US5895389A — Drilling guide and measuring instrumentation

Claim 1

Independent Claim 194 words

A measuring device for measuring penetration depth of a drilling tool being held in a chuck, the device comprising: a workpiece-abutment member having a workpiece-abutment end adapted for abutting a workpiece and having a first aperture configured for receiving a protruding portion of the tool that protrudes from the chuck, the protruding portion having a preselected protruding length; a chuck-abutment member being collapsibly associated with said workpiece-abutment member and having a chuck-abutting end adapted for abutting the chuck and having a second aperture adapted to axially receive the protruding portion of the tool, said abutment members having a variable combined length that is adjustable up to substantially the protruding length; and a frictional member associated with one of said abutment members and biased against another of said abutment members for increasing friction therebetween sufficiently for maintaining the abutment members in a selected collapsed position during withdrawal of the protruding portion of the tool from the abutment members; wherein the penetration depth is determinable by a change in the combined length as the tool is drilled into the workpiece axially through the device and as the chuck collapses said abutment members to the collapsed position.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 194 words

A measuring device for measuring penetration depth of a drilling tool being held in a chuck, the device comprising: a workpiece-abutment member having a workpiece-abutment end adapted for abutting a workpiece and having a first aperture configured for receiving a protruding portion of the tool that protrudes from the chuck, the protruding portion having a preselected protruding length; a chuck-abutment member being collapsibly associated with said workpiece-abutment member and having a chuck-abutting end adapted for abutting the chuck and having a second aperture adapted to axially receive the protruding portion of the tool, said abutment members having a variable combined length that is adjustable up to substantially the protruding length; and a frictional member associated with one of said abutment members and biased against another of said abutment members for increasing friction therebetween sufficiently for maintaining the abutment members in a selected collapsed position during withdrawal of the protruding portion of the tool from the abutment members; wherein the penetration depth is determinable by a change in the combined length as the tool is drilled into the workpiece axially through the device and as the chuck collapses said abutment members to the collapsed position.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 50 words

The device of claim 1, wherein the frictional member comprises a resilient member associated with one of said abutment members and resiliently biased against another of said abutment members for increasing the friction therebetween sufficiently for maintaining the abutment members in the collapsed position during the withdrawal of the tool.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 12 words

The device of claim 1, wherein said tool is a guide wire.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 34 words

The device of claim 1, further comprising gradations on one of said abutment members being comparable with a part of another of said abutment members for visually determining the change in the combined length.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 38 words

The device of claim 1, further comprising: a first stop attached to said workpiece-abutment member; and a second stop attached to said chuck-abutment member, said stops interacting for preventing further extension when said abutment members are fully extended.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 28 words

The device of claim 1, further comprising the tool, wherein the tool includes indicia for aligning with a portion of the chuck for setting said preselected protruding length.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 46 words

The device of claim 1, further comprising an alignment member mounted to the workpiece-abutment member and having an alignment bore being adapted to slidably receive a parallel guide-wire such that said first and second apertures align the tool the parallel guide-wire at a predetermined distance therefrom.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 12 words

The device of claim 7, wherein said alignment member forms a handle.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 25 words

The device of claim 1, wherein said workpiece-abutment member has a serrated tip for frictionally engaging the workpiece, said first aperture extending through said tip.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 15 words

The device of claim 1, wherein said abutment members are rotationally fixed to one another.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 14 words

The device of claim 1, wherein said apertures are adapted to guide the tool.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 34 words

The device of claim 1, wherein: one of said abutment members comprises a sleeve; another of said abutment members comprises a plunger being telescopically slidable within said sleeve; and said apertures comprise coaxial bores.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 172 words

A handheld drilling-guide for measuring penetration depth of drilling tool being held in a chuck, the drilling guide comprising: a sleeve; a plunger being telescopically disposed within said sleeve and having an axial bore adapted to slidably receive and guide a portion of the tool that protrudes from the chuck having a preselected protruding length, and said plunger and said sleeve having a variable combined length being adjustable up to substantially the protruding length; and a resilient member attached to one of the plunger and the sleeve and being radially biased by the other of the plunger and the sleeve for increasing friction between said sleeve and said plunger sufficiently for maintaining the abutment members in a selected collapsed position during withdrawal of the protruding portion of the tool from the abutment members; wherein the penetration depth is determinable by a change in the combined length when the tool is drilled into a workpiece axially through the guide and the chuck telescopically collapses said plunger into said sleeve to the collapsed position.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 172 words

A handheld drilling-guide for measuring penetration depth of drilling tool being held in a chuck, the drilling guide comprising: a sleeve; a plunger being telescopically disposed within said sleeve and having an axial bore adapted to slidably receive and guide a portion of the tool that protrudes from the chuck having a preselected protruding length, and said plunger and said sleeve having a variable combined length being adjustable up to substantially the protruding length; and a resilient member attached to one of the plunger and the sleeve and being radially biased by the other of the plunger and the sleeve for increasing friction between said sleeve and said plunger sufficiently for maintaining the abutment members in a selected collapsed position during withdrawal of the protruding portion of the tool from the abutment members; wherein the penetration depth is determinable by a change in the combined length when the tool is drilled into a workpiece axially through the guide and the chuck telescopically collapses said plunger into said sleeve to the collapsed position.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 31 words

The device of claim 13, further comprising a handle associated with the sleeve, wherein the handle allows control of the drilling guide by grasping of solely the handle by a user.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 52 words

The drilling guide of claim 13, wherein the resilient member is attached to said plunger, disposed inside the sleeve, and is inwardly biased by the sleeve for increasing the friction between said sleeve and said plunger sufficiently for maintaining the abutment members in the collapsed position during the withdrawal of the tool.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 16 words

The drilling guide of claim 15, wherein said resilient member comprises at least one resilient finger.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 54 words

The drilling guide of claim 13, further comprising: an endcap fastened to an end of said sleeve, having an axial endcap-hole for slidably receiving said plunger; and a plunger stop attached to said plunger, said plunger stop and said endcap interacting to prevent further extension when said sleeve and said plunger are fully extended.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 26 words

The drilling guide of claim 17, wherein said plunger stop comprises the resilient member, which includes a plurality of fingers extending radially beyond the endcap hole.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 34 words

The drilling guide of claim 13, further comprising: an indicator affixed to said sleeve; and numbered graduations on a surface of the plunger being visually readable against the indicator for indicating the penetration depth.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 25 words

The drilling guide of claim 13, wherein the plunger and the sleeve have noncircular cross-sections for preventing relative rotation between the plunger and the sleeve.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 179 words

Instrumentation for measuring penetration depth of a drilling tool held in a chuck, the instrumentation comprising: a drilling tool having indicia for aligning with a portion of the chuck for preselecting a protruding length of a protruding portion of the tool protruding from said chuck; and measuring guide having a workpiece-abutment member and a chuck-abutment member, the workpiece-abutment member having an end adapted for abutting a workpiece and an aperture adapted to axially receive and guide said protruding portion, the chuck-abutment member being collapsibly associated with said workpiece-abutment member and having an end adapted for abutting the chuck and an aperture adapted to axially receive and guide the protruding portion, wherein the guide includes a stop; wherein said abutment members have a variable combined length, and the stop is associated with the abutment members for limiting extension of the combined length up to substantially the protruding length, the penetration depth being determinable by a change in the combined length as the tool is drilled into the workpiece axially through the device and as the chuck collapses said abutment members.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 179 words

Instrumentation for measuring penetration depth of a drilling tool held in a chuck, the instrumentation comprising: a drilling tool having indicia for aligning with a portion of the chuck for preselecting a protruding length of a protruding portion of the tool protruding from said chuck; and measuring guide having a workpiece-abutment member and a chuck-abutment member, the workpiece-abutment member having an end adapted for abutting a workpiece and an aperture adapted to axially receive and guide said protruding portion, the chuck-abutment member being collapsibly associated with said workpiece-abutment member and having an end adapted for abutting the chuck and an aperture adapted to axially receive and guide the protruding portion, wherein the guide includes a stop; wherein said abutment members have a variable combined length, and the stop is associated with the abutment members for limiting extension of the combined length up to substantially the protruding length, the penetration depth being determinable by a change in the combined length as the tool is drilled into the workpiece axially through the device and as the chuck collapses said abutment members.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 29 words

The instrumentation of claim 21, further comprising a depth gage cooperatively associated with the abutment members for indicating the penetration depth by indicating the change in the combined length.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 39 words

The instrumentation of claim 22, wherein the depth gage includes graduations on a surface of one of the abutment members, wherein the graduations are visually readable against the other of the abutment members for directly indicating the penetration depth.

Claim 27

Independent Claim 105 words

A method of measuring the penetration depth of a drilling tool held in a chuck, the method comprising: securing a drilling tool in a chuck such that a protruding portion of the drilling tool having a preselected protruding length protrudes from the chuck; inserting said protruding portion into a collapsible drilling guide; extending the drilling guide to substantially the length of the protruding portion; placing the drilling guide against a workpiece; drilling the tool into the workpiece and concurrently collapsing the drilling guide with the chuck; and determining the depth of tool penetration into the workpiece by a change in length of the drilling guide.

Claim 28

Independent Claim 105 words

A method of measuring the penetration depth of a drilling tool held in a chuck, the method comprising: securing a drilling tool in a chuck such that a protruding portion of the drilling tool having a preselected protruding length protrudes from the chuck; inserting said protruding portion into a collapsible drilling guide; extending the drilling guide to substantially the length of the protruding portion; placing the drilling guide against a workpiece; drilling the tool into the workpiece and concurrently collapsing the drilling guide with the chuck; and determining the depth of tool penetration into the workpiece by a change in length of the drilling guide.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2002-04-19	2002-10-19	2003-04-20	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2006-04-19	2006-10-19	2007-04-20	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2010-04-19	2010-10-19	2011-04-20	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Drilling guide and measuring instrumentation

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