Improvements in Measuring-sticks.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Jan., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 24th Jan., 1898-Accepted, 5th Mar.,
1898
Improvements in Measuring-sticks.
We, JULIUS BONN and FELIX ROTHSCHILD, both of 27 Hochstrasse, Aachen,
Germany, Merchants, do hereby declare the nature of our said invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to measuring-sticks intended for measuring fabrics and
the like. The measuring sticks hitherto usually employed for this purpose
have been, as a rule, 50 cm. or one metre in length. At one end, they were pro-
vided with a handle and in order to measure a person grasped the handle of a
measuring-stick in his right hand, and pressed the commencement of the fabric on
the zero-point of the scale with the thumb of his right hand. Then the fabric
was grasped with the left hand, and drawn to the end of the measuring-stick. Then
the point of the fabric that has been grasped with the left hand was drawn to the
zero point of the scale, and so on. With this method, the number of measurements
had to be counted, and in using metre measuring sticks this number was also the
number of metres of the length of the fabric, whereas in using measuring-sticks
which were only equal to a fraction or part of a metre the number of measure-
ments had to be correspondingly divided in order to obtain the true length of the
fabric.
With this old method of measuring, the correct counting of the number of
measurements was necessarily dependent upon the accuracy of the person using the
measuring-stick. If, now, the attention of the person measuring was distracted
for example, by the conversation of other parties-then there occurred very easily
an inaccurate counting of the number of measurements, which gave an incorrect
final result for the measurement or length of the piece of fabric.
Now this invention relates to measuring-sticks in which the number of measure-
ments is counted automatically without the aid of counting mechanism. The ex-
ternal shape of the measuring sticks is not altered in any way with the exception
of the provision in each case of a small projecting spring or a push-knob. Further,
the manipulation of the measuring-sticks is effected exactly in the same manner
as when using the older measuring-sticks without counting-mechanism.
In the accompanying drawings, Figs. 1 and 2 are respectively a front elevation
and a side elevation of the rear end including the handle, and the counting
mechanism of a measuring-stick according to this invention. Fig. 3 shows to a
smaller scale the entire length of a measuring stick half a metre long; this fig.
also illustrates more in detail the manipulation of the measuring-stick.
As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, there is let into the measuring-stick a counter a,
which is completely or almost completely flush with the surface and the side edges
of the stick and thus does not project on any side. The counter a is operated by
means of a small pin which is connected with a blade spring c, the arrangement
being such that the fabric to be measured is pressed at the zero point of the stick
upon the said pin, or upon the spring c, with the thumb of the
right hand (see Fig. 3). The spring draws the pin b back each
time after if has been pushed into the counter. Instead of the blade

page_text: spring c a coiled spring may be arranged upon the pin b. In this
case, the pin is provided with a small flat push-knob. With the method of measur-
ing hitherto employed, the fabric was always pressed in the vicinity of the zero-
point. This manipulation is therefore not altered; the fabric is pressed upon the
spring, whereby by means of the small pin b which enters the
casing of the counter, the wheels of the counter are caused to move.
Thus, with the present counter, by pressing the spring the counting
wheel for the units is moved one division forward each time. If
in the present case there is employed, for example, a measuring-stick of
half a metre.in length, and the counter indicates 78 measurements, then the fabric
that has been measured has a length of 39 metres. The construction of the counter
in the measuring-stick may be of any suitable kind, care being taken, however,
that the counter does not project appreciably beyond the outer surfaces, in order
that it may not impede the manipulation of the measuring-stick.
From the foregoing, it will be obvious that the counter may also be arranged at
or let into the front end of the measuring-stick. In this case, the spring or the
knob is depressed with the left hand for the purpose of operating the counter.
Dated this 17th day of January 1898
F. WISE HOWORTH,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.'
We, JULIUS BONN and FELIX ROTHSCHILD, both of 27 Hochstrasse, Aachen,
Germany, Merchants, 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 relates to measuring-sticks intended for measuring fabrics and
the like. The measuring-sticks hitherto usually employed for this purpose have
been, as a rule, one yard in length. At one end they were provided with a handle,
and a person, in order to measure, grasped the handle of a measuring-stick in his
right hand, and pressed the commencement of the fabric on the zero-point of the
scale with his right-hand thumb. Then the fabric was grasped with the left hand,
and drawn to the end of the measuring-stick. Then the point of the fabric that
had been grasped with the left hand was drawn to the zero-point of the scale, and
80 on. With this method, the number of measurements had to be counted, and in using
yard measuring-sticks this number was also the number of yards of the length of
the fabric, whereas in using measuring-sticks which were only equal to a fraction
or part of a yard the number of measurements had to be correspondingly divided
in order to obtain the true length of the fabric.
With this old method of measuring, the correct counting of the number of
measurements was necessarily dependent upon the accuracy of the person using the
measuring-stick. If, now, the attention of the person measuring was distracted-
for example, by the conversation of other parties-then there very easily occurred
an inaccurate counting of the number of measurements, which gave an incorrect
final result for the measurement or length of the piece of fabric.
Now this invention relates to measuring-sticks in which the number of measure-
ments is counted automatically with the aid of counting mechanism. The external
shape of the measuring-sticks is not altered in any way with the exception of the
provision in each case of a small projecting spring or a push-knob. Further, the
manipulation of the measuring-sticks is effected exactly in the same manner as
when using the older measuring-sticks without counting-mechanism.

page_text: In the drawings filed with our Provisional Specification Figs. 1 and 2 are
respectively a front elevation and a side elevation of the rear end including the
handle and the counting mechanism of a measuring-stick according to this inven-
tion.
Fig. 3 shows to a smaller scale the entire length of a measuring-stick half a
yard long; this fig. also illustrates more in detail the manipulation of the measur-
ing-stick.
As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, there is let into the measuring-stick a counter a, the
front and side surfaces of which are completely or almost completely flush with
the graduated surface and the side surfaces of the stick. The counter a is operated
by means of a small pin b which is connected with a blade-spring e, the arrange-
ment being such that the fabric to be measured is pressed at the zero-point of the
stick upon the said pin, or upon the spring e, with the thumb at the right hand
(see Fig. 3). The spring e draws the pin b back each time after it has been pushed
into the counter. Instead of the blade-spring e a coiled spring may be arranged
upon the pin b: in this case, the pin is provided with a small flat push-knob.
With the method of measuring hitherto employed, the fabric was always pressed
in the vicinity of the zero-point: this manipulation is therefore not altered; the
fabric is pressed upon the spring c, whereby by means of the small pin b, which enters
the casing of the counter, the wheels of the counter are caused to move. Thus with
the counter by pressing the spring c, the counting wheel for the units is moved
one division forward each time: if in this case there is employed, for example, a
measuring-stick of half a yard in length, and the counter indicates 78 measure-
ments, then the fabric that has been measured has a length of 39 yards. The con-
struction of the counter in the measuring-stick may be of any suitable kind, care
being taken, however, that the counter with its casing, do not project appreciably
beyond the outer surfaces, in order that it may not impede the manipulation of the
measuring-stick.
From the foregoing it will be obvious that the counter may also be let into the
front end of the measuring-stick. In this case, the spring or the knob is depressed
with the left hand for the purpose of operating the counter.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
-
1. A measuring-stick into which close to the zero-point of the scale, there is let
a counter provided with a projecting operating pin, acted upon by a spring, the
arrangement being such that, in measuring a piece of fabric, the person measuring,
by pressing the fabric with the thumb of the right hand upon the zero-point of the
scale, will operate the counter in such a manner that the counter will indicate the
number of successive measurements which have been made with the measuring-
stick along the piece of fabric.
2. A modification of the apparatus specified in the preceding claim in which the
counter is let into the front end of the measuring-stick so that the actuation of the
counter will be effected with the left hand.
3. The improved measuring-sticks hereinbefore described with reference to and
shown respectively in Figs. 1 and 2, and in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings
referred to.
F. WISE HOWORTH,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicants.