Renishaw Plc

Reinshaw Plc

Martin P Spivey

David R McMurtry

Andrew J Harding

Stephen E Lummes

Stephen James Trull

Jonathan S Sullivan

Stephen J Trull

An arm 12 for holding a tool-setting probe 14 in a machine tool is rotatable between an operative position and an inoperative position. The operative position is defined by elements 48,52 which form a stop against further rotary motion beyond the operative position. These elements 48,52 are arranged as a kinematic support, so that the operative position is defined in a precisely repeatable manner. Springs 40 urge the elements 48,52 together. When the arm is in the operative position, these springs are stretched by a repeatable amount, so that they provide a repeatable force, in order to increase the precision of the operative position.

Probe arm for machine tool

A touch probe comprises a stylus carrier which, in use, supports a workpiece-contacting stylus. The stylus carrier is urged into a kinematic rest position with respect to the housing of the probe by a spring which acts between a movable clamping shuttle and the stylus carrier. The clamping shuttle is movable within a bore and is engageable by an adjusting screw to adjust displacement of the clamping shuttle within the bore, and thus the degree of compression of the spring and the biasing force on the stylus carrier.

Touch probe

A mechanism for clamping a tool (e.g. a probe) and a shank together comprises a clamping pin (144), which bears against an annular lip (142) in the rear face of the probe. A shaft (148) of the pin (144) extends into the shank (150), and two diametrically opposite, radially extending clamping bolts (160) supported by the shank (150), bears against a frusto-conical clamping surface (158). The action of the bolts (160) on the surfaces (158) urges the probe and shank together. The probe and shank are adjusted laterally relative to each other by four adjusting bolts (166) supported in the annular lip (142) which bear against a flange (152). The flange (152) is provided on the shank (150) and extends into the probe (140).

Coupling mechanism

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Tetbury, United Kingdom

Martin P Spivey