Gauge

Claim 2

In a gauge for checking a threaded part for a defective thread a slide movable toward and away from a support, a spring pressed bushing on said slide for locating and clamping said part on said support, the central bore of said bushing having a diameter equal to the minor diameter of the thread to be gauged, a probe supported on said slide with a pair of spring biased thread contacting surfaces which mate with the surface of the bore, spring means urging said bushing over said thread contacting surfaces when the latter is out of engagement with the thread of a part, and sensing means operated by said probe for disclosing any difference in the diameter of said thread from that of the bore after said part is accurately located and clamped and said probe is advanced from said bore into said thread.

Claim 3

In a gauge as claimed in claim 1 wherein said slide carries a pivot and wherein said probe embodies a pair of elements supported on said pivot with said thread contacting surfaces on the end of said elements which is insertable into said thread.

Claim 4

In a gauge as claimed in claim 2 wherein said thread contacting surfaces have a maximum axial dimension less than twice the lead of the thread less the width of any crest on the thread.

Claim 5

In a gauge as claimed in claim 3 wherein the minimum axial dimension of said thread contacting surfaces are greater than the lead of the thread less the width of any crest on the thread.

Claim 6

In a gauge as claimed in claim 2 wherein said probe means comprises a scissors mechanism having a pair of scissor elements with said thread contacting surfaces secured to each of said scissor elements, said bias means biasing said scissor elements to mAintain each thread contacting surfaces in contact with the thread.

Claim 7

In a gauge as claimed in claim 5 wherein said thread contacting surfaces are arcuate in shape disposed on a cylinder whose diameter is substantially equal to the diameter of the thread being checked as measured across the crest of the thread.

Claim 8

In a gauge as claimed in claim 6 wherein said arcuate shaped thread contacting surfaces are disposed within the bore of said bushing until the part having the thread to be checked is located and clamped thereby and said contacting surfaces are moved thereinto from said bore into checking position.

Claim 9

A gauge as claimed in claim 6 wherein said sensing means comprising a pair of switch elements, each switch element being disposed for actuation by a respective one of said scissor elements upon pivoting thereof indicative of a defect in the thread.

Claim 10

A gauge as claimed in claim 8 wherein said switch elements are disposed for actuation by the portions of their respective scissor elements which are on the opposite side of said pivot support means from the portion of the respective scissor elements on which the respective thread contacting surfaces are disposed.

Claim 11

In a gauge as claimed in claim 1 wherein said sensing means comprises electric switch means actuable in response to movement by either or both said thread contacting surfaces.

Claim 12

In a gauge for checking a threaded part for a defective thread, means for locating and clamping a part in checking position, said means having a bore of a diameter equal to the minor diameter of the thread to be gauged, a scissors device for checking the thread having oppositely biased thread contacting elements, a slide on which said scissors elements are pivotally supported, said locating and clamping means being a spring pressed bushing mounted on said slide, said bushing when out of engagement with a threaded part extending over said scissors elements which are maintained within the bore on a diameter to be tested, and biasing means for said scissors device which urge the thread contacting elements away from each other and against the thread when moved from said bore.

Claim 13

In a gauge for checking a threaded part for a defective thread, means for locating and clamping a part in checking position, said means having a bore of a diameter equal to the minor diameter of the thread to be gauged, a scissors device for checking the thread having oppositely biased thread contacting elements, a slide on which said scissors elements are pivotally supported, said locating and clamping means being a spring pressed bushing mounted on said slide, said bushing when out of engagement with a threaded part extending over said scissors elements which are maintained within the bore on a diameter to be tested, and biasing means for said scissors device which urge the thread contacting elements away from each other and against the thread when moved from said bore.

Claim 14

In a gauge as claimed in claim 11 wherein the advancement of said slide means toward said threaded part accurately locates the part and clamps it to a support, and moves the probe from the bore of said bushing and into said thread which is gauged thereby.

Claim 15

In a gauge as claimed in claim 12 wherein a pair of microswitches are disposed in engagement with each said scissors element to be actuated thereby independently and simultaneously.

Claim 16

A gauge for checking a threaded part for a defective thread comprising: a locating element on which a part to be checked is adapted to be located, said locating element comprising a cylindrical surface lying on an imaginary cylinder having a diameter substantially equal to the desired diameter of the thread as measured across the crest of the thread, the threaded part being positionable on said locating element to align the crest of the thread with said cylindrical surface; a probe means having a thread contacting means thereon, said probe means being shiftable axially of said imaginary cylinder from a retracted position to a range of extended positions; means for pivotally supporting and biasing said probe means such that said thread contacting means is urged, when said probe means is in the retracted position, to contact said cylindrical surface and when said probe means is operated over said range of extended positions to contact the thread of the part being checked; said gauge being operative such that so long as said thread contacting means encounters portions of the crest of the thread lying on said imaginary cylinder as said probe means operates over its range of extended positions, said probe means remains substantially in the same pivotal position as when said probe means is in the retracted position, but when said thread contacting means encounters a portion Of the crest of the thread lying on other than said imaginary cylinder said probe means pivots to a new position, said gauge including means for indicating such pivotal movement of said probe means to the new position.

Claim 17

A gauge for checking a threaded part for a defective thread comprising: a locating element on which a part to be checked is adapted to be located, said locating element comprising a cylindrical surface lying on an imaginary cylinder having a diameter substantially equal to the desired diameter of the thread as measured across the crest of the thread, the threaded part being positionable on said locating element to align the crest of the thread with said cylindrical surface; a probe means having a thread contacting means thereon, said probe means being shiftable axially of said imaginary cylinder from a retracted position to a range of extended positions; means for pivotally supporting and biasing said probe means such that said thread contacting means is urged, when said probe means is in the retracted position, to contact said cylindrical surface and when said probe means is operated over said range of extended positions to contact the thread of the part being checked; said gauge being operative such that so long as said thread contacting means encounters portions of the crest of the thread lying on said imaginary cylinder as said probe means operates over its range of extended positions, said probe means remains substantially in the same pivotal position as when said probe means is in the retracted position, but when said thread contacting means encounters a portion Of the crest of the thread lying on other than said imaginary cylinder said probe means pivots to a new position, said gauge including means for indicating such pivotal movement of said probe means to the new position.

Claim 18

A gauge as claimed in claim 14 wherein the gauge is adapted for checking an internal thread by having the probe means biased such that said thread contacting means is urged away from the axis of the thread and into contact with the thread.

Claim 19

A gauge as claimed in claim 14 wherein said probe means comprises a scissors mechanism having a pair of scissor elements, said thread contacting means comprising a pair of thread contacting elements, each respective thread contacting element being disposed on a respective one of said scissor elements.