Method and appartus for adjustable gauge block

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11680785-B2
Application number	US-202117533641-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 23, 2021
Priority date	Nov 23, 2021
Publication date	Jun 20, 2023
Grant date	Jun 20, 2023

Abstract

An adjustable gauge block that may be quickly adjusted to a desired height and then dialed in to a precision measurement that can replace a set of gauge blocks. The adjustable gauge block of the present disclosure may be further used as a repeatable and precise physical reference to set tool depths and heights. The adjustable gauge block of the present disclosure may be utilized as a physical reference to set drill press bit depths, table saw blade heights, router table bit heights, and the like. Additionally, the adjustable gauge block of the present disclosure may be utilized to check uniformity of thickness along an edge of a piece of stock.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An adjustable gauge block comprising:
a triangular base defining a central channel in a top surface thereof;
a slider assembly having a reference plate on a first end thereof, the slider assembly carried by the base and slidably engaged within the central channel thereof;
a quick adjustment button operably connected to the slider assembly;
a threaded rod within the central channel of the base operable to engage a flange of the quick adjustment button;
a slider plate of the slider assembly operable to engage the threaded rod; and
an adjustment knob operable to move the slider plate into engagement and out of engagement with the threaded rod;
wherein the quick adjustment button is movable from a first position wherein the flange thereof is engaged with the threaded rod and the slider assembly is prevented from movement relative to the base and a second position wherein the flange is disengaged from the threaded rod and the slider assembly is movable relative to the base.

2. The adjustable gauge block of claim 1 wherein the reference plate further comprises:
a reference plate flange extending beyond at least one side of the base, the flange having a top surface and a bottom surface.

3. The adjustable gauge block of claim 2 further comprising:
at least one scale corresponding to the position of at least one of the top surface and the bottom surface of the reference plate flange relative to a work surface on which the gauge block is being used.

4. The adjustable gauge block of claim 3 further comprising:
a first scale corresponding to the position of the top surface of the reference plate flange relative to the work surface; and
a second scale corresponding to the position of the bottom surface of the reference plate flange relative to the work surface.

5. The adjustable gauge block of claim 2 wherein the slider assembly is movable between a first position wherein the bottom surface of the reference plate flange is coplanar with a bottom of the base and a second position wherein the bottom surface of the reference plate flange is parallel to and above the bottom of the base.

6. The adjustable gauge block of claim 1 wherein the slider plate is operable to prevent movement of the slider assembly when engaged with the threaded rod regardless of the engagement of the threaded rod with the flange of the quick adjustment button.

7. The adjustable gauge block of claim 1 wherein the threaded rod further comprises:
an adjustment knob operable to rotate the threaded rod with an aperture defined through a second side of the base.

8. The adjustable gauge block of claim 7 wherein rotation of the threaded rod within the aperture is operable to move the slider assembly relative to the base.

9. The adjustable gauge block of claim 8 wherein the quick adjustment button is operable to allow coarse adjustment of the slider assembly relative to the base and the threaded rod is operable to move the slider assembly for fine adjustment of the slider assembly relative to the base.

10. A method of measuring a height above a surface comprising:
placing a base of an adjustable gauge block on a work surface from which the height is to be measured;
disengaging a slider plate of a slider assembly of the adjustable gauge block from a threaded rod within a central channel defined in the base via rotation of an adjustment knob in operable communication with the slider plate;
moving the slider assembly of the adjustable gauge block from a first position wherein a bottom surface of a reference plate on the slider assembly is coplanar with a bottom of the base to a second position wherein the bottom surface of the reference plate is substantially parallel to and above the bottom of the base;
re-engaging the slider plate of the slider assembly with the threaded rod via the adjustment knob; and
determining the height of the bottom surface of the reference plate relative to the work surface with a scale on a top surface of the base of the adjustable gauge block based on the position of an edge of the slider assembly relative to the scale.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein moving the slider assembly from the first position to the second position further comprises:
disengaging a flange of a quick adjustment button from the threaded rod within the central channel defined in the base; and
sliding the slider assembly relative to an angled top surface of the base to the second position.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:
re-engaging the flange of the quick adjustment button with the threaded rod; and
rotating the threaded rod to move the slider assembly into the second position.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the quick adjustment button is operable to allow coarse adjustment of the slider assembly relative to the work surface and the threaded rod is operable to move the slider assembly for fine adjustment of the slider assembly relative to the work surface.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising:
setting a height of a tool by contacting the bottom surface of the reference plate with a top of the tool when the slider assembly is in the second position.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the tool further comprises:
a table saw and wherein the height of the table saw is set by moving a saw blade of the table saw to contact the bottom surface of the reference plate.

16. The method of claim 10 further comprising:
setting the depth of a tool above the work surface by contacting a top surface of the reference plate with a bottom of the tool when the slider assembly is in the second position.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the tool further comprises:
a drill press and wherein the depth of the drill press is set by moving a drill bit of the drill press to contact the top surface of the reference plate.

18. The method of claim 10 further comprising:
measuring uniformity of thickness of a piece of stock by contacting a top surface of the piece of stock with the bottom surface of the reference plate; and
moving the base of the adjustable gauge along an edge of the piece of stock.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:
measuring uniformity of thickness of multiple pieces of stock by contacting a top surface of a first piece of stock with the bottom surface of the reference plate;
moving the base of the adjustable gauge along an edge of the first piece of stock;
contacting a top surface of at least one subsequent piece of stock with the bottom surface of the reference plate; and
moving the base of the adjustable gauge along an edge of the at least one subsequent piece of stock.

20. An adjustable gauge block comprising:
a triangular base defining a central channel in a top surface thereof;
a slider assembly having a reference plate on a first end thereof, the slider assembly carried by the base and slidably engaged within the central channel thereof;
a quick adjustment button operably connected to the slider assembly;
a threaded rod within the central channel of the base operable to engage a flange of the quick adjustment button;
a reference plate flange extending beyond at least one side of the base, the flange having a top surface and a bottom surface;
a first scale corresponding to the position of the top surface of the reference plate flange relative to the work surface; and
a second scale corresponding to the position of the bottom surface of the reference plate flange relative to the work surface;
wherein the quick adjustment button i

Assignees

• Woodpeckers Llc

Inventors

• Urig Kody M

Classifications

• G01B3/306 Primary

  with inclined slide plane · CPC title

• G01B5/14

  for measuring distance or clearance between spaced objects or spaced apertures (G01B5/24 takes precedence) · CPC title