Motion transmitting device

Claim 1

A device for transmitting translational movement along the Zaxis only, said device comprising, in combination, a carriage for supporting a machine element for movement along the said Z-axis, an elongated rotating lead screw member, said lead screw being substantially parallel with the said Z-axis, a pair of substantially parallel guide way members for supporting said carriage and also being substantially parallel with said lead screw, and means interconnecting said carriage and said lead screw, said interconnecting means including a nut member threadably interengaging said lead screw, apertures in said nut member located along the X-axis and located on opposite sides of said screw, a rigid floating member intermediate said nut member and said carriage, a pair of pin members rigidly fixed to said floating member and being slidably received within each of said apertures in said nut member, a substantially vertical aperture along the Y-axis in said carriage, and a pin member rigidly affixed to said floating member and being rotatably and translationally received within said aperture in said carriage said interconnecting means effectively isolating the transmission of undesired components of motion along and about the X and Yaxes from said lead screw member to said carriage while transmitting motion to said carriage only along the said Z-axis.

Claim 2

A device for transmitting translational movement along the Zaxis only, said device comprising, in combination, a carriage for supporting a machine element for movement along the said Z-axis, an elongated rotating lead screw member, said lead screw being substantially parallel with the said Z-axis, a pair of substantially parallel guide way members for supporting said carriage and also being substantially parallel with said lead screw, and means interconnecting said carriage and said lead screw, said interconnecting means including a nut member threadably interengaging said lead screw, apertures in said nut member located along the X-axis and located on opposite sides of said screw, a rigid floating member intermediate said nut member and said carriage, a pair of pin members rigidly fixed to said floating member and being slidably received within each of said apertures in said nut member, a substantially vertical aperture along the Y-axis in said carriage, and a pin member rigidly affixed to said floating member and being rotatably and translationally received within said aperture in said carriage said interconnecting means effectively isolating the transmission of undesired components of motion along and about the X and Yaxes from said lead screw member to said carriage while transmitting motion to said carriage only along the said Z-axis.

Claim 4

A device for interconnecting a lead screw positioned substantially along the Z-axis to a moving carriage movable along the Z-axis, said interconnecting means comprising a nut threadably engaging said rotating screw member, a yoke secured to said carriage, a ring interposed between said nut and said yoke, a pair of apertures along the Y-axis in said nut, a pair of apertures in said yoke along said X-axis, a pair of pins rigidly affixed to said ring member and being rotatably and translationally received within said apertures in said nut, and a pair of pin members rigidly affixed to said floating member and being rotationally and translationally received within the aperture in the said yoke member, said interconnecting means effectively isolating the transmission of undesired components of motion along and about the X and Y axes from said lead screw to said carriage while transmitting motion to said carriage only along the said Z-axis.

Claim 5

A device for interconnecting a lead screw positioned substantially along the Z-axis to a moving carriage movable along the Z-axis, said interconnecting means comprising a nut threadably engaging said rotating screw member, a yoke secured to said carriage, a ring interposed between said nut and said yoke, a pair of apertures along the Y-axis in said nut, a pair of apertures in said yoke along said X-axis, a pair of pins rigidly affixed to said ring member and being rotatably and translationally received within said apertures in said nut, and a pair of pin members rigidly affixed to said floating member and being rotationally and translationally received within the aperture in the said yoke member, said interconnecting means effectively isolating the transmission of undesired components of motion along and about the X and Y axes from said lead screw to said carriage while transmitting motion to said carriage only along the said Z-axis.

Claim 6

A device for transmitting motion in one direction only, said device comprising, in combination, a carriage to be moved in said one direction, a rotary screw member mounted substantially longitudinally of said preselected direction, substantially parallel way members for supporting said carriage during movement in said preselected direction, said way members being substantially parallel to said preselected direction, said rotary screw member being angularly misaligned relative to said way members and the threads on said screw member having an overSized pitch, and means interconnecting said screw member to said carriage, said interconnecting means including means for isolating all components of motion, except for that component of motion which imparts motion in said one direction, from said rotary screw member to said carriage, and said interconnecting means also including a nut member which meshes with said rotary screw member having said oversized pitch on the threads thereof.

Claim 7

A device for transmitting motion in one direction only, said device comprising, in combination, a carriage to be moved in said one direction, a rotary screw member mounted substantially longitudinally of said preselected direction, substantially parallel way members for supporting said carriage during movement in said preselected direction, said way members being substantially parallel to said preselected direction, said rotary screw member being angularly misaligned relative to said way members and the threads on said screw member having an overSized pitch, and means interconnecting said screw member to said carriage, said interconnecting means including means for isolating all components of motion, except for that component of motion which imparts motion in said one direction, from said rotary screw member to said carriage, and said interconnecting means also including a nut member which meshes with said rotary screw member having said oversized pitch on the threads thereof.

Claim 8

A device for transmitting motion, said device comprising a carriage, means for moving said carriage, a pair of misaligned way members, one of said way members being a master way and the other of said way members being a slave way, means connecting said carriage and each of said way members, said connecting means including a traveling guide member slidably carried on said slave way, apertures in said traveling guide member located along an X-axis and on opposite sides of said slave way, a second floating member intermediate said carriage and said traveling guide, a pair of pin members fixed to said second floating member, and rotationally and slidably received within each of said apertures in said traveling guide, a substantially vertical aperture along a Y-axis in said carriage, and a pin member fixed to said floating member and slidably and rotationally received in said aperture in said carriage.

Claim 9

A device for transmitting motion, said device comprising a carriage, means for moving said carriage, a pair of misaligned way members, one of said way members being a master way and the other of said way members being a slave way, means connecting said carriage and each of said way members, said connecting means including a traveling guide member slidably carried on said slave way, apertures in said traveling guide member located along an X-axis and on opposite sides of said slave way, a second floating member intermediate said carriage and said traveling guide, a pair of pin members fixed to said second floating member, and rotationally and slidably received within each of said apertures in said traveling guide, a substantially vertical aperture along a Y-axis in said carriage, and a pin member fixed to said floating member and slidably and rotationally received in said aperture in said carriage.