Adjustable alignment assembly and method
AssigneeCincinnati Milacron Inc.
InventorTadeusz W. Piotrowski
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An alignment system and method wherein a machine module is aligned with and secured to a machine base. A plate is loosely held on the module by screws, and the base and plate have mating pin holes. A pin is inserted through the mating pin holes, and the plate moves to find its aligned position. The screws are then tightened to fix the plate on the module, and the pin is removed. Subsequent realignment can be easily accomplished by reinsertion of the alignment pin to insure registration between the preset plate and base pin holes.
Claims10
An adjustable assembly for aligning a machine tool module on a module mounting surface of a machine base having at least one pin alignment bore with a central axis substantially normal to the module mounting surface, said assembly comprising:
- an attachment portion of said machine tool module, said attachment portion having a module attachment face received against said module mounting surface, said attachment portion also having a plate mounting surface substantially parallel with said module mounting surface;
- an alignment plate adjustably secured to said attachment portion, said alignment plate having a plate face retained against said plate mounting surface in use, and a precision bore extending therethrough along a central axis substantially normal to said plate face;
- and
- anchoring means for loosely securing said alignment plate to said attachment portion for adjustment relative thereto, and for tightly securing said alignment plate thereto once said precision bore is properly aligned with said pin alignment bore.
An adjustable assembly for aligning a machine tool module on a mounting surface of a machine base element having at least one pin alignment bore with a central axis substantially normal to the mounting surface when in assembled position, said assembly comprising:
- an attachment portion of said machine tool module to be aligned, said attachment portion having an access hole extending therethrough to said mounting surface when assembled, and a clearance recess having a plate mounting surface substantially parallel with said mounting surface;
- an alignment plate adjustably attached to said attachment portion within said clearance recess by at least one anchoring means, said alignment plate comprising a precision bore extending therethrough for alignment with an alignment bore of said base element and having a plate face retained against said plate mounting surface;
- and
- said anchoring means providing for loose attachment of said alignment plate to said attachment portion for adjustment relative thereto, and for tight attachment of said plate thereto once said precision bore is properly aligned with said alignment bore.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.