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US 4,561,814 AGranted
Mechanical tool manipulating method and apparatus
OwnerWilliam V. Dahlgren, Jr., Edward W. Claireinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A mechanical tool manipulating method and apparatus including apparatus and process for splitting axes of drive, wherein the drive means include preloaded lead screw nuts for minimal backlash, and "v" wheels and cylindrical slides for lineal tracking, as well as apparatus and process for precision clamping of the workpiece, and for recirculating exhaust air for clearing debris.
Claims14
A mechanical tool manipulating apparatus of the type used in computer controlled tool manipulating systems wherein a tool is manipulated with respect to a workpiece which is supported by a table, comprising:
- first positioning means for positioning the tool along a first axis;
- second positioning means for positioning the table along a second axis, the first axis being orthogonal to the second axis so that the workpiece is operated upon by controlling the position of the tool along the first axis and the position of the table along the second axis;
- and
- means for providing lineal tracking of the tool and table including
- a plurality of slides having cylindrical cross-sections positioned parallel to the axis of each positioning means;
- a plurality of "v" wheels which are coupled to the tool and to the table, each "v" wheel positioned to roll along a corresponding slide;
- and
- means for elastically preloading the "v" wheels against the slides;
- wherein the tool is coupled to the first positioning means by a support structure, and a plurality of "v" wheels are mounted to the support structure, and further wherein the preloading means comprise a plurality of fingers of material upon each of which is mounted a "v" wheel, each finger being formed in the support structure and the table by cutting a kerf therein.
6 more elements
A mechanical tool manipulating apparatus of the type used in computer controlled tool manipulating systems wherein a tool is manipulated with respect to a workpiece which is supported by a table, comprising
- first positioning means for positioning the tool along a first axis;
- second positioning means for positioning the table along a second axis, the first axis being orthogonal to the second axis so that the work piece is operated upon by controlling the position of the tool along the first axis and the position of the table along the second axis;
- and
- means for providing lineal tracking of the tool and table;
- air pressure activated means for vertical positioning of the tool with respect to the workpiece, comprising
- a double-acting air cylinder responsive to the supplied air pressure having a shaft which is lowered when air pressure is applied and raised when air pressure is removed;
- means for moveably coupling the tool to the air cylinder shaft so that the tool is raised from the workpiece when the shaft is raised including means for decoupling the tool from the shaft when the shaft is lowered;
- means attached to the air cylinder and positioned to contact the tool coupling means for determining the contact pressure between the tool and the work piece when the air cylinder shaft is decoupled from the tool;
- and
- valve means for regulating the rate at which the air pressure is supplied to the air cylinder so that the rate at which the tool is lowered to the workpiece can be regulated.
7 more elements
A mechanical tool manipulating apparatus of the type used in computer controlled tool manipulating systems wherein a tool is manipulated with respect to a workpiece which is supported by a table, comprising
- first positioning means for positioning the tool along a first axis including
- a first lead screw;
- first driver means for rotating the first lead screw;
- and
- a first preloaded lead screw nut which is rotatably mounted to the first lead screw and coupled to the tool so that the rotation of the first lead screw urges the tool to travel parallel to the first lead screw axis with insignificant backlash;
- and
- second positioning means for positioning the table along a second axis, the first axis being orthogonal to the second axis so that the work piece is operated upon by controlling the position of the tool along the first axis and the position of the table along the second axis including
- a second lead screw;
- second driver means for rotating the second lead screw;
- and
- a second preloaded lead screw nut which is rotatably mounted to the second lead screw and coupled to the table so that the rotation of the second lead screw urges the table to travel parallel to the axis of the second lead screw with insignificant backlash;
- means for providing lineal tracking of the tool and table;
- wherein the first and second preloaded lead screw nuts each comprise
- an elongated nut body having a preloading slot and a pair of articulation slots, each slot lying in separate hypothetical planes which are orthogonal to the axis of rotation of the nut, the preloading slot being located adjacent one end of the nut and the pair of articulation slots being located adjacent the opposite end of the nut, each of the pair of articulation slots being positioned about the axis of rotation of the nut so that one of the pair has an annular displacement of approximately 90.degree. from the other of the pair of articulation slots;
- and
- adjusting means for compressing the nut body across the preloading slot.
13 more elements
A mechanical tool manipulating apparatus of the type used in computer controlled tool manipulating systems, wherein in response to control signals, a tool is manipulated with respect to a workpiece which is supported by a table, comprising
- first positioning means for positioning the tool along a first axis including
- a first lead screw positioned along the first axis;
- a first stepper motor which is responsive to the control signals for rotating the first lead screw;
- a first preloaded lead screw nut which is coupled to the tool and rotatably mounted upon the first lead screw so that the tool is moved along the first axis, with insignificant backlash, whenever the first lead screw is rotated;
- and
- first means for lineal tracking of the tool as it moves along the first axis;
- second positioning means for positioning the table along a second axis, which is orthogonal to the first axis, including
- a second lead screw positioned along the second axis;
- a second stepper motor which is responsive to the control signals for rotating the second lead screw;
- a second preloaded lead screw nut which is coupled to the table and rotatably mounted upon the second lead screw so that the table is moved along the second axis, with insignificant backlash, whenever the second lead screw is rotated;
- and
- second means for lineal tracking of the table as it moves along the second axis;
- means for air-activated control of tool position in a vertical plane with respect to the workpiece;
- and
- means for recirculating exhaust air from the air-activated control means so that debris are automatically cleared from the work area of the workpiece whenever the tool is raised from the work piece.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.