Method and device for producing a spring manometer measuring system as well as a tube spring manometer

A method for producing a spring manometer measuring system that includes a deviation detector spring connected to an indicator by a tie rod, and the spring is subjected to a reference pressure for spring deflection measurement before producing a tie rod bearing.

This invention relates to a method for producing a spring manometer 
measuring system consisting of an indicator, a spring serving as a 
deviation detector and a tie rod connecting the indicator to the spring, 
as well as a device for producing such a spring manometer measuring system 
and a tube spring manometer. 
The inventive method and device are basically applicable to the production 
of measuring systems in which an at least approximately rectilinear 
movement of a deviation detector must be transmitted to an indicator. In 
the following the invention will be explained with reference to the 
production of a measuring system for a tube spring manometer without 
restricting the invention to the production of such a measuring system. 
The measuring system of a tube spring manometer normally includes a 
deviation or deflection detector which is designed as a tube spring and 
which is secured to a deviation detector support, an indicator which 
converts the movement of the end of a spring into a movement suitable for 
display or conversion of the measured value, and a connecting member which 
connects the end of the spring to the indicator. In the case of pointer 
manometers, the indicator is a pointer train. A pointer can be placed on 
the pointer shaft of such a pointer train. A pinion on the pointer shaft 
engages directly or indirectly a toothed segment pivotally mounted on a 
segment axis. This toothed segment also includes a segment lever which 
articulates with the tie rod at a point of articulation. The other end of 
said tie rod articulates at an end point with an end piece secured to the 
end of the spring. The deflection of the end of the spring can thus be 
converted into a rotary movement of the pointer whose position can be read 
off a scale or dial. 
Such a measuring system is produced conventionally in the following manner. 
The tube spring is rigidly connected to the deviation detector support on 
the one hand and on the other hand to the end piece which has a hole 
forming the end point for insertion of the tie rod. The pointer train is 
manufactured separately and the segment lever thereof is provided with a 
hole forming the point of articulation even before the pointer train is 
assembled in the measuring system. The pointer train and the deviation 
detector support which supports the tube spring are rigidly 
interconnected, whereupon the tie rod is mounted, for example, with the 
aid of rivets inserted through the two holes and the two ends of the tie 
rod. The dial, which also belongs to the manometer, can be affixed to the 
deviation detector support together with the pointer train, for example. 
When subjected to a pressure, such a measuring system is supposed to 
indicate this pressure within permissible tolerances. The pointer 
deflection beginning at zero and corresponding to the nominal pressure or 
the final scale value is termed the span. Furthermore, the indication 
should be linear within permissible tolerances, i.e. in the case of 
fractions of the nominal pressure, the pointer deflection should 
correspond to these fractions. In the case of the afore-described 
production of measuring systems, both the positions of the holes for the 
end point and point of articulation as well as the deflection of the end 
of the spring when subjected to the nominal pressure, here designated as 
the spring excursion, are subject to certain fluctuations due to the 
manufacturing tolerances from measuring system to measuring system which 
affect the span and linearity. An adjustment of each and every measuring 
system is therefore necessary if the permissible display tolerances are to 
be observed. 
The span depends substantially on the lever arm, i.e. the distance of the 
point of articulation from the segment axis, the spring excursion and the 
end point position, i.e. the distance from the end point to the imaginary 
pivot point of the end or to the end of the spring. The linearity depends 
substantially on the pivot angle, i.e. the angle between the straight line 
extending from the segment axis to the point of articulation and the 
straight line extending from the point of articulation to the end point. 
The geometric and kinematic relations between these quantities are known. 
Adjustment is conventionally effected in such a manner that the spring is 
subjected to a specific reference pressure and the deflection of the 
spring is measured at the same time. The deflection is measured by reading 
off the pressure indicated by the measuring system which is already 
provided with a pointer. If the indicated span is outside permissible 
tolerances, the lever arm or the end point position is changed manually. 
This change can be made by bending a hook formed on the segment lever or 
on the end piece, the hole for the point of articulation or the end point 
being located at the free end of said hook. Alternatively, this change can 
also be made by displacing the point of articulation or the end point in 
an elongated hole in the segment lever or end piece. The linearity, i.e. 
the pivot angle, is adjusted by manually changing the length of the tie 
rod or the position of the pivot point or the end point in a described 
manner (cf. the periodical "Die Technik", Vol. 3, No. 1, January 1948, 
pages 28 and 29). Alternatively, it is possible to adjust the pivot angle 
by turning the indicator in the manometer housing. It is obvious that 
every adjustment of the span necessarily changes the linearity and that 
every adjustment in linearity in turn influences the span so that as a 
rule the span and linearity have to be adjusted several times in an 
alternating fashion until the desired display tolerances are attained. It 
is self-evident that the conventional adjustment procedure is thus a 
time-consuming and expensive operation. 
The necessity of being able to adjust a measuring system in the 
afore-mentioned manner is accompanied by yet other limitations and thus 
drawbacks during the production of the measuring system. 
In order to prevent the adjustment from becoming too expensive, relatively 
low tolerances must be observed in a conventional manometer when 
connecting the tube spring with the deviation detector support on the one 
hand and with the end piece on the other hand in which the hole for the 
end point has already been formed. This of course increases the 
manufacturing expenses. 
In order for the lever arm to be changed during adjustment, at least one 
section of the segment lever must be plastically deformable or it must 
have an elongated hole. 
For this reason the segment lever must be made of metal, which is costly, 
or it must have at least a complicated shape which also increases the 
manufacturing expenses. 
Conventional manometers feature zero suppression so that a defined initial 
position is given for the pointer on the one hand and so that, on the 
other hand, the pointer train does not demesh when the spring is subjected 
to a sub-pressure, i.e. so that the toothed segment and the pinion do not 
disengage. This zero suppression is embodied by a stop pin on the dial 
whose manufacture and assembly incur expenses and which can also cause 
damage to other dials during storage. Replacing this stop pin by a 
non-adjustable stop in the pointer train has hitherto not been possible, 
since the zero position of the pointer train elements is not established 
until after adjustment. On the contrary, the position of the pointer train 
elements must be variable in order to effect adjustment. 
The object of the invention is to provide a method for producing a spring 
manometer measuring system which makes it possible to reduce the expenses 
incurred during conventional adjustment. 
In accordance with a first embodiment of the invention, this object is 
accomplished by a method for producing a spring manometer measuring system 
consisting of an indicator, a spring serving as a deviation detector and a 
tie rod connecting the indicator to the spring, a bearing defining an end 
point being produced on the spring for one end of said tie rod and a 
second bearing defining a pivot point for the other end of said tie rod 
being produced on the indicator and the tie rod being articulated with 
both bearings, the spring being subjected to a specific reference pressure 
while the deflection of said spring is being measured. It is provided in 
accordance with the invention that the deflection of the spring is 
measured before the bearings are produced for the tie rod and that the 
geometric locations at which the bearing on the spring and the second 
bearing are produced are determined from the measured deflection on the 
basis of experimentally ascertained or calculated associations. 
In accordance with a second embodiment of the invention, the cited object 
is accomplished by a method for producing a spring manometer measuring 
system consisting of an indicator, a spring serving as a deviation 
detector and a tie rod connecting the indicator to the spring, a bearing 
defining an end point being produced on the spring for one end of said tie 
rod and a second bearing defining a pivot point for the other end of said 
tie rod being produced on the indicator and the tie rod being articulated 
with both bearings, the spring being subjected to a specific reference 
pressure while the deflection of said spring is being measured. It is 
provided in accordance with the invention that the deflection of the 
spring is measured before one of the two bearings is produced for the tie 
rod and that the geometrical location at which this one bearing is 
produced is determined from the measured deflection on the basis of 
experimentally ascertained or calculated associations. Preferably, the 
second bearing, i.e. the bearing on the indicator, is not produced until 
after the deflection of the spring has been measured. 
Unlike the first embodiment of the invention, both bearings are not 
produced after the spring deflection has been measured in the second 
embodiment of the invention, but rather only one of the two bearings is 
produced only after the measurement, while the other bearing was already 
produced previously in the conventional manner. 
Both embodiments of the invention coincide in that at least one of the two 
bearings for the tie rod is produced only after the spring deflection has 
been measured and that at least the geometric location of this one bearing 
is determined from the measured deflection on the basis of experimentally 
ascertained or calculated associations. 
It is already known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,805,619 to adjust the span in a 
spring manometer measuring system without an indicator, i.e. with a 
pointer directly connected to the end of a spiral spring, in such a manner 
that the end of the spring attached to the housing is displaced relative 
to the housing of the manometer during adjustment and is then fixed in 
position, thereby extending the active length of the spring. In the case 
of the invention, however, the active length of the spring is definite. 
The inventive approach relates to the connection between the free end of 
the spring and the indicator. This connection is not affected in the 
approach according to U.S. Pat. No. 3,805,619. 
As a rule, the nominal pressure serves as the reference pressure. There is 
an advantageous possibility, however, for the reference pressure to be 
greater than the nominal pressure. A possibility of production is to 
perform the measurement after the spring manometer measuring system has 
been completely assembled except for the tie rod. 
In a measuring system comprising an end piece on the spring and a segment 
lever associated with the indicator, each bearing is drilled or punched in 
the end piece or segment lever preferably as a hole, although there are 
also other possibilities to produce the bearings. A prefabricated bearing 
can be secured to the end piece or segment lever, for example. The tie rod 
is articulated only after at least one bearing has been produced at the 
correct location resulting from the measurement. This inventive approach 
renders the conventional adjusting procedure superfluous, since the 
production of at least one bearing at the correct location replaces this 
adjusting operation. It was recognized that conventional adjusting was 
necessary because the bearings were produced before the position of the 
end point and pivot point required for each individual measuring system by 
virtue of its properties and manufacturing dimensions was known so that 
the bearings had to be moved to the required position at a later time. In 
accordance with the invention, at least one of the bearings is not formed 
until after the required position of the pivot point and the end point or 
one of these points has been established for each individual measuring 
system so that the bearing or bearings can be formed at these points and a 
correction can be omitted. This also applies to the second embodiment of 
the invention, for example, if the distribution of the end point position 
from spring to spring is low and if only the second bearing is produced on 
the indicator on the basis of the result of measurement. 
In order to determine the required position of the end and pivot points or 
one of these points from the measurement of the deflection of the spring, 
the required correlations can initially be derived from conventionally 
adjusted measuring systems and can then be compiled in the form of a 
table. This table can then be used for setting the drilling or punching 
device or the like with which the bearings or the bearing is produced, or 
to position the measuring system or the spring and the indicator in this 
device. Alternatively, the correlations may also be calculated, since the 
geometric and kinematic relations between the spring deflection or spring 
excursion, the lever arm, the end point position and the pivot angle are 
known. The results of this calculation can also be compiled in a table and 
used as the setting or positioning instructions. The work to be done is 
thus reduced to setting the device for producing at least one of the 
bearings to a set value associated with the result of measurement or to 
position the measuring system or the spring and indicator in accordance 
with this value. This procedure requires substantially less time and 
experience than the adjustment in the afore-described manner which is now 
superfluous. 
The inventive method according to the two embodiments can be executed 
especially advantageously in such a manner that the result of measurement 
is supplied to a control device which determines from the result of 
measurement the set value for the drilling or punching device or the like 
or the required position of the measuring system or the spring and 
indicator in this position and then regulates the drilling or punching 
device or positioning device to the corresponding value. In so doing, the 
control device can also control the measuring procedure as well. This 
approach makes the completely automatic production of the bearings 
possible starting from the time of measurement so that time and operating 
expenses are reduced. 
The inventive approach according to the two embodiments of the invention 
also make it possible to disregard or abandon the deformability of the end 
piece and/or the segment lever or an elongated hole in the segment lever 
or end piece. This simplifies the production thereof and makes it possible 
to employ non-metallic materials for the segment lever which, for example, 
could serve to compensate for errors due to temperature. 
In the method according to the first embodiment of the invention both 
bearings are preferably produced simultaneously. 
In addition to the omission of the adjustment work and the associated 
savings of time and work, the method according to the first embodiment of 
the invention also achieves other advantages which will be explained in 
the following. 
Since the bearings are only produced subsequently, greater tolerances can 
be allowed when connecting the tube spring to the end piece and to the 
deviation detector support. 
In an advantageous development of the first embodiment of the invention, it 
can be provided that the indicator is maintained in a mechanically defined 
end position during the production of the bearings, while at the same time 
the spring is subjected to the pressure which is to be suppressed at point 
zero of the indicator. The result of this approach is that the measuring 
system has a defined zero position with zero suppression without requiring 
a stop pin on the dial or an adjustable stop at any other location. The 
stop pin can therefore be omitted, thereby simplifying the production of 
the manometer and reducing the danger of damaging the dials. 
Finally, the method according to the first embodiment of the invention 
makes it possible to insert the tie rod by machine. Since in the 
conventional approach the positions of the end and pivot points are not 
known exactly due to the manufacturing dimensions at the time the tie rod 
is inserted, the tie rod must be inserted manually. In the inventive 
approach, however, the positions of the end and pivot points are known 
exactly for each measuring system from the preceding production step, i.e. 
the production of the bearings, so that the bearings can also be 
positioned exactly at defined locations in a device for inserting the tie 
rod as well, whereupon the tie rod is inserted by means of this device. 
This also reduces the operational costs considerably. 
Another object of the invention is to provide a device for producing a 
spring manometer measuring system by means of which measuring systems can 
be produced which require no adjustment. 
This object is accomplished in accordance with the invention by a device 
for producing a spring manometer measuring system consisting of an 
indicator, a spring serving as a deviation detector and a tie rod 
connecting the indicator to the spring and also articulating on bearings 
on the indicator on the one hand and on the end of the spring on the other 
hand, said device including 
a. a measuring device including a clamping chuck for clamping the spring 
into position and a pressure medium connection through which the spring 
can be supplied with a pressure medium, 
b. a measuring means belonging to said measuring device for measuring the 
deflection of the spring when subjected to pressure which includes a 
detector which supplies signals corresponding to the positions of the end 
of the spring under pressure and not under pressure when there is a 
relative movement between the detector and the end of said spring, 
c. a device for forming the bearing(s) on the spring and/or on the 
indicator, and 
d. a control device for controlling the device for forming the bearing(s) 
in accordance with the signals from the detector. 
Both the first embodiment of the inventive method as well as the second 
embodiment of the inventive method can be performed by means of this 
device. 
A measuring device comprising a clamping chuck for clamping the spring in 
position and a pressure medium connection through which the spring can be 
supplied with a pressure medium, is already known per se from conventional 
adjustment devices (cf. Rohrbach: "Handbuch fur elektrisches Messen 
mechanischer Grossen" (Handbook for the Electrical Measurement of 
Mechanical Quantities), VDI-Verlag, Duesseldorf, 1967, page 541). The 
measurement is performed by means of the known measuring device by reading 
off the pressure which is indicated by the measuring system which has 
already been provided with a pointer. 
Moreover, devices are also known per se which form a bearing. The known 
devices are punching or drilling devices by means of which holes are 
formed in individual parts such as the segment lever of an indicator or 
the end piece for a spring, for example, before they are assembled with 
the indicator or the spring. 
It can be provided in an advantageous development of the inventive device 
that the measuring device and the device for forming the bearing(s) are 
stations in machines through which the measuring system passes in 
succession. In addition, a control device is preferably provided which 
controls the measuring device and the device for forming the bearing(s) 
and, in so doing, automatically supplies to the device for forming the 
bearing(s) corresponding control signals calculated on the basis of the 
measured result. 
Furthermore, it can be preferably provided--to execute the second 
embodiment of the inventive method--that the device for forming the 
bearings includes two tools, with which two bearings can be formed, and a 
clamping chuck for clamping a measuring system into position which 
consists of the spring, a deviation detector support and an indicator. It 
is also preferably provided that the clamping chuck and the tools are 
adapted to be turned and set. This also facilitates a correction of errors 
in linearity in the spring or the indicator. In accordance with the 
invention, the locations of the bearings are determined on the basis of 
the spring deflection. This, however, does not exclude the fact that in 
addition other quantities can also be taken into account when the 
locations of the bearings are determined. If only the spring deflection is 
measured, however, only the influence of the spring deflection, which 
varies from spring to spring, on the span and linearity will be corrected. 
This is sufficient for practical purposes. If there are clear differences 
in the linearity behaviour of the springs from one batch of springs to 
another, these differences can also be taken into account by appropriate 
turning and resetting the clamping chuck, for example, in the device for 
forming the bearings. Moreover, it can also be provided that the relative 
position of the clamping chuck and the tools is also set depending on the 
respective measurement of the spring deflection. 
Finally, yet another object of the invention is to design a tube spring 
manometer in such a manner that production and adjustment of the manometer 
become less expensive without reducing the display accuracy of the 
manometer. 
This object is accomplished in accordance with the invention by a tube 
spring manometer comprising a deviation detector support, a tube spring 
rigidly connected at one end with the deviation detector support and at 
the other end with an end piece, a pointer train including a toothed 
segment to which a segment lever pivotally mounted on a segment axis 
belongs, and further comprising a tie rod which is rigid at least in the 
longitudinal direction, whose length is invariable and which articulates 
at the bearings both with the segment lever arm located on one side of the 
segment axis as well as with the end piece, circular holes being formed in 
the segment lever arm and in the end piece at the bearings. It is provided 
that the segment lever arm is a massive, plate-like element in the area 
between the segment axis and the bearing hole and that the end piece 
includes a plate-like element whose greatest dimensions lie in a plane 
common to the segment lever arm. 
The inventive manometer thus features a "novel kinematics", i.e. a novel 
development of the combination of end piece, tie rod and segment lever arm 
which connect the end of the spring with the pointer train. The special 
feature of this new kinematics is to be seen in the plate-like or laminar 
design of the end piece and the segment lever arm as well as in the 
construction of all three kinematic elements, the end piece, the tie rod 
and the segment lever arm which is termed rigid, i.e. invariable in 
length. 
The non-use of hooks, elongated holes and other possibilities of varying 
the spacing between the segment axis and the pivot point, the pivot point 
and end point as well as the end point and end of the spring simplifies 
the production of the kinematic elements. This omission becomes possible 
due to the plate-like or laminar design of the segment lever arm and end 
piece, since adequate material and sufficiently large surfaces exist in 
the area between the end point and the pivot point to be able to product 
the holes for the end and pivot points on the assembled measuring system 
comprising the deviation detector support, tube spring and pointer train 
after assembly has been completed. The position of the holes is determined 
from the properties of the respective measuring system, especially the 
spring deflection under nominal pressure, in such a manner that the span, 
i.e. the pointer deflection under nominal pressure, and the linearity of 
the display are within permissible tolerance fields. The inventive 
manometer is thus adjusted in spite of the structurally simple kinematics 
without requiring a conventional adjustment by subsequently changing the 
position of the pivot point and end point or the length of the tie rod so 
that, on the one hand, the production of the kinematic elements is less 
expensive and, on the other hand, the adjustment work can be omitted. The 
end piece is preferably connected in the common plane to the end of the 
tube spring and is stiffened to prevent bending. Especially simple 
production of the segment lever arm results from the fact that the segment 
lever arm is bordered on the side by two rectilinear edges. The novel 
kinematics can be developed further in an advantageous fashion in that the 
tie rod is a plastic member which has two tabs which can be snapped into 
the holes in the end piece and in the segment lever arm. A special 
advantage of the novel kinematics can be seen in the fact that it makes it 
possible to provide a non-adjustable zero stop pin in the pointer train or 
on the deviation detector support for a pivotal member of the pointer 
train. This stop replaces, for example, a stop pin on the dial of the 
manometer which increases the production costs in the case of conventional 
manometers and also is accompanied by the danger that it will damage other 
dials during storage. 
In accordance with the invention, for example, a stud bolt of the pointer 
train forms the zero stop pin, against which the toothed segment or the 
segment lever abut in the zero position. This is made possible by the 
inventive design of the kinematics which allows the bearings for the pivot 
point and the end point or one of these bearings to be produced while the 
segment lever, for example, abuts against the stud bolt and the tube 
spring is subjected to that pressure which is associated with the zero 
position of the pointer. A non-adjustable stop in the pointer train is 
impossible in conventional manometers, since the position of its movable 
parts must be variable in order to effect adjustment. Other advantageous 
designs and further developments of the invention are revealed in the 
patent claims. The invention will be explained in the following with 
reference to a tube spring manometer.

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a measuring system 8 of a tube spring 
manometer. The housing, the dial and the pointer of said manometer are not 
shown. The measuring system includes a deviation detector support 12 to 
which a tube spring 10 is welded at one end. A bore 14 (see FIG. 2) 
extends through said deviation detector support 12 and communicates with 
the interior of the tube spring 10. Furthermore, the measuring system 
includes a pointer train 20 comprising a pointer shaft pinion 22 and a 
toothed segment 24 which engages said pointer shaft pinion. The toothed 
segment 24 has a segment lever 26 which is pivotally mounted on a segment 
axis S. The segment lever arm 31 is formed by that portion of the segment 
lever which is located on the side of the segment axis facing away from 
the pointer shaft pinion 22. 
An end piece 16 is secured to the free, closed end of the tube spring 10, 
for example by welding. A circular hole 18, which is evident in FIG. 2, is 
located in the end piece, serves as a bearing for a tie rod 30 and defines 
the end point E. A circular hole 28 (see FIG. 2) is also located in the 
segment lever arm 31, serves as a bearing and defines the pivotal point A. 
Shoulder rivets are secured in these holes on which the tie rod 30 
articulates, thereby transmitting the deflection of the end of the tube 
spring under pressure to the pointer train 20. The tie rod, together with 
the end piece 16 and the segment lever 26, thus form the kinematics of the 
manometer. It goes without saying that the tie rod can be mounted in 
another manner other than by means of shoulder rivets. For instance, the 
tie rod can be a plastic part with two tabs which are snapped into the 
holes in the segment lever arm and the end piece. The kinematics of the 
manometer is stiff as evident from FIG. 1. Neither the segment lever arm 
31 nor the tie rod 30 nor the end piece 16 permit a change in length 
between the segment axis S and the pivotal point A or the pivotal point A 
and the end point E or the end point E and the end of the spring. The 
segment lever arm 31 is a flat, plate-like element which is laterally 
defined by rectilinear edges and which has no cuts or the like and no 
hook-like design adjacent the straight line extending from the segment 
axis to the pivotal point. The surface of the segment lever arm which is 
visible in the top elevation in accordance with FIG. 1 is so large that 
the hole 28 for the pivotal point A was able to be made at a suitable 
location within sufficiently wide limits. 
The end piece 16 is also a flat, plate-shaped element which is located in 
the same plane as the segment lever arm 31. The end piece 16, like the 
segment lever arm, has such a large surface area in this plane that the 
hole for the end point E was able to be made at a suitable location within 
sufficiently wide limits. FIG. 3 schematically illustrates the pointer 
train 20 in the position which it assumes at zero and when the hole 28 
(see FIG. 2) is being made. A stud bolt 27 of the pointer train serves as 
a stop against which the segment lever 26 abuts. This stop can also be 
formed by the deviation detector support 12, e.g. the edge thereof, as is 
shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 1 also shows the spring excursion F, viz. the 
deflection of the end of the spring at nominal pressure, the lever arm L, 
viz. the distance between pivotal point A and segment axis S, the position 
of the end point E as the distance P of the end point from the imaginary 
fulcrum D of the spring end and the pivot angle .alpha. between the 
straight line AS and the straight line AE. The deflection of the end of 
the spring is converted by the afore-described measuring system into a 
rotation of the pointer shaft pinion. In so doing, the span, i.e. the 
pointer deflection at nominal pressure, is influenced by the spring 
excursion F, the end point position and the lever arm L. The linearity is 
influenced substantially by the pivot angle .alpha.. The geometrical and 
kinematical relations between the spring excursion F, the end point 
position, the lever arm L and the pivot angle .alpha. are known and can be 
derived from FIG. 1. 
In the case of conventional manufacture, the position of the end point E 
and the pivotal point A must be adjusted to the spring excursion F. It is 
evident, for example, that an increase in the lever arm L which is made to 
compensate for too much spring excursion F will change the pivot angle and 
thus the linearity. If the distance P is varied to correct the linearity, 
i.e. varying the pivot angle .alpha., the span will vary as well so that 
the position of the pivotal point A must be changed anew. This complicated 
operation is not necessary in the inventive concept, since the end point E 
and the pivotal point A or at least one of these points are made at 
locations correctly associated with the spring excursion F so that the end 
piece 16 and the segment lever 26 can have the designs, for example, which 
are illustrated in FIG. 1 and which do not have to offer the possibility 
of a subsequent change in the position of the end point E and the pivotal 
point A by bending or shifting. An embodiment of the inventive devices is 
illustrated in FIG. 2. The device illustrated in FIG. 2 is suitable for 
executing the first embodiment of the inventive method. The device 
includes a measuring device 32 and a device for forming bearings which is 
designed as a drilling device 34 in the illustrated embodiment. 
Furthermore, the device also comprises a control device 36. The measuring 
device includes a clamping chuck 40 which is supported by a carriage 42. 
The carriage is guided by a carriage guide 44 and can be moved by a 
stepping motor 48 via a spindle 46. A tube spring 10 is clamped into 
position in the clamping chuck 40 on the deviation detector support 12 in 
the illustrated embodiment which is already connected to the pointer train 
20 as well. 
The measuring device 32 also includes a pressure connection which is formed 
by an air nozzle 50. The tip of the nozzle can be pressed into the 
aperture of the bore 14 so that the compressed air from the air nozzle 50 
acts directly on the tube spring 10. The air nozzle 50 is displaceably 
guided in such a manner that it can follow the displacement of the 
deviation detector support 12 by the carriage. The measuring means 52 of 
the measuring device is formed by a spring-loaded sensor 54 and a touch 
switch 56. The slight spring pre-bias which is exerted on the sensor keeps 
this away from the touch switch. One arm of the sensor rests on the end of 
the spring at a specific distance in front of the end piece 16. The 
drilling device 34 includes two drilling tools 58 and 59. The distance 
between the centers of these tools is equal to the distance between the 
bores or the like of the tie rod 30 which form the bearings. This distance 
is constant in the illustrated embodiment, but can also be adjustable in 
order to be adapted to other tie rod lengths. Furthermore, the drilling 
device also includes a clamping chuck 60 positioned on a carriage 62 which 
can be moved on a carriage guide 64 by a stepping motor 68 via a spindle 
66. The carriage guide is attached to a plate 70 which can be pivoted 
about the axis of the drilling tool 59 located on the right in FIG. 2. The 
entire drilling device 34 is equipped so that when the carriage 62 is 
moved, the segment axis S moves along a straight line connecting the axis 
of the right drilling tool 59 and the segment axis S. It is stated above 
that the clamping chuck 62 can be moved. It is also possible to keep the 
chuck stationary and to move the drilling tools accordingly. Likewise, the 
drilling tools can be pivoted about the axis of the drilling tool 59 
instead of the clamping chuck being pivotal by means of the plate 70. 
Moreover, the drilling device has a detector (not shown) which generates a 
control signal when the segment axis S is positioned on the axis of the 
drilling tool 59. The control device 36 is connected with the touch switch 
56, the source of the pressurized medium, the stepping motor 48, the 
drilling tools and the stepping motor 68 through signal leads 72, 74, 76, 
78 and 80. It is also connected with the detector (not shown) of the 
drilling device. The control device includes a counting circuit 82 and a 
control circuit 84. The mode of function of the described device is 
explained in the following. The deviation detector support 12 is first of 
all clamped into position in the clamping chuck 40. The tube spring 10 
with its end piece 16 and the pointer train 20 with its segment lever 26 
are located on the deviation detector support. A bearing for the tie rod 
is provided neither in the end piece 16 nor in the segment lever. 
Controlled by the control device, the air nozzle 50 is then moved against 
the open end of the bore 14. This state is illustrated in the left half of 
FIG. 2. The stepping motor 48 is energized thereafter through the signal 
lead 76 so as to cause the carriage 42 to move to the right in FIG. 2. In 
doing so, the end piece 16 is thrust against the sensor 54, thereupon 
actuating the touch switch 56. This supplies a first measuring signal to 
the control device 36 through the signal lead 72. The source of pressure 
medium is then activated through the signal lead 74 in such a manner that 
the tube spring 10 is subjected to the nominal pressure. The end of the 
spring or the end piece 16 is thereby deflected (to the left in FIG. 2) so 
that it is lifted away from the sensor 54, enabling this to release the 
touch switch 56. The stepping motor 48 is again supplied with switching 
pulses through the signal lead 76 and continues to move the carriage 42 
farther to the right (in FIG. 2) until the end piece 16 again actuates the 
touch switch 56 via the sensor 54. This produces a second measuring signal 
in the signal lead 72. The switching pulses supplied to the stepping motor 
48 between the two measuring signals are counted and indicated by the 
counting circuit 82. This indication is a measure of the spring excursion 
F. The measuring system 8 is thereafter removed from the measuring device 
32 and placed in the clamping chuck 60 of the drilling device 34, the 
segment lever 26 being maintained in a defined position in the drilling 
device. The optimally predetermined pivot angle .alpha. is set on the 
drilling device by rotating the chuck 60 or the plate 70. This pivot angle 
has to be adjusted subsequently from batch to batch, but can also be set 
from measuring system to measuring system which would require an 
additional setting device for the drilling device. A table, for example, 
whose compilation has already been explained, reveals a set value 
associated with the measured value which is a measure of the required 
lever arm L. This set value already takes an optimally predetermined pivot 
angle .alpha. into account together with the fact that giving the pivot 
angle with the lever arm also changes the position of the end point. The 
number of pulses required by the stepping motor 68 to move the carriage 60 
a distance corresponding to the required lever arm L can serve as the set 
value. This set value is infed to the control device 36 and is stored in a 
control circuit 84. The stepping motor 68 is thereafter supplied with 
switching pulses through the signal lead 80 in such a way that the 
carriage 62 is moved to the drilling tools 58 and 59. When the detector 
(not shown) determines that the segment axis is positioned under the 
drilling tool 59, the direction of rotation of the stepping motor 68 is 
reversed and the stepping motor 68 is then supplied with switching pulses, 
the number of which corresponds to the stored set value. As soon as this 
number has been attained, the drilling operation by means of the drilling 
tools 58 and 59 is actuated through the signal lead 78. These drilling 
tools drill the holes 18 and 28, after which the carriage 62 together with 
the measuring system 8 is moved to the position illustrated in the right 
half of FIG. 2 in which the measuring system can be removed. The drilled 
holes 18 and 28 are spaced in accordance with the tie rod, they form 
together with the segment axis S the desired pivot angle .alpha. and 
assume the position required for the measured spring excursion with 
respect to the lever arm L and the distance P. The defined position in 
which the segment lever 26 is maintained in the punching device can be 
determined, for instance, by causing the segment lever to abut on a stud 
bolt 27 (see FIG. 3). In a further development of the invention the 
drilling device 34 according to FIG. 2 also possesses an air nozzle (not 
shown) which is similar to the air nozzle 50 and through which the tube 
spring is subjected during drilling to the pressure which must be 
suppressed at zero. If the segment lever 26 simultaneously abuts on the 
stud bolt 27 or the like, the holes 18 and 28 will be drilled such that 
the measuring system suppresses the pressure applied to the tube spring 
during drilling after the tie rod has been inserted, since the segment 
lever cannot assume a position corresponding to lower pressures because it 
already abuts against the stud bolt at this pressure. This makes a stop 
pin on the dial superfluous. The control device 36 can also be designed in 
a different way than the construction described above. It can have process 
and functional computing properties, for example, and can operate in such 
a manner that it controls not only the work cycles of the measuring and 
drilling devices or the like in a correct timed sequence, but also 
automatically associates the measured result and the set value, for 
instance, by calculations based on the geometric relationships of the 
measuring system. Furthermore, the device according to FIG. 2 can be 
supplemented by a means for inserting the tie rod. This insertion means 
(not shown) is disposed downstream of the drilling device 34 or the like 
and has, for example, substantially the same construction and the same 
mode of function as the drilling device, the sole difference being that 
the drilling tools 58 and 59 are replaced by an insertion tool which 
supports the tie rod or a tie rod with associated rivets and inserts it 
into the holes 18 and 28 from above (in FIG. 2) while simultaneously 
attaching said tie rod to the segment lever and the end piece in an 
articulated way. The insertion means is controlled in the same way and 
with the same set value as is the case with the drilling device. Yet 
another embodiment of the inventive device is illustrated in FIG. 4. The 
device illustrated in FIG. 4 is especially suitable for executing the 
second embodiment of the inventive method. The device shown in FIG. 4 
coincides essentially with the device illustrated in FIG. 2. Identical 
parts and identical elements of both devices have been designated by the 
same reference numerals in FIGS. 2 and 4. Only the differences in the 
device according to FIG. 4 as compared to the device according to FIG. 2 
will be explained in the following. The drilling device 34 has only one 
drilling tool 59 in the device according to FIG. 4. The drilling device 34 
is arranged so that the segment axis S moves along a straight line 
connecting the axis of the drilling tool 59 with the segment axis S when 
the carriage 62 is moved. The carriage guide 64 can be pivoted about the 
axis of the drilling tool 59 in the plane of the drawing in FIG. 4. The 
device shown in FIG. 4 is suitable, for example, for producing the bearing 
on the segment lever, i.e. the hole 28, in the case of a spring manometer 
measuring system already provided with the bearing or the hole 18 in the 
end piece 16 as shown in the left half of FIG. 4. The deflection of the 
tube spring 10 is measured as was explained with reference to FIG. 2. The 
measuring system 8 is thereafter removed from the measuring device 32 and 
inserted in the clamping chuck 60 of the drilling device 34, the segment 
lever 26 being held in a defined position in the drilling device which is 
then set to such an angle .beta. by turning the chuck 60 or the plate 70 
that the most favourable pivot angle .alpha. results on the average. The 
angle .beta. only needs to be adjusted subsequently from batch to batch. A 
table, for example, whose compilation has already been explained, reveals 
a set value associated with the measured value which is a measure of the 
required lever arm L. This set value already takes an optimally 
predetermined average pivot angle .alpha. into account. The number of 
pulses required by the stepping motor 68 to move the carriage 62 a 
distance corresponding to the required lever arm L can serve as the set 
value. This set value is supplied to the control device 36 and is stored 
in a control circuit 84. The stepping motor 68 is thereafter supplied with 
switching pulses through the signal lead 80 in such a way that the 
carriage 62 is moved to the drilling tool 59. When the detector (not 
shown) determines that the segment axis is positioned under the drilling 
tool 59, the direction of rotation of the stepping motor 68 is reversed 
and the stepping motor 68 is then supplied with switching pulses whose 
number corresponds to the stored set value. As soon as this number has 
been attained the drilling operation by means of the drilling tool 59 is 
actuated through the signal lead 78. The drilling tool drills the hole 28, 
after which the carriage 62 together with the measuring system 8 is moved 
to the position illustrated in the right half of FIG. 4 in which the 
measuring system can be removed. The drilled holes 18 and 28 form together 
with the segment axis S the desired pivot angle .alpha. on the average and 
take up the position required for the measured spring excursion with 
respect to the lever arm L and the distance P. It goes without saying that 
numerous modifications of the described device are possible within the 
scope of the invention, such as designing the measuring device and the 
drilling device or the like and even, if desired, the insertion means as 
stations of a swivel table machine in which each measuring system is 
successively clamped in the same chuck, whereupon they pass through the 
individual stations.