Contact-sensing probe

A device for mounting a stylus in a position-determining apparatus wherein said device and an object are movable relative to each other for providing a signal when said stylus engages said object, thereby indicating the position thereof, said device comprising

• a fixed member,
• a movable member supportable on said fixed member at two locations spaced apart along a first axis,
• the movable and fixed members respectively defining at each said location a supported element confronting a supporting element in the direction of a second axis transverse to said first axis,
• at each said location one of the supported and supporting elements having surface means convergent in a direction of said second axis and the other one of said elements being engageable with said surfaces,
• bias means for urging the movable member into contact with said fixed member, all of said convergent surface means thereby positively defining a rest position for said movable member and said movable member being removed from said rest position in opposition to said bias means when a force is applied to said stylus and said bias means and convergent surface means cooperating on cessation of said force, to return said movable member to said rest position,
• a single proximity sensor having a fixed and a movable element having a gap therebetween and having an output corresponding to the magnitude of said gap,
• said fixed and movable element being situated on the fixed and movable member respectively in positions intermediate between said locations,
• said supporting elements of the fixed member and said fixed element of the sensor being situated at the same side of said movable member,
• whereby any said movement of the movable member away from said rest position results in increasing said gap and correspondingly produces a change in said sensor output.