Mystery clamps bits chucks accessories?

RodJB

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Dec 13, 2008
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Anyone know what these are for?
There are 8 pairs of what appear to be matched accessory bits. They’re numbered 0, 20, 30, 40 & 45, 60, 75 & 90
A second pouch contains an identical set.
I am trying to work out what they might be for. They were in a retired watchmakers bench. I don't know if they're something to do with horology or maybe machinist accessories…
9D2CF32F-EBC6-4981-B702-63F806B69D3B.jpeg
 

Betzel

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Dec 1, 2010
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I certainly don't know, but noticed they each have a slightly different rounded edge. I wonder if they're some sort of a radius gauge/template?

What do the edges look like?
 

Betzel

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So it looks like there is some wear (?) on those curved surfaces, but it still looks pretty rough to me, so not high precision like a gauge block edge, etc. I still can't imagine how they would be used to mark or confirm a radius matching a particular cylindrical edge - or say why they would be needed if cutting a round edge as we do all the time on lathes, unless it was for quick work to check an edge somehow. But, each cut changes the resulting edge of each bar, and its radius so that seems silly. Maybe one of the more general machinists here will drop by, spot them, and clear this up :)
 

RodJB

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Dec 13, 2008
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So it looks like there is some wear (?) on those curved surfaces, but it still looks pretty rough to me, so not high precision like a gauge block edge, etc. I still can't imagine how they would be used to mark or confirm a radius matching a particular cylindrical edge - or say why they would be needed if cutting a round edge as we do all the time on lathes, unless it was for quick work to check an edge somehow. But, each cut changes the resulting edge of each bar, and its radius so that seems silly. Maybe one of the more general machinists here will drop by, spot them, and clear this up :)
There is no wear on the surfaces, they look unused to me… :)
 

gmorse

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Hi RodJB,

Where there are two blocks on the same side, is there any correlation between the spacing between them and the numbers stamped on the side, or the width of the block on the single ones?

Regards,

Graham
 

wisty

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Dec 24, 2014
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No Idea what device they are for, but they look to me like some sort of sine bars for setting angles. If I measure the length of the bottom edge and plot the lengths against the numbers marked on them, then lengths of 0-40 ( the ones with one lug) are the sine of the marked angle (plus a base number corresponding to zero. The lengths of 45-90, two lugs, are the cosine of the marked angle - again allowing for the length of 90 (& zero - both are the same length).
Diagrammatically
Odd Angles 2.jpg

Hope this helps.
 

RodJB

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Dec 13, 2008
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Richmond BC Canada / Kirkintilloch Scotland
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No Idea what device they are for, but they look to me like some sort of sine bars for setting angles. If I measure the length of the bottom edge and plot the lengths against the numbers marked on them, then lengths of 0-40 ( the ones with one lug) are the sine of the marked angle (plus a base number corresponding to zero. The lengths of 45-90, two lugs, are the cosine of the marked angle - again allowing for the length of 90 (& zero - both are the same length).
Diagrammatically
View attachment 747430
Hope this helps.
That’s above my pay grade… :)
 

RodJB

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Dec 13, 2008
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Hi RodJB,

Maybe this Wikipedia article will help. Trigonometry was a long time ago for me!

Many thanks to wisty for cracking this mystery.

Regards,

Graham
Have
Hi RodJB,

Maybe this Wikipedia article will help. Trigonometry was a long time ago for me!

Many thanks to wisty for cracking this mystery.

Regards,

Graham
I’m now searching using terms like sine bar gauge block etc but not coming up with anything similar… :)
 
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