Measuring device

Claim 1

An apparatus for measuring a linear dimension of an article, said apparatus comprising: an elongated, horizontal support member having a longitudinal axis and defining an essentially flat, planar upper surface, said member being configured to position articles to be measured; a stationary anvil fixed to said support member adjacent an end of said support member and extending upwardly from said planar surface; a carriage; slide means on said support member for slidably mounting said carriage for longitudinal movement along said axis, said slide means including a pair of spaced, parallel, elongated rails extending along said planar upper surface of said elongated support, and said carriage including a pair of linear ball bushings, each bushing riding on one of said rails, and a plate extending between said bushings; a movable anvil on said carriage; and linear measuring means on said carriage and said support for generating an output indicating the position of said movable anvil relative to said fixed anvil as said carriage moves relative to said fixed anvil, whereby a linear dimension of an article placed on said support may be determined by movement of said movable anvil relative to said fixed anvil.

Claim 2

An apparatus for measuring a linear dimension of an article, said apparatus comprising: an elongated, horizontal support member having a longitudinal axis and defining an essentially flat, planar upper surface, said member being configured to position articles to be measured; a stationary anvil fixed to said support member adjacent an end of said support member and extending upwardly from said planar surface; a carriage; slide means on said support member for slidably mounting said carriage for longitudinal movement along said axis, said slide means including a pair of spaced, parallel, elongated rails extending along said planar upper surface of said elongated support, and said carriage including a pair of linear ball bushings, each bushing riding on one of said rails, and a plate extending between said bushings; a movable anvil on said carriage; and linear measuring means on said carriage and said support for generating an output indicating the position of said movable anvil relative to said fixed anvil as said carriage moves relative to said fixed anvil, whereby a linear dimension of an article placed on said support may be determined by movement of said movable anvil relative to said fixed anvil.

Claim 5

An apparatus for measuring a linear dimension of an article, said apparatus comprising: an elongated, horizontal support member having a longitudinal axis and defining a planar upper surface; a stationary anvil fixed to said support member adjacent an end of said support member and extending upwardly from said planar surface; a carriage; slide means on said support member for slidably mounting said carriage for longitudinal movement along said axis; a movable anvil on said carriage; and linear measuring means on said carriage and said support for generating an output indicating the position of said movable anvil relative to said fixed anvil as said carriage moves relative to said fixed anvil, whereby a linear dimension of an article placed on said support may be determined by movement of said movable anvil relative to said fixed anvil, said apparatus further including at least two elongated bars positioned on said slide means for supporting the article to be measured.

Claim 6

An apparatus for measuring a linear dimension of an article, said apparatus comprising: an elongated, horizontal support member having a longitudinal axis and defining a planar upper surface; a stationary anvil fixed to said support member adjacent an end of said support member and extending upwardly from said planar surface; a carriage; slide means on said support member for slidably mounting said carriage for longitudinal movement along said axis; a movable anvil on said carriage; and linear measuring means on said carriage and said support for generating an output indicating the position of said movable anvil relative to said fixed anvil as said carriage moves relative to said fixed anvil, whereby a linear dimension of an article placed on said support may be determined by movement of said movable anvil relative to said fixed anvil, said apparatus further including at least two elongated bars positioned on said slide means for supporting the article to be measured.

Claim 7

An apparatus for measuring a linear dimension of an article, said apparatus comprising: an elongated, horizontal support member having a longitudinal axis and defining a planar upper surface; a stationary anvil fixed to said support member adjacent an end of said support member and extending upwardly from said planar surface; a carriage; slide means on said support member for slidably mounting said carriage for longitudinal movement along said axis; a movable anvil on said carriage; and linear measuring means on said carriage and said support for generating an output indicating the position of said movable anvil relative to said fixed anvil as said carriage moves relative to said fixed anvil, whereby a linear dimension of an article placed on said support may be determined by movement of said movable anvil relative to said fixed anvil, said slide means comprising: a pair of spaced, parallel, elongated guides extending along said planar upper surface of said elongated support, said carriage comprising: a pair of bushings, each bushing riding on one of said guides; and a plate extending between said bushings, said bushings being linear motion ball bushings, said linear measuring means comprising: an elongated glass etched scale extending along said support; a photoelectric reading head fixed to said carriage and operatively positioned for movement along said scale as said carriage moves along said support; and digital readout means operatively connected to said reading head for reading out the position of said carriage relative to said fixed anvil, said apparatus further including at least two elongated bars positioned on said slide means for supporting the article to be measured.

Claim 8

An apparatus for measuring a linear dimension of an article, said apparatus comprising: an elongated, horizontal support member having a longitudinal axis and defining a planar upper surface; a stationary anvil fixed to said support member adjacent an end of said support member and extending upwardly from said planar surface; a carriage; slide means on said support member for slidably mounting said carriage for longitudinal movement along said axis; a movable anvil on said carriage; and linear measuring means on said carriage and said support for generating an output indicating the position of said movable anvil relative to said fixed anvil as said carriage moves relative to said fixed anvil, whereby a linear dimension of an article placed on said support may be determined by movement of said movable anvil relative to said fixed anvil, said slide means comprising: a pair of spaced, parallel, elongated guides extending along said planar upper surface of said elongated support, said carriage comprising: a pair of bushings, each bushing riding on one of said guides; and a plate extending between said bushings, said bushings being linear motion ball bushings, said linear measuring means comprising: an elongated glass etched scale extending along said support; a photoelectric reading head fixed to said carriage and operatively positioned for movement along said scale as said carriage moves along said support; and digital readout means operatively connected to said reading head for reading out the position of said carriage relative to said fixed anvil, said apparatus further including at least two elongated bars positioned on said slide means for supporting the article to be measured.

Claim 9

An apparatus for measuring a linear dimension of an article, said apparatus comprising: an elongated, horizontal support member having a longitudinal axis and defining a planar upper surface; a stationary anvil fixed to said support member adjacent an end of said support member and extending upwardly from said planar surface; a carriage; slide means on said support member for slidably mounting said carriage for longitudinal movement along said axis; a movable anvil on said carriage; and linear measuring means on said carriage and said support for generating an output indicating the position of said movable anvil relative to said fixed anvil as said carriage moves relative to said fixed anvil, whereby a linear dimension of an article placed on said support may be determined by movement of said movable anvil relative to said fixed anvil, said slide means comprising: a pair of spaced parallel, elongated guides extending along said planar upper surface of said elongated support, said carriage comprising: a pair of bushings, each bushing riding on one of said guides; and a plate extending between said bushings, said bushings being linear motion ball bushings, said linear measuring means comprising: an elongated rack having a plurality of teeth, said rack being fixed to said support and extending parallel to the longitudinal axis thereof; an encoder supported on said carriage and including a pinion meshing with said rack, said encoder including means for generating an output indicating the position and direction of motion of said carriage relative to said fixed anvil; and digital readout means connected to said encoder for receiving said encoder output and reading out the position of said carriage relative to said fixed anvil, said apparatus further including at least two elongated bars positioned on said slide means for supporting the article to be measured.

Claim 10

An apparatus for measuring a linear dimension of an article, said apparatus comprising: an elongated, horizontal support member having a longitudinal axis and defining a planar upper surface; a stationary anvil fixed to said support member adjacent an end of said support member and extending upwardly from said planar surface; a carriage; slide means on said support member for slidably mounting said carriage for longitudinal movement along said axis; a movable anvil on said carriage; and linear measuring means on said carriage and said support for generating an output indicating the position of said movable anvil relative to said fixed anvil as said carriage moves relative to said fixed anvil, whereby a linear dimension of an article placed on said support may be determined by movement of said movable anvil relative to said fixed anvil, said slide means comprising: a pair of spaced parallel, elongated guides extending along said planar upper surface of said elongated support, said carriage comprising: a pair of bushings, each bushing riding on one of said guides; and a plate extending between said bushings, said bushings being linear motion ball bushings, said linear measuring means comprising: an elongated rack having a plurality of teeth, said rack being fixed to said support and extending parallel to the longitudinal axis thereof; an encoder supported on said carriage and including a pinion meshing with said rack, said encoder including means for generating an output indicating the position and direction of motion of said carriage relative to said fixed anvil; and digital readout means connected to said encoder for receiving said encoder output and reading out the position of said carriage relative to said fixed anvil, said apparatus further including at least two elongated bars positioned on said slide means for supporting the article to be measured.