Improvements in or relating to Micrometer Gauges.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Oct., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 22nd July, 1891-Accepted. 22nd Oc.,
1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Micrometer Gauges.
I, JOHN CICERI SMITH of 219 High Street Edinburgh, Wire Cloth Manu-
facturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention has reference to micrometer gauges for ganging wire, rods, plates
or other articles. With these gauges as at present made it is very difficult to see
what is the gauge or thickness of a wire or article that has been gauged in the
instrument because the indications or scales are so small and indistinct particularly
in what is known as the decimal gauge which measures to the thousandth of.
an inch.
Now the object of my invention is to make these gauges readable, and with this
object I combine therewith, or add thereto, any suitable counter, which I connect
with the micrometer screw or other moving part of the instrument so that the
counter is worked by the movement of the screw or other part, that is to say, as
the instrument is manipulated so as to reduce the gauge, the counter works
backwards, while, when the instrument is manipulated so as to increase the gauge,
the counter works forwards.
I
If the movement for working the counter is taken from the micrometer screw,
preferably fit this screw so that instead of being rotated in a fixed nut or female
screw, as in the ordinary decimal gauge, it moves in a rectilinear manner in the
nut or female screw which is caused to rotate. The movement for working the
counter may however be taken from any other suitable part of the instrument, such
for example as the nut or female screw when this is caused to rotate, or from the
shell or sleeve ordinarily fixed to the male screw.
In order that each figure of the counter may not appear gradually so that
sometimes only part of it is visible, I may combine with the counter what is known
as the "flirt" movement, as used in some watches, or some other movement which
will hold back the figures and then release them so that they appear in full
at once.
My invention includes the construction of the instrument in such manner as
already above described, that the micrometer screw has a rectilinear, motion in lien
of a rotary motion as usual, so that it may not cause friction against the wire or
article that is being gauged.
Dated this 22nd day of October 1890. ·
J. C. MEWBURN,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Micrometer Gauges.
I, JOHN CICERI SMITH, of 219 High Street, Edinburgh, Wire Cloth Manu-
facturer, 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. :-
This invention has reference to micrometer gauges for gauging wire, rods, plates
and other articles.
.
With these gauges as at present made it is very difficult to see what is the gauge
or thickness of the article that has been gauged in the instrument because the
indications or scales are so small and, indistinct, particularly in what is known as

page_text: the decimal gauge which measures to the thousandth of an inch, and therefore the
object of my said invention is to make these gauges readable by combining
therewith or adding thereto any suitable counter which is connected with the
micrometer screw or other moving part of the instrument in such a manner that
the said counter is worked by the movement of the screw or other part when the
instrument is manipulated, and which when being manipulated so as to reduce the
gauge works the counter backwards, and when manipulated so as to increase
the gauge works the counter forwards.
This invention may also be applied on a larger scale for measuring lengths and
diameters of spindles, insides of bushes, and any other parts of machinery requiring
very accurate measurement for fitting purposes. One advantage is the simplicity
of transferring these measurements to paper for the purpose of transmitting orders
by post, and as this may be adjusted to the metric as well as the British Standard
the advantage would be considerable from an international standpoint.
But in order that the foregoing may he more readily understood and easily
carried into effect I will proceed to describe the same with reference. to the
accompanying drawings, which illustrate a few methods of carrying my invention
into practice.
Figures 1 to 5 inclusive of which are respectively, elevation; sectional elevation;
sectional plan; end elevation, and cross section taken on line 1, 2 of Figure 2, and
Figures 6, 7, 8, 9 and 9ª detail views of methods in which the counter is moved by
the screw.
Figures 10, 11 and 12 are respectively, elevation; sectional clevation and plan of
another method, in which the counter is moved by the nut.
Figures 13 to 16 inclusive are plan; elevation partly in section; end elevation
and cross section of another method, in which the counter is moved by the screw.
Figures 17 to 20 inclusive are.elevation sectional elevation, detail and sectional
end elevation of another method in which the counter is actuated by the screw, and
Figure 21, a detail of counter driving movement.
As shown in Figures 1 to 9 of the drawings the gauge is composed of a frame A
which carries the female screw or nut B, and shoulder or stop pin C. Inside the
nut B, I mount a fine threaded screw D, preferably having 50 threads to the inch,
and provided at its outer end with a milled head ; the said screw D has mounted
near its one end a pin which gives the movement to the counter by means of the
said pin passing through a compensating slot e, in the first wheel E of the counter
which is mounted loosely on the outside of the nut B, and provided around its
periphery with a circle of lines E, preferably 20, which indicate fractions, and with
a circle of figures G, preferably two sets up to 10, which indicate thousandths, the
said wheel E on being revolved one half turn gives the next wheel E' of the
counter a movement of 1 figure round, by means of the spurs e¹ engaging with a
tooth of the half leaf pinion e, which is formed in one with the spur pinion which
gears into a spur-wheel e provided on the wheel E' the said pinions being mounted
loosely on a stationary stud or spindle e; the said counter wheel is also provided
around its periphery with a circle of figures H preferably two sets up to 10 so as
to indicate hundredths while the tenths are indicated by the single set of figures J,
provided around the one half of the periphery of the next counter wheel E², which
derives its motion from the wheel E' by spurs, half leaf pinion, spur pinion and
wheel as before described and as is shown more particularly in Figure 7. Or if
desired as is shown in Figure 8, I may provide the counter wheels E and E' with
suitable fingers or projections e, so as to engage at the proper time with a star
wheel connected to or it may be in one with the spur pinion, the said star wheel
being formed with its edges concave. The said instrument that is the working
parts are all enclosed within an outer case or shell K, which is provided with
openings, through which the figures may be read. The whole arrangement is
such that supposing an article is required to be gauged it is placed between the
stop pin's face, and the screws face and the screw manipulated so as to gauge
same the figures would be easily read through the openings k in their proper order,

page_text: an example of which is shown in Figure 9, namely the Figures 2, 9 and half of 2
and 1, which would read :2915 of an inch.
In lieu of actuating the counter from the screw D, I may actuate it from the
female screw or nut, as is shown in Figures 10, 11 and 12, in which case the said
female screw or nut B revolves while the main screw has a rectilinear motion and
is kept from revolving by means of its one end being formed square so as to work
in a square hole d³, provided in the front of the case or shell K. The counter in
this instance is driven by means of the two studs or pins / engaging with the ring !
of the sleeve I, which is fixed to the outside of the nut B. The example shown is
constructed to show tens, hundreds and thousands only, and as in Figure 12 would
read 166 of an inch.
In order to obviate the necessity of making the screws D of such a fine pitch as
50 threads per inch I may substitute therefore any suitable kind of differential
screw mechanism, or I may form the said screw in two parts, each of which are of
different pitches as is shown in Figures 13 to 16 inclusive of the drawings; the said
gauge being preferably constructed as follows:-M is an oblong or other frame
having two female screws or nuts m, m', and two grooves or slots m² formed in or
attached to it, the said grooves m² being for the purpose of guiding the movable
gauge head preces N; which may be formed as shown, that is so that they may
gauge the inside of tubes and such like as well as other solid articles. Inside each
of the said nuts m, in', I mount a screw the one marked 1', being preferably
constructed with 25 threads per inch, and screw P' with 20 threads per inch, and
the inner ends of both connected to the head pieces N in such a manner as to
enable the said screws P and P¹, revolving; the said frame M is also provided
with means for enclosing the counter and also with openings through which the
letters or numbers on the counter's wheels may be read, the said counter is pre-
ferably driven by the screw P¹, in which case the wheels would only have single
sets of figures up to ten. The action of said instrument being that supposing
screw P has been revolved 20 times or travelled 1 inch screw P will also have
revolved 20 times or travelled ths of an inch, owing to the said screws being
connected to each other by means of slotted end p of screw P' engaging with and
working in the interior of the screw rod P which is also provided with a key or
square ridge which works in the grooved end p of screw P₁ thus enabling both
screws being revolved together; so that for an inch of travel given to the screw P¹,
the opening between the head pieces N would only be th of an inch, or equal to
a screw of 100 threads per inch; and if the periphery of the counter is divided into
ten it would equal a screw of 1000 threads per inch.
As a further modification of driving the counter I may in lieu of any of the
foregoing arrangements employ the driving mechanism shown in Figures 17 to 20
inclusive in which I combine with or form in one with the main screw D a rod or
wire pinion which engages with a worm screw R preferably of such a pitch as to.
require being revolved 30 times to make the main screw and pinion revolve once;
the said main screw is preferably pitched at 33 pitches per inch, and the worm
screw is provided with a disc or dial S having 10 figures on its face somewhat after
the style of a gas meter, the said dial is also connected or geared with other two or
three counters S1 and S2 arranged at its left hand side, by means of the herein-
before mentioned mechanism Figures 1 to 9, though preferably by the mechanism
shown in Figure 8, and illustrated in Figure 19 which would cause the figures to
be shown suddenly, and as the said showing of the figures on the worm screw
dial S would be very slow, it might be provided with a suitable speeding arrange-
ment. This modification being such that on a milled head t being turned by the
operator it actuates the worm screw R through the medium of bevel gearing T,
and so causes the main screw D to be actuated, and so shows on the counter's
dials 10ths, 100ths, and 1000ths of an inch, and if desired 10000ths and so be very
suitable for measuring parts of machinery and other articles where very fine
measurements are required.
In order that each figure of the said counters may not appear gradually so that

page_text: sometimes only part of it is visible, I may combine with the said counter some
movement preferably the finger and star movement used in connection with some
watches, or the half leaf movement as shown in Figures 2, 3, 6 and 7, or what is
known as the flirt movement, shown in Figure 21, used also in connection with some
watches, so as to cause the figures being held back and then released so as to
appear in full at once.
In order to facilitate the reading of the 10,000ths parts or m/metre, I may form the
outer case of said gauges with an angled slot, as shown in Figure 94 and arrange
the figures in the order shown so that on the lines F, of which there are preferably
ten, coming in the centre either end will point to an 0, or zero, or if tot in the
centre to the corresponding number on whichever side of the slot k', it should be.
The said micrometer gauges may also if desired be provided with any well known
screw speeding arrangement, or automatic wear compensating and back lash nut
arrangement, or any suitable locking device so as to form a solid or fixed gauge,
and also the said gauges may be so constructed as to be capable of calipering either
solid or hollow articles such as rods or tubes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1. declare that what I
claim is :-
The general arrangement and combination with a micrometer gauge of a counter
actuated from the screw or other part of the gauge, all substantially as, and for the
purposes herein before described and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 21st day of July 1891.
JOHNSONS,
115, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicant's Agents.