Method and apparatus for use in adjusting an installation position of a switch member in a numerical control system

Claim 1

A method of adjusting the position of a switch member, example but not necessarily for / a deceleration limit switch,installed on a machine tool in a numerical control system for controlling the machine tool on the basis of numerical control data and for executing predetermined numerical control processing on the basis of signals produced by the switch member , said method comprising the steps of: sensing a change in the state of a signal produced independence on or by the switch member; reading the current position of a movable member on the machine tool based on said change in state; displaying said current position; and adjusting the position at which said switch member is installed by determining, on the basis of the displayed current position, whether said switch member is installed on the machine tool at the correct position.

Claim 2

A method of adjusting the position of a switch member, example but not necessarily for / a deceleration limit switch,installed on a machine tool in a numerical control system for controlling the machine tool on the basis of numerical control data and for executing predetermined numerical control processing on the basis of signals produced by the switch member , said method comprising the steps of: sensing a change in the state of a signal produced independence on or by the switch member; reading the current position of a movable member on the machine tool based on said change in state; displaying said current position; and adjusting the position at which said switch member is installed by determining, on the basis of the displayed current position, whether said switch member is installed on the machine tool at the correct position.

Claim 3

A method of adjusting the position of a switch member installed on a machine tool in a numerical control system having a grid signal generating circuit for generating a grid signal pulse whenever a movable member on the machine tool is transported by a prescribed increment of movement, wherein a zero-point return control operation is performed by transporting the movable member toward a zero point when the system is in a zero-point return mode, reducing the speed at which the movable member approaches the zero point when a dog in dependence upon the movable member, is brought into pressing contact with a deceleration limit switch that responds by immediately producing a deceleration signal, and stopping the movable member in response to the first grid signal generated after the pressing contact between said dog and limit switch ends which method comprises the steps of: reading the current position of the movable member when said deceleration limit switch produces the detelera- tion signal; displaying said current position; and adjusting the position at which said deceleration limit switch or said dog is installed by determining, on the basis of the displayed current position, whether said deceleration limit switch or said dog is installed on the machine tool at the correct position.

Claim 4

A method of adjusting the position of a switch member installed on a machine tool in a numerical control system having a grid signal generating circuit for generating a grid signal pulse whenever a movable member on the machine tool is transported by a prescribed increment of movement, wherein a zero-point return control operation is performed by transporting the movable member toward a zero point when the system is in a zero-point return mode, reducing the speed at which the movable member approaches the zero point when a dog in dependence upon the movable member, is brought into pressing contact with a deceleration limit switch that responds by immediately producing a deceleration signal, and stopping the movable member in response to the first grid signal generated after the pressing contact between said dog and limit switch ends which method comprises the steps of: reading the current position of the movable member when said deceleration limit switch produces the detelera- tion signal; displaying said current position; and adjusting the position at which said deceleration limit switch or said dog is installed by determining, on the basis of the displayed current position, whether said deceleration limit switch or said dog is installed on the machine tool at the correct position.

Claim 7

A method of adjusting the position of a switch member installed on a machine tool in a numerical control system having a grid signal generating circuit for generating a grid signal pulse whenever a movable member on the machine tool is transported by a prescribed increment of movement, wherein a zero-point return control operation is performed by transporting the movable member toward a zero point when the system is in a zero-point return mode, reducing the speed at which the movable member approaches the zero point when a dog, in dependence upon the movable member, is brought into pressing contact with a deceleration limit switch that responds by immediately producing a deceleration signal, and stopping the movable member in response to the first grid signal generated after the pressing contact between the dog and limit switch ends, which method comprises the steps of: measuring the time from the instant at which the deceleration signal is generated by said deceleration limit switch until the instant at which the movable member is positioned at the zero point; displaying the measured time; and adjusting the position at which said deceleration limit switch or said dog is installed by determining, on the basis of the displayed time, whether said deceleration limit switch or said dog is installed on the machine tool at the correct position.

Claim 8

A method of adjusting the position of a switch member installed on a machine tool in a numerical control system having a grid signal generating circuit for generating a grid signal pulse whenever a movable member on the machine tool is transported by a prescribed increment of movement, wherein a zero-point return control operation is performed by transporting the movable member toward a zero point when the system is in a zero-point return mode, reducing the speed at which the movable member approaches the zero point when a dog, in dependence upon the movable member, is brought into pressing contact with a deceleration limit switch that responds by immediately producing a deceleration signal, and stopping the movable member in response to the first grid signal generated after the pressing contact between the dog and limit switch ends, which method comprises the steps of: measuring the time from the instant at which the deceleration signal is generated by said deceleration limit switch until the instant at which the movable member is positioned at the zero point; displaying the measured time; and adjusting the position at which said deceleration limit switch or said dog is installed by determining, on the basis of the displayed time, whether said deceleration limit switch or said dog is installed on the machine tool at the correct position.

Claim 10

An apparatus for/adjusting, the position of a switch member installed on a machine tool in a numerical control system having a pulse coder for generating a pulse whenever a movable member on the machine tool is transported by a first prescribed increment of movement, a grid signal generating circuit for generating a grid signal pulse whenever the movable member is transported by a second prescribed increment of movement larger than said first prescribed increment of movement, and a zero-point return circuit for performing a zero-point return control operation by transporting the movable member toward a zero point when the system is in a zero-point return mode, reducing the speed at which the movable member approaches the zero point when a dog, in dependence upon the movable member, is brought into pressing contact with a deceleration limit switch that responds by immediately producing a deceleration signal, and stopping the movable member in response to the first grid signal generated after the pressing contact between the dog and limit switch ends, which· apparatus comprises: current position storage means for storing the current position of the movable member by counting up and counting down, in accordance with the direction in which the movable member moves, the pulses generated by said pulse coder; deceleration signal disappearance position storage means for storing the current position of the movable member at the instant the deceleration signal disappears and means for displaying the deceleration signal disappearance position.

Claim 11

An apparatus for/adjusting, the position of a switch member installed on a machine tool in a numerical control system having a pulse coder for generating a pulse whenever a movable member on the machine tool is transported by a first prescribed increment of movement, a grid signal generating circuit for generating a grid signal pulse whenever the movable member is transported by a second prescribed increment of movement larger than said first prescribed increment of movement, and a zero-point return circuit for performing a zero-point return control operation by transporting the movable member toward a zero point when the system is in a zero-point return mode, reducing the speed at which the movable member approaches the zero point when a dog, in dependence upon the movable member, is brought into pressing contact with a deceleration limit switch that responds by immediately producing a deceleration signal, and stopping the movable member in response to the first grid signal generated after the pressing contact between the dog and limit switch ends, which· apparatus comprises: current position storage means for storing the current position of the movable member by counting up and counting down, in accordance with the direction in which the movable member moves, the pulses generated by said pulse coder; deceleration signal disappearance position storage means for storing the current position of the movable member at the instant the deceleration signal disappears and means for displaying the deceleration signal disappearance position.

Claim 14

An apparatus for/adjusting the position of a switch member installed on a machine tool in a numerical control system having a pulse coder for generating a pulse whenever a movable member on the machine tool is transported by a first prescribed increment of movement, a'grid signal generating circuit for generating a grid signal pulse whenever the movable member is transported by a second prescribed increment of movement larger than said first prescribed increment of movement; and a zero-point return circuit for performing a zero-point return control operation by transporting the movable member toward a zero point when the system is in a zero-point return mode, reducing the speed at which the movable member approaches the zero point when a dog, in dependence upon . the movable member,is brought into pressing contact with a deceleration limit switch that responds by immediately producing a deceleration signal, and stopping the movable member in response to the first grid signal generated after the pressing contact between the dog and the limit switch ends, which apparatus comprises: a clock pulse generator; a circuit for generating a signal indicating the end of a zero-point return operation; a timer circuit for counting the clock pulses to measure the time from the disappearance of the deceleration signal to the generation of the signal indicating the end of a zero-point return operation; and means for displaying the measured time.

Claim 15

An apparatus for/adjusting the position of a switch member installed on a machine tool in a numerical control system having a pulse coder for generating a pulse whenever a movable member on the machine tool is transported by a first prescribed increment of movement, a'grid signal generating circuit for generating a grid signal pulse whenever the movable member is transported by a second prescribed increment of movement larger than said first prescribed increment of movement; and a zero-point return circuit for performing a zero-point return control operation by transporting the movable member toward a zero point when the system is in a zero-point return mode, reducing the speed at which the movable member approaches the zero point when a dog, in dependence upon . the movable member,is brought into pressing contact with a deceleration limit switch that responds by immediately producing a deceleration signal, and stopping the movable member in response to the first grid signal generated after the pressing contact between the dog and the limit switch ends, which apparatus comprises: a clock pulse generator; a circuit for generating a signal indicating the end of a zero-point return operation; a timer circuit for counting the clock pulses to measure the time from the disappearance of the deceleration signal to the generation of the signal indicating the end of a zero-point return operation; and means for displaying the measured time.