An automated apparatus for making one or a plurality of linear or rotary measurements on, against, in or through one or a plurality of three-dimensional objects, or parts thereof, or holes present therein, or of fastener lengths, or any combination thereof, which may be operated by a user using only one hand to perform multiple functions, comprising:
- (a) a housing;
- (b) a measurement device affixed to a frame capable of making linear or rotary measurements, or both types of measurements;
- (c) a stationary reader head affixed to the measurement device having an ability to read one or a plurality of graduations or divisions present on a scale when one or a plurality of measurement are made by the apparatus, and connect resulting signal paths to a digital circuit card;
- (d) a shaft that is slidable or moveable in a forwards direction, a backwards direction, or both directions, partially or fully through the frame and that includes one or a plurality of threads at its forward end in which a probe tip may be affixed;
- (e) a scale affixed to the shaft including a plurality of graduations or divisions uniformly spaced apart thereon that is readable by the measurement device, wherein the scale is a linear scale or a rotary scale;
- (f) a removable or non-removable probe, wherein the probe includes:
- (1) a hollow, stationary or non-stationary body having its aft end removably or non-removably affixed to the forward end of the frame, and having a diameter that is larger than the diameter of the shaft, through which the shaft may partially or fully slide or move;
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- (2) a tip having its aft end removably attached to the forward end of the shaft, having a diameter smaller than a diameter of a hole to be measured, and capable of making one or a plurality of linear or rotary measurements upon contact with the three-dimensional objects, or parts thereof, or holes;
- (g) a encoder clip present in the frame that is mechanically coupled to the shaft, and is slidable or movable in a forwards direction, a backwards direction, or in both directions, along with the shaft, and that actuates or deactivates a trigger switch when a compression spring force is overcome by pressure applied on a common grip or end cap by a user of the apparatus;
- (h) a T-foot positioned within a slot present in the frame that is slidable in a forwards direction, a backwards direction, or in both direction in the frame, having an upper end and a lower end;
- (i) a grip clip connected to the upper end of the T-foot and affixed to one or a plurality of interior surfaces of the frame that is slidable or movable in a forwards direction, a backwards direction, or both directions, partially or fully in the frame, that guides the encoder clip;
- (j) a compression spring positioned in the frame forward of the grip clip having an ability to forcibly couple the shaft and the grip clip together by applying a compressive force between the encoder clip and the grip clip;
- (k) an extension spring positioned in the frame forward of the grip clip having an ability to apply a tension force between the grip clip and the frame that causes the shaft, tip of the probe, or both, to extend outwardly in a direction towards the forward end of the apparatus, wherein the amount of force exerted by the extension spring to extend the shaft, grip clip, encoder clip, tip of the probe or one or a plurality of connected fasteners, or any combination thereof, is less than the amount of force exerted by the compression spring to separate the encoder clip and the shaft from the grip clip, and wherein the extension spring becomes disrupted from an initial resting position upon an “activation” of the apparatus, thereby causing the scale to extend through, or by, the reader head of the measurement device;
- (l) a trigger switch positioned in the frame near or adjacent with the aft end of the encoder clip, and affixed to the grip clip, including an actuator that becomes released upon a tension force being applied to the common grip by a hand or finger of the user, or upon a reactive force being applied to the tip of the probe by a mechanical impediment to its movement, or by both, thereby causing the trigger switch to be pushed away, and separate, from the encoder clip and a trigger screw, and the apparatus to become “activated,” wherein such individual or combined forces are stronger than the force applied by the compression spring to couple the shaft and the grip clip together;
- (m) a trigger screw positioned in the frame that mechanically actuates the trigger switch and can provide a degree of adjustment ranging from about 0 to about 0.10 to set a linear displacement between a position of accurate measurement and a position of the trigger action;
- (n) a common grip operably connected to the T-foot, or an end cap, located externally to the apparatus including the trigger switch and having a size and shape that may be compressed, squeezed, or pushed, by the user using only one hand, or one or a plurality of fingers on one hand, and when compressed, squeezed or pushed one time in one single action, applies tension to the extension spring, force to the compression spring, and a reactive force to the trigger switch that “activates” the apparatus by overcoming the amount of force being applied by the compression spring between the grip clip and the frame, thereby causing the shaft, tip of the probe and scale to slide or move in a backwards direction towards the aft end of the apparatus, and the scale to slide or move past, or through, the reader head of the measurement device, and the measurement device to count the divisions or graduations present on the scale;
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- (o) a digital circuit card affixed to the frame that has an ability to process measurement data or information, or a combination thereof, and transmit the same to one or a plurality of computers or data collection devices, or a combination thereof;
- wherein the apparatus, when “activated,” performs more than one, or all, of the following functions simultaneously or substantially simultaneously, and instantaneously or substantially instantaneously, in an automated manner, each time that a measurement is made:
- (i) normalizing the probe or the tip relative to one or a plurality of surfaces present on, or in, the object, or part thereof, or holes being measured;
- (ii) making one or a plurality of measurements, wherein the measurements are made of a thickness of the three-dimensional objects, or parts thereof, of a hole depth, of a hole diameter, of a countersink depth, of a fastener length, of a grip length of the three-dimensional objects, or parts thereof, or holes, or of any combination thereof;
- (iii) transferring data, information, or a combination thereof, resulting or procured from, or produced by, the one or plurality of measurements made by the apparatus in, or that identifies one or a plurality of holes measured, or both, to the one or a plurality of computers or data collection devices, or a combination thereof for recordation, storage, organization, manipulation, or other use, or any combination thereof;
- wherein the apparatus, or a computer with which the apparatus is operably connected, has an ability to inform the user as to which particular length, diameter or type of a fastener can properly be installed in a particular hole present in the three-dimensional objects, or parts thereof.