Cutter monitor

Claim 1

In a cutter monitor system for monitoring the position of a cutter on a machine, the improvement comprising: a non-contact cutter monitor assembly including means for generating electrical signals representative of the position of the cutter, said electrical signal generating means including a light source, a reference detector and a measuring detector, said cutter being positioned between said source and said measuring detector to intercept a portion of the light from said source to said measuring detector said reference detector and said measuring detector simultaneously sensing the impinging light from said light source and simultaneously producing output signals proportional to the impinging light from said light source, said electrical signal generating means also including a first preamplifier for amplifying the output signal from said reference detector and a second preamplifier for amplifying the output signal from said measuring detector, a signal conditioning means electrically connected to the outputs of said first and second preamplifier, said signal conditioning means producing an electrical output proportional to the difference between said outputs from said first and second preamplifiers to indicate the position of said cutter, a peak detector electrically coupled to said signal conditioning means for receiving the electrical output from said signal conditioning means, said peak detector including means for storing the highest signal received from said signal means, and digital indicator means for displaying the magnitude of said peak signal and produCing a binary decimal output that can be fed to a data processor and controller.