Patent GB-1246422-A (GB)
Title: Apparatus for use in the making or alteration of garments
IPC: A41H1/04
Filed: 1970-04-22
Abstract: 1,246,422. Garment-measuring apparatus. AUTOMEASURE Inc. 22 April, 1970 [6 May, 1969], No. 19268/70. Heading A3V. [Also in Divisions G1 and G4] In measuring apparatus, applied to the person for selecting a garment of the required stock size, a vertical array of feelers are projected into contact with parts of the person's body and measurements, which are functions of the feeler displacements, are displayed as scale readings 155-157, 160 and 161 or as digital read-outs 306, 307, 338, 353 and 348 (Figs. 10a, b). The feelers may be in the form of rods 14, 18 having sensors at their ends responsive to contact with the neck and waist, respectively or they may have T-shaped sensor heads 17, 21 and 23 for engagement with the shoulder blades, seat and calves, respectively. They are projected by motors 26a, b, c, d and e (Figs. 9a, b), which are preferably of a reversible D.C. kind, and the sensors 15, 17, 19, 21 and 23 contain limit switches 92, 98, 231, 235 and 241, respectively, which de-energise the motors on body contact. The motors are prevented from over-running by solenoidoperated brakes (27, 65). In operation, the heights of shelves 4-8 are first adjusted appropriately by push buttons 143-152 (Fig. 8), controlling reversible D.C. motors 85a, b, c, d and e. When the person is in position in front of the cabinet 3, the measuring sequence is initiated by pressing button 159 (Fig. 9a) and holding the contacts closed manually until the sequence ends. Rod 14 is projected by motor 26a until sensor 15 contacts the neck to operate limit switch 92, thus completing the circuit of the next motor 26b for rod 16. The remaining rods are projected out in turn and remain in their extended positions. The relays K2 and K3 are provided to by-pass much of the wiring associated with the previously actuated motors 26a, b and 26c, d respectively. The displacement of each rod may be linked for measurement to the sliding contact of a potentiometer 28a, b, c, d and e (Fig. 8) to give scale readings of linear functions of the displacements on meters 160, 161. Alternatively, to give a digital read out, the potentiometers are replaced by rotating cams 267, 289, 297, 312, 318, 332 and 340, which each generate one pulse per revolution. Before reaching the logic circuits producing the desired linear function of the measurements, the pulses are passed to monostable multivibrations 273, 293, 301, 316, 322, 335 and 344. The pulses may, alternatively, be generated by electromagnetic induction, photoelectricity or piezoelectricity. The outputs to digital read outs 306, 307 correspond to the meter indications 160, 161, respectively. When a bidirectional counter 360 (Fig. 11) is used, components 275, 283, 294 and 302 are omitted and the input from multivibrator 293 is effectively doubled by making each pulse count down two units. On completion of the measurement, push button 158 is depressed to hold the contact closed until the rods have been retracted to their initial positions determined by in-limit switches 245, 246, 249, 250 and 253. A separate display is provided for indicating the heights of the shoulders and the difference between them. Push buttons 153, 154 are operated to energise motors 119, 119a (Fig. 9a), which displace feeler arms 33, 34 vertically until limit switches 128, 128a have been operated.