Measuring & Precision Tools
Micrometers, calipers, feeler gauges, dial indicators and shop measuring practice.
Who invented the micrometer screw gauge?
Short answer: French inventor Jean Laurent Palmer patented a handheld micrometer caliper in 1848.
French inventor Jean Laurent Palmer patented a handheld micrometer caliper in 1848. Brown & Sharpe later saw the design at the Paris Exposition and introduced a practical pocket micrometer to the American market in the 1860s, helping make precision measurement common in machine shops.
How did Brown & Sharpe influence precision measuring tools?
Short answer: Brown & Sharpe of Providence, Rhode Island, founded in 1833, became one of the leading American makers of precision measuring tools in the nineteenth century.
Brown & Sharpe of Providence, Rhode Island, founded in 1833, became one of the leading American makers of precision measuring tools in the nineteenth century. The company's micrometers and calipers helped spread precision measurement through machine shops, and those tools later became standard in engine rebuilding.
Who invented gauge blocks?
Short answer: Swedish inventor Carl Edvard Johansson developed sets of precision gauge blocks in the 1890s.
Swedish inventor Carl Edvard Johansson developed sets of precision gauge blocks in the 1890s. Known as "Jo blocks," they became length standards for calibrating measuring tools used in machine and engine work.
Why did Henry Ford buy Johansson's gauge block business?
Short answer: Henry Ford recognized that interchangeable parts required consistent measurement standards.
Henry Ford recognized that interchangeable parts required consistent measurement standards. In 1923 Ford acquired Johansson's U.S. operations, helping spread gauge block standards in American manufacturing.
What is the history of the vernier scale?
Short answer: The vernier scale is named after Pierre Vernier, who described it in 1631.
The vernier scale is named after Pierre Vernier, who described it in 1631. It allows more precise readings between the divisions of a main scale and became a standard feature of calipers used in machine and engine work.
Who made the first American vernier caliper?
Short answer: Joseph R. Brown of Brown & Sharpe is credited with developing an early American vernier caliper in the 1850s.
Joseph R. Brown of Brown & Sharpe is credited with developing an early American vernier caliper in the 1850s. It helped bring precise measurement to everyday machine shop work.
Who founded L.S. Starrett?
Short answer: The L.S. Starrett Company was founded by Laroy S.
The L.S. Starrett Company was founded by Laroy S. Starrett in Athol, Massachusetts in 1880. Starrett became known for precision measuring tools such as micrometers, calipers, squares and rules used by machinists and engine builders.
Who founded Mitutoyo?
Short answer: Mitutoyo was founded in Japan in 1934 and began by making micrometers.
Mitutoyo was founded in Japan in 1934 and began by making micrometers. It grew into one of the largest precision measuring instrument manufacturers in the world, and its tools are common in engine machine shops.
How long have feeler gauges been used in engine work?
Short answer: Feeler gauges are sets of thin, precisely sized blades used to measure small gaps.
Feeler gauges are sets of thin, precisely sized blades used to measure small gaps. For much of the twentieth century they were essential for setting valve lash, breaker point gaps and spark plug gaps during routine tune-ups.
Why were feeler gauges so important in tune-ups?
Short answer: Before electronic ignition and hydraulic lifters were universal, tune-ups involved setting point gaps and valve lash.
Before electronic ignition and hydraulic lifters were universal, tune-ups involved setting point gaps and valve lash. Feeler gauges were essential for these adjustments, making them one of the most-used tools in mid-century service shops.
How did dial indicators become standard in automotive measurement?
Short answer: Dial indicators, which measure small movements with a geared needle, came from machine-shop practice.
Dial indicators, which measure small movements with a geared needle, came from machine-shop practice. They became standard automotive tools for checking brake rotor runout, crankshaft end play and gear backlash as tolerances tightened.
Why did dial bore gauges replace older methods of measuring cylinders?
Short answer: Older methods used telescoping gauges transferred to a micrometer, which required skill and could introduce error.
Older methods used telescoping gauges transferred to a micrometer, which required skill and could introduce error. Dial bore gauges show taper and out-of-round directly as the gauge moves through the bore, so they became the preferred tool in engine machine shops.
Why did Plastigage become popular with engine rebuilders?
Short answer: Plastigage, a precision plastic thread that flattens to show bearing clearance, has been used in engine rebuilding for decades.
Plastigage, a precision plastic thread that flattens to show bearing clearance, has been used in engine rebuilding for decades. It offered an inexpensive way to check clearances without micrometers and bore gauges.
How long have straightedges been used to check cylinder heads?
Short answer: Precision straightedges have long been used with feeler gauges to check cylinder heads and blocks for warpage.
Precision straightedges have long been used with feeler gauges to check cylinder heads and blocks for warpage. The check became even more important as aluminum heads, which warp more easily when overheated, became common.
Why did telescoping gauges become standard in engine machine work?
Short answer: Telescoping gauges expand to fit inside a bore and then lock so the size can be transferred to an outside micrometer.
Telescoping gauges expand to fit inside a bore and then lock so the size can be transferred to an outside micrometer. They became standard in machine and engine work for decades because they let a single micrometer measure many bore sizes.
General guidance only. Follow the vehicle and tool manufacturer's procedures, and confirm vehicle coverage on the tool maker's list before buying.