Machine for measuring generally circular objects in cylindrical coordinates
First Claim
1. A machine for measuring an object, said machine comprising:
- a frame;
support means on the frame for supporting the object along a measuring axis with the axis of the object generally coinciding with the measuring axis and for further moving the object parallel to the measuring axis, means for ascertaining the position of the support means along the measuring axis;
at least three measuring heads located on the frame around the measuring axis with each having a probe provided with a tip that is adapted to contact and bear continuously against the object as the support means moves the object parallel to the measuring axis, each measuring head being capable of moving the tip of its probe along a radius that emanates from the measuring axis; and
means for ascertaining the position of the probe tip for each measuring head with respect to a fixed reference on the frame, whereby the object is measured as it moves parallel to the measuring axis.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A machine measures an object of generally circular cross-section by superimposing on the subject a cylindrical coordinate system having five axes, namely a vertical measuring axis Z, three radial axes R0, R120, R240 emanating at a common point along the measuring axis Z, and a rotational axis θ having its center at the measuring axis Z. The machine includes an elevating unit which supports the object with its axis generally parallel to the measuring axis Z and is further capable of moving the object parallel to the measuring axis Z as well as rotationally about the measuring axis Z along the rotational axis θ. A measuring device monitors the linear position of the object along the axis Z while another measuring device measures the angular position of the object along the rotational axis θ. In addition, the machine includes three measuring heads, there being one along each radial axes R0, R120, and R240, and each measuring head includes a base, a slide which is mounted on the base for movement parallel to the radial axis of its head, and a probe carried by the slide. The probe has a displaceable probe tip which bears against a surface on the object. Each measuring head has a measuring device for monitoring the position of its slide relative to the slide base and as well as another monitoring device which may be used to monitor the position of the probe tip relative to the slide along the radial axis R or the position of the probe tip parallel to the measuring axis Z. The machine scans the object by effecting relative movement between the object and probe tips parallel to one of the axes while at least one of the probe tips remains against the object, and by taking measurements at equally spaced intervals along another of the axes. Thus, it is possible to make an axial scan, a radial scan, a rotary scan along a circumferential surface or a rotary scan along an end surface.
48 Citations
32 Claims
-
1. A machine for measuring an object, said machine comprising:
- a frame;
support means on the frame for supporting the object along a measuring axis with the axis of the object generally coinciding with the measuring axis and for further moving the object parallel to the measuring axis, means for ascertaining the position of the support means along the measuring axis;
at least three measuring heads located on the frame around the measuring axis with each having a probe provided with a tip that is adapted to contact and bear continuously against the object as the support means moves the object parallel to the measuring axis, each measuring head being capable of moving the tip of its probe along a radius that emanates from the measuring axis; and
means for ascertaining the position of the probe tip for each measuring head with respect to a fixed reference on the frame, whereby the object is measured as it moves parallel to the measuring axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
- a frame;
-
8. A machine for measuring an object, said machine comprising:
- a frame;
an elevating unit carried by the frame and including a platen for supporting the object along an upright measuring axis, with the axis of the object coinciding generally with the measuring axis, the elevating unit further including first drive means for moving the platen upwardly and downwardly parallel to the measuring axis and first measuring means for determining the displacement of the platen along the measuring axis;
at least three measuring heads mounted on the frame around the measuring axis with each head including a probe having a tip and second drive means for moving the probe toward and away from the measuring axis generally along a radius that intersects the measuring axis, whereby the probe tips may be brought into contact with a surface on the object, each measuring head further including second measuring means for determining the displacement of its probe parallel to the radius along which its tip lies, the radii along which the probe tips for the measuring heads move being arranged symmetrically around the measuring axis. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
- a frame;
-
20. A process for measuring an object, said process comprising:
- supporting the object opposite three probe tips which are located along radii that intersect at a measuring axis which generally coincides with the axis of the object;
moving the probe tips along their respective radii until they contact a circumferentially extending surface on the object with a spring bias;
while the probe tips are in contact with the circumferentially extending surface on the object, effecting relative movement between the object and the probe tips, with such movement being parallel to the measuring axis;
measuring the radial position of each probe tip with respect to the measuring axis and the position of the object along the measuring axis at spaced apart intervals during the relative movement; and
from the radial positions of the three probe tips at each interval calculating the radius of the circumferentially extending surface at that interval, whereby the profile of the surface may be ascertained. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
- supporting the object opposite three probe tips which are located along radii that intersect at a measuring axis which generally coincides with the axis of the object;
-
24. A machine for measuring an object by superimposing on that object a cylindrical coordinate system that contains a measuring axis from which radial dimensions are taken and about which angular measurements are made, said machine comprising:
- a frame through which the measuring axis passes;
support means on the frame for supporting the object along the measuring axis;
at least one measuring head on the frame and having a probe provided with a tip that lies along a radius emanating from the measuring axis;
first drive means for effecting relative translational movement between the support means and the probe parallel to the measuring axis when the probe tip is against the object;
second drive means for moving the probe in translation such that its tip moves generally along the radius toward and away from the measuring axis while remaining against the object;
third drive means for effecting relative rotation between the probe and the support means about the measuring axis with the measuring axis forming the center of the rotation while the probe tip is against the object;
first measuring means for measuring the relative translational movement along the measuring axis;
second measuring means for measuring the translational movement of the probe along the radius;
third measuring means for measuring the relative angular movement between support means and probe;
fourth measuring means for measuring the position of the probe tip relative to the measurements derived from the second measuring means when the first drive means effects relative movement parallel to the measuring axis or when the third drive means effects relative rotational movement about the measuring axis and for measuring the position of the probe tip relative to the measurements derived from the first measuring means when the second drive means moves the probe tip along the radius or when the third drive means effects relative rotational movement about the measuring axis. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
- a frame through which the measuring axis passes;
-
27. A process for measuring an object by superimposing on the object a cylindrical coordinate system having five axes, namely a measuring axis Z, three radial axis R that emanate from the measuring axis Z, and a rotational axis θ
- having its center at the measuring axis Z, said process comprising;
supporting the object along the measuring axis Z such that the axis Z passes through the object;
moving the probe tips along the radial axes R until the tips contract the object;
effecting relative movement between the object and the probe tips while maintaining the probe tips biased against the object so that the probe tips pass over the object, the relative movement being parallel to measuring axis 2; and
measuring deflections of the probe tips parallel to their radial axes R at closely spaced intervals along the measuring axis 2, whereby a profile of the part is derived.
- having its center at the measuring axis Z, said process comprising;
-
28. A machine for measuring an object, said machine comprising:
- a frame;
support means on the frame for supporting the object along a measuring axis that is fixed in position relative to the frame, with the axis of the object generally coinciding with the measuring axis;
at least three measuring heads located on the frame around the measuring axis along radii which emanate from a common point along the measuring axis;
each measuring head including;
a base which is mounted on the frame, a slide which moves on the base parallel to the radius along which the heads is located, a probe carried by the slide and having a tip located generally on the radius for the head, with the tip being presented toward the object for bearing against the object, drive means for moving the slide on the base both toward and away from the measuring axis, so that the probe tip moves along the radius, first measuring means for monitoring the position of the slide relative to the base, and second measuring means for monitoring the position of the probe tip relative to the slide, whereby the position of the probe tip relative to the measuring axis is known. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32)
- a frame;
Specification