Early micrometer

I had this for years, but finally got around to taking a picture of it to post.

Don't know anything about it. No name on it.

Anyone know anything about it?

Steve

Interesting item. Was hoping someone would provide an idea of what it was designed to do (doesn't seem to be a simple "micrometer" as we know it today) and how it did it. Steve, you've manipulated this thing - what are your thoughts? Perhaps a bit of description of what does what when you twiddle the knobs would help.

-Marty-

I think there were some threads or posts about one or more similar looking micrometers quite some time ago on this forum .
I think the late Antique Mac may have been involved in the discussion .
I tried a couple of forum searches but didn’t turn up anything so far .
Maybe some one else will remember.
Jim

Intriguing. More interesting than I first thought.

I initially assumed it was just another cheap bench micrometer, like the one in my photo (0 - 1/2", made by W. Fox of Smethwick, probably fairly modern). I assume that they were intended for the rough and tumble of rolling mills and tube mills in places like ..... Smethwick.



HOWEVER, the O.P. instrument is different. Its reading range is limited to that of the dial, viz. 0 - 0.050", but the anvil is readily adjustable. Perhaps it's a comparator, used at, say, a rolling mill to quickly check whether the product size is within spec. Made in USA, I'd say, but no surprise there!

The one Asquith posted is kind of like the one I saw earlier .

Jim

Don't know about the SteveM's. I"m guessing it's not entirely ancient and more along the lines of the W.Fox & Sons micrometer I once had. Asquith's with it's bright green finish maybe a later version of my still-late version?? Hard to read the info below (screenshot of a catalog) but it IS for gauging things like rolled steel and was made after WWII up to about 1980.

What puzzles me about the OP's is the mix of what look like shop made and more refined elements. There's a hex nut to lock the anvil, what looks to be a saw cut for the thread adjustment that also cut into the anvil area (where it need not be), and what looks like a crudely cut throat. But the graduated dial at the back looks like someone took some care to decorate.

PeteM said:

what looks to be a saw cut for the thread adjustment that also cut into the anvil area (where it need not be)

Click to expand...

I hadn't noticed that, but now it looks obvious that it was a saw that went a little too far and cut into the other side.

Steve

looks like it was cut with a slitting saw or similar on a horizontal mill, and yes, the travel was a bit too far or saw too big. The cut is just about right for too big a saw being run over to get the correct depth on the screw clamping part.