Patent ID: 7107696
Filing Date: 2006-09-19
Classification: G01B

Abstract:
1. A freestanding micrometer for determining the diameter of a cylindrical body, the freestanding micrometer comprising: a housing; means for supporting the housing on the cylindrical body while the cylindrical body is oriented so that its longitudinal axis is approximately horizontal, the support means enabling the freestanding micrometer to travel along a longitudinal length of the cylindrical body and comprising wheels that vertically support the housing on an upper surface of the cylindrical body, each of the wheels vertically supporting the housing on the upper surface having an axis of rotation oriented in a substantially vertical direction when supporting the housing on the upper surface of the cylindrical body; first measurement means movably supported by the housing so that the position of the first measurement means can be altered in a lateral direction approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical body, the first measurement means being adapted for sensing a first surface point of the cylindrical body laterally spaced apart from the housing and disposed in a cross-sectional plane of the cylindrical body, the first surface point defining a terminal of a chord lying in the cross-section plane of the cylindrical body; second measurement means mounted to the housing for contact with a second surface point of the cylindrical body disposed in the cross-sectional plane of the cylindrical body, the second surface point defining a location along the length of the chord; and means for determining the diameter of the cylindrical body based on the length and height of the chord ascertained from first and second outputs of the first and second measurement means, respectively.