US772696A - Ruler. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTBD V0G12. *18, -1904.

VP. GUMMING.

RULER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. zo. 1904.

. No MODEL.:

mmm

Patented October 18, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

PAUL OUMMING, OF KEYWEST, FLORIDA.

Ruilen.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent o. 772,696, dated October 18, 1904.

Application iiled January 20, 1904. Serial No. 189,786. (No model.)

T all whom, it may concern:

Beit known that I, PAUL OUMMING, a citiv zen of the United States, and a resident lof Keywest, in the county of Monroe and State of Florida, have invented a new and Improved Ruler, of which the following is a full, clear, and eXact description.

invention relates to parallel or other rulers, and .is especially adapted to that class of parallelrulers that are used by sailors for laying out courses, plotting their days work,- and-the like. Itis, however, of general use on rulers and is not confined to parallel-rulers.

Fig.3 is a transverse section on the line 3 3V; Fig. 4 is a side view of a detail to i of Fig. 1. be described. Fig. 5 is an `end view of the same, and Fig. 6 is a sectional view of another form of construction which comes within the scope of my invention. Y

In the drawings my invention is represented by a parallel-ruler consisting of the parts a c, connected'together by parallel links pivoted to each part-cr a, as shown, so as to allowA the usual operation of a parallel-ruler. Upon each part a is placed a bar c, normally held up from contact with the parts a by the springs or equivalent devices d. By pressing on a knob c on the bar c the latter will be forced down, so that the lugs 0' on the bars c will press upon the elastic disks ff, as shown in Fig. 2, or so that the elastic disks f f', attached ,to the bars c, shall be forced down through the holes g in the parts a, as shown in Fig. 6. The latter is a modification which may be used without departing from the spirit moved, the springs Z will obviously raise the bars o and relieve the disks from their pressure, iso that'the instrument may be easily moved along kto another position. y

'A Upon the top of each part a are fastened two guides/r, in such position as to cover the ends of the bars c and to prevent any movevment thereof eXceptin a vertical direction and to limit that movement. The several figures clearly show the preferred shape of these guides; but any other shape which will produce the functions described may be adopted withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention. A tongue t is shown on the back of each guide /r to prevent longitudinal movement of the bars c, while transverse movement isprevented by the vertical ends of the guides.

ich k are brackets secured to the parts a a and soshapedat 7c as to permit the necessary movement of the links on their pivots.

The parts described may be of any of the usual materials employed lin instruments of this kind; but I prefer to make the disks ff ofrubber and thel bars c and the'guides L of metal. The bars c may be fiat or may be angle-bars with flat ends.

From the above description it will be seen that an instrument of the kind mentioned provided with my invention will be very readily operated and will not be liable to slip when it is desired to hold it in position. It Will also be seen that when after holding the ruler in position for use it is desired to release it and move'it along the position of the hand doesfnot have to be changed. This accounts renders the instrument very simple and convenient. It will further be observed that by pressure on one point, which can be applied by one finger or thumb, two points in the length of the part cr areforceddown. This causes thev ruler to be securely held and prevented from swinging as Well as from longitudinal or lateral motion. In theold forms in which pressure was applied directly on the 100 for the ease of operation mentioned above and Y surface of the ruler and transmitted through it at one point only the ruler, although held from rectilinear movement, was liable to be easily swung about the point of application of pressure as a pivot, and the only way of guarding against this was to use two fingers for holding it in position. It will be further observed that there is little danger of this instrument getting out of order on account of the simplicity of the parts unless the parts are actually broken by careless usage.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. The combination of a ruler, a bar supported above it, and disks passing through said ruler and adapted to be projected beyond the lower surface of the ruler by pressure exerted lon said bar.

2. The combination of a ruler, a bar supported above it, disks passing through said ruler and adapted to be projected beyond the lower surface of the ruler by pressure exerted on said bar, guides for said bar on said ruler, and a knob on said bar.

3. The combination of a ruler, a bar supported above it, disks passing through said ruler and adapted to be projected beyond the lower surface of the ruler by pressure exerted on said bar, and guides adapted to prevent movement of said bar except in a vertical direction.

4C. The combination of a ruler, a bar supported above it, disks passing through said ruler and adapted to be projected beyond the lower surface of the ruler by pressure exerted on said bar, and guides for said bar, comprising vertical end and side portions and a hori- Zontal top portion.

5. A ruler comprising two parallel parts, pivoted links connecting said parts, means for preventing slipping, a yielding device upon each of said parts, and a bar supported upon each of said yielding devices and normally held out of contact with the ruler by said yielding' devices and adapted to coact with said means.

6. A ruler comprising two parts, means for mounting said parts in parallel relation, a yielding device upon each of said parts, a bar supported upon each of said yielding devices and normally held out of contact with the ruler, a knob fixed to each of said bars, guides for said bars and elements adapted to be projected beyond the surface of the ruler by said bars.

7. A ruler having a perforation therethrough, a disk resting in said perforation and having its surfaces flush with the sui'- faces of said ruler, and means for projecting one surface of said disk beyond the surface of the ruler.

8. In a ruler, the combination of a yielding device fixed thereto, a bar supported thereon, a knob on the top of said bar, guides upon the ruler and adjacent to the ends of said bar, vertical parts on `said guides to prevent longitudinal and lateral movement of said bar, a top also on said guides to limit but not prevent vertical movement of said bar, and disks passing through said ruler and adapted to be forced downward by said bar.

9. In a ruler, the combination of a main part, a spring thereon, a bar supported by said spring, and two rubber disks passing through and located at diiierent points in the length of said main part, said bar being adapted and constructed to force both disks simultaneously toward the lower surface of said main part.

l0. ln a ruler, the combination of two main parts, links pivoted to each of said parts and holding' them in parallel relation to each other, a bar on each part, a single device on each bar for the application of pressure, and a plurality of projections on the bottom of each of said bars, adapted to be forced down simultaneously upon the application of pressure at the said point.

ll. In a ruler, the combination of two main parts, links pivoted to each of said parts and holding them in parallel relation to each other, a baron each part, a single device on each bar for the application of pressure, and a plu ra-lity of rubber disks adapted to be forced down simultaneously upon the application of pressure at the said point.

1n testimony whereof l have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

PAUL CUMMING.

Witnesses:

VICTOR, ANDERSON, Ro nur KNowLus.

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