Position detecting device

An apparatus for use with an electrical detecting circuit for detecting the position of a surface of a solid object, comprising:

• a housing;
• stylus means having an electrode contact at one end thereof for contacting a surface of said solid object;
• stylus support means arranged within said housing for movably supporting said stylus means to have freedom of movement in at least two dimensions and including two stylus support elements biased into contact one with another, one of said two stylus support elements having a contact surface formed as a portion of a sphere having a center at the center of said electrode contact;
• and
• electrical conductor means whereby said electrical detecting circuit is responsive to said electrode contact's touching a surface of said solid object.

An apparatus for use with a machine having an element that is movable in relation to a fixed reference surface and the extent of movement thereof being measureable for detecting the location of a surface of a solid object relative to said fixed reference surface, comprising:

• a stylus having a metal contact at one end thereof for making physical contact with a surface of said solid object and including an electrical conductor connected to said metal contact;
• stylus support means attached to said movable machine element and including at least two support members resiliently held in mutual contact one with another, one of said support members including means whereby the area of contact between said two support members can be described by a line, and one of said two support members having a spherical contact surface concentric with the center of said metal contact;
• and
• a detecting circuit connected to said metal contact for detecting when said metal contact touches said surface of said solid object.