An Improved Method of Checking or Gauging the Dimensions of Articles, and Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 29th July, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Mar., 1894-Accepted, 28th July, 1894
PROVIDIUNAL DE ECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of Checking or Gauging the Dimensions of
Articles, and Apparatus therefor.
I, ALFONS CASTENHOLZ, of 76 Westendstrasse, Karlsruhe, Baden, in the
Empire of Germany, Retired Colonel and General Manager of the Deutsche
Metallpatronenfabrik, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to a method of checking or gauging the dimensions of
articles and to apparatus therefor.
According to the aforesaid method any desired number of dimensions of similar
articles may be checked or gauged by electrical means. The articles to be measured
are loosely inserted into holes provided at equal distances from each other in a
transporting device, such as an endless chain or revolving disc, to which a step
motion equal to the distance from hole to hole is imparted each time, and which
thus conducts the articles to be checked or gauged to the several measuring devices
at certain intervals. The articles slide with their under surface upon a plane plate
or disc. The measuring takes place during each stoppage of the transporting
device. When the dimension of the article is irregular the measuring device
closes an electric circuit which by means of an electromagnet disengages.a flap or
slide in the sliding plate or disc which is pushed or pulled outwards by a spring.
The flap or slide may be arranged at each measuring place below the article or
behind the measuring place in the direction of motion of the transporting device,
so that the article will drop either at once or during the continued transport
through the opening produced in the sliding plate or disc. In the continued
movement of the transporting device the flap or slide is closed again by this device
against the pressure of the spring. For each measuring place I provide a flap
or slide with an electromagnet and other accessories.
Accordingly this improved method is not based on the principle heretofore
adopted of opening or closing different receptacles or channels for articles with the
normal dimensions and for those with abnormal dimensions, that is to say.removing
the regular as well as the irregular articles from the apparatus, by which method
it is impossible to check or gauge several dimensions at the same tine, but consists
in that the articles to be measured are conducted by a step motion to the several
measuring devices and only those articles which in any measurement either.exceed
or do-not reach the desired limit are caused to drop through the sliding.plate.or
disc, thereby enabling several measurements to be effected: simultaneously or
successively in one checking or gauging apparatus and articles. which present one
or the other irregularity in their dimensions to be sorted according to the
irregularity, while all the articles which possess quite normal dimensions-are-finally
delivered from the apparatus.
°
Contact for the passage of an electric current is-made in the following-manner:
A measuring instrument carried by an arm is connected with the latter by
pressure, for instance by its weight or by a spring. The apparatus imparts to each
arm a definite movement towards the article to be measured. Each measuring
instrument participates in the movement of its arm until it is arrested either. by a
stop or by the article, while the arm-completes its movement. According as the.
dimension of the article is too small or too great the measuring instrument is
stopped too late or too early. In the first case the measuring instrument.strikes
against a fixed stop and thereby makes contact, while in the second.case.the.arm
in its continued movement' strikes against the instrument and thus also makes

page_text: 1
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contact. These two measurements may be effected separately or together. In
the former instance the articles, according as they exceed or do not reach one or
the other limit, are thrown out separately, which is mostly desired for manufacturing
purposes. As each dimension is here checked or gauged only in respect of one
limit an absolutely accurate measurement is possible. In the second instance,
owing to the distance between the two contact-pieces and to their being indepen-
dent of each other, it is also possible with any desired amount of movement of the
arm to adjust the measurement to optionally small limits. If the article to he
measured has a dimension which is within the greatest or smallest admissible limit,
no contact is made, the article is normal and is conducted to the next measuring
place and after it has passed all the measuring places is delivered from the
apparatus as having normal dimensions.
will proceed to describe several devices designed for checking or gauging
lengths, and comprising a transporting device, and a sliding plate or disc. The
measurement may be effected according to two methods.
The first method may be employed with a device for checking or gauging the
minimum length, another for the maximum length, and a third device for the
maximum and minimum at the same time, as for example for the powder filling
of cartridges.
Each measurement is effected by a checking or gauging stamp which is carried
by an arm adapted to be moved to and fro. The said stamp follows the movement
of the arm either until it bears upon the article to be measured, and if the length
is too great it makes contact with the said arm, or until it is stopped by the
contact piece if the length is too short, thereby closing the electric circuit.
.
As in checking or gauging articles it is only needful to ascertain whether the
..length is between two limits this length may also be measured according to the
second method by two gauges which have a width of opening corresponding to
the two limits and of which the minimun gauge cannot, whilst the maximum
gauge can, be moved over the article if the latter is normal. If the article be too
small the maximum gauge in one arrangement passes over the same and makes
contact. If the article be too large the gauge in the second arrangement is
stopped by the article, whereupon contact is made between the gauge and the
arm as the latter continues to move. In this instance the checking or gauging
may also be combined for the two limits similarly as hereinbefore mentioned, and
any other dimension, such as the diameter, bore or the like, may likewise be
checked or gauged according to one of the two methods.
I will now describe by way of example two measuring devices which serve to
check or gauge a cartridge case in respect of the minimum width of the projectile
space, or in respect of the minimum rear diameter, according to the second of the
aforesaid methods. If these dimensions be too small the measuring instrument
comprising a cylinder does not in one instance pass into the orifice of the cartridge
case so that the arm in its continued movement makes contact by striking against
the measuring instrument. In the other instance the gauge passes too high up,
so that the arm makes contact by striking against a fixed point, whereupon in
either case the article with irregular dimensions will be thrown out.
In some of the described arrangements the flap employed is not below the
article to be measured but in the direction of motion in front of them or behind
the measuring places.
Such a flap may be adapted to turn upon a pivot, a spring being provided to
pull it outwards, but it is stopped by a lever which is pulled by a spring. The
said lever carries a piece of soft iron placed opposite to an electromagnet. If a
current Hows through this magnet the lever is attracted and the flap turns out-
wards and allows the article to fall through the opening in the table.
In the
continued movement of the transporting device the Hap is closed by a projection
on the transporting device striking against a nose, whereupon the above-mentioned
lever, which has in the meantime been liberated by the electro-magnet owing to
the interruption of the electric circuit, holds the flap in the said position.

page_text: For simultaneously checking or gauging a greater number of dimensions I may
employ an apparatus the transporting device of which constitutes a revolving plate
or disc which has the holes for the reception of the articles arranged in a circle.
The articles are inserted into the holes directly by hand or by a special feed
mechanism and rest upon a sliding plate or disc. The revolving plate or disc is
provided upon a vertical axis and receives a rotary step movement. The driving
is effected by means of a belt pulley which sets a shaft in. motion by toothed
wheels. This shaft through the medium of a cam, effects by steps the forward
movement of a ratchet wheel and consequently of the revolving plate or disc.
The measuring devices are provided above or below the several articles. The
flaps to be opened by electrical means are arranged in the sliding plate or disc
not below the articles but in front of them in the direction of notion of the
revolving plate or disc. I arrange the ratchet mechanism in such a manner that
the said plate or disc in its rotary movement will pause at this point, in order that
the article when the flap is open, has time to drop through. The measuring
instruments actuated from above are supported in a common arm set in motion by
a cam. For operating the measuring instruments from below, a number of cams
are provided on the said shaft.
Instead of using the above-described method only for simultaneously checking
or gauging any desired number of dimensions of similar articles it may also be
employed so that only one, two or more dimensions are checked or gauged and
the irregular articles thrown out by electrical means while the measured articles
found to have the normal dimensions are subjected to other operations in the same
apparatus. For instance the aforesaid transporting plate or disc and sliding plate
or disc may be used for the purposes of a machine for charging cartridges, so that
simultaneously with the checking or gauging of the powder filling as hereinbefore
described the other operations necessary for charging cartridges such as the intro-
duction of the powder, the insertion of the projectiles, the pinching of the
cartridge cases to hold the projectiles and the like may be performed.
Dated this 29th day of July 1893.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of Checking or Gauging the Dimensions of
Articles, and Apparatus therefor.
I, ALFONS CASTENHOLZ, of 76 Westendstrasse, Karlsruhe, Baden, in the
Empire of Germany, Retired Colonel and General Manager of the Deutsche
Metallpatronenfabrik, 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 a method of checking or gauging the dimensions of
articles and to apparatus therefor.
According to the aforesaid method any desired number of dimensions of similar
articles may be checked or gauged by electrical means. The articles to be
measured are loosely inserted into holes provided at equal distances from each other
in a transporting device, such as an endless chain or revolving disc, to which a step
motion equal to the distance from hole to hole is imparted each time, and which
thus conducts the articles to be checked or gauged to the several measuring devices
at certain intervals. The articles slide with their under surface upon a plane, plate
or disc.
The measuring takes place during each stoppage of the transporting device.
When the dimension of the article is irregular the measuring device closes an
electric current which by means of an electromagnet disengages a flap or slide in

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the plate, or disc upon which the articles slide, which is pushed or pulled outwards
by a spring. The flap or slide may be arranged at each measuring. place below
the article or behind the measuring place, in, the direction of inotion of the
transporting device, so that the article will drop either at once or during the
continued transport through the opening produced in the plate or disc. In
the continued movement of the transporting device the flap or slide is closed
again by this device against the pressure of a spring. For each measuring place
I provide a flap or slide with an electromagnet and other accessories.
Accordingly this improved method is not based on the principle beretofore
adopted of opening or closing different receptacles or channels for articles with
the normal dimensions and for those with abnormal dimensions, that is to say,
removing the regular as well as the irregular articles from the apparatus, by which
method it is impossible to check or gauge several dimensions at the same time, but
consists in that the articles to be measured are conducted by a step motion to the
several measuring devices and only those articles which in any measurement either
exceed or do not reach the desired limit are caused to drop through the sliding
pláte or disc, thereby enabling several measurements to be, effected simultaneously
or successively in one checking or gauging apparatus, and articles which present one
or the other irregularity in their dimensions are sorted according to the irregularity
while all the articles which possess quite normal dimensions are finally delivered
from the apparatus.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 are diagrammatical views illustrating various devices for
checking or gauging lengths.
Figure 5 is a sectional elevation, and
Figure 6 a plan of the 'mechanism for operating the flap device.
Figures 7 and 8 are diagrammatical views illustrating the gauging of a cartridge
case, and
Figure 9 is an elevation of a checking machine partly in section for checking
various dimensions.
Contact for the passage of an electric current is made in the following manner
A measuring instrument M (Figures 1 to 4) is carried by an arm A. and is con-
nected with the latter by pressure, for instance by its own weight or by a spring.
The apparatus imparts to each arm A a definite movement towards the article to
be measured. Each measuring instrument participates in the movement of its arm
until it is arrested either by a stop or by the article, while the arm completes its
movement. According as the dimension of the article is too small or too great the
measuring instrument is stopped too late or too early. l the first case the
measuring instrument strikes against a fixed stop B and thereby makes contact
(Figures 1 and 3) while in the second case the arm A in its continued move-
These two
ment strikes against the instrument and thus also makes contact.
measurements may be effected separately (Figures 1 to 4) or together (Figure 5).
In the former instance the articles according as they exceed or do not reach
one or the other limit, are thrown out separately which is mostly desired for
manufacturing purposes. As each dimension is here checked or gauged only in
respect of one limit, an absolutely accurate measurement is possible. In the second
instance owing to the distance between the two contact-pieces and to their being
independent of each other, it is also possible with any desired amount of movement
of the arm to adjust the measurement to optionally small limits.
If the article to
be measured has a dimension which is within the greatest or smallest admissible
limit, no contact is made, the article is normal and is conducted to the next
measuring place and after it has passed all the measuring places is delivered from
the apparatus as having normal dimensions.
I will proceed to describe several devices designed for checking or gauging
lengths. In Figures 1 to 5 T is a transporting device and G a plate or disc upon
which the articles slide. The measurement may be effected according to two
+methods.
J

page_text: The first method may be employed in the devices represented in Figures 1, 2
and 5, Figure 1 showing the device for checking or gauging the minimum length,
and Figure 2 the device for checking, the maximum length. Figure 5 shows a
device for checking or gauging the powder filling of cartridges and is therefore also
a measurement of length for maximum and minimum at the same time.
Each measurement is effected by a checking or gauging piece M which is carried
by an arm A adapted to be moved to and fro. The said piece M. follows the
movement of the arm either until it bears upon the article to be measured, and if
the length is too great it makes contact with the said arın A, or until it is stopped
by the contact piece B if the length is too short, thereby closing the electric
circuit.
As in checking or gauging articles it is only necessary to ascertain whether the
length is between two limits, this length may also be measured according to
the second method by two gauges. M, Figures 3 and 4 which have a width
of opening corresponding to the two limits and of which the minimum gauge
cannot, whilst the maximum gauge can, be moved over the article if the latter is
normal.
If the article be too small the maximum gange in one arrangement shown in
Figure 3 passes over the same and makes contact with B. If the article be too
large the gauge in the second arrangement shown in Figure 4, is stopped by the
article, whereupon contact is made between the gauge and the arm A as the latter
continues to move. In this instauce the checking or gauging may also be combined
for the two limits similarly as hereinbefore mentioned, and any other dimension,
such as the diameter, bore or the like may likewise be checked or gauged according
to one of the two methods.
In Figures 7 and 8 are shown, by way of example two measuring devices which
serve to check or gauge a cartridge case in respect of the minimum width of the
projectile space, or in respect of the minimum rear diameter, according to the
second of the aforesaid methods. If these dimensions be too small the measuring
instrument comprising a cylinder Figure 7, does not in one instance pass into 'the
orifice of the cartridge case so that the arm A in its continued movement makes
contact by striking against the measuring instrument.
In the other instance the
gauge M Figure 8, passes too high up, so that the arm makes contact by striking
against a fixed point B, whereupon in either case the article with irregular
dimensions will be thrown out.
In Figures 1 to 4 and 7 and 8 the flaps are assumed to be not below the article
to be incasured but in the direction of motion in front of them or behind the
measuring places.
Figures 5 and 6 show such a flap in elevation and plan. K is the flap, which is
adapted to turn upon a pivot Z, a spring F acts upon the said Hap to pull it
outwards, but in the normal position of the apparatus it is prevented from doing so
by the lever H which is pivoted at D and is acted upon by the spring L. The said
lever H carries an armature W placed opposite the electromagnets E. If a
current flows through this magnet the lever H is attracted and the Hap K turns on
its pivot outwards to the position indicated in dotted lines Figure 6, under the
influence of the spring F and allows the article to fall through the opening O
in the table. In the continued movement of the transporting device T the
flap K is closed by a projection on the said transporting device striking
against the nose N, whereupon the above-mentioned lever H, which has in the
ineantime been liberated by the electromagnet owing to the interruption of the
electric circuit, by the lifting of the gauge M locks the flap in position, see full
lines in Figure 6.
Figure 9 shows a checking machine which is designed for simultaneously
checking or gauging a greater number of dimensions. The transporting device T
consists of a revolving plate or disc which has the holes for, the reception of the
articles arranged in a circle. The articles are inserted into the said holes directly
by hand or by a special feed mechanism and rest upon a plate or disc G. The

page_text: revolving plate or disc T is mounted upon a vertical axis and receives a rotary
step movement. The driving is effected by means of a belt pulley R which
actuates the shaft w by toothed wheels R¹, R'. This shaft, through the medium of
a cam Ceffects by steps the forward movement of a ratchet wheel S and con-
sequently of the revolving plate or disc T. The measuring devices are provided
either above or below the several articles. The flaps to be opened by electrical
means are arranged in the plate or disc not below the articles but in front of them
in the direction of motion of the revolving plate or disc. I arrange the ratchet
mechanism in such a manner that the said plate or disc in its rotary movement
will pause at this point, in order that the article when the flap is open, has
time to drop through. The measuring instruments actuated from above are
supported in a common arm A set in motion by a cam C. For operating the
measuring instruments from below a number of cams C³ C are provided on the said
:shaft w.
Instead of using the above-described method only for simultaneously checking
or gauging any desired number of dimensions of similar articles it may also be
employed so that only one, two or more dimensions are checked or gauged and the
irregular articles thrown out by electrical means while the measured articles found
to have the normal dimensions are subjected to other operations in the same
apparatus. For instance in the device represented in Figures 5 and 6, T may
serve as the transporting plate or disc and G as the sliding plate of a machine for
-charging cartridges so that simultaneously with the checking or gauging of the
powder filling as herein before described the other operations necessary for charging
cartridges, such as the introduction of the powder, the insertion of the projectile,
the pinching of the cartridge cases to hold the projectiles and the like may be
¡performed.
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 :-
:-
First. A method of simultaneously checking or gauging any desired number of
-dimensions of similar articles by electrical means, characterized by the feature
that the articles to be measured are conducted by steps, one after the other to
several measuring devices, which when the dimensions are not regular, close
electric circuits which act upon ratchet devices to disengage them in order to allow
the irregular articles to drop while the regular articles continue to be moved
by steps.
Second. An apparatus for carrying out the method characterized in the first
claim, in which the articles to be measured, sliding in a revolving disc or a
transporting device (T) and upon a disc or plate (G) arranged below the same, are
conducted by steps to several measuring devices distributed round the revolving
-disc or along the transporting device and effecting at the same time several measure-
ments, by which measuring devices, when the dimensions are irregular, the locking
device of a flap or slide (K) in the disc or plate is disengaged by electrical
-means and the articles, separated in groups corresponding to the number of the
measuring places, are caused to drop, whilst the locking device, when the
dimensions are normal, remains unaffected and allows the article to slide further on
the disc or plate to the following measuring place.
Third. In the apparatus characterized in the second claim a mechanism effecting
the closing of an electric circuit when the dimension of the articles is irregular,
-consisting of an arm (A) moved towards the article and back, which arm carries
the measuring device (M) and is connected with the same by pressure or friction in
such a manner that it takes part in the motion of the arm A caused by the
machine only until it is stopped, when the dimension is regular, by the article
to be measured, or when the dimension is too small (before contact of the article),
strikes against a fixed contact (B), and when the dimension is too large (after

page_text: the putting upon the article) a fixed contact is reached by the arm (A) moving.
further.
Fourth. In the apparatus characterized in the second claim a mechanism effecting
the falling of the irregular articles, comprising a flap (K) arranged movably in a
disc or plate (G) carrying the articles, drawn or pulled outwards by a spring (F).
and locked by a lever (H), and an electromagnet (E) for attracting the locking
lever (H) for the purpose of opening the flap by its spring (F), a projection (V),
being if desired arranged on the transporting device and causing in its continued
movement the closing of the flap so that its re-locking can take place.
Fifth. A modification of the method characterized in the first claim, in which.
similar articles, instead of being exclusively conducted to measuring devices, are
in the first place, conducted to one or more measuring devices, by which the
irregular articles are thrown out, after which the regular articles are conducted by
steps one behind the other to other devices for effecting other operations such as.
for instance the filling of powder into cartridge cases, or the insertion of projectiles,.
or the like.
Dated this 22nd day of March 1904
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.