Positioning systems

A positioning system comprising:

• a stationary member,
• a first guide means fixed relative to the stationary member,
• a second guide means having one end hingedly connected to the first guide means and the other end being free of the first guide means,
• the first and second guide means being substantially mutually perpendicular,
• a first carriage being linearly reciprocable along the first guide means in an X direction,
• a second carriage fixed to the free end of the second guide means,
• a carrier being reciprocable linearly along the second guide means in a Y direction,
• a pair of spaced bidirectional drives mounted on the stationary member,
• a plurality of spaced guide pulleys,
• a single drive chain defining a closed loop having opposite free ends fixed to the carrier and trained over and operatively engaging the first and second carriages and the drives and pulleys, a retainer on the carrier for the shifting entrainment therearound of the drive chain intermediate the opposite free ends thereof in the displacement of the first and second carriages along the respective guide means and of the carrier along the second guide means in the attainment of any desired angular and translational orientation of the carrier relative to the stationary member, and
• means for selectively rendering each of the drives operative and inoperative for positioning the carrier at any desired coordinate position on an X-Y coordinate plane.