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US 4,306,464 AGranted
Multi-directional mechanical positioning apparatus
AssigneeS.A. Robotics
InventorRalph S. Mosher
Life of this patent
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AssigneeS.A. Robotics
InventorRalph S. Mosher
Estimating the term…
A low cost multi-directional movement cam controlled mechanical positioning apparatus is described for automatically tracing out the path of movement for the working head of a machine tool or the like. The apparatus may be embodied in a single machine providing for three-dimensional movement of the working head with or without additional controlled movement of the working head in either pitch, roll or yaw. Alternatively, the apparatus can be employed to provide additional degrees of movement either along a z-axis and/or in either pitch, roll or yaw to the working head of a two-dimensional automatic machine tool or conventional construction. The apparatus comprises a set of at least three relatively large diameter, disk-type, control-drive cams rotatably supported on a base member for controlling movement of the working head of a machine tool or the like within a plane defined by complementary axes of movement (such as the x-y axes) and along at least one additional degree of movement. A motor is provided for rotating the control-drive cams at a predetermined speed of rotation and cam follower means engage respective movement inducing cam surfaces formed on respective ones of the control-drive cams. Cam follower linkages coupled to respective ones of the cam followers directly drive a differentially operable transport mechanism that is supported on low friction wheels and tracks. The working head of the machine tool is secured to the transport mechanism and is moved thereby over a predetermined planar path of movement. A transport mechanism follower is coupled to the transport mechanism for freely following movement of the transport mechanism in its plane of movement without interference. Additional mechanical movement motion transmission means responsive to the additional cam follower and supported by the transport mechanism follower are provided for transmitting additional degrees of movement to the working head.
A low cost multi-directional movement cam controlled mechanical positioning apparatus for automatically tracing out a predetermined path of movement for the working head of a machine tool or the like supported on a base member wherein said apparatus comprises a set of at least three relatively large diameter disk-type grooved control-drive cam surfaces rotatably supported on said base member for controlling movement of the working head within a plane defined by complementary axes of movement and along at least one additional degree of movement, means mounted on said base member for rotating said control-drive cam surfaces at predetermined speeds of rotation, cam followers engaging the respective movement inducing cam surfaces, linkage means coupled to respective ones of said cam followers for mechanically coupling movement of the cam followers to the working head of the machine tool to thereby move the working head over a predetermined path of movement, a differentially operable transport mechanism for supporting the working head, said differentially operable transport mechanism being movably supported on said base member by support means mounted for independent movement of the transport mechanism by respective cam follower and linkage means along each axis of movement with a plane defined by the complementary axes of movement without interference with movement of the transport mechanism along either complementary axes, said linkage mean including planar complementary axes of movement inducing linkage means coupled to and mechanically driving said transport mechanism along each axis of movement within the plane defined by the complementary axes of movement, a mechanical transport mechanism follower coupled between the base and the transport mechanism for freely and passively following movement of the transport mechanism in its plane of movement without interference and additional mechanical movement motion transmission apparatus responsive to the remaining cam follower and supported by said transport mechanism follower for mechanically transmitting at least one additional degree of movement to the working head.
A low cost three-dimensional movement cam controlled mechanical positioning apparatus for automatically tracing out a predetermined path of movement for the working head of a machine tool or the like wherein said apparatus comprises at least three relatively large diameter disk-type grooved control-drive cam surfaces driven by a common drive shaft rotatably supported on a base member, motor means mounted on said base member and coupled to said common drive shaft for rotating said control-drive cam surfaces at a predetermined speed of rotation, at least three cam followers engaging respective cam surfaces for inducing x, y and z movements, x, y and z axis linkage means coupled to respective ones of said cam followers for mechanically coupling movement of the cam followers to the working head to thereby move the working head over a predetermined three-dimensional path of movement, a differentially operated transport mechanism for supporting the working head, said transport mechanism being movably supported by support means and mounted for independent movement along the respective x or y axis without interference, the x and y axis linkage means being coupled to and mechanically driving said transport mechanism in a manner such that the plane of x-y movement of the transport mechanism is parallel to the plane of the control-drive cam surfaces, a transport mechanism follower coupled between the base member and the transport mechanism for freely and passively following movement of the transport mechanism in the x-y plane of movement without interference and additional z-axis mechanical movement transmission apparatus responsive to the z-axis cam follower and supported by said transport mechanism follower for mechanically transmitting z-axis movement to the working head.
In a low cost cam controlled mechanical positioning apparatus for automatically tracing out a predetermined path of movement for the working head of a machine tool or the like wherein said apparatus comprises a set of relatively large diameter disk-type control-drive cams secured in parallel planes on a common drive shaft rotatably supported on a base member, motor means mounted on said base member and coupled to said common drive shaft for rotating said common drive shaft and said control-drive cams at a predetermined speed of rotation, x and y cam followers engaging respective x and y axis of movement inducing cam surfaces formed on respective ones of said control-drive cams, x, y linkages coupled to respective ones of said cam followers for mechanically coupling movement of the cam followers to a working head to thereby move the working head over predetermined paths along x and y axes of movement, a differentially operable transport mechanism for supporting the working head, said transport mechanism being movably supported by support means and mounted for independent and interference free movement along the respective x and y axes with the x and y axis linkages being coupled to and mechanically driving said transport mechanism in a manner such that the plane of the x-y movement of the transport mechanism is parallel to the planes of the control-drive cams;
A low cost cam controlled multi-directional movement mechanical positioning mechanism for providing an additional third dimensional and/or orthogonal pitch, roll or yaw movements for the working head of a machine tool or the like supported on a base member and having an x-y axis of movement mechanism capable of automatically providing a predetermined path of movement for the working head of a machine tool in a two-dimensional x-y plane, said mechanism comprising at least one relatively large diameter disk-type rotatable control-drive cam having at least one additional movement inducing control-drive cam surface formed thereon and secured to a drive shaft rotatably supported on a base member, means coupled to said drive shaft for rotating the same at a predetermined speed of rotation related to the movement of the working head in the two-dimensional x-y plane, respective additional movement cam follower engaging the additional movement inducing cam surface formed on the additional control-drive cam, and linkage means coupled to said additional movement cam follower for mechanically coupling movement of the cam follower to the working head to thereby move the working head either along an additional axis of movement orthogonal to the x-y plane of movement of the machine tool and/or to provide pitch, roll or yaw movements, said linkage means including an x-y axis of movement mechanism follower coupled between the base member and the x-y axis of movement mechanism for freely and passively following movement of said mechanism in the x-y plane without interference and additional mechanical movement motion transmission apparatus responsive to the additional cam follower means and supported by said x-y axis of movement mechanism follower for mechanically transmitting additional movement to the working head.
A low cost cam controlled multi-directional movement mechanical positioning mechanism for providing third dimensional and pitch, roll or yaw movements for the working head of a machine tool or the like supported on a base member and having an x-y axis of movement mechanism capable of automatically providing a predetermined path of movement for the working head of a machine tool in a two dimensional x-y plane, said mechanism comprising a set of relatively large diameter disk-type, rotatable control-drive cams and additional movement inducing control-drive cam surfaces secured to a drive shaft rotatably supported on a base member, motor means coupledd to said drive shaft for rotating the control-drive cams at a predetermined speed of rotation related to the movement of the working head in the two-dimensional x-y plane, respective additional movement cam followers engaging the additional movement inducing cam surfaces formed on the control-drive cams, and linkage means coupled to said respective additional movement cam followers for mechanically coupling movement of the cam followers to the working head to thereby move the working head along an additional third dimensional axis of movement orthogonal to the x-y plane of movement of the machine tool and to provide pitch, roll or yaw movements thereto, said linkage means including an x-y axis of movement mechanism follower coupled between the base member the x-y axis of movement mechanism for freely and passively following movement of said mechanism in the x-y plane without interference and additional mechanical movement motion transmission apparatus responsive to the respective additional cam followers and supported to said x-y axis of movement mechanism follower for directly transmitting the additional z axis and pitch, roll or yaw movements to the working head.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.