Chapter 8
Angular measurement and
circular division
Vernier bevel protractor
It is probably the simplest instrument for
measuring the angle between two faces of a
component. It consists of a base plate attached to
the main body, and an adjustable blade which is
attached to a circular plate containing Vernier
scale. The adjustable blade
is capable of rotating freely
about the centre of the main
scale engraved on the body
of the instrument and can be
locked in any position.
The Vernier scale has 24 divisions coinciding
with 23 main scale divisions. Thus the least
count of the instrument is 5′. This instrument is
most commonly used in workshops for angular
measurements till more precision is required.
Spirit level
It is generally thought that spirit level is used only
for the static leveling of the machinery and other
equipment. But calibrated spirit level is an angular
measuring device of great precision. Spirit level is
simply a glass tube, the bore of which is ground to
a large radius. It is obvious that, if the liquid almost
fills the tube, the bubble in liquid will always lie at
the highest position in the tube. If the tube is tilted
through a small angle the bubble will move along
the radius of the tube through a
certain distance depending on
the angle of the tilt.
The sensitivity of a spirit level is expressed as the
angle of tilt in seconds for which bubble will move
by one division on the tube. One division is
generally about 2.5 mm in length.
Now if R is the radius of the tube, and I is the
distance by which the graduations are separated,
i.e. the length of one division, then the angle of
tilt θ corresponding to 1 division movement of
bubble will be given by θ = l/R, Generally the
graduations are at 2.5 mm intervals and these
represent a tilt of 10 seconds of arc, i.e.
sensitivity of level desired is 10 sec per 2.5 mm
movement of bubble.
Then 10 sec = 0.0000485 radian = 2.5 mm/R or
R = 2.5/0.0000485 = 51500 mm, or R = 51.5 m
approx. Thus for the above sensitivity, radius of
the tube or vial must be about 51.5 m and it is
obvious now that sensitivity of the spirit level is
governed solely by the radius of the tube and
the base length of its mount.
Let the base length of any spirit level be about
250 mm, then the height h by which one end
must be raised for 2.5 mm bubble movement is
given by 0.0000485 = h/250 or h = 0.0121 mm.
Sine principle and sine bar
The sine principle uses the ratio of the length of
two sides of a right triangle in deriving a given
angle. The measurement is usually limited to
45° from loss of accuracy point of view. The
sine bar in itself is not a complete measuring
instrument. Another datum such as a surface
plate is needed, as well as other auxiliary
equipment, notably slip gauges,
and indicating device to
Make measurements.
Sine bars are used either to measure angles very
accurately or for locating any work to a given angle
within very close limits. The distance between the
axes of the two cylinders is exactly 100, 200 and
300 mm in metric system.
Design Requirements are:
– The rollers must be of equal diameters and
true geometric cylinders
– The distance between the roller axes must be
precisely known and it should be same
– The upper surface of the bar must be flat ,
parallel with the roller axes and equidistant
from each other
(1) Measuring known angles or locating any work
to a given angle. For this purpose the surface
plate is assumed to be having a perfectly flat
surface, so that its surface could be treated as
horizontal. One of the cylinders or rollers of sine
bar is placed on the surface plate and other roller
is placed on the slip gauges of height h.
(2) Checking of unknown angles. Many a times,
angle of a component to be checked is unknown.
Numerical problem
• A 100 mm sine bar has to be set up at an angle
of 400. Determine (i) slip gauges needed (ii) In
setting the sine bar to the above mentioned
angle, what error will be introduced if the
assumed 100 mm roller separation is actually
100.005 mm.
Solution
• (a) Sin q100 = 64.279 mm
• Slip gauges required: 1.009 mm, 1.27 mm,
12.00 mm, 50 mm ; total of 64.279 mm.
• (b) (i) Error = 40 – sin-1 (64.279/100.005)
= 8” (-ve)
Angle Gauges
• A series of fixed angles are used for comparative
assessment of angle between two surfaces
• By making use of different permutations &
combinations, we could set an angle nearest to 3”.
The dimensions of the angle gauges are 75 mm
length & 16 mm width.
• The set consists of 10, 30, 90, 270 & 410
1’, 3’, 9’, 27’ and 3”, 6”, 18”, 30”.
• There are two sets of gauges available, designated
as A and B. The standard A contains all the above 13
gauges. Standard B contains only 12 gauges.
e.g.1 say, we have to build up an angle of 37° 9′18″.
e.g.2 build up an angle of
26° 50′ 30″