US 5,219,379 A · Angular alignment assembly

Abstract

An instrument for aligning the spindle of machine tools such as drill presses or vertical milling machines at various angles with respect to a work surface. In one embodiment the upper portion of an elongated shaft is engaged in a chuck or collet of the spindle while the lower potion is operably mounted to shaft bearings, which permits the shaft to pivot, rotate and to move vertically and horizontally with respect to the work surface of the machine tool. A displacement detector for detecting pivotal movement of the shaft is mounted on a member of the shaft bearing in fixed relation to the pivot of the shaft. A linear interface provides contact between the shaft and displacement detector and permits predictable repeatable movement of the displacement detector. A translating interface or computer, in the form of an electronic circuit, interprets movement by the displacement detector into data describing the angular position of the shaft and a display panel receives the data and displays it for the operator of the instrument. A frame base can be interposed between the shaft bearings and work surface to facilitate the instrument's mounting and enclosure.

Claims26

Dependent claims

An angular alignment assembly for aligning the tool holding assembly in a machine tool assembly at various angles with respect to a work surface, the angular alignment assembly comprising:

an elongated shaft slidably mounted in a sleeve bearing, one portion of said shaft being adaptable for mounting in the tool holding assembly, the sleeve bearing being pivotally mounted to
angle measuring support means for allowing the shaft to pivot about a first axis and for allowing vertical and horizontal movement of said shaft with respect to the work surface and for allowing the shaft to tilt about a second axis nonparallel to the first axis, said angle measuring support means also having
bearing means for translating said angle measuring support means in parallel relation to the work surface, and
angle measuring means operably mounted to said angle measuring support means for determining the angular orientation of said shaft with respect to the work surface and which does not restrict the pivotal movement of the sleeve bearing about the first axis.

1 more element

An angular alignment assembly for aligning the tool holding assembly in a machine tool assembly at various angles with respect to a work surface, the angular alignment assembly comprising:

an elongated shaft slidably mounted in a sleeve bearing, one portion of said shaft being adaptable for mounting in the tool holding assembly, the sleeve bearing being pivotally mounted to
angle measuring support means for allowing the shaft to pivot about a first axis and for allowing vertical and horizontal movement of said shaft with respect to the work surface and for allowing the shaft to tilt about a second axis nonparallel to the first axis, said angle measuring support means also having
bearing means for translating said angle measuring support means in parallel relation to the work surface, and
angle measuring means having a movable displacement detecting element, said angle measuring means operably mounted to said angle measuring support means for determining the angular orientation of said shaft with respect to the work surface, and
linear interface means interposed between the sleeve bearing and the angle measuring means for translating pivotal movement of the sleeve bearing and shaft into movement of the angle measuring means in a linearly determinable manner.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Angular alignment assembly

Life of this patent

Angular alignment assembly

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims26