Bearings – Linear bearing – Plain bearings
Patent
1990-10-05
1992-07-21
Footland, Lenard A.
Bearings
Linear bearing
Plain bearings
384 37, 384 38, F16C 2902
Patent
active
051317613
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to apparatus for guiding movement of a component and is particularly but not exclusively concerned with high accuracy measuring and checking machines to maintain accurate relative movement between elements thereof.
Heretofore for purposes of accuracy, it has been necessary to construct co-ordinate measuring machines using heavyweight material such as granite, i.e. material which remains as stable as possible with variations in temperature, in order that guideways of the machine do not distort and thereby detract from the accuracy of measurement. It has not been practical to use lightweight structures supporting guideways components of granite or a like material as the different coefficients of thermal expansion of the materials again leads to distortion and loss of accuracy.
According to the present invention there is provided apparatus for guiding movement of a component, said apparatus comprising a support structure, elongate guide means on which the component is adapted to be mounted by bearing means for movement therealong, characterised in that means connect the guide means in an outwardly spaced relation to the support structure, the connecting means being adapted to accommodate relative movement between the guide means and the support structure in the direction of axis of the guide means but to remain accurately positioned in all directions normal to the axis of the guide means.
Preferably the guide means comprises a plurality of guide members mounted in a parallel spaced apart relation outwardly of a guiding face of the support structure.
Preferably also the connection means comprises a plurality of elongate members mounting the guide means on the support structure, at least one hinge being provided on each elongate member to accommodate the relative movement. The hinge may have a reduced thickness relative to the elongate member and may be formed as a planar web or have a cylindrical or prismoidal form. The hinge may he integrally formed or be in the form of a wire which can be separately formed from the elongate member.
The connection means may comprise pairs of elongate members mounting the guide means on the support structure, with the elongate members of each pair preferably in a spaced angular relation, for example 90.degree. apart. Each pair of elongate members may be mounted on a bracket which fixedly mounts the guide means.
The or each elongate connecting member may be adjustable along its axis in a preferred arrangement the guide members are of tubular cylindrical form and the elongate connecting members are positioned radially with respect to the guide members.
The invention also provides a co-ordinate measuring machine having apparatus as described in any of the five preceding paragraphs for guiding a respective component along at least one of the co-ordinate axes.
An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a linear guideways on a column of a co-ordinate measuring machine, the carriage to be supported by the guideways for movement along the column having been omitted for clarity;
FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional plan view of a similar linear guideways but showing more detail of construction and showing the guideways supporting the carriage;
FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view similar to FIG. 2 but showing another guideways and carriage arrangement;
FIG. 4 is a part view showing one example of the connection arrangement for a component of the guideway;
FIG 5 is a part view similar to FIG. 4 showing another example of the connection arrangement;
FIG. 6 is a part view similar to FIGS. 4 and 5 showing a further example of the connection arrangement;
FIG. 7 is a part view similar to FIGS 4 to 6 showing another example of the connection arrangement;
FIG. 8 is a part view similar to FIGS. 4 to 7 showing yet another example of the connection arrangement;
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a still further example of the component of the guideway;
REFERENCES:
patent: 2631067 (1953-03-01), Arms et al.
Farrell Thomas M.
Footland Lenard A.
LK Limited
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