A Contrivance for Multiplying and Measuring the Minute Differences between Solid Articles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Aug., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 20th Nov., 1896--Accepted, 24th Dec., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Contrivance for Multiplying and Measuring the Minute Differences
between Solid Articles.
STEPHEN WELLS 35 Amberley Road Harrow Road Paddington Machine
Printer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention is a new contrivance for multiplying and measuring the minute
differences between solid articles, and is chiefly intended to be used by printers to
enable them to make their stereotype and electrotype-plate backing blocks, wood-
cuts and the like the necessary height or thickness before going to press. It will
also be made to measure the minute difference between any solid articles.
In carrying out this invention I shall employ a table and make a portion of the
top a true plane. Upon the other part will be fixed by suitable means a frame
containing bearings for a horizontal shaft and slideways for a perpendicular slide;
the slide will overhang the centre of the true part of the table and be connected
by an arm and strap to an eccentric or equivalent, which will be made out of, or
fixed on the shaft. I shall also fix upon the shaft a handle to turn the shaft, a
stop to prevent the shaft turning more than half a circle, and a hand similar to
the hand of a clock. The latter will be immediately in front of a half disc fixed
to the frame, which disc will have any suitable number of divisions marked upon
it, but there will be one prominent line in the centre dividing the half disc into
two parts. The line will be called the "type-high" line, and each half of the
disc "high" and "low" respectively. The handle will be fixed upon the shaft so
that it will be perpendicular when the eccentric or like has made its upward throw.
The stop and hand will be fixed at right angles to the handle.
To set the instrument for use a standard article is placed between the end of the
slide and the true part of the table. Upon lowering the handle the eccentric or
like will bring the end of the slide down until the resistance of the article stops
the slide. If the hand is opposite the "type-high" line the instrument is set for
use. Upon changing the standard article for the one to be measured the position
of the hand to the disc will indicate if the article is the same height as the
standard. I may further enhance the multiplying power of the instrument by
means of wheels and pinions.
Dated this 11th day of August 1896
STEPHEN WELLS.
A Contrivance for Multiplying and Measuring the Minute Differences
between Solid Articles.
STEPHEN WELLS Printer 35 Amberley Road Harrow Road Paddington
London W. 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 is a new contrivance for multiplying and measuring the minute

page_text: differences between solid articles and is chiefly intended to be used by printers to
enable them to make their stereotype and electro type plates backing blocks wood
cuts and like the necessary height or thickness before going to press. It will also
be made to measure the minute differences between any other solid articles.
In carrying out this invention I employ a table and make a portion of the top a
true plane the same as an engineers surface plate or as an alternative with one or
more projections (not shown) above the main body of table of any required shape
or-size to suit the kind of material to be measured. Upon the other part will be
fixed by suitable means a frame containing bearings for a horizontal shaft or arbor
and slideways for a perpendicular slide the slide will overhang the centre of the
true part of table and be connected by an arm and strap to an eccentric or an
equivalent which will be made out of, or fixed on to the shaft. I shall also fix
upon the shaft a handle to turn shaft a stop to prevent the shaft turning more than
half a circle, and a hand similar to the hand of a clock the latter will be imme-
diately in front of a half disc which half dise will be fixed to the frame and have
any suitable number of divisions marked upon it but there will be a prominent line
in the centre dividing it into two parts; the line will be called the standard or type.
high line, and each part of the half disc High and Low respectively. The handle
will be fixed in any convenient part of the shaft and so that it will be perpendicular
when the eccentric or like has made its upward throw. The stop and hand is fixed
at right angles to the handle.
To set the instrument for use a standard guage is placed between the end of
slide, or screw in the slide, and the true part of the table. Upon gently lowering
the handle the eccentric or like will bring the slide and screw down until the
resistance of the standard guage stops the slide. If hand is opposite type high
line a set nut which is upon screw is fixed and the instrument is set for use. Upon
changing the standard guage for the article to be measured the position of the hand
to the half disc will indicate if the article is the same height or thickness as the
standard gauge.
In order that my invention may be better understood I have appended the
accompanying explanatory drawings.
In Fig. 1 is shown a front elevation Fig. 2 a side elevation Figa. 3 to 9 inclusive.
are detail drawings.
The same letters represent the same parts throughout.
A is a table upon which frame B is fixed C work on true part of table and
under end of screw D E is a set or lock nut thereto screw D is inserted into
slide I the said slide is connected by pin joint G to eccentric arm and strap H
F is a screw in frame B to prevent stop N, and O, and handle M describing more
than half a circle; joint G allows slide 1 to work perpendicular and does not
interfere with the oscillation of eccentric J, which said eccentric is made to throw
any required distance the shaft or arbor is represented by K L being the journals
M the handle the said handle may be lowered by hand or a suitable windlass not
shown in the drawings. Upon stop N is fixed hand O. If hand O is not opposite
type bigh line P upon half dise Q when the standard gauge is tried, screw Dis
inserted or withdrawn a sufficient distance to bring said hand opposite the aforesaid
line P when slide I or screw D is brought down upon the work C, by lowering
handle M.
When handle M is fixed between the journal bearings stop N and handle Mare
made in one piece by attaching the said stop to the boss of handle.
The multiplying power depends upon the difference between the throw of
eccentric J and length of hand O for example :-J may throw one fifth of an inch
and O describe a half circle of twenty inches as there are one hundred fifths of
an inch in twenty inches the difference in the size of the articles appear multiplied
by this means.
Screw D may be dispensed with by dividing arm H into two parts and cutting a
right hand thread on one part and a left hand thread on the other and connecting
the two parts by nut R as shown in Fig. 1 the said nut having threads at each end

page_text: to correspond with the threads on divided arm. By turning said nut the end of
slide I is brought nearer to or farther from the work C. I employ the instrument
as described and illustrated in the aforesaid description and drawings as a complete
measuring machine but by way of alternative the multiplying power is further
increased by any convenient number of wheels and pinions having any required
number of teeth.
Reference is requested to Sheets 3 and 4 in which
Fig. 10 is a front elevation, Fig. 11 a side elevation.
Fig. 13 is a plan and is an example of how wheels and pinions may be used.
Fig. 12 is a section on line a-b of Fig. 10.
Fig. 14 is one way of dividing and numbering disc X when several revolutions
are made by said disc.
Fig. 15 is moving piece fixed to stop N which carries hand O; slot D¹ is cut
therein to enable said hand to be brought opposite type-high line P when hand A¹
is also opposite type-high or standard line B on disc X.
To make the use of wheels and pinions more clearly understood and further by
way of example wheel S which has one hundred teeth is fixed to arbor K and
gears into pinion T having twenty five teeth said pinion T is fixed upon arbor U;
upon said arbor U is also fixed wheel V having one hundred teeth which gears
into pinion W with twenty five teeth. Pinion W is thus turned eight times round
during throw of eccentric J upon pinion W is fixed disc X and pulley or barrel Y.
W. X and Y revolve loose upon arbor K as shown in side elevation Fig. 11 or are
fixed upon a separate arbor E' as shown in plan Fig. 13.
If the throw of eccentric J is a quarter of an inch each revolution of disc X will
represent and by dividing said disc into 125 divisions each division will
represent 000 part of an inch 4 x 8 = 32 x 125 = 4000. When disc X is made
to revolve several times two circles of figures are employed one under and one
above division lines each circle proceeding in different directions as shown in
Fig. 14 the outside circle will indicate if the articles measured are higher or
thicker and the inside circle if thiner or lower than the standard gauge. The
divisions of half disc Q when wheels and pinions are used will be the same in
number as the revolutions of disc X, hand O will indicate the number of revolutions
disc X has made when measuring and X more minutely how much higher or lower
the article is to the standard gauge.
If when measuring hand O reaches the first division on side marked low on half
disk Qit would indicate that X had made one extra revolution and the article
measured was of an inch low and assuming hand A¹ to be at one on the
inside circle of figures on disc X the two hands combined would show the article
to be 3 and 4 parts of an inch low if O is on the side marked high the
article would be higher than the standard and the difference indicated by hand O
on half disc Q and hand A' on outside circle of figures on disc X. Z is a weight
with cord or chain wound round pulley or barrel Y to take up the back lash of
wheels and pinions, A' is a hand fixed into cap of journal bearing as shown in
Fig. 16.
When multiplying power is required to be small disc X is made to revolve but a
few times which requires the employment of one wheel and one pinion only, in this
instance weight Z, barrel Y, half disc Q, hand O, wheel V, pinion W and moving
piece Fig. 15 are not employed.
It should be understood that the end of screw D must be removed from table A
sufficient distance to permit the article which is to be measured being placed
between table A and screw D, a distance of of an inch is sufficient for printers,
which is obtained by nut R or screw D so that for printers I fix frame B to
able A but when measuring general work any known means will be adopted to
remove frame B and mechanism connected thereto the required distance from said
able A such as a slide and set screw rack and pinion or like. One end of rack or
lide may be fixed to table A the other end to a bracket in the wall or ceiling of
workshop.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
(1.) In a measuring instrument the eccentric, cam, crank, or their equivalents as
described and illustrated in the description and drawings and for the purpose
hitherto stated.
(2.) In a measuring instrument the combination of table A, frame B, screw D,
set-nut E, pin joint G, eccentric arm and strap H, slide I, eccentric J, arbor K,
handle M, stop N, hand O, half disc Q and nut R substantially as herein described
and illustrated and for the purpose specified.
(3.) The combination of a measuring instrument of the alternative, by the
addition to Claim one and two of wheels S and V, pinions T and W, disc X,
pulley Y, weight Z, hand A' arbors U and E' and moving piece Fig. 15, substantially
as specified and as illustrated in the drawings and for the purpose herein before set
forth.
(4.) In a measuring instrument as specified in Claims 1, 2 and 3, but without
the employment of any or all of the parts now numerated, hand O, half disc Q,
wheel V, pinion W, pulley Y, weight Z, arbor E' and moving piece Fig. 15
substantially as described and represented in the annexed drawings and for the
purpose hitherto set forth.
(5.) A measuring instrument or instruments substantially as specified and
illustrated in the drawings and for the purpose herein set forth.
Dated this 20th day of November 1896.
STEPHEN WELLS.