Improvements in Measures for Measuring and Indicating a Series of Lengths.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Sept., 1892-Accepted, 8th Oct., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Measures for Measuring and Indicating a Series
of Lengths.
We, FELIX BOAS, of Potsdam Engineer, and SAMUEL WEINMANN of 23
Englischerstrasse, Charlottenburg, Engineer, both in the Kingdom of Prussia and
German Empire, 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 a measuring stick or staff which will indicate at a
glance the number of yards or other lengths which have been measured, in
measuring out a piece of cloth for example, and will thus render it unnecessary to
keep mental count, or to mark down the total number of measurements made, and
enable a long piece of cloth to be measured accurately and comfortably, and with
a minimum risk of error.
In a measure constructed according to our invention, we mark upon the face of
the measure, on one edge, a series of numbered divisions, and within the measure
we arrange mechanism, carrying a pointer which can be moved over the series of
divisions step by step. The pointer being advanced one step for each measure
taken, the total number of measures will be indicated by the distance of the
pointer from zero. Thus, if the measure be a yard measure, and a piece of cloth
twenty yards long has to be measured, the pointer will at the end of the measure-
ment indicate 20 on the divided scale. The motion of the pointer is effected by
pressing upon a suitable knob or lever once for every measurement taken, the knob
or lever being connected with the pointer mechanism.
We will more particularly describe our said invention with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 of these drawings represents the measure in the complete form.
Figure 2 shews the measure in plan with the top removed, and with the
presser in its normal condition.
Figure is a corresponding plan shewing the presser depressed in the act of
moving the pointer forward.
Figure 4 is a partial plan on an enlarged scale, of the pointer mechanism.
Figure 5 is a cross section of Figure 4.
For greater clearness, we will describe our improvements as applied to a yard
measure, although the total length shewn on Figure 1 is 50 inches or centimeters.
or whatever unit may be taken. The knob or presser, by means of which the
pointer is moved once for each yard measured is shewn at a, the pointer at b, and
the scale shewing the number of yards measured at c.
Within the body of the measure there are two fixed transverse pieces g 9',
carrying at one end the guide rod l', and having sliding therein at the other end,
the toothed rod 1. On the guide rod 1, there is mounted a small sliding carriage f,
the motion of which is limited at each end by the screws m m secured in the guide
rod. The pointer b, is fixed upon the carriage, and moves along the slot d shewn
in Figure 1, and in cross section in Figure 5. The carriage may be pressed into
contact with the guide rod by a spring such as n, and it carries, in addition to the
pointer b, a pivoted click z. This click is bevelled on one side, and engages with
the teeth in the rod 1, in such a manner that when the rod is pressed towards the
point of the measure the engagement of the click with the teeth of the rod
compels the carriage and pointer to move forward, but when the rod is returned,
the tooth in the rod passes over the bevelled side of the click, and the carriage
and pointer remain stationary. There is connected with the click z, a lever h, the
point of which projects through a slot formed in the side of the measure, and a

page_text: springs around the pin on which the click is pivotted, tends to maintain the click
and lever in the position shewn by the full lines in Figure 4. Thus when the
required number of yards have been measured, or when the pointer has arrived at
the end of the scale, the outer end of the lever is moved back into the position
indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 4, putting the click out of engagement with
the teeth on l, and permitting the pointer to be returned to zero.
The distance between the teeth on the toothed rod 1, is the same as that between.
the divisions on the scale c, and it is arranged that for every movement of the
rod, the pointer is moved through this distance. This may be accomplished by
means of the presser rod a, on which there is fixed a pin engaging with the
rocking lever, which on the depression of the presser rod, is forced against a
projection from the rod 1, and thereby pushes that rod forward. At the opposite
end of this rod there is a spiral spring p, pressing against the transverse piece q¹
and an enlarged part of the rod. As soon as the pressure exerted by the presser a
is relieved, this spring p, returns the rod to its original position ready for another
stroke. The normal positions of the presser u, of the rocking lever r, and of the
rod, are shewn by Figure 2, their positions when the presser is pushed down,
are shewn by Figure 3.
The pressure of the spring n binds the carriage upon the rod
prevent its return with the return motion of the toothed rod l.
sufficiently to
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
1. A measure for measuring a series of similar lengths, constructed to indicate
by a pointer the number of lengths measured, substantially as hereinbefore
described and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
2. In a measure for measuring a series of similar lengths, the combination with
a pointer and divisions for indicating the number of lengths, of a toothed rod, a
click engaging with the toothed rod; a lever for putting the click out of gear, a
sliding carriage carrying the click pointer and disengaging lever, and means for
reciprocating the toothed rod, constructed and arranged substantially as herein-
before described and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 31st day of August A.D. 1892.
WILLIAM E. HEYS,
Agent for the Applicants.