivotally mountedin the scale plate for movement to a position at right angles to said blade and provided with means for engagement, with the pivot of said plate to limit the movement of the tongue in one direction to a position at right angles with respect to the blade, said tongue and blade being foldable into the frame, and means mounted in the frame to retain the parts in their folded positions. a

4. In a folding square, a longitudinally recessed frame bar, a blade provided with a scale plate ,on one end pivotally mounted in the recess of the frame, said scale plate having a pro]ection on one side of its pivot whereby the plate is caused to turn by gravniee eee 53 ity, said projection having a recess in one edge, a tongue pivotally mounted in said, recess for folding movement upon the blade, said tongue being provided with a notch to receive the pivot and the scale plate WliQIQ- by movement of the tongue in one direction is limited to a position at right angles to the blade, said tongue and blade being foldable together into the recess of the frame bar,

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WALTER- DOANE ARZQISTRON(..

Vitnesses M. SPINNER, FLORENCE M. SPINNER.

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