Year: 1889

page_text: A communication from abroad by FRIEDRICH SCHLATTER, of Madretsch, near Biel, in
the Republic of Switzerland.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S. M.L.M.E. of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors 6 Lord Street, Liverpool and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, hoth
in the County of Lancaster, and 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Civil Engineer 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 has for its object an instrument chiefly applicable for measuring
articles of small dimensions, such as metal plates, paper, thread, wire and such like,
which possesses the advantage of enabling the indicator, which registers the measurement
of the given article on the scale, to be kept stationary as long as desired.
The instrument consists essentially of a slide bar pressed by a spring against a fixed
point and adapted to put in motion an arm in connection with it. This arm moves an
indicator by means of a pin or projection on the latter, and the said indicator remains
stationary at the point on the graduated dint that indicates the amount of depression
of the slide rod, or in other words the dimension of the article under measurement.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is an elevation of the measuring instrument.
Figure 2 a vertical section through the slide bar case.
Figure 3 a vertical cross section through the measuring instrument.
Figure 4 shows the application of a Nouius indicator to this instrument.
Figures 5 and 6 show details on a larger scale.
A slide rod B provided with a knob A for pushing the same is set in a case or shell
C, one of the measuring surfaces B₁ is placed on this slide rod B at the opposite end
to the knob A, while the other fixed measuring surface is placed on the fixed case
or shell C and can be regulated in the latter. An axle L bearing a pinion K is set. in
the shell C ; a rack on the slide rod B engages in the pinion K. The longitudinal

page_text: -
motion of this rack produces the rotation of the axle L and of a radial arm H
connected therewith.
A pin N is set in the shell and rests at the lower end of a slot running along the
slide lar, in which slot a spiral spring M is placed, which always tends to push the
slide bar backwards, that is to say, towards the knob A, in which direction it will 5
move it, if no opposing force presents itself, such as pressure on the knob.
A disc is fixed on the shell C to receive the figure dial E, and on it is mounted
the ring for the glass R; on this ring D, which can he revolved round the dial, is
also a needle Q. which points on the dial and serves to register the measurements
made.
The indicator G is mounted so that it can revolve on the ring J.
The arm His positively connected with the pinion K. An enlarged view of this
arm is shown in Figures 5 und 6.
On this arm is a finger n which can swing in one direction on its pivot h,
namely, to the left, but not to the right in the drawings. A spring constantly
presses the finger n in the direction corresponding with that of the arm H, and
checked by any ordinary device, such as a pin n', while the said spring will allow
the finger 12. projecting from the end of the arm H, to be slightly bent out of
the straight line, as will be the case when it is struck on the opposite sido by the
pin g.
The figure dial is marked with a graduated scale which beginning at zero is
placed round the dial like the figures on a clock face. The apparatus works as
follows:-
By pressing.down the slide bar B, the rack b sets in rotary motion the pinion K and
with it the arm H, turning it from right to left in the drawings, that is in an opposite
direction to that of the hands of a clock. The finger n on the arm H catches the pin
on the indicator G, and pushes the latter before it until the end piece B' meets the
body to be measured, which is placed between the pieces B and C. The distance
between the pieces B and C can be read off on the gradulated scale.
The flat surface is so regulated that when the pieces B' and U¹ meet, the pointer
will be again at zero. Thus the smaller the object to be measured, the nearer the
pointer will move towards zero from the higher numbers. The positions of the flat
end piece B' between the commencement of the pressure on the knob and the contact
of the fingern with the pin g are not registered, and the point in the space between
the pieces B and C at which the pointer begins to move and therefore to register,
corresponds with the highest figure on the scale, so that, supposing, for example, this
space to be 10 m. m. the 10 m. m. mark on the scale will correspond with zero, that
is to say, on the scale dial 0-10 represents the length between the pieces B¹ and C"
from 0-10 m. m.
When a measurement has been taken and the pressure on the slide bar is relaxed,
the spring M pushes the slide bar back and the arm H returns to its former place,
while the indicator G remains still. To place the indicator G at zero the pieces B¹
and Cmust be placed in contact and the pressure then removed. The arm H will
fly back to its original position, the-pointer G remaining stationary at 10. When the
arm H on its return reaches the pin g, the finger n bends and the arm returns to the
point of departure. Thus a measurement can be taken in the dark and be preserved
as long as desired or until the parts B' and Cure again pushed towarils each other.
Instead of the ordinary indicator G a Nonius indicator may be used as shown in
Figure 4.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A measuring instrument so arranged that the slide bar provided with the
movable measuring surface when moved into the position required for taking a
¡measurement will streich a spring, which latter will bring it back to its former
position when the measurement has been made and will also move an indicator by
"
1

page_text: means of a rack and pinion device, which indicator will remain in position when the
measurement has been taken and will register the same on a graduated dial,
substantially as described.
2. In a measuring instrument such as described, the arm H having at the end a
finger n which can bend backwards and which acts upon a pointer G, yg said pointer
remaining stationary when the measurement has been taken, while the arm returns to
its point of departure, substantially as described.
3. The improvements in or relating to measuring instruments, taken as a whole,
substantially as described and shown.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.