Patent · US Expired

Apparatus for moving an indexing table

US5159846A · kind A · utility

7Cited by
7References
21Claims
0Family size

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateAug 30, 1991
Grant dateNov 3, 1992
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 30, 2011

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T74/19555
  • WIPO fieldMachine tools
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

An apparatus for rotatably moving and positioning an indexing table is disclosed. The apparatus of the present invention allows an indexing table to be quickly rotated between a plurality of index positions to within an accuracy of less than 0.001 inches on a repeated basis. Further, the apparatus has no looseness or physical separation between motion transmission elements while at or near each index position that would otherwise allow for externally induced movement of the indexing table. While at or near each index position, a first side of the cogs of a first planetary gear is kept in continual contact with the first side of the cogs of a main gear, and the second side of the cogs of a second gear is kept in continual contact with the second side of the cogs of a main gear. Also, a first interfacing portion of a first rotating drive mechanism is kept in continual contact with a first interfacing surface on the indexing table, and a second interfacing portion of a second rotating drive mechanism is in continual contact with a second interfacing surface on the indexing table. Thus, a drive arrangement is achieved that can drive the indexing table rotationally in either of two dire…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.