Britannica AI Icon

spring caliper

measurement device

Quick Summary

A spring caliper is a measurement device with two legs joined by a spring and pivot. This design allows for adjustable jaws to measure the dimensions of objects.12

There are different types of calipers:
* Spring calipers: These have an adjusting screw and nut.2
* Firm-joint calipers: These are held in place by friction at the joint.2

Calipers can be used to measure outside dimensions like thickness and diameter, or inside dimensions such as hole diameters. The accuracy of measurements depends on the operator's sense of touch.2

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
2 Britannica Sources
  1. spring caliper
  2. caliper

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.