Device for horizontal and vertical adjustment in geodetic devices

• US 6,643,940 B1
• Filed: 08/03/2000
• Issued: 11/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Trimble Jena GmbH (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ZSP Geodaetische Systeme GmbH (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Marx, Werner, Hahn, Wolfgang, Donath, Bernd, Laabs, Steffen, Feist, Wieland
• Primary Examiner(s): Fulton, Christopher W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): REIS, TRAVIS M
• Application Number:
  US09/631,522
• Time in Patent Office: 1,195 Days
• Field of Search: 332/90, 332/91, 332/92
• US Class Current: 33/290
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 1/02 Theodolites

Abstract

A device for horizontal and vertical adjustment in geodetic devices comprises within its housing, a horizontal adjusting system comprising a first fine adjustment drive for rotation of the device about a vertical standing axis and a vertical adjusting system comprising a second fine adjustment drive for the movement of a telescope which is mounted in the support of the device so as to be swivelable about a horizontal tilt axis. A coaxial drive, known per se, is arranged at the support of the device and has two coaxially mounted shafts, each having a rotating knob, for initiating the rotation and/or movement of the respective parts and subassemblies. Each of the two fine adjustment gear units comprises a worm and a worm gear with a friction clutch and can be actuated jointly from a location for generating movement in two movement directions running vertical to one another or at an angle to one another. These fine adjustment gear units are arranged in two planes situated at different heights in the housing of the device, wherein the worm of one of these two fine adjustment gear units lies in the plane of the coaxial drive and each worm gear of these two fine adjustment gear units is connected, via a friction clutch, with the part or subassembly to be moved or rotated. The fine adjustment gear unit whose worm does not lie in the plane of the coaxial drive is in an operative connection, via a quarter-turn belt drive, with one of the shafts of the coaxial drive.

Claims

1. A device for horizontal and vertical adjustment in geodetic devices comprising within its housing:

a horizontal adjusting system including a first fine adjustment drive for rotation of the device about a vertical standing axis;

a vertical adjusting system including a second fine adjustment drive for the movement of a telescope which is mounted in a support of the device so as to be swivelable about a horizontal tilt axis;

a coaxial drive which is arranged at the support of the device and having two coaxially mounted shafts, each having a manually operated non-motorized rotating knob structured for driving the rotation and/or movement of the respective parts and subassemblies;

said first fine adjustment drive and the second fine adjustment drive each comprising a worm and a worm gear with a friction clutch, wherein the said fine adjustment drives can be actuated jointly from a location for generating movement in two movement directions running vertical to one another or at an angle to one another;

said fine adjustment drives being arranged in two planes situated at different heights in the housing of the device, wherein the worm of one of said two fine adjustment drives lies in the plane of the coaxial drive;

each worm gear of said two fine adjustment drives being connected, via a friction clutch, with the part or subassembly to be moved or rotated; and

said fine adjustment gear unit whose worm does not lie in the plane of the coaxial drive being in an operative connection, via a quarter-turn belt drive, with one of the shafts of the coaxial drive.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein, with respect to the belt drive, a flat belt or toothed belt is provided which connects a first belt pulley fixedly arranged on one of the two shafts of the coaxial drive with a second belt pulley which is arranged on the shaft carrying the worm of one of the two fine adjustment drives.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein a first shaft of the coaxial drive is connected with the worm of one of the fine adjustment drives causing the rotation about the standing axis, in that a second shaft of the coaxial drive which is mounted in bearings on the first shaft so as to be rotatable relative to the first shaft carries a first belt pulley, wherein a second belt pulley is fixedly arranged on a shaft carrying the worm of the fine adjustment gear unit causing the rotation of the telescope about the tilt axis, and wherein the first and the second belt pulley are in an operative connection by means of the quarter-turn flat belt or toothed belt.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first belt pulley is arranged on the second shaft of the coaxial drive.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the worms are pressed without play against the respective worm gear by springs arranged in a bearing block.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the second shaft of the coaxial drive is constructed as a hollow shaft in which the first shaft of the coaxial drive is arranged so as to be mounted in rolling bearings.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the friction clutch connecting the worm gears with the associated part or subsassembly to be moved is adjustable with respect to its friction torque.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein a coupling compensating for axial offset and realizing a slip-free, angularly conforming movement transmission is provided between the worm of the horizontal adjusting system and the shaft of the coaxial drive driving this worm.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein a coupling in the form of a flex joint, a spring shaft, a web coupling or toothed coupling or a flex rod is provided between the worm of the horizontal adjusting system and its axially arranged drive shaft.