A process and apparatus for inspecting the geometrical configuration of toothed driving elements

A tubular sleeve (2) having a toothed inner surface (2a) is operatively mounted around rollers (5, 6) operable in rotation to move the sleeve transversely to the extension of the teeth (3). A reading member (15) movable parallelly to the rollers (5, 6) detects, through the repeated reading of the height of the toothed surface (2a) passing under a given read point, the transverse outline of the individual teeth (3), to enable comparison with geometric parameters stored in a processing unit (20). The translation speed of the sleeve (2) is identified by measuring the time necessary to the passage of two characteristic points belonging to two contiguous teeth (3). Assigned to each height value detected by the reading member (15) is a corresponding distance value from one of the characteristic points of the teeth (3).