Features of micrometers

The precision of a micrometer is achieved by a using a fine pitch screw mechanism. An additional interesting feature of micrometers is the inclusion of a spring-loaded twisting handle. Normally, one could use the mechanical advantage of the screw to force the micrometer to squeeze the material, giving an inaccurate measurement. However, by attaching a handle that will ratchet at a certain torque, the micrometer will not continue to advance once sufficient resistance is encountered.
The spindle of an inch-system micrometer has 40 threads per inch, so that one turn moves the spindle axially 0.025 inch (1 ÷ 40 = 0.025), equal to the distance between two graduations on the frame. The 25 graduations on the thimble allow the 0.025 inch to be further divided, so that turning the thimble through one division moves the spindle axially 0.001 inch (0.025 ÷ 25 = 0.001). To read a micrometer, count the number of whole divisions that are visible on the scale of the frame, multiply this number by 25 (the number of thousandths of an inch that each division represents) and add to the product the number of that division on the thimble which coincides with the axial zero line on the frame. The result will be the diameter expressed in thousandths of an inch. As the numbers 1, 2, 3, etc., appear below every fourth sub-division on the frame, indicating hundreds of thousandths, the reading can easily be taken mentally.
Suppose the thimble were screwed out so that graduation 2, and three additional sub-divisions, were visible , and that graduation 1 on the thimble coincided with the axial line on the frame. The reading then would be 0.200 +0.075 +0.001, or 0.276 inch.
The spindle of an ordinary metric micrometer has 2 threads per millimeter, and thus one complete revolution moves the spindle through a distance of 0.5 millimeter. The longitudinal line on the frame is graduated with 1 millimeter divisions and 0.5 millimeter subdivisions. The thimble has 50 graduations, each being 0.01 millimeter (one-hundredth of a millimeter). To read a metric micrometer, note the number of millimeter divisions visible on the scale of the sleeve, and add the total to the particular division on the thimble which coincides with the axial line on the sleeve. Some micrometers are provided with a vernier scale on the sleeve in addition to the regular graduations. These permit measurements within 0.001 millimeter to be made on metric micrometers, or 0.0001 inches on inch-system micrometers.