Measuring apparatus

• US 4,084,323 A
• Filed: 05/10/1976
• Issued: 04/18/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Renishaw PLC
• Original Assignee: Renishaw Electrical Limited (Renishaw PLC), Rolls-Royce PLC (Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: McMurtry, David Roberts
• Primary Examiner(s): Aegerter, Richard E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stearne, Richard R.
• Application Number:
  US05/685,072
• Time in Patent Office: 708 Days
• Field of Search: 33/1 M, 33/169 R, 33/172 R, 33/172 E, 33/174 R, 33/174 L, 33/174 P, 33/174 PC
• US Class Current: 33/561
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 1/36 Springs
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 7/012 Contact-making feeler heads therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 7/02 for measuring length, width or thickness G01B7/004, G01B7/12 take precedence

Abstract

The stylus of a work piece measuring probe is supported for movement in three dimensions by three pairs of leaf springs connected in series and arranged as if lying at the six sides of a rectangular box.

Claims

1. A probe for use in measuring apparatus having stylus support structure comprising:

a first and a second rigid member arranged in spaced relationship;

a first pair of generally flat resilient members arranged in spaced parallelism and secured to the first and second rigid members in position therebetween;

a third rigid member having a first part situated adjacent the first rigid member;

a second pair of generally flat resilient members arranged in spaced parallelism and in positions forming with the first resilient members four sides of a notational six-sided rectangular block, the second pair of resilient members being secured to the second rigid member and to said first part of the third rigid member in position therebetween, the third rigid member having a second part extending from said first part towards the second rigid member;

a fourth rigid member, the fourth rigid member and said second part of the third rigid member being situated at opposite sides of the assembly comprising the first and second pairs of resilient members;

a third pair of spaced apart generally flat resilient members arranged in parallel planes perpendicular to the planes of the first and second resilient members and in positions to form the fifth and sixth sides of said notional block, the third pair of resilient members being secured to the fourth rigid member and said second part of the third rigid member in positions therebetween, wherein said resilient and rigid members are positioned and dimensioned such that the first and fourth rigid members are movable relative to one another in three orthogonal dimensions, and wherein one of the first and fourth rigid members constitutes a support for said stylus support structure and the other one of the first and fourth rigid members constitutes a support for a stylus.

2. Probe according to claim 1, wherein the assembly comprising the first and second resilient members and the first, second and third rigid members lie bewteen the third resilient members.

3. Probe according to claim 1, wherein the assembly comprising the first and second resilient members, the first and second rigid members, and the first part of the third rigid member lies between the second part of the third rigid member and the fourth rigid member.

4. Probe according to claim 1 wherein the first part of the third rigid member lies between the first rigid member and one of the third resilient members.