Hobbies And Interests
Context
Gascoigne's invention found its inspiration when he was observing stars through his telescope and attempting to measure the angles between the stars. He realized that he could estimate the distance between them by counting the number of displaced threads from the screws of his scope when fine-tuning the focus of the image. From this observation, he invented a measuring gauge, called the micrometer caliper, which he leveraged to achieve precise measurements between celestial elements.
Principle of Operation
The rotation of a screw tightly correlates to an axial movement. By attaching an indicator that rotates with the screw but with a larger spread, the angle of rotation becomes much more visible and can be observed against a measuring grid.
Gascoigne's Invention
Gascoigne's idea consisted of a measuring gauge that rotated a handle connected to a threaded rod. Rotation of the rod activated a moving jaw. The range of the rotation was measured by assessing the progression of the handle against a visual reference from a disk marked with 10 segments.
Palmer's invention
Palmer adapted Gascoigne's design with a gauge fitted for hand-held objects in 1848. His approach brought the device closer to the modern version of the micrometer caliper. The shape resembled a C-shaped frame with opening jaws activated by a screw. This device could measure the diameter, thickness or length of an object.
Modern Calipers
The micrometer calipers of today feature digital display screens that automatically show the measurement values from the displacement of the jaw openings, in inches or millimeters. The gauge operates with a resolution in the tens of microns. Micrometer shapes vary, and they align either with internal measurements for gauging the insides of openings, or with external measurements to capture objects' outer dimensions.