US1253096A - Measuring instrument. - Google Patents

Description

B. H. PRESTON.

MEAS URING INSTRUMENT. APPLICATION FILED AUG.9. 191s.

Patented Jan. 8, 1918.

ATTORNEY MEM UBHEG WSTBUMENT.

specification of Letters JPatent.

. Patented an. a, rare.

' Application filed august 9, 1916. serial No. 113,927.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that ll, BEN H. Pnns'ron, a citizen of the United States, residin at Monroe, in the county of Green and tate of Wisconsin, have inventedcertain new and useful improvements in Measuring instruments, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates broadly to measuring instruments, and more particularly has reference to that class known as a straight edge type having both sliding and pivotal adjustment.

It is a well known fact that carpenters and particularly stair builders encounter serious diiiiculty in providing perfect joints. For instance, in constructing box stairs it was formerly customary to first cut the side pieces or stringers and then nail them to the walls but it was seldom that a square joint out on the risers or treads would fit. Therefore as the primary object of this invention it is contemplated to provide an instrument that can be used to advantage when constructing a flight of stairs, the 1nstrument itself being arranged in a small compact form when not in use that can be readily extended and associated with slde pieces the stringers of a flight of stairs or associated with other work in procuring correct measurements.

It is another object of this invention to provide an instrument formed in two slidably' connected sections that can'be readily extended, means being associated therewith for holding the sections in various adjusted positions with respect to each other.

It is also contemplated by this invention to provide each of the sections with means for movably receiving blades as well as means associated with the sections and blades for removably holding the blades in various positions of angular adjustment with respect to the sections.

A still further object of my invention resides in the provision of a device of the character described that is simple in construction, efficient in operation and one that can be manufactured and placed on the market at a minimum cost;

Other objects as well as the nature, characteristic features and scope of my invention will be more readily understood from the following description t in connec tion with the accompanying drawings and a pointed out in the claim forming a part of this specification.

lln the dawingsz- Fi re 1 is a side elevation of my invention 1n a folded position.

Fig... 2 is a front elevation of my invention in an extended position.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary longi tudinal section of my invention showing the advantage of construction of the parts.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan of one of the blades.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse section taken on line 5- 5 of Fig. 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawings in which similar reference numerals designate like and corresponding parts throughout the difl'erent views, I provide a pair of sections 1 and 2 the latter being provided throughout its length with a longitudinally extending rib 3 preferably dovetailed in crossed section. This rib is slidably arranged in a longitudinally extending dovetailed groove 4 in the section 1. In order to hold the sections in various adjustable positions with respect to each other, 1 have embedded a plate 5 in one end of the section 2 while a set screw 6 extends transversely through the blade and the section and the rib so that the inner end will frictionally engage the bottom of the groove 3, when adjusted and thereby removably hold the sections in various positions.

For the purpose of obtaining various measurements I have bifurcated the free ends of both of the sections to provide longitudinally extending slots 7 the inner ends of which slots are cut diagonally as indicated by the numeral 8 for a purpose to .be hereinafter described. The outer end of each of the sections is enlarged to provide stop shoulders 10 for limiting the movement of the sections with respect to each other and metallic plates 11 are secured upon opposite faces of the outer end of the sections as is apparent upon reference to the drawings. Receivable within the slots 7 are blades 12 formed of any desirable metal and having a width similar to the width of the sections. The outer ends of these blades are out diagonally as indicated by the numeral 13 when they strike the diagonal portions 8 of the slots they will be held within the slots and in alineme'nt with the edges of the sections. The inner ends of the blades are provided'with openings 14. which have longitudinal slots 15 and communicating therewith. When the blades are arranged so that their inner ends are positioned adjacent the outer ends of the sections 1 and 2, a clamping screw 17 is passed through openings in the plate 11 and through registering opemngs of the sections and also through openin 14. Itvwill be readily apparent that by tlg tening this clamping screw the bifurcated portions of the sections will be drawntoward each other and also into frictional engagement with the blades 12 and consequently hold them in various positions of adjustment. When these clampingsc'rews 17 are loosened the blades may also be slidably adjusted on the ends of the sections through the medium of the slots 15.

In use, it is thought that the advantages of this invention will be readily a parent. This is especially true in stair bui ding as the side pieces or stringers can be inclined at the roper or desired angle whereupon the sectlons 1 and 2 can be adjusted and held in a desired length on the upper edge of the stringer. Now when the clamping screw 17 is loosened the blades 12 will swing downwardly to assume a perpendicular position which will indicate the angle of the riser. The clamping screw can be tightened and the instrument used in this manner until the side pieces have been marked. As is apparent it is used. in somewhat the same manner as of a square. The instrument can also be used to advantage in other capacicheaplyv manufactured and assembled and- 1 when assembled can be placed upon the marinvention and that various minor changes in detail of construction, proportion and arrangement of the parts may be made within the scope of the appended claim and without sacrificing any of the advantages of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

An instrument of the class described comprising two bars, one having a dove-tailed rib on one face thereof and extending throughout its length, the other bar having a corresponding groove in one face thereof to receive said rib, a thumb screw threaded in one of said bars and adapted to frictionally engage the other so as to maintain the bars in their adjusted position relative to each other, each of said bars having one of its ends bifurcated and formed with an enlargement thereon to provide a stop to limit the relative movement of the bars, said stops being oppositely positioned so as to engage with the inner ends of the bars respectively, a plurality of blades, one disposed in each of said bifurcations and having longitudinal slots therein, and a thumb screw extending through each of said enlargements and'through the slots in said blades for adjustably and frictionally securing the blades in position, said blades being foldable into the bifurcation when the instrument is in a folded position.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BEN H. PRESTON.

Witnesses J. B. OMEARA, DOROTHY E. TSCHUDY.

Images