Article locating and positioning apparatus

Claim 2

Apparatus for locating an article on a surface with respect to predetermined reference coordinates, the article having first and second locating indicia thereon, comprising: a base; first means movably mounted on the base; second means carried by the first means and rotatable thereon about a pivot, the first movable means being movable to a first position, and the second means being adapted to hold said article with the first locating indicium in alignment with axis of the pivot; means for moving the second means with respect to the first means about said pivot; and sensing means mounted on the base; one of the first means and the sensing means being movable relative to the other in a predetermined direction into predetermined first and second spaced relationships, relative to said other, means for removably locking said one of the first means and sensing means into each of the positions defining said spaced relationships, the sensing means when in said first spaced relationship being positioned to sense the axial center of said pivot and the first locating indicium; and the second means being adapted to be moved with respect to the first means to bring the second locating indicium in position to be sensed by the sensing means when the sensing means and the first means are in said secoNd spaced relationship.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 in which the first and second means each comprises a movable platform, the second means lying on the first means, and the first means being movable from a third position to said first position.

Claim 4

Apparatus for locating an article on a surface with respect to predetermined reference coordinates, the article having first and second locating indicia thereon, comprising: a base; first means movably mounted on the base; second means carried by the first means and rotatable thereon about a pivot, the first movable means being movable to a first position, and the second means being adapted to hold said article with the first locating indicium in alignment with axis of the pivot; means for moving the second means with respect to the first means about said pivot; and sensing means mounted on the base; the first means and the sensing means being movable relative to each other in a predetermined direction into a first and a second spaced relationship, the sensing means when in said first spaced relationship being positioned to sense the axial center of said pivot and the first locating indicium; and the second means being adapted to be moved with respect to the first means to bring the second locating indicium in position to be sensed by the sensing means when the sensing means and the first means are in said second spaced relationship; said sensing means comprising a microscope with a reticle therein having indexing means thereon which are adapted to be aligned with the axial center of said pivot when the first means is in the first position.

Claim 5

Apparatus for locating an article on a surface with respect to predetermined reference coordinates, the article having first and second locating indicia thereon, comprising: a base; first means movably mounted on the base; second means carried by the first means and rotatable thereon about a pivot, the first movable means being movable to a first position, and the second means being adapted to hold said article with the first locating indicium in alignment with axis of the pivot; means for moving the second means with respect to the first means about said pivot; and sensing means mounted on the base; the first means and the sensing means being movable relative to each other in a predetermined direction into a first and a second spaced relationship, the sensing means when in said first spaced relationship being positioned to sense the axial center of said pivot and the first locating indicium; and the second means being adapted to be moved with respect to the first means to bring the second locating indicium in position to be sensed by the sensing means when the sensing means and the first means are in said second spaced relationship; said sensing means comprising a microscope with a reticle therein having indexing means thereon which are adapted to be aligned with the axial center of said pivot when the first means is in the first position.

Claim 6

Apparatus for locating an article on a surface with respect to predetermined reference coordinates, the article having first and second locating indicia thereon, comprising: a base; first means comprising a platform movably mounted on the base; second means comprising a platform carried by and lying on the first means and rotatable thereon about a pivot, the first movable means being movable from a third position to a first position, and the second means being adapted to hold said article with the first locating indicium in alignment with axis of the pivot; means for moving the second means with respect to the first means about said pivot; and sensing means mounted on the base and comprising a microscope having a reticle; the first means and the sensing means being movable relative to each other in a predetermined direction into a first and a second spaced relationship, said reticle having indexing means thereon adapted to sense the axial center of said pivot and the first locating indicium when said first means is in the first position; and the second means being adapted to be moved with respect to the first means to bring the second locating indicium in position to be sensed by the sensing means when the sensing means and the first means are in said second spaced relationship.

Claim 7

Apparatus for locating an article on a surface with respect to predetermined reference coordinates, the article having first and second locating indicia thereon, comprising: a base; first means comprising a platform movably mounted on the base; second means comprising a platform carried by and lying on the first means and rotatable thereon about a pivot, the first movable means being movable from a third position to a first position, and the second means being adapted to hold said article with the first locating indicium in alignment with axis of the pivot; means for moving the second means with respect to the first means about said pivot; and sensing means mounted on the base and comprising a microscope having a reticle; the first means and the sensing means being movable relative to each other in a predetermined direction into a first and a second spaced relationship, said reticle having indexing means thereon adapted to sense the axial center of said pivot and the first locating indicium when said first means is in the first position; and the second means being adapted to be moved with respect to the first means to bring the second locating indicium in position to be sensed by the sensing means when the sensing means and the first means are in said second spaced relationship.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 4 in which the first means comprises a platform pivoted to rotate on said base, and including releasable means for holding the article onto the second means.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 5 in which said microscope is in fixed position on the base, and the first platform indexes into a plurality of discrete positions, in the first of which the microscope reticle indexing means is aligned with the axial center of said pivot.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 1 in which the apparatus includes a test fixture, said first means being movable from a third position in which the article is positioned to be tested by test fixture to said first position in which the sensing means is adapted to be aligned with the axial center of said pivot.

Claim 11

Apparatus for locating an article on a surface with respect to predetermined reference coordinates, the article having first and second locating indicia thereon, comprising: a base; a test fixture on the base; a first platform movably mounted on the base into first, second and third positions and being adapted to be locked into each of said positions by suitabLe detents; a second platform carried by the first platform and rotatable thereon about a pivot, the second means being adapted to hold said article with the first locating indicium in alignment with axis of the pivot; means for moving the second platform with respect to the first platform about said pivot; and sensing means mounted on the base; the first means and the sensing means being movable relative to each other in a predetermined direction into a first and a second spaced relationship, the sensing means when the first platform is in said first position being adapted to be aligned with and to sense the axial center of said pivot and the first locating indicium; in the second position the second locating indicium is in position to be sensed by the sensing means; and in the third position the article is positioned to be tested by the test fixture.

Claim 12

Apparatus for locating an article on a surface with respect to predetermined reference coordinates, the article having first and second locating indicia thereon, comprising: a base; a test fixture on the base; a first platform movably mounted on the base into first, second and third positions and being adapted to be locked into each of said positions by suitabLe detents; a second platform carried by the first platform and rotatable thereon about a pivot, the second means being adapted to hold said article with the first locating indicium in alignment with axis of the pivot; means for moving the second platform with respect to the first platform about said pivot; and sensing means mounted on the base; the first means and the sensing means being movable relative to each other in a predetermined direction into a first and a second spaced relationship, the sensing means when the first platform is in said first position being adapted to be aligned with and to sense the axial center of said pivot and the first locating indicium; in the second position the second locating indicium is in position to be sensed by the sensing means; and in the third position the article is positioned to be tested by the test fixture.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 8 in which the first platform slides linearly with respect to the base, into said first, second and third positions.

Claim 14

Apparatus for locating an article on a surface with respect to predetermined reference coordinates, the article having first and second locating indicia thereon, comprising: a base; first means movably mounted on the base; second means carried by the first means and rotatable thereon about a pivot, the first movable means being movable to a first position, and the second means being adapted to hold said article with the first locating indicium in alignment with axis of the pivot; means for moving the second means with respect to the first means about said pivot; and sensing means mounted on the base; the first means and the sensing means being movable relative to each other in a predetermined direction into a first and a second spaced relationship, the sensing means when in said first spaced relationship being positioned to sense the axial center of said pivot and the first locating indicium; the second means being adapted to be moved with respect to the first means to bring the second locating indicium in position to be sensed by the sensing means when the sensing means and the first means are in said second spaced relationship; and including indexing means for removably locking the first means and the sensing means in each of the positions corresponding to the first and second spaced relationship, the indexing means controlling said positions so that the distance therebetween along a plane perpendicular to the axis of said pivot is equal to the distance between said locating indicia.

Claim 15

Apparatus for locating an article on a surface with respect to predetermined reference coordinates, the article having first and second locating indicia thereon, comprising: a base; first means movably mounted on the base; second means carried by the first means and rotatable thereon about a pivot, the first movable means being movable to a first position, and the second means being adapted to hold said article with the first locating indicium in alignment with axis of the pivot; means for moving the second means with respect to the first means about said pivot; and sensing means mounted on the base; the first means and the sensing means being movable relative to each other in a predetermined direction into a first and a second spaced relationship, the sensing means when in said first spaced relationship being positioned to sense the axial center of said pivot and the first locating indicium; the second means being adapted to be moved with respect to the first means to bring the second locating indicium in position to be sensed by the sensing means when the sensing means and the first means are in said second spaced relationship; and including indexing means for removably locking the first means and the sensing means in each of the positions corresponding to the first and second spaced relationship, the indexing means controlling said positions so that the distance therebetween along a plane perpendicular to the axis of said pivot is equal to the distance between said locating indicia.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 1 in which both the first and second means are platforms, the second platform lying on the first platform, the first platform being adapted to carry said article and to be moved into at least first and third positions; in the first position the sensing means is in a first relationship with the first means in which it is aligned with the axial center of said pivot; and in the third position the first platform being in a position where said article may be tested; and said first means and said sensing means being movable relative to each other into a second spacial relationship in which the second locating indicium may be sensed by the second sensing means upon motion of the second platform about said pivot.

Claim 19

The method of claim 12 in which said predetermined distance is measured along a plane perpendicular to the axis of said pivot, and is equal to the distance between said locating indicia.