Improved Apparatus for Measuring and Determining the Shape of Objects.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Feb., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 7th Oct., 1892-Accepted, 12th Nov., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Measuring and Determining the Shape of
Objects.
A communication to me from RUDOLPH BEHMER, of Kleinbeeren Strasse, Berlin,
in the Empire of Germany.
I, EDMUND EDWARDS, of the firm of Edwards and Co., Patent Agents and
Engineers, of 35, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :—
This invention relates to an improved apparatus for measuring the outside form
or determining the shape of different objects, especially of living bodies or parts of
the same, in order to obtain the exact contour or shape so as to enable the same to
be copied by drawing and also to facilitate the measuring of the sectional plane
enclosed by the circumferential line.
The improved apparatus is of especial importance for the purpose of measuring
the human body, or parts of the same, for scientific and for military use, as also for
the purpose of measuring or gauging such articles as are destined to be applied to
parts of the body of human or other living creatures in order to facilitate the exact
fitting of such articles.
The improved apparatus also serves for determining the exact shape of any
objects which are to be copied from a pattern or model, the form of which is wished
to be reproduced or multiplied.
The improved apparatus is further destined for household and professional use
as a measuring instrument of great simplicity and facility of operation, serving to
determine or copy the form or shape of objects of any kind, or of parts of the body,
for instance in making pieces of garment, shoes or the like.
The improved apparatus, accordingly, will be able to replace the use of the
measuring band or tape and other instruments or apparatus, which have hitherto
been used singly or in combination for measuring and determining the form and
shape of bodies or objects of various kinds.
The principal feature of the improved apparatus consists in its faculty of
adaptation to the regular or irregular form and shape of any body or object or
parts of the same, and in its faculty of retaining the said form or shape, when
removed from the body or object to which it had been applied or adapted. To
obtain such faculty, the apparatus consists of a band or strip of very supple or
flexible, but non-elastic metal, the said metal band or strip being provided with one
or more joints.
The said joint or joints are provided for the sole purpose of serving as pivots in
removing the apparatus from a body or object, which has been fully encircled by
the flexible band so as to avoid any subsequent bending of the metallic band which
has been adapted or fitted to the body or object to be measured.
This faculty of removing the measuring band without the necessity of bending it
out of shape, is of particular importance and has not been attained by any other
apparatus or instrument possessing the advantage of simplicity. The application
of a joint or joints in the ineasuring band enables the operator to produce the exact
form or shape, when the apparatus has been removed from the body or object, thus
enabling the form or shape to be copied or to be transferred by drawing, or to be
determined or settled by any suitable means.
I am aware that apparatus for measuring or determining the shape or circum-
ference of bodies or objects has been known and used before, such apparatus
consisting of a number of short rigid bars or rods, or links, connected to each other
by joints or hinges.

page_text: If by the use of such existing apparatus it is attempted to measure the circum-
ference of an irregular body this could only be done by trying to apply the several
rods, bars or links of the apparatus to the surfaces of the form. This however
could be accomplished only, if the joints or hinges of the said rigid rods or links
exactly coincided with the edges of the body, which of course would not be the case
with most of the various forms to be measured.
If on the contrary a flexible band without any joint were used for measuring
the said form such band could be exactly adapted to the circumferential lines of
the said form, but it would not retain the shape, when removed from the form.
The improved apparatus overcomes all the deficiencies of the measuring devices
hitherto used. By its use a supple flexible, non-elastic band or strip may be
closely applied or adapted to the circumferential, irregular shape of the form, and
may then be removed as a bracelet is removed from the encircled arm, by means of
a joint connecting the two legs or halves of the apparatus which turn upon the said
joint so as to open the circle, without causing any alteration of the shape of the
bent portions of the two legs, the material of which must be of sufficient rigidness
to retain the shape of the surface to which they have been fitted.
In order to obtain the required rigidity of the measuring band, without losing
the necessary quality of suppleness or Hexibility, it will be desirable to use a
material of different kind for the varying sizes of objects to be measured. For
larger sizes, the measuring band will require to have a greater thickness, than for
measuring bodies or objects of smaller sizes. For measuring bands of superior
rigidity prefer to employ flat tubing filled with wires, but bands of any suitable
form and materials may be used.
I
The legs or separate parts, of the measuring band may preferably be provided
with a suitable scale, printed or lightly cut upon its surface. This scale is not, or
not particularly intended to determine the exact result of measuring the circum-
ferential line, because the supple or flexible band, in being applied, will be more or
less liable to stretch in the direction of its length. The said scale is more particu-
larly destined to determine with exactness the points, in which the legs or parts of
the measuring band meet or cross each other in being applied to or circum-
ferentially laid about a body or form. If the scale were omitted, the point, where
the legs meet or cross each other would have to be marked by stitching or impressing
a mark into the band, and such marks would greatly impair the material of the
band in the course of frequent use.
By means of the said scale, the point, where the two legs have met or crossed
each other over the form or body, may be readily found again after the removal
of the apparatus from the body or form, and every portion of the band then holds
exactly the same position as before, when applied to the body or form, thus giving
a perfectly true copy of the circumferential line which had been encircled by the
band.
In many cases, it will be desirable to provide two or more joints in the flexible
measuring band, particularly in cases where from the said joint, not only two, but
more legs extend, or if one of the said legs is split into two or more legs.
If for instance the forms of a human foot are to be measured, the improved
apparatus may best be constructed and arranged with two legs of the flexible
measuring band, connected by a joint and serving to determine the outline of the
longitudinal vertical section of the foot. Another joint is provided to connect
another band or strip, which, extending from the said joint, may be laid around or
adapted to the side portions of the foot.
This second band may be applied to different parts of the foot in succession, but
in order to avoid the removal of the whole apparatus from the foot after each
application of such band, into a different position, it will be more convenient and
serve to accelerate the whole operation, if more than one such additional band be
used, each of the said bands serving to determine the outline of another portion of
the foot to be measured.
To better secure the facility of determining and retaining the circumferential

page_text: outlines of the form, with the use of such a combined apparatus, it will be
preferable to use branch legs. These branch legs starting from the main legs
without a connecting joint, serve to exactly determine the positions of the two main
legs even in cases where the said main legs are applied in line, without forming an
angle or crossing each other.
In such cases, the point where the two main legs meet, will be liable to shift.
But if the two branch legs are so applied, preferably in a straight direction,
to meet and cross each other at a sharp angle, away from the body or form to be
measured, they determine, by their point of meeting, the exact position of the
two main legs relatively to the intermediate portion of the two combined
apparatus.
The hinge of the legs or portions of the measuring band may be made in such a
manner as to be readily disconnected, one leg being bent at its end, to form a hook
engaging with the hoop or link of the joint so that the said hook may easily be
released from the link. This construction greatly facilitates the removal of the
apparatus if applied to forms or bodies of a large size. The several legs of the
measuring band may, by this means, be singly lifted off the form, and afterwards
connected again, without any danger of deformation or bending of the shape into
which the supple, non-elastic band had been laid to copy the outline of a form or
body.
The methods of construction and application of the improved apparatus explain
its essential features and general mode of use.
The size, shape, and material of the apparatus and its several parts, and the
particular construction of the joints or links, may vary according to the particular
requirements.
It will be seen that the improved apparatus consists of a novel combination of
parts, whilst the suppleness of the measuring bands hitherto in use are combined
with a certain degree of rigidity peculiar to another known apparatus, and to both
features are added the link or joint and the scale (also known and used with flexible
bands or tapes) and by combining all these features an apparatus of great simplicity
and facility of operation is obtained, offering at the same time the advantage of
great exactness in taking copies of forms of any kind.
Dated this 22nd day of February 1892.
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Measuring and Determining the Shape of
Objects.
A communication to me from RUDOLPH BEHMER, of Kleinbeeren Strasse, Berlin,
in the Empire of Germany.
I, EDMUND EDWARDS, of the firm of Edwards and Co., Patent Agents and
Engineers, of 35, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, and accompanying drawing, that is to say :-
This invention relates to an improved apparatus for measuring the outside form
or determining the shape of different objects, especially of living bodies or parts of
the same, in order to obtain the exact contour or shape so as to enable the same to
be copied by drawing and also to facilitate the measuring of the sectional plane
enclosed by the circumferential line.
I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing
in which,
Figure 1 shews the circumference of a body to be measured.

page_text: Figure 3 is a cross section of a solid measuring band in its simplest form.
Figure 4 is a cross section of a similar measuring band but having bulbs along
the edges for stiffening the band.
Figure 5 shews in cross section a flat tubing, the bulbs of which contain stiffening
wires.
Figures 6 and 7 shew similar flat tubings filled or partially filled with wires.
Figure 8 is a cross section of a measuring apparatus having the form of a tube
with a wire inserted.
Figure 9 is a cross section of a flat tubing shewing a somewhat modified arrange-
ment of the inside wires.
Figures 10 and 11 represent constructions of a measuring band for a human foot.
Figure 12 shews a method by which the hinge of the measuring band may be
readily disconnected.
Figures 13 and 14 are views of a measuring band with a central piece.
Figure 15 is a measuring band in which the leg is split to form a branch leg.
Figures 16 to 19 illustrate how by means of a peculiar measuring band the several
outlines of the foot may be determined.
The improved apparatus is of especial importance for the purpose of measuring
the human body, or parts of the same for scientific and for military use, as also for
the purpose of measuring or gauging such articles as are destined to be applied to
parts of the body of human or other living creatures, in order to facilitate the exact
fitting of such articles.
The improved apparatus also serves for determining the exact shape of any
objects which are to be copied from a pattern or model, the form of which it is
wished to reproduce or multiply.
The improved apparatus is further destined for household and professional use as
a measuring instrument of great simplicity and facility of operation, serving to
determine or copy the form or shape of objects of any kind, or of parts of the body,
for instance in making pieces of garment, shoes, or the like. The improved
apparatus accordingly will be able to replace the use of the measuring band or tape,
and other instruments or apparatus, which have hitherto been used singly or in
combination for measuring or determining the form or shape of bodies or objects of
various kinds.
The principal features of the improved apparatus consist in its facility of adapta-
tion to the regular or irregular form and shape of any body or object, or parts of the
same, and in its faculty of retaining the said forın or shape when removed from
the body or object to which it has been applied or adapted. To obtain such faculty,
the apparatus consists of a band or strip of very supple or flexible, but non-elastic
metal, preferably of aluminium and alloys thereof, the said metal band or strip
being provided with one or more joints. The said joint or joints are provided for
the sole purpose of serving as pivots in removing the apparatus from a body or
object, which has been fully encircled by the flexible band, so as to avoid any
subsequent bending of the metallic band which has been adapted or fitted to the
body or object to be measured.
This faculty of removing the measuring band without the necessity or bending it
out of shape, is of especial importance and has not been attained by any other
apparatus or instrument possessing the advantage of great simplicity. The appli-
cation of a joint or joints in the measuring band enables the operator to reproduce
the exact form or shape, when the apparatus has been removed from the body or
object, thus enabling the form or shape to be copied, or to be transferred by
drawing, or to be determined or settled by any suitable means.
I am aware that apparatus for measuring or determining the shape or circum-
ference of bodies or objects has been known and used before, such apparatus
consisting of a number of short, rigid rods or bars, or links connected to each other
by joints or hinges.

page_text: If by the use of such existing apparatus it is attempted to measure the circum-
ference of an irregular body A, as shewn in Figure 1 of the drawing, this could only
be done by trying to apply the several rods, bars, or links of the apparatus to the
surfaces a b, be; cd, dc, etc. of the form A. This could however be accomplished
only, if the joints or hinges of the said rigid rods or links exactly coincided with
the edges a, b, c, d, e, etc., which of course would not be the case with most of the
various forms to be measured.
°
If, on the contrary, a flexible band, without any joint be used for measuring the
said form A such band could be exactly adapted to the circumferential lines of
the said form, but it would not retain the shape, when removed from the form A.
The improved apparatus overcomes all the deficiencies of the measuring devices
hitherto used. From Figure 1 it will be readily seen, that a supple or flexible,
non-elastic band or strip may be closely applied or adapted to the circumferential
irregular shape of the form A, and that it may be removed, as a bracelet is removed
from the encircled arm, by means of the joint m, the two legs or halves of the
apparatus turning in the said joint so as to open the circle, without causing any
alteration in the shape of the bent portions of the two legs, the material of which
must be of sufficient rigidity to retain the shape of the faces a b, bc, cd, d´e, etc. to
which they have been fitted.
In order to obtain the required rigidity of the measuring band, without losing the
necessary quality of suppleness or flexibility, it will be desirable to use a material
of different kind for the varying sizes of objects to be measured. For larger sizes,
the measuring band will require to have a greater thickness than for measuring
bodies or objects of smaller size. For measuring bands of superior rigidity I prefer
to employ flat tubing filled with wires. In Figures 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 are
illustrated a variety of bands which have been found useful for the purpose in view,
the said figures being each a cross section of a measuring band, but bands of any
suitable form and materials may be used.
The legs or separate parts of the measuring band may preferably be provided
with a suitable scale, printed or lightly cut on its surface, as shewn in Figure 2.
This scale is not or not particularly, intended to determine the exact result of
measuring the circumferential line, because the supple or flexible band, in being
applied, will be more or less liable to stretching in the direction of its length. The
said scale is more essentially destined to determine with exactness the points, in
which the legs or parts of the measuring band meet or cross each other in being
applied to or circumferentially laid about a body or form. If the scale were
omitted, the point where the legs meet or cross each other would have to be marked
by stitching or impressing a mark in the band, and such marks would greatly
impair the material of the band in the course of frequent use. By means of the
said scale, the point where the two legs have met or crossed each other over the
form or body, may be readily found again after the removal of the apparatus from
the body or form, and every portion of the band then holds exactly the same
position, as before, when applied to the body or form, thus giving a perfectly true
copy of the circumferential line which had been encircled by the band.
In many cases it will be desirable to provide two or more joints in the flexible
measuring band, particularly in cases where from the said joint not only two but
more legs extend, or if one of the said legs is split into two or more legs."
If, for instance, the forms of a human foot are to be measured the improved
apparatus may best be constructed and arranged as shewn in Figures 10 and 11.
The two legs n,
and o,
of the flexible measuring band connected by a joint m¹,
serve to determine the outline of the longitudinal vertical section of the foot.
Another joint m² is provided to connect another band or strip p, which extending
from the said joint, may be laid round or adapted to the side portions of the
foot, as indicated by dotted lines. In performing the measuring operation, it
will be convenient to apply the band p first to the line m², taking a note of
the point, where the band p meets with the legs n and o; then the band is
released and the leg n between the joints m', m², is removed from the foot turning

page_text: in the joint m' after which the leg o of the apparatus is drawn from the foot like a
stocking. The legs o, n, and branch p are then brought again into the same
position, as on the foot, and a copy taken of that position. The apparatus is then
once more applied to the foot and the branch band p brought into position m² r',
after which the whole system is again removed, as described, for taking a copy of
the determined position of band p. In the same manner the third position m², 2,
of the band p and any further one if desired may be readily determined and
copied.
In order to avoid the removal of the whole apparatus from the foot after each
application of the branch band p in another position, it will be more convenient and
serve to accelerate the whole operation, if more than one band or branch leg p be
connected to the joint m², each of the said branch legs p serving to determine the
outline of another portion of the foot to be measured.
Figure 15 shews an apparatus, in which the leg n of the band is split to form a
branch leg. Figures 16, 17, 18 and 19 illustrate how by means of separate jointed
flexible bands the several outlines st, s¹ t¹, s² t², and s³ ³, of the foot indicated by
dotted lines in Figure 15, may be determined and copied.
Figures 13 and 14 illustrate an apparatus consisting of two separate two legged
bands connected together by one of their legs in such a manner as to be adjustable
towards and from each other to vary the width according to the dimensions of the
body or object to be measured.
To better secure the facility of determining and retaining the circumferential
outlines of the form, with the use of such a combined apparatus, it will be prefer-
able to split the legs v, v, thereby forming branch legs u. These branch legs u,
starting from the main legs v without a connecting joint, serve to exactly determine
the positions of the two main legs even in cases where the said main legs are
applied in line, as shewn in Figure 14, without forming an angle or crossing each
other.
In such cases, the point where the two main legs meet will be liable to shift.
But if the two branched legs u, u, are so applied, preferably in a straight direction,
to meet and cross each other at a sharp angle, away from the body or form to be
measured, they determine, by their point of meeting u¹ the exact position of the
two main legs v, v, relatively to the intermediate portion of the two combined
apparatus.
Figure 12 serves to shew that the hinge of the legs or portions of the measuring
band may be made in such a manner as to be readily disconnected, one leg being
bent, at its end to form a hook engaging with the hoop or link of the joint, and the
said hook may easily be released from the link. This construction greatly facili-
tates the removal of the apparatus if applied to forms or bodies of a large size.
The several legs of the measuring band may, by this means, be singly lifted off the
form and afterwards connected again, without any danger of deformation or bending
of the shape, into which the supple non-elastic band has been laid to copy the
outline of the form or body.
The few specimens of construction and application of the improved apparatus
described and illustrated will fully serve to explain its essential features and general
mode of use.
The size, shape, and material of the apparatus and its several parts, and the
particular construction of the joints or links, may vary according to the particular
requirements.
It will be seen, from the foregoing that though the improved apparatus consists
of a combination of parts which are known and used for similar purposes yet the
combination is original and advantageous. The suppleness of the measuring bands
hitherto in use, is combined with a certain degree of rigidity, peculiar to another
known apparatus and to both features are added the link or bracelet joint and the
scale also known with flexible bands, but by combining all these features an
apparatus is provided of great simplicity and facility of operation, offering at the
same time the advantage of great exactness in taking copies of forms of any kind.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. An improved rule for measuring and determining the shape of objects, con-
sisting of a band or strip of flexible but non-elastic metal, the said metal band being
provided with one or more joints, substantially as specified with reference to the
annexed sheet of drawings.
2. An improved rule for measuring and determining the shape of objects, con-
sisting of a flexible but non-elastic metal band composed of a tubing provided with
enclosed wires and having one or more joints, substantially as set forth and
illustrated.
3. An improved rule for measuring and determining the shape of objects,
consisting of a flexible but non-elastic metal band, provided with joints and having
additional bands substantially as and for the purpose specified and illustrated.
Dated this 5th day of October 1969
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.