Patent
Alignment tool and method of use
| العنوان: | Alignment tool and method of use |
|---|---|
| Patent Number: | 10150,192 |
| تاريخ النشر: | December 11, 2018 |
| Appl. No: | 15/231718 |
| Application Filed: | August 08, 2016 |
| مستخلص: | An alignment tool provides for aligning the spindle of a machine tool to a work holding feature of the machine tool. The alignment tool may include one indicator or may include a first indicator and a second indicator in a spaced-apart relation. The faces of the indicators are rotatable. In use, a machinist may attach the indicators to the spindle of a machine tool, advance the spindle or work holding feature until the indicator tips contact the work holding feature. The machinist can rotate the faces so that the machinist can read the indicator faces without placing the machinist's head within the envelope of tool movement of the machine tool. |
| Inventors: | Navarro, Sr., Joseph R. (Mooresville, NC, US) |
| Claim: | 1. An alignment tool to align a spindle of a machine tool with a work holding feature of the machine tool, the spindle having a spindle axis of rotation, the alignment tool comprising: a. an indicator, said indicator being configured for selectable attachment to the spindle, b. said indicator having an indicator tip, said indicator being configured to detect a motion of said indicator tip parallel to the spindle axis of rotation when said indicator is attached to the spindle of the machine tool, c. said indicator having an indicator face, said indicator face being configured to display said motion of said indicator tip, d. said indicator face being rotatable about an indicator axis of rotation, said indicator axis of rotation being generally parallel to said spindle axis of rotation when said indicator is attached to the spindle of the machine tool, said indicator axis of rotation being a spaced apart relation to said spindle axis of rotation, whereby a machinist may rotate said indicator face so that said machinist may read said indicator face when said indicator is attached to the spindle of the machine tool. |
| Claim: | 2. The alignment tool of claim 1 wherein the indicator is a first indicator, the indicator tip is a first indicator tip, the indicator face is a first indicator face and the indicator axis of rotation is a first indicator axis of rotation, the alignment tool further comprising: a. a second indicator, said second indicator being configured for selectable attachment to the spindle, b. said second indicator having a second indicator tip, said second indicator being configured to detect said motion of said second indicator tip parallel to the spindle axis of rotation when said first indicator and said second indicator are reattached to the spindle of the machine tool, c. said second indicator having a second indicator face, said second indicator face being configured to display said motion of said second indicator tip, d. said second indicator face being rotatable about a second indicator axis of rotation, said second indicator axis of rotation being generally parallel to the spindle axis of rotation when said second indicator is attached to the spindle of the machine tool, whereby a machinist may rotate said second indicator face so that said machinist may read said second indicator face when said second indicators is attached to the spindle of the machine tool. |
| Claim: | 3. The alignment tool of claim 2 wherein said first indicator axis of rotation and said second spindle axis of rotation are in a spaced apart relation and are disposed on opposing sides of the spindle axis of rotation when said first and second indicators are attached to the spindle of the machine tool. |
| Claim: | 4. The alignment tool of claim 3 , the alignment tool further comprising: a body, said body being selectably attachable to the spindle of the machine tool, said body supporting said first indicator and said second indicator when said body is attached to the spindle of the machine tool so that said first and said second indicator axes of rotation are generally parallel to the spindle axis of rotation. |
| Claim: | 5. The alignment tool of claim 4 , the alignment tool further comprising: a shank, said shank being attached to said body, said shank being configured for attachment to the spindle of the machine tool, said shank having a shank longitudinal axis, said shank longitudinal axis being collinear with the spindle axis of rotation when said shank is attached to the spindle of the machine tool, said first and second indicator axes of rotation being parallel to said shank longitudinal axis. |
| Claim: | 6. The alignment tool of claim 5 wherein said motion of each of said first and second indicator tips is along a line of actuation, said first indicator being configured to determine a first measurement of said first indicator tip along said first indicator tip line of actuation, said second indicator being configured to determine a second measurement of said second indicator tip along said second indicator tip line of actuation, said first indicator face being configured to display said first measurement, said second indicator face being configured to display said second measurement. |
| Claim: | 7. The alignment tool of claim 6 wherein said first and said second indicator faces are mechanical dials. |
| Claim: | 8. The alignment tool of claim 7 wherein said body includes a bottom surface that defines a plane, said plane being normal to said shank longitudinal axis, said line of actuation of said first indicator tip and said line of actuation of said second indicator tip intersecting said plane. |
| Claim: | 9. The alignment tool of claim 5 , the alignment tool further comprising: a. a first pulley, said first pulley being attached to said first indicator; b. a second pulley, said second pulley being attached to said second indicator; c. a belt connecting said first and second pulleys, whereby rotation of the first or the second indicator causes another of said first and second indicators to rotate. |
| Claim: | 10. The alignment tool of claim 5 , the alignment tool further comprising: a. a first crank arm, said first crank arm being attached to said first indicator; b. a second crank arm, said second crank arm being attached to said second indicator; c. a connecting rod attaching said first crank arm and said second crank arm, whereby rotation of one of said first and second indicators causes another of said first and second crank arms to rotate. |
| Claim: | 11. The alignment tool of claim 5 , the alignment tool further comprising: a friction wheel attached to said body, said friction wheel being configured to frictionally engage the work holding feature and to rotate when said shank is connected to the spindle and the spindle is rotated, said friction wheel being configured to rotate said first indicator face or said second indicator face as said friction wheel rotates. |
| Claim: | 12. A method of aligning the spindle of a machine tool with a work holding feature of the machine tool, the spindle having a spindle axis of rotation, the method comprising: a. providing a first indicator, said first indicator being configured for selectable attachment to the spindle, said first indicator having a first indicator tip, said first indicator being configured to detect a motion of said first indicator tip parallel to the spindle axis of rotation when said first indicator is attached to the spindle of the machine tool, said first indicator having a first indicator face, said first indicator face being configured to display said motion of said first indicator tip, said first indicator face being rotatable about a first indicator axis of rotation, said first indicator axis of rotation being generally parallel and in a spaced apart relation to said spindle axis of rotation when said first indicator is attached to the spindle of the machine tool, whereby a machinist may rotate said first indicator face so that said machinist may read said first indicator face when said first indicator is attached to the spindle of the machine tool; b. providing a second indicator, said second indicator being configured for selectable attachment to the spindle, said second indicator having a second indicator tip, said second indicator being configured to detect said motion of said second indicator tip parallel to the spindle axis of rotation when said first indicator and said second indicator are reattached to the spindle of the machine tool, said second indicator having a second indicator face, said second indicator face being configured to display said motion of said second indicator tip, said second indicator face being rotatable about a second indicator axis of rotation, said second indicator axis of rotation being generally parallel and in a spaced apart relation to the spindle axis of rotation when said second indicator is attached to the spindle of the machine tool, whereby said machinist may rotate said second indicator face so that said machinist may read said second indicator face when said second indicators is attached to the spindle of the machine tool; c. attaching said first and said second indicators to the spindle; d. rotating said first and said second indicator faces until said first and second indicator faces are oriented for observation by said machinist; d. advancing the spindle or the work holding feature until said first indicator tip and said second indicator tip contact the work holding feature; e. observing said first and said second indicator faces; f. comparing said motion of said first indicator tip and said second indicator tip as indicated by said first indicator face and said second indicator face. |
| Claim: | 13. The method of claim 12 wherein said first indicator axis of rotation and said second spindle axis of rotation are in a spaced apart relation and are disposed on opposing sides of the spindle axis of rotation when said first and second indicators are attached to the spindle of the machine tool. |
| Claim: | 14. The method of claim 13 , the method further comprising: providing a body, said body being selectably attachable to the spindle of the machine tool, said body supporting said first indicator and said second indicator when said body is attached to the spindle of the machine tool so that said first and said second indicator axes of rotation are generally parallel to the spindle axis of rotation. |
| Claim: | 15. The method of claim 14 , the method further comprising: providing a shank, said shank being attached to said body, said shank being configured for attachment to the spindle of the machine tool, said shank having a shank longitudinal axis, said shank longitudinal axis being collinear with the spindle axis of rotation when said shank is attached to the spindle of the machine tool, said first and second indicator axes of rotation being parallel to said shank longitudinal axis. |
| Claim: | 16. The method of claim 15 wherein said motion of each of said first and second indicator tips is along a line of actuation, said first indicator being configured to determine a first measurement of said first indicator tip along said first indicator tip line of actuation, said second indicator being configured to determine a second measurement of said second indicator tip along said second indicator tip line of actuation, said first indicator face being configured to display said first measurement, said second indicator face being configured to display said second measurement. |
| Claim: | 17. The method of claim 16 wherein said first and said second indicator faces are mechanical dials. |
| Claim: | 18. The method of claim 16 wherein said body includes a bottom surface that defines a plane, said plane being normal to said shank longitudinal axis, said line of actuation of said first indicator tip and said line of actuation of said second indicator tip intersecting said plane. |
| Claim: | 19. The method of claim 16 wherein said step of rotating said first and said second indicators comprises: rotating one of said first and second indicators, said first indicator including a first pulley, said second indicator including a second pulley, a belt joining said first and said second pulleys, whereby rotation of the first or the second indicator causes one of said first and second pulleys to rotate, which causes another of said first and second indicators to rotate, displaying both of said first and second indicator faces to said machinist. |
| Claim: | 20. The method of claim 16 wherein said step of rotating said first and said second indicators comprises: rotating one of said first and second indicators, said first indicator including a first crank arm, said second indicator including a second crank arm, a connecting arm joining said first and said second crank arms, whereby rotation of the first or the second indicator causes one of said first and second crank arms to rotate, which causes another of said first and second indicators to rotate, displaying both of said first and second indicator faces to said machinist. |
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| Assistant Examiner: | Courson, Tania |
| Primary Examiner: | Smith, R. A. |
| Attorney, Agent or Firm: | Yarbrough, Robert J. Lipton, Weinberger & Husick |
| رقم الانضمام: | edspgr.10150192 |
| قاعدة البيانات: | USPTO Patent Grants |
| الوصف غير متاح. |