Measuring instrument

A measuring instrument comprising:

• a. a support defining an elongated receptacle;
• b. an abutment in said receptacle;
• c. a plurality of gage members guided in said receptacle for longitudinal movement toward and away from a position in which said members abuttingly engage each other in the direction of elongation of said receptacle jointly to constitute a stack of gage members,
• 1. said stack including two longitudinally terminal gage members,
• 2. one of said longitudinally terminal gage members engaging said abutment;
• d. a carrier member having one portion shaped to be received between each pair of longitudinally consecutive gage members in said stack;
• e. clamping means for clamping said gage members longitudinally against the received portion of said carrier member and for thereby securing said one portion in said receptacle while another portion of said carrier member projects transversely from said receptacle;
• f. a lever member pivotally mounted on said support and having one arm in said receptacle engaging the other longitudinally terminal gage member,
• 1. said clamping means including yieldably resilient means pressing said one arm against said other longitudinally terminal gage member,
• 2. said lever member having another arm accessible outside said receptacle for manual release of said stack from the pressure of said yieldably resilient means;
• and
• g. gage means mounted on said projecting portion of the carrier member and including a contact member movable in said direction, and indicating means for indicating the position of said contact member relative to said carrier member.

A measuring instrument comprising:

• a. a support defining an elongated receptacle and formed with a longitudinal slot leading transversely into said receptacle,
• 1. said support having two guide faces flanking said slot;
• b. a plurality of gage members guided in said receptacle for longitudinal movement toward and away from a position in which said members abuttingly engage each other in the direction of elongation of said receptacle jointly to define a stack of gage members;
• c. a carrier member having one portion shaped to be received between each pair of longitudinally consecutive gage members in said stack;
• d. clamping means including yieldably resilient means for longitudinally compressing said stack and thereby clamping said gage members against the received portion of said carrier member while another portion of said guide member projects transversely from said receptacle through said slot;
• and
• e. gage means mounted on said projecting portion, said gage means including
• 1. engagement means engaging said guide faces when said carrier member is clamped between the receiving gage members for securing said gage means to said support,
• 2. a contact member movable in said direction,
• 3. indicating means for indicating the position of said contact member relative to said carrier member,
• 4. said carrier member and one of said receiving gage members having respective cammingly engaged faces,
• 5. one of said faces being obliquely inclined relative to said direction for drawing said engagement means against said guide faces under the force of said yieldably resilient means.