Automatic measurement apparatus

Claim 2

A automatic inspection apparatus comprising: a. a transducer; b. a support for said transducer; c. a base for moveably supporting said transducer support; d. means for prepositioning a work piece with respect to said base; e. means for guiding said transducer support in a path to bring said transducer into sensing relationship with respect to a surface of said work piece to be measured; f. means for energizing said transducer to generate a control signal upon sensing said surface; g. means operative when said transducer is moved for generating information signals indicative of the degree of movement of said transducer with respect to said base; h. digital indicating means operative to receive said information signals generated as said transducer moves with Respect to said base for visually presenting said information; and i. means responsive to said control signal for controlling the operation of said digital indicating means to visually present information indicative of the degree of movement of said transducer and the location of the surface sensed by said transducer.

Claim 3

An automatic inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 1, said visual presentation means including a digital indication means which is readable to indicate the degree of movement of said transducer from a predetermined location.

Claim 4

An automatic inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 1, said visual presentation means including a printer operative for printing said information in readable form.

Claim 5

An automatic inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 1, including an indicating alarm means for visually indicating when the dimension defined by said digital-indicating means is out of tolerance.

Claim 6

An automatic inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 1, said means generating information signals comprising a readable code scale connected to said transducer support and scanning means for scanning said scale as the support moves.

Claim 7

An automatic inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 5, said scale having a binary digital code disposed in parallel array along its length, and means operative when the transducer support moves for reading said digital code and generating said information signal.

Claim 8

An automatic inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further including control means for each of said motors and master control means operatively connected to each motor control means for predeterminately activating same to cause each motor to predeterminately drive said transducer support in respective directions relative to said means for prepositioning said work whereby the transducer is controlled to travel a predetermined path with respect to the work.

Claim 9

An automatic inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 1, including power-operated means for driving said transducer support in a plurality of directions.

Claim 10

An automatic inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 8, said power means including at least two motors, one of which is operative to drive said transducer in a first direction and the other being operative to drive said transducer in a second direction.

Claim 11

In an apparatus for automatically measuring dimensions: a base; a probe movably supported on said base; work-holding means for prepositioning a unit of work with respect to said base; motor means for driving said probe towards and away from said base; feedback signal generating means operative with the movement of said probe for generating signals which vary in number as the probe moves, said signals being indicative of said probe movement; first means for initiating operation of said motor means to effect movement of said probe from a first location away from the surface of said work to be measured towards said surface; means operative to receive said feedback signals and to convert said signals to digital information; sensing means supported by said probe for locating and sensing a surface; said sensing means being operative to generate a control signal upon sensing a surface; summing means operative to receive and sum said digital information; means connected to said summing means for indicating the degree of movement of said probe; control means for said summing means and said indicating means; said control means being operatively connected to said sensing means and being responsive to said control signal for causing said summing means to activate said indicating means upon the sensing of a surface by said sensing means whereby an indication is had of the location of said surface.

Claim 12

In an apparatus for automatically measuring dimensions: a base; a probe movably supported on said base; work-holding means for prepositioning a unit of work with respect to said base; motor means for driving said probe towards and away from said base; feedback signal generating means operative with the movement of said probe for generating signals which vary in number as the probe moves, said signals being indicative of said probe movement; first means for initiating operation of said motor means to effect movement of said probe from a first location away from the surface of said work to be measured towards said surface; means operative to receive said feedback signals and to convert said signals to digital information; sensing means supported by said probe for locating and sensing a surface; said sensing means being operative to generate a control signal upon sensing a surface; summing means operative to receive and sum said digital information; means connected to said summing means for indicating the degree of movement of said probe; control means for said summing means and said indicating means; said control means being operatively connected to said sensing means and being responsive to said control signal for causing said summing means to activate said indicating means upon the sensing of a surface by said sensing means whereby an indication is had of the location of said surface.

Claim 13

An automatic inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 10, whereby said indicating means is operative to present visual digital information indicative of the location of said surFace.