US2615256A

US2615256A - Contour gauge

Info

Publication number: US2615256A
Application number: US226788A
Authority: US
Inventors: Harry L Olson
Original assignee: CKOLA Co
Current assignee: CKOLA Co
Priority date: 1951-05-17
Filing date: 1951-05-17
Publication date: 1952-10-28
Anticipated expiration: 1969-10-28

Description

Oct. 28, 1952 OLSON 2,615,256

CONTOUR GAUGE Filed May 17, 1951 3 Eg. J

- mun 62 Q r 4 $2 4 Zmnentor (Ittomegd Patented Oct. 28, 1952 Harry L. Olson, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor to Ckola Company, Minneapolis, a crpo--.

ration of Minnesota Application May 17, 1951, Serial No. 226,788

My invention relatesto contour-gauges and has for an object the provision of means whereby the contour of a given line or article may be quickly and easily copied.

Another important objectjofjmy invention is the provision of a contourvgauge which isqui'ckly and easily adjusted to a given contour and locked in its adjusted position; 2

A still further object ,of my invention is the provision of a contour gauge as set forth which may be stored in a minimumbf space and which in use may be inserted into areas of relatively small dimension.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a contour gauge comprising a plurality of contour indicating fingers in side-by-side relationship wherein novel means are provided for maintaining said fingers in side-by-side parallel relationship.

Still another object of my invention is the provision of a contour gauge as'set forth which is relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture, which comprises a minimum of different parts, which is efficient in operation, and which is rugged in construction and durable in use.

Other highly important objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from the following detailed specification, appended claims, and attached drawings.

Referring to the drawings which illustrate the invention and in which like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of my novel contour gauge, some parts being broken away and some parts shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a view in end elevation as seen from the left to the right with respect to Fig 1; and

Fig. 3 is a view in end elevation as seen from the right to the left with respect to Fig. 1.

Referring with greater detail to the drawings, my novel contour gauge is shown as comprising a plurality of elongated plate-like contour indicating fingers I that are mounted in side-by-side parallel relationship on a mounting member 2. Each of the fingers I is provided intermediate its

opposite ends

3 and 4 with a slot 5 which extends longitudinally of the finger I and through which the mounting member 2 projects.

The mounting member 2 is in the nature of a plate-like bar and is of a length to extend laterally outwardly beyond the plates I and carries a pair of cooperating clamping elements in its opposite ends. One of the clamping elements is in the nature of a flange or plate 6 riveted or otherwise rigidly secured to the adjacent end of 2 ,Cl ,ims. (Cl. 33175) the mounting bar 2 and the other of said clamping members comprises a bifurcated cam-acting lever l pivotally mounted-on the opposite end portion 8 of the. mounting bar by means of a v headed pivot pin orIthe'likeS. M

formed to provide a pair of cam-acting surfaces.

The lever 1 is ID, one of which is shown, which are eccentric to the axis of the pivot pin'9 whereby, when the lever I is moved to its dottedline position of Fig. 1, the several indicator fingers I are free to move longitudinally with respect to each other and to the, mountingm emberj. However, when the lever I is moved to its full-dine position of Fig. 1, the contour indicating fingers I are compressed therebetween and the flange 6 and frictionally locked against said longitudinal movements. A rectangular washer H is mounted on the mounting bar 2 between the lever 1 and the adjacent finger I and serves to provide a Wearing surface against which the cam surfaces I0 are adapted to bear. The mounting bar 2 is substantially of the same thickness as the width of the slots 5 in the several fingers I less proper working clearance, so that when the clamping lever I is moved to its finger releasing position, indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, the several fingers are free to move longitudinally with respect to the mounting bar 2. The bar 2 is, however, of sufiicient width to prevent rotation thereof with respect to the fingers I so that the parallel relationship of the fingers is maintained irrespective of the longitudinal displacement of some of the fingers with respect to others thereof.

It will be noted, by reference to Figs. 2 and 3, that the clamping elements 6 and I, the pivot pin 9, and the washer II are of widths not exceeding the width of the several fingers I. This arrangement not only permits the entire device to be stored in a relatively confinedarea in the users tool box or the like, but also permits determination of surface contours in restricted areas. The end portions 4 of the several fingers I are reduced in width, as indicated at I2, to further permit entrance thereof into restricted areas and to enable the user to determine the contour of a given article or line with greater accuracy and with a minimum of effort.

When it is desired to determine the contour of a given object, the user moves the lever l to its dotted-line position in Fig. 1 and holds the gauge substantially perpendicular to the surface to be gauged with the ends 4 of the fingers abutting said surface. The several fingers I are manipulated so that the ends 4 of each thereof contact the surface to be gauged or determined after which the lever I is moved to its lockin full-linegposition of Fig. 1. The contour formed by the position of the fingers I may then be compared to a layout or pattern, or the gauge may be placed upon a sheet of paper or other material and the contour inscribed upon the paper with a pencil, using the ends 4 of the fingers l as a guide forthe pencil. Y I

, My invention has been thoroughly tested and foundto be completely satisfactory for the accomplishment of the objectives set forth; and, while I have shown and described a commercial embodiment of my novel contour gauge, it will be understood that the same is capable of modification without departure-from the spiritand scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

What I claim is:

1. A contour gauge comprising a plurality of contour indicating fingers mounted in side-byside parallel relationship, said fingers being of uniform dimensions and each having a longitudinally extended slot intermediate its ends, a plate-like mounting bar extending transversely through said slots, said mounting bar being of .a thickness only slightly less than the width. of

said slots, whereby t permit limited longitudinal sliding movements of said fingers with respect to said, bar andv to each other and having sufficientiwidth to prevent rotation thereof in said slots, and cooperating clamping elements on the opposite; ends of said mounting 'bar laterally outwardly of said fingers, one ofisaid clamping elements comprising a flange rigidly mounted on said bar and engageable with the adjacent finger, the other of said clamping elements including a cam-acting lever pivotally mounted on the other end of the bar, said lever being movable in one direction of pivotal movement to permit longitudinal sliding movements of said fingers with respect to each other and to the mounting bar, and inwthe opposite; direction of. pivotal movement to compresssaidfingers "together whereby to frictionally lock the same against said sliding movements.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 in which the several fingers are reduced in width at one end toepermit entrance thereof into restricted alfeasi v HARRY L. OLSON.

REFERENCES CITED I he following references are of record in the (Addition in No. 330,009)