Wheelhead drive assembly for a cylindrical grinding machine

A grinding machine comprising

• a wheelhead assembly,
• a bed for supporting said wheelhead assembly for sliding displacement relative thereto, and
• means for effecting relative sliding displacement between said bed and said wheelhead assembly including,
• a ball screw supported for rotational displacement on said bed,
• stepping motor means for rotationally displacing said ball screw,
• drive nut means secured to said wheelhead assembly including
• a ball nut having a flanged end for engaging with said ball screw, and
• a housing having first and second axially spaced end block portions connected by upper and lower parallel plate portions each including transverse channel means therein for permitting slight vertical changes in orientation of said first end portion relative to said second end portion,
• said first portion having an axially extending bore selectively sized to permit passage of said ball screw therethrough without contact, and
• said second portion having an axial bore therein for matingly receiving said ball nut and the length of said nut being selected so that when fully inserted into said second housing portion bore said nut will extend substantially to said first housing portion and be spaced therefrom.