Intermediate support device for screw shaft

Abstract

There is disclosed an intermediate support device which can be moved in a controlled manner in a direction of movement of a table of a table feed apparatus. The intermediate support device includes a nut threadedly engaged with a screw shaft rotatably supported at opposite ends thereof, a slider of a linear guide device disposed parallel to the nut, a connecting member which interconnects the slider and the nut, and rotatably supports the nut through a rolling bearing, and a brake device mounted on the connecting member so as to restrain the rotation of the nut. The brake device is turned on to allow the free rotation of the nut, and is turned off to lock the nut on the connecting member, thereby controlling the movement of the nut, so that the screw shaft is supported at an optimal portion thereof to thereby increasing the natural frequency of the screw shaft.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.