An Improved Instrument for Computing the Thickness, Weight and other like Information of Paper in Sheets.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Oct., 1899-Accepted, 11th Nov., 1899
An Improved Instrument for Computing the Thickness, Weight and
other like Information of Paper in Sheets.
I, ARTHUR MYLES GRANTHAM, a Subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing
at No. 66, Fifth Avenue, Borough of Manhattan, City, County and State of New
York, U.S.A., Gentleman, 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:-
My invention relates to an improved instrument intended for automatically
securing computations in reference to sheets of paper, the invention being
particularly designed for use by publishers, printers, paper-manufacturers, paper
agents and others interested in the use and manufacture of paper and especially
book paper.
At the present time it is the custom in order to obtain the data
necessary with which to calculate the weight of paper required for a definite
purpose, such, for instance, as in the making of a book of a desired thickness,
to first make a dummy volume of the desired number of pages, which may be
used as a basis for the computation. The making of dummies is not only expen-
sive, crude and laborious, but it is often impracticable and in many cases im-
possible, owing to the lack of sufficient sheets in hand to represent the desired
number of pages. The main and essential object of my invention is the produc-
tion of a simple and compact computing instrument by which the data necessary
for securing the weight or thickness or other information connected with sheets
of paper may be effected automatically, without the necessity of making dummies
and with entire expedition.
In order that the invention may be better understood attention is directed to
the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which
Fig. 1 is a side view of a convenient embodiment of my invention.
Fig. 2 a front view thereof, looking in the direction of the arrow a b; Fig. 1
and
Fig. 3, a plan view looking in the direction of the arrow cd, Fig. 1.
For the purpose of clearness, in Figure 2, I have omitted the scale from the dial.
In all of the above views, corresponding parts are represented by the same
letters of reference.
A represents a suitable base, which carries two standards B and C, having
heads D, E, in which are mounted the two screws F and G, said screws being
placed in line as shown. The inner faces of these screws are made perfectly true,
so that no errors can occur in the micrometer gauging of the sheets. The screws F
and G are turned by the milled or knurled heads H, H. A thumb-screw I, is
employed to lock the screw F in any desired position of adjustment. Carried
upon the standard C, in a plane at right angles to the axis of the screws F and G,
is a dial J, carrying a scale K on its face, said scale being made preferably of
celluloid or similar material. The screw G is provided with a pointer or index L,
which cooperates with the data carried by the scale K. This data may be suitably

page_text: varied to suit the individual case, but a convenient arrangement thereor
illustrated.
15
a, a, a, are radial lines, which are diametrically disposed upon the scale to form
a series of radial columns occupying the major portion of such scale. In the
present instance, these columns occupy 13/20 of such surface, but obviously they
may be extended or reduced in number. b, b, b, represent concentric parti-
circles, which are struck through the radial lines a, so as to divide the bulk of
the scale into a series of radial and concentric spaces carrying the desired figures
to indicate the result of any computation. c, d, e, are other radial lines which
divide the space on the scale not occupied by the figures referred to into two
portions, one of which contains references explanatory of the figures referred to
and the other of which may, as indicated, contain in concise terms a convenient
rule, the purpose of which will be presently explained, for increasing the capacity
of the instrument. With the specific data described employed on the scale K,
the assumption is that the pitch of the screw G is .020 of an inch, so that in
turning the head H to advance the pointer L from 0 to 13, the screw G would
have retreated from the screw F, to a distance of .013 of an inch, this being the
maximum thickness of any paper with which I am familiar that is now
the market.
on
The explanatory matter contained by the scale between the radial lines c. and d
In
may be of any suitable character, a convenient arrangement being shown.
the outermost circle, between the edge of the dial and the outer circle b, are the
words: "Multiply pages required by this decimal: Result will be bulk in six-
teenths of an inch approx. In the next space below are the words: Pages
to one inch." In the third space are the words: "Bulk of 1000 pages in thirty-
seconds of an inch"; next 900 pages, 800 pages, 700 pages, and so on. If now
it is assumed that data concerning the thickness or weight of a sheet of paper
is desired, the sheet will be placed between the faces of the screws F and G and
the head H of the screw G turned until the sheet is held between the screws.
The pointer L will therefore indicate on the scale the thickness of the sheet 'in
thousandths of an inch. Assuming as indicated, that this thickness is .0045 then
it will be seen that if the book which is to be printed is to have 1000 pages, its
bulk or thickness in sixteenths of an inch will be 1000 × .036
inches approximately. Or, instead the figures indicated will show that a book
of one inch in thickness made of the paper under comparison would be one of
444 pages. Or, on the other hand, if it is known that the book to be made is to
have say, 500 pages, the figure in the corresponding circle will show that such
a book will have a thickness of 36/32 of an inch.
=
30/10
= 2.25
The rule referred to by which the capacity of the instrument will be increased
is stated in terms to be: "To obtain the bulk of odd tens of pages, strike out
the last cipher from the page column and use the last figure in the result obtained
as a decimal." However this rule may be expressed, its substance may be thus
explained. Suppose it is desired to know the thickness of a book of 640 pages,
to be made of paper the thickness of which has been shown by the pointer L
to be .0045. The 600 pages will obviously have a thickness of 3/3 of an inch,
while the 40 pages will obviously have a thickness of 2% of an inch, making
45. of an inch for the complete book.
In this way it is possible from a single sheet of paper to determine automatically
and very quickly the number of pages which will be required to occupy a certain
bulk, the amount of bulk which will be required to be occupied in a given number
of pages in decimals or in an odd number of pages by the use of the decimal
multipliers contained in the extreme outer circle.
The purpose of the screw F is to secure adjustment of the apparatus to com-
pensate for changes of temperature, wear, etc. This adjustment is effected
obviously by moving the head H of the screw G' until the pointer L is coincident
with the O and by then turning the screw F until its inner face engages the

page_text: corresponding face of the screw G, after which the thumb-screw I, is engaged
with the screw F, to lock it against accidental movement.
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. As a new article of manufacture, the combination with a micrometer and
an indicating device the position of which is dependent upon the distance separa-
ting the micrometer faces, of a scale with which said indicating device cooperates,
said scale being supplied with figures representing data necessary for the calcula-
tion of the bulk of paper subjected to the action of the micrometer, substantially
as set forth.
2. As a new article of manufacture the combination with a micrometer and
an indicating device, the position of which is dependent upon the distance separat-
ing the micrometer faces, of a scale with which said indicating device cooperates,
said scale being supplied with figures representing the pages in a given thickness
which will be occupied by sheets subjected to the action of the micrometer, sub-
stantially as set forth.
3. As a new article of manufacture, the combination with a micrometer and
an indicating device the position of which is dependent upon the distance
separating the micrometer faces, of a scale with which said indicating device
cooperates, said scale being supplied with figures representing the pages in a
given thickness which will be occupied by sheets subjected to the action of the
micrometer, and also with figures representing the thicknesses which will be
occupied by such sheets in various amounts, substantially as set forth.
4. As a new article of manufacture, the combination with a micrometer and an
indicating device the position of which is dependent upon the distance separating
the micrometer faces, of a scale with which said indicating device cooperates,
said scale being supplied with figures representing the pages in a given thickness
which will be occupied by sheets subjected to the action of the micrometer, and
also with figures representing the thicknesses which will be occupied by such
sheets in various amounts, and with figures representing the multipliers by
which the thickness of odd numbers of sheets can be obtained from a comparison
with a single sheet subjected to the action of the micrometer, substantially as
set forth.
5. As a new article of manufacture, the combination of a micrometer screw,
a pointer carried thereby, and a scale with which the said pointer cooperates, said
scale being supplied with figures representing data necessary for the calculation
of the bulk of paper subjected to the action of the micrometer, substantially as
set forth.
6. As a new article of manufacture, the combination of a micrometer screw,
a pointer carried thereby, and a scale with which said pointer cooperates, said
scale being supplied with figures representing the pages in a given thickness
which will be occupied by sheets subjected to the action of the micrometer, sub-
stantially as set forth.
7. As a new article of manufacture, the combination of a micrometer screw,
a pointer carried thereby, and a scale with which said pointer cooperates, said
scale being supplied with figures representing the pages in a given thickness
which will be occupied by sheets subjected to the action of the micrometer, and
also with figures representing the thicknesses which will be occupied by such
sheets in various amounts, substantially as set forth.
8. As a new article of manufacture, the combination of a micrometer screw,
a pointer carried thereby, and a scale with which said pointer cooperates, said
scale being supplied with figures representing the pages in a given thickness
which will be occupied by sheets subjected to the action of the micrometer, and
also with figures representing the thicknesses which will be occupied by such

page_text: sheets in various amounts, and with figures representing the multipliers by which
the thickness of odd numbers of sheets can be obtained from a comparison with
a single sheet subjected to the action of the micrometer, substantially as set forth.
9. As a new article of manufacture, the combination of a base, a pair of stan-
dards supported by said base, two micrometer screws mounted in said standards
and arranged in line with each other, means for adjusting one of said screws.
a pointer carried by the other of said screws, and a scale with which said pointer
cooperates, said scale being supplied with figures representing data necessary for
the calculation of the bulk of paper subjected to the action of the micrometer,
substantially as set forth.
Dated this 14th day of September A.D. 1899.
ARTHUR MYLES GRANTHAM.
Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.