MEASURING INSTRUMENT
First Claim
1. In a measuring instrument, a combination comprising support means, said support means including a housing;
- a dial gauge mounted on said support means;
a pair of spaced contacts mounted on said support means;
a contact lever having two ends and being pivotally mounted on said support means at one end of said ends for pivoting movement in a first plane;
a movable contact movable between said spaced contacts and being mounted at the other of said ends of said contact lever;
elongated feeler means actuated by said dial gauge and slidably mounted on said support means for movement between first and second positions, said feeler means having an axis parallel to said first plane and being movable along said axis, and said feeler means including a cam follower;
translating means between said feeler means and said movable contact for translating a large movement of said feeler means into a smaller movement of said movable contact, said translating means comprising a cam having a cam surface which engages said cam follower, said cam being pivotally mounted on said housing for pivoting movement in a second plane parallel to said first plane and said axis, and said cam being positioned between said feeler means and said contact lever;
said first biasing means for maintaining said cam follower in engagement with said cam surface.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A measuring instrument has a pair of spaced electrical contacts mounted on a housing and a contact lever, pivotally mounted on the housing, which carries a movable contact which moves between the electrical contacts. A feeler gauge, forming part of a dial gauge, is slidable along its axis in relation to the housing. A cam, pivotable on said housing in a plane parallel to the plane in which the contact lever pivots, has a straight edge which serves the function of a cam surface. The feeler gauge is provided with a pin which engages the straight edge and, under the influence of a spring, comprises a cam follower. A spring couples the cam and the contact lever for sharing movements in one pivoting direction and a pin mounted on the cam which engages the contact lever, causes the latter to share the movement of the cam in pivoting movements in the other direction. The slope of the straight edge relative to the axis of the feeler gauge is selected to translate a large movement of the feeler gauge into a smaller movement of the movable contact.
7 Citations
11 Claims
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1. In a measuring instrument, a combination comprising support means, said support means including a housing;
- a dial gauge mounted on said support means;
a pair of spaced contacts mounted on said support means;
a contact lever having two ends and being pivotally mounted on said support means at one end of said ends for pivoting movement in a first plane;
a movable contact movable between said spaced contacts and being mounted at the other of said ends of said contact lever;
elongated feeler means actuated by said dial gauge and slidably mounted on said support means for movement between first and second positions, said feeler means having an axis parallel to said first plane and being movable along said axis, and said feeler means including a cam follower;
translating means between said feeler means and said movable contact for translating a large movement of said feeler means into a smaller movement of said movable contact, said translating means comprising a cam having a cam surface which engages said cam follower, said cam being pivotally mounted on said housing for pivoting movement in a second plane parallel to said first plane and said axis, and said cam being positioned between said feeler means and said contact lever;
said first biasing means for maintaining said cam follower in engagement with said cam surface.
- a dial gauge mounted on said support means;
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2. In a measuring instrument as defined in claim 1, wherein said dial gauge has a rear wall formed with a slot, wherein said housing abuts against said rear wall and is connected to said dial gauge, and wherein said feeler means form part of said dial gauge and said cam follower comprises a pin extending through said slot for engagement with said cam surface.
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3. In a measuring instrument as defined in claim 1, wherein said cam follower comprises a pin connected to said feeler means and extending in a direction substantially normal to the axis of said feeler means and in the direction of said cam for engagement therewith.
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4. In a measuring instrument as definEd in claim 1, further including second biasing means between said cam and said contact lever to transmit the movement of said cam to said contact lever in a first pivotal direction.
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5. In a measuring instrument as defined in claim 4, further comprising a carrying pin mounted on said cam and extending in the direction of said contact lever for engagement with the latter to transmit the movement of said cam to said contact lever in a second pivotal direction opposite to said first pivotal direction.
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6. In a measuring instrument as defined in claim 1, wherein both said cam and said contact lever are pivotal about the same axis.
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7. In a measuring instrument as defined in claim 1, wherein said first biasing means comprises a tension spring connected at one end to said support means and at the other end to said cam.
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8. In a measuring instrument as defined in claim 1, wherein said cam surface comprises a straight edge on said cam which is oriented at an angle to said feeler means axis.
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9. In a measuring instrument as defined in claim 1, wherein said spaced contacts include adjusting means for adjusting said contacts for movement relative to each to thereby change the spacing therebetween.
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10. In a measuring instrument as defined in claim 9, wherein said adjusting means comprises meshed screw threaded portions on said contacts and on said support means.
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11. In a measuring instrument as defined in claim 1, wherein said spaced contacts and said movable contact are gold plated.
Specification