Motion limiting apparatus

Apparatus for supporting a table, which is mountable adjacent to a reaction mass, and producing table movement along a predetermined vertical Z axis, while preventing table rotation about horizontal axes, comprising:

• a plurality of torque devices, each having a torque member which has opposite end portions and which is rigid against twisting about a predetermined torque axis, and each having a support which supports the torque member in pivoting about said torque axis;
• said supports mounted on said reaction mass with the torque axes of their corresponding torque members extending horizontally but at angles from one another as viewed along the Z axis;
• a plurality of pairs of links, each pair having lower ends pivotally connected to opposite end portions of one of said torque members and upper ends pivotally connected to said table;
• and
• a linear actuator having upper and lower ends respectively connected to said table and said reaction mass, to move said table vertically.

Apparatus for supporting a table (134, FIG. 3) and producing table movement comprising:

• a vertical actuator (136) centered on said table to move it vertically;
• a horizontal actuator (146) connected to said table to move it along a predetermined horizontal axis;
• four largely horizontally-extending links (141, 142, 143, 144) extending primarily perpendicular to said predetermined horizontal axis, said links having outer ends pivotally connected to said table and having pivotally supported inner ends, said links arranged with a pair of links at opposite ends of said table and with the two links of each pair being vertically spaced, to permit horizontal table movement by said horizontal actuator while preventing rotation about a vertical axis and about said predetermined horizontal axis;
• and
• a torque device (132) which includes a torque resistant member (137) rotatably mounted about an axis parallel to said predetermined axis and having a pair of links (139) with lower ends pivotally connected to the ends of said member and upper ends pivotally connected to said table.

Apparatus for supporting a table (160, FIG. 4) and producing table movement comprising:

• a vertical actuator (136) connected to said table to move it vertically;
• a horizontal actuator (146) connected to said table to move it horizontally;
• at least two torque devices (151, 153), which each include a torque resistant member rotatable about a horizontal axis and a pair of links extending largely vertically from the ends of the torque resistant member to the table, and with the axes of rotation of the torque resistant members angled from one another;
• and
• a pair of links (156, 158), each extending largely horizontal and perpendicular to said horizontal actuator, and each having an outer end pivotally connected to an opposite end of said table and a pivotally mounted inner end.

Apparatus for supporting a table (176, FIG. 5) and producing table movement, comprising:

• three actuators (136, 146, 178) connected to said table to move it along three perpendicular directions;
• at least two torque devices (171, 172), which each include a torque resistant member rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis and a pair of links extending largely vertically from the ends of the torque resistant member to the table, and with the axes of rotation of the torque resistant members angled from one another;
• and
• a third torque device (174) having a torque resistant member rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis and a pair of links extending largely horizontally from the ends of the member to the table.