Checking the setting of a tool
AssigneeRenishaw PLC
InventorDavid R. McMurtry
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
For setting the cutting tip (30) of a cutting tool (32) of a lathe, a tool-setting probe (10) has a stylus tip (18) for contacting the tool tip (30). The stylus tip (18) is generally cube-shaped. In addition to a conventional vertical datum surface (36) for setting the tool in the horizontal direction (arrow A), it has a 45.degree. sloping datum surface (38). The tool is touched in the direction of arrow A against both surfaces (36,38). The horizontal difference between the two contact positions is a measure of the height of the tool tip (30), enabling it to be set in the vertical direction.
Claims16
A stylus tip for a tool-setting probe for a machine tool, configured relative to a set of first, second and third orthogonal axes and having:
- means for attachment of the tip to the tool-setting probe;
- a first datum surface located on the tip normal to said first axis and accessible by movement of a tool along a first line parallel to said first axis;
- and
- a second datum surface located on the tip lateral of said first datum surface in a direction of said second axis, and accessible by movement of said tool along a second line parallel to said first axis, said first and second lines being spaced apart in said direction of said second axis;
- wherein said second datum surface extends at a non-90.degree. angle with respect to said first datum surface and said third orthogonal axis.
A tool-setting probe for a machine tool, having a stylus with a stylus tip configured relative to a set of first, second and third orthogonal aaxes, and means for detecting contact or proximity of the stylus tip with a cutting tool, the stylus tip having at least one first datum surface normal to said first axis and accessible by movement of a tool along a first line parallel to said first axis, and a second datum surface provided on the tip lateral of said first datum surface in a direction of said second axis, and accessible by movement of said tool along a second line parallel to said first axis, said first and second lines being spaced apart in said direction of said second axis, said second datum surface extending at a non-90.degree. angle to said first datum surface and said third orthogonal axis.
A method of checking the setting of a tool, using a tool-setting probe having a stylus with a stylus tip, and means for detecting contact or proximity of the stylus tip with the tool, the stylus tip having at least one first datum surface, wherein a second datum surface is provided on the tip, said second surface extending at a non-90.degree. angle to said first surface, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) moving the tool in a direction of a first axis normal to the first datum surface into contact or proximity with the first datum surface, the contact or proximity being detected by said detecting means,
- (b) moving the tool in a direction of a second axis parallel to said first datum surface and further in a direction of said first axis into contact or proximity with the second datum surface, the contact or proximity being detected by said detecting means,
- (c) taking readings of the tool position along the first axis when it comes into said contact or proximity with each of the first and second datum surfaces,
- (d) determining the difference between said readings, and
- (e) determining from said difference the position of the tool along a third axis normal to the first and second axes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.