Remotely controlled tool arm assembly

In a tool arm assembly having a longitudinally extending base means adapted to be supported on a machine tool adjacent a workpiece rotating spindle, a tool carrier means mounted on the base means and having a position adjustable portion adapted to support the tool;

• and motion transmission means operatively connected to adjust the position of the said portion relative to the base means and spindle and thereby adjust the position of the tool relative to the workpiece;
• the improvement wherein a multi-toothed, bi-directional actuator, movable in precise increments in opposite directions, is provided on the assembly to operate the motion transmission means;
• and motor means, for moving the actuator, has a path of movement from a position normally out of engagement with the actuator teeth to positions operatively engaging the actuator teeth and moving the actuator incrementally in either direction;
• the motor means including a longitudinally reciprocable pawl mount mechanism supported by the base means for back and forth movement adjacent the toothed actuator;
• pawls spaced apart in the direction of movement carried by the mount mechanism for movement relative to the mount mechanism in a path generally transverse to the back and forth movement of the pawl mount mechanism toward and away from the actuator teeth;
• and control means for automatically determining which of the pawls engages an actuator tooth according to the longitudinal position of the mount.

In a tool arm assembly having a longitudinally extending base means adapted to be supported on a machine tool adjacent a workpiece rotating spindle, a tool carrier means mounted on the base means and having a position adjustable portion adapted to support the tool;

• and motion transmission means operatively connected to adjust the position of the position adjustable portion relative to the base means and spindle and thereby adjust the position of the tool relative to the workpiece;
• the improvement wherein a multi-toothed, bi-directional actuator, movable in precise increments in opposite directions, is provided on the assembly to operate the motion transmission means;
• motor means, for moving the actuator, has a path of movement from a position normally out of engagement with the actuator teeth to positions operatively engaging the actuator teeth and moving it incrementally in either direction;
• the motor means includes a reciprocable pawl mount supported by the base means for back and fourth movement adjacent the toothed actuator;
• pawls spaced apart in the direction of movement are carried by the mount;
• control means are provided for determining which of the pawls engages an actuator tooth dependent on the position of the mount;
• the pawls being pivotally mounted on said mount, biasing means normally urges the pawls to pivot toward the actuator teeth;
• and the control means comprises similarly spaced apart cam surfaces supported by the case means, each of which pivots one of the pawls in a direction away from the actuator teeth when the mount is moved in a direction toward the cam surface, while the other pawl is permitted to pivot into engagement with an actuator tooth and to move the actuator an increment with continued movement of the mount.