Load sensing probe
First Claim
1. A load sensing probe for measuring work forces in a machine tool comprising, in combination,a generally cylindrical member having first and second regions of substantially equal outside diameter and a third, intermediate region smaller than and disposed between said first and said second regions,slots extending from said first and said second regions into said intermediate region, said slots disposed at a right angle to one another and defining pairs of spaced-apart arms,strain gauge means secured to a pair of said spaced-apart arms for sensing the strain experienced by said arms, andpreloading means for radially translating said pairs of arms, said preloading means including a pair of wedge means for driving said pairs of arms radially outwardly and means for translating said wedge means toward one another.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A load sensing probe for disposition in a cavity in a back-up member arranged to support a tool at a working station for measuring the strain associated with such working forces applied to the tool comprises a generally cylindrical body member having first and second generally end adjacent regions of substantially equal outside diameter and a third intermediate region of reduced size. A centrally disposed bore extends through the cylindrical member. A first pair of slots extend axially inwardly into the intermediate region and a second pair of slots extend from the second region into the intermediate region and are disposed at a right angle to first pair of slots. A threaded rod having a frusto-conical surface extends through the centrally disposed bore and includes a threaded fastener. This assembly may be utilized to apply outwardly directed forces to the body of the probe to retain it within the cavity of the tool. Strain gauges are secured on a radially extending surface of one of the end regions and measure the dimensional change of the cavity. Opposed flats on the opposite end of the body member permit rotation of the body member in the cavity during installation.
22 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A load sensing probe for measuring work forces in a machine tool comprising, in combination,
a generally cylindrical member having first and second regions of substantially equal outside diameter and a third, intermediate region smaller than and disposed between said first and said second regions, slots extending from said first and said second regions into said intermediate region, said slots disposed at a right angle to one another and defining pairs of spaced-apart arms, strain gauge means secured to a pair of said spaced-apart arms for sensing the strain experienced by said arms, and preloading means for radially translating said pairs of arms, said preloading means including a pair of wedge means for driving said pairs of arms radially outwardly and means for translating said wedge means toward one another.
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10. In a machine having a back-up member arranged to support a tool at a working station and subject to strain from the work forces applied to the tool, a load sensing probe disposed in a cavity for measuring such work forces comprising, in combination,
a generally cylindrical member having first and second regions of substantially equal outside diameter and a third, intermediate region smaller than and disposed between said first and said second regions, a centrally disposed bore extending through said cylindrical member, first and second pairs of slots extending from a respective one of said first and said second regions into said intermediate region, said first pair of slots disposed at a right angle to said second pair of slots and defining spaced-apart arms, strain gauge means secured to one of said pair of spaced-apart arms for sensing the strain experienced by said arms, and preloading means for radially translating said pairs of arms, said preloading means including a pair of wedge means for driving said pairs of arms radially outwardly and means for translating said wedge means toward one another.
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17. A method of measuring work forces applied to a back-up member in a machine tool having an elongate cavity extending laterally from a point adjacent the working station, comprising the steps of:
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inserting a load sensing probe into such cavity, said probe having a cylindrical body having a first and second enlarged end regions split by respective pairs of axially extending radially oriented slots to form respective pairs of arms, and strain gauges secured to the arms of one of said enlarged end regions, opposed flats disposed on the other of said enlarged end regions and means for radially translating said arms, engaging said flats with a complementarily configured apparatus while activating said radially translating means to move said sensing arms into engagement with the wall of said cavity and measuring the work forces applied to the back-up member as relative closing movement of the cavity.
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Specification