US591363A

US591363A - Island

Info

Publication number: US591363A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1897-10-05
Anticipated expiration: 1914-10-05

Description

@(No ModeL)" F. SPALDING.

(JALIPERS No. 591,363. Patented Oct. 5,1897.

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pzrzns cu. mmo-Lrmovv WASHINGTON u c UNITED STATES ATENT FFIcE.

FRANK SPALDING, OF PROVIDENCE, RI-IODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE BROWN & SHARPE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

CALIPERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 591,363, dated October 5, 1897.

Applioation filed May 6,1897. Serial No. 635,360. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK SPALDING, of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Calipers; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

, The invention has reference to an improvement in spring-calipers in which the legs are forced apart by the action of a spring and are adjusted by a thumb-nut in screw-threaded engagement with a rod pivotally secured to one of the legs.

The invention consists in the peculiar and novel construction of the thumb-n ut,whereby the adjustment of the calipers is facilitated, as Will be more fully set forth hereinafter.

Calipers have to be so often adjusted and frequently to greatly-varying distances that the time required to turn the thumb-nut on the screw-threaded rod connecting the two legs of the calipers forms a considerable part of the employees time. To avoid this loss of time, the thumb-nut has been made in the form of a sleeve, on which jaws provided with screwthreads were pivoted and arranged to slide on the screw-.threaded rod from point to point. By engaging the jaws with the screw-thread the final adjustment was then made. In these prior devices the adjustment was not as convenient as is desirableand the longitudinal joints in the thumb-nut were objectionable in use.

The object of my invention is to avoid these defects and produce a rapidly-adj ustable nut more convenient in use and better adapted for minute adjustment.

Figure 1 isv a side view of a spring-caliper provided with my improved adjusting thumbnut. Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing the screw-threaded rod and the improved thumbnut in connection with two legs of a caliper.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the internally-screwthreaded split nut,'and Fig, 4 is an end view of the same. Fig. 5 is a vertical section, and Fig. 6' a transverse section, of the hinged end -of the caliper-legs.

In the drawings, a, (1 indicate the two legsof the calipers; b, the hinged connection formed is conical.

by a convex projection on one leg and a concaved seat on the other. A pin extends through the convex projection, and two washers, one on each side of the legs, are secured together by the pin. 0 indicates a ring-spring seated in notches formed on the outside of the legs a a above the hinged joint. The screwthreaded rod cl is pivotally secured at one end to one leg and extends through a hole in the other leg. The conical cup 6, rounded at its smaller end, slides freely over the screwthread of the rod and bears against the leg a. The split nut f is internally screw-threaded at the end g. The other portion of this end Close to the flange h the split nut is provided with the groove 1'. The nut f is split into four equal parts, as is shown in Fig.

4:, and is split close up to the flange h, which flange is solid. A hole slightly larger than the screw-threaded portion of the rod (1 extends through the nut f from the screw-threaded end 9 through the flange h.

The flange h is firmly secured in the end of the sleeve is, so as to turn with the same and the peripherically-milled flange Z,by which the device is operated. The knob m is secured to the end of the screw-threaded rod 01 and prevents the accidental Withdrawing of the adjusting device.

The operation of the adjusting device on the calipers is as follows: The spring 0, pressing on the legs above the fulcrum, forces the lower ends of the legs apart. The conical cup 6 compresses the conical end of the split nut f and engages the same with the screwthread of the rod 01, and the end of the sleeve it bears against the end of the conical cup e. By turning the flange l the nut fturns on the screw-thread and the ends of the caliper-legs are brought closer together or allowed to spread farther apart and may be accurately adjusted. When a greater difference in adjustment is required, the legs are slightly compressed, whereby the cup 6 slides on the conical endg and allows the nut f to open and the nut with the sleeve is to slide on the screwthread. By releasing the legs the springpressure forces the cup e again over the conical end g, and the final adjustment is made by turning the milled flange Z. The sleeve is incloses and protects the split nut and facilitates the use of the device, as the exterior is smooth and round.

The split nut f is made of steel and is spring-tempered. The groove 1', by diminishing the thickness of the metal at the end of the cut, increases the flexibility of the ends 9 of the nut. The sleeve 70 limits the expansion of the ends g and the breaking off of parts of the split nut f in handling.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a spring-caliper, the combination with the legs a a and the screw-threaded rod (1 pivotally secured to one leg and extending through an opening in the other leg, of the conical cup 6, the sleeve 7; having the peripherically-milled flange Z, the split nut f having the conical end 9, the groove 2' and flange 7L, the flange h and the sleeve 7; being secured together, as described.

2. In a caliper, the combination with the legs a a, the fulcrum l), the spring 0 acting on the legs above the fulcrum, and the screwthreaded rod (Z pivotally secured to one leg and extending through an opening in the other, of the conical cup e, the sleeve 70, the peripherically-milled flangel on the sleeve, the longitudinally-split nut f, the conical end g, the groove and flange h integral with the split nut f, said flange h secured to and rotating with the sleeve 7c and the knob m on the end of the rod; whereby the adjustingnut may be rapidly moved longitudinally on the screw-threaded rod d, as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

FRANK SPALDING.

\Vitn esses:

JosEPH A. l\.[ILLER, Jr., M. F. BLIGH.