Quick-reading micrometer

[Asquith]

Recent discussion on oddball micrometers sent me to my 1930s(?) Shardlow micrometer catalogue (Ambrose Shardlow & Co, Sheffield).

This one opens fully with one turn of the thimble, and automatically closes when released. Full explanation in the text.

I don't know how it worked out in practice. Shardlow had some interesting ideas, including the 'Mizzy' direct reading micrometer, the 'check reading' micrometer, and the combined inch/metric mic, all of which I think I've posted about in the past. The ideas looked good on paper.

 

[Marty Feldman]

Very interesting design. It does look, though, as if it would be hard to make a 1-handed measurement, or at least harder than the cramped-hand method used with a conventional design mic.

I was also interested in the superscript position of the decimal point in the price list, the decimal point being in the customary basal postion in the preceding text. Was this a common typological practice?

-Marty-

 

[EmGo]

I was also interested in the superscript position of the decimal point in the price list, the decimal point being in the customary basal postion in the preceding text. Was this a common typological practice?

Decimal point ? Four pounds, twelve shillings, sixpence ? Where's the decimal ? We don' need no steenkin decimals !

 

[Asquith]

Marty,

I think two-handed operation would have been the norm in its rolling mill application.


The money - as EG said, was the pounds, shillings and pence system, or £sd, or LSD.


Barking mad, but the system persisted in the UK and Ireland until 1971.


The symbols, £, s, d indicate its Roman origins.


The system was widely used' including in the US (until 1792). Imagine the arguments put forward for retaining it!

The d (denari) was a penny, and there were 240 in a pound. There were also half penny coins (ha’penny), and , until 1960, ¼d (farthings). Working out the cost of, say, seven items @ £1 3s 6½ d plus three at 12s 6d (also written 12/6) was probably good for developing mental arithmetic skills.

 

[Limy Sami]

You forgot the Guinea

 

[EmGo]

Working out the cost of, say, seven items @ £1 3s 6½ d plus three at 12s 6d (also written 12/6) was probably good for developing mental arithmetic skills.

I'm convinced that making things easier makes people stupider. I don't know about England, but in China the girls at the counter now can't even deduct ¥15.6 from ¥20.6 to get five. They used to be able to run an abacus, at least.

(Not too long ago all the bank tellers would double-check their math with an abacus. Alas, that's gone now)

And change .... when was the last time you had someone give back change correctly ? Sad

 

[PeteM]

. . .


The money - as EG said, was the pounds, shillings and pence system, or £sd, or LSD. . . ..

Dang, suddenly the fuss all the way up to Brexit is clear. Those sneaky Brits -- including the makers of all those clever Shardlow mics -- have been on LSD all this time . . .

 

[Limy Sami]

I'm convinced that making things easier makes people stupider. I don't know about England, but in China the girls at the counter now can't even deduct ¥15.6 from ¥20.6 to get five. They used to be able to run an abacus, at least.

(Not too long ago all the bank tellers would double-check their math with an abacus. Alas, that's gone now)

And change .... when was the last time you had someone give back change correctly ? Sad

Re abacus

As late as 1978, at a non ferrous scrap yard my firm used, the cashier was Harry - an elderly Orthodox Jew (complete with Kippah) who on being presented with my scale tickets, would double check the machine printing, then check the price on a ticker tape, and so on, right through every possible piece of modern ''computation equipment''

Then always saying the same line ''you can't be too careful with money boy'' as a final check run it through his abacus, and always - as in without fail, have a look of surprise as he'd exclaim ;- all the machines were right after.

 

[Marty Feldman]

My comment in post #2, above, was not referring to the LSD but to the two sizes of mic furnished, .10 inch and .25 inch.

-Marty-

 

[Limy Sami]

My comment in post #2, above, was not referring to the LSD but to the two sizes of mic furnished, .10 inch and .25 inch.

-Marty-

Typical! ....we get a thread nicely off track, only for someone to clarify a previous point they made.

 

[pat pounden]

Typical! ....we get a thread nicely off track, only for someone to clarify a previous point they made.

now THAT'S funny!

 

[Asquith]

I find that staying on track does tend to quickly kill a promising thread

To address Marty's query, I have never seen such a jaunty placement of the decimal point. The Shardlow catalogue is done in art deco style, which probably explains such avant-garde behaviour.

I was taught to put the decimal point at mid height. Then foreign ways set in and moved it down.

In fact, in the apprentice training school drawing office I was taught that when specifying dimensions on drawings, the inch " symbol must be placed directly above the decimal point. This avoids those awkward situations when someone makes a component assuming that the faded decimal point is further to the right than intended.

Avant-garde? That reminds me - I must get a fireguard before my grandson's next visit.....

 

[Limy Sami]

I find that staying on track does tend to quickly kill a promising thread

Avant-garde? That reminds me - I must get a fireguard before my grandson's next visit.....

Another reminder - we're no longer allowed to put the grandkids up the chimneys to sweep em either.

 

[DDoug]

Another reminder - we're no longer allowed to put the grandkids up the chimneys to sweep em either.

...upside down...Your still allowed (with a rope tied to 'em) use them "upright"...at least here in the colonies.