Stylus counterbalancing mechanism for a measuring probe
US5208994A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 6, 1992 |
| Grant date | May 11, 1993 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 6, 2012 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01B5/012
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A stylus counterbalancing mechanism for a probe includes a stylus support member suspended on a resilient suspension system and connected to a spring which provides a force to counterbalance the weight of the stylus. The spring is connected to one end of a plate which is capable of sliding up and down a rod but is locked in position due to the clockwise moment produced by the spring force. The plate is unlocked from its position, when required, by movement of an actuating member. The actuating member is slidable up and down the rod and has bearing areas arranged to provide an anti-clockwise moment to the plate to unlock it and to move it along the rod to increase or decrease the spring force as required. In the probe, the actuating member includes a projection extending through the probe housing to be operable from the outside either manually or by the co-ordinate positioning machine, the machine being programmed to move the probe to engage the projection with a fixed ledge on the machine.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.