US2853786A

US2853786A - Gage block assembly

Info

Publication number: US2853786A
Application number: US485130A
Authority: US
Inventors: Sr Elmer Ellstrom
Original assignee: DEARBORN GAGE Co
Current assignee: DEARBORN GAGE Co
Priority date: 1955-01-31
Filing date: 1955-01-31
Publication date: 1958-09-30
Anticipated expiration: 1975-09-30

Description

P 1958 E. ELLSTROM, sR 2,853,786

GAGE BLOCK ASSEMBLY Fi led Jan. 51, 1955 I 1|:a-.- L TIE-.5

IN V EN TOR.

ELMER [us man 51?. BY

5/1/ TH 015mm A fron/vsvs GAGE BLOCK ASSEMBLY Elmer Ellstrom, Sr., Dearborn, Mich., assignor to Dear- This invention relates to a gage block assembly and particularly to such an assembly which can be employed to accurately measure a plurality of diiferent linear distances with a minimum of block changes and manipulations.-

. It is well known of course that very accurate measurements can be made by bringing a number of standard dimension gage blocks together in wringing engagement whereby to form a block assembly of the desired dimension. In order to prevent the blocks from being separated from'one another, as by the assembly being inadvertently pushed over or upset, it has been proposed to provide mechanisms for mechanically (as opposed to wringingly) holding the blocks together. In one instance such holding mechanism comprised a series of tie rods extending through aligned apertures in the blocks. With known types of blocks however the use of such tie rods' has not proven entirely satisfactory because each time it was desired to change the overall dimension of the block assembly it was necessary to disassemble the tie rods before adding or removing blocks. If it was desired to add or remove a comparatively large number of blocks United States Patent F it was necessary to employ different length tie rods. If

the blocks were merely held in their assembled positions by reason of their wringing engagements there was'of course the danger that the assembly'would be inadvertently separated by being pushed over or otherwise upset.

With prior art block constructions it is necessary when making changes in the block assembly dimension to disengage or engage a number of the blocks according to the desired change in block assembly length. Some degree of care is necessary in order to bring the blocks into wringing engagement, and it is desirable therefore to maintain the number of block manipulations at a minimum. When no mechanical holding means i provided the number of block manipulations is undesirably high since it is common practice to completely disassemble the block assembly after each period of use and it is therefore necessary to completely reassemble the blocks before it is again possible to make a measurement.

One object of the present invention is to provide a gage block assembly which can be employed to accurately indicate a plurality of different linear distances with a minimum of block manipulations.

Another object of the invention is to provide a gage block assembly wherein the individual blocks are mechanically interlocked, and wherein any of several measurements can be made without unlocking or otherwise dissociating the blocks from one another.

This objectis accomplished by constructing each of the blocks with a notch or recess therein, whereby when a plurality of the blocks are assembled together in superposed relation there are formed a plurality of accurately spaced shoulders, each of which is of sufficient dimension to wringingly receive a known size gage block. The block assembly may be employed to measure any of a plurality of dimensions by merely positioning one or more blocks on the appropriate shoulder. Thus if the block assembly 2,8533% Patented Sept. so, 1958 ice includes seven one inch blocks it is possible to measure any distance up to seven inches without in any way disassembling the block assembly. If the distance'to be measured is two and one half inches the measurement may be madeby positioning a half inch block on the shoulder surface of the second block. If the distance to be measured is four and one half inches the measurement may be made by positioning ahalf inch block on the shoulder'surface of the fourth block.

Another object of the invention is to provide a gage block assembly wherein each block is recessed for the reception of a conventional gage block and wherein the surfaces formed by said recesses need not be held within any critical tolerances, whereby'no more close machining is required than with conventional gage block constructions. a

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein'like reference characters'designate corresponding parts in the several views. p

In the drawings: I

Figure 1 is an elevational view of one embodiment of the invention. j

Figure 2 is a top plan view of a gage block employed in the Figure l embodiment.

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the embodiment shown in Figure 1. p

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the gage block shown in Figure 2. I I

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a gage. block employed in conjunction with the gage block shown'in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of an extension block which can be employedin conjunction with the apparatus shown in Figure l. r v

Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways; Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

Referring to the drawings and particularly Figure l the illustrated embodiment will be seen to include a gage block assembly 20 comprised of a block 1 on which are positioned a plurality of blocks 2. Block 1 is circular in plan except for three cut away portions 3, 4 and 5 which are provided for reducing the weight of said block. There are formed on block 1 a pair of finely finished parallel surfaces 6 and 7, each of which is provided with a groove 8. The purpose of grooves 8 is to reduce the area of surfaces 6 and 7, whereby when said surfaces are in wringing engagement with surfaces (to be described later) block 1 can be disengaged with no more than a reasonable etfort. Blocks 2 are each provided with a pair of finely finished

parallel surfaces

9 and 10, whereby a plurality of said blocks may be brought into wringing engagement with each other and block 1 as shown in Figure 1. Each of blocks 1 and 2 is provided with a central aperture 11. A countersink 12 is provided in block 1 and the uppermost one of blocks 2 for accommodating the heads of a tie rod (not shown). Any'convenient form of tie rod may be employed, one suitable form being that shown in U. S. Patent No. 1,514,525 issued to W. E. Hoke. The purpose of the tie rod is to mechanically hold the gage blocks together whereby they will not become separated as by being inadvertently overturned or upset.

It would be possible to formall of blocks 2 out of a single block except that it would be extremely difficult to simultaneously hold the tolerances on all of surfaces 9. By forming each of blocks 2 as a separate element" only two surfaces (9 and 10) need be simultaneously held within close tolerances.

It will be noted that each block 2 includes an enlarged rectangular portion 13 and a reduced cylindrical portion 14 whereby to form a recess 15 for the accommodation of a gage block 16.; I H V Block 15 is considerably longer in the direction-of arrow A (Fig.v 1) than a conventionalblock, whereby to form a surface 22 extending beyond the'lateral limits of blocks 2 foraccommodating

conventional gage blooks

17 and 23. Blocks 16' and 17 are of course provided with finely finished parallel-surfaces for their wringing engagement with each other and with surfaces 9 formed on block 2. The vertical dimensions of blocks 1 and 2 may be varied but the preferred vertical dimension for each of blocks 1 and 2 is one inch.

The use of block 16 and conventional gage blocks in conjunction with blocks 2 permits the accurate measurement ofany distance less than the total length of assembly without separating or removing any of blocks 2. Thus when block 1 is positionedon a flat surface 18 and it is desired to accurately measure an unknown distance X- the measurement can be made by positioning block 16 on the fourth shouldereforrning surface 9 a as indicated in Fig. 1. Other distances may; be measured by employing other blocks (such as 17) on blocks 16 or appropriate ones of surfaces 9. It will be appreciated that the number and dimension of blocks 2 can be varied according to the distance which it is necessary to measure.

If desired the apparatus may be used in conjunction with the extension block- 19 shown in Fig. 6. As there shown block 19 is similar to block 1 except that'block 19 is of greater vertical dimension than block 1 and block 19'is provided with a plurality of through holes 21 for reducing the weight of said block. Block 19 is utilized in those cases when it isdesired to confine the measuring process to distances greater than the length of block 19. In'use block 19 is either substituted for block 1 or positioned in wringing'engagement with the bottom surface of block 1. Whichever arrangement is employed an elongated tie rod (not shown) may if desired be used to mechanically retain block 19 in fixed relation to blocks 2.

It would of course be possible toiric'rease thelength of assembly 20 by merely adding additional blocks 2 instead of adding extension block 19. In that case however the number of

surfaces

9 and 10 which would have to be held within close tolerances would be greater than when block 19 was employed. Preferably therefore block 19 is employed when it is desired to confine the measuring process to distances greater than the length of said block.

I claim:

1. A gage'blcck assembly comprising a seriesof gage blocks secured on one another in 'superposedirelatiou, each of the blocks having parallel flat upper and lower facesin wringing engagement with the flat faces of adjacent blocks, each of the blocks having a section of reduced lateral dimension whereby to form a recess, a gag-e block element positioned in one of the recesses and projecting outwardly beyond the lateral edge of the immediately superjacent gageblock, and a second gage block element wringingly positioned on the upper face of the first gage block element and extending alongside said immediately superjacent gage block.

2. A gage block assembly comprising a series of identical gage blocksisecured on one another in superposed relation; each of the blocks having parallel fiat upper and lower faces in wringing engagement with the fiat faces of adjacent blocks; the lower portion of the side wall of each of said bodies being cut away-to form a recess; a gage block element wringingly positioned on the upper face of one of the gageblocks and in one of the recesses and projecting outwardly beyond the side wall of the immediately superjacent gage block; and a second gage block element wringingly positioned on'the upper face of the first gage block element and extending alongside said immediately superjacent gage block.

References Cited in the file er this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS