Co-ordinates measuring apparatus for an exclusive propeller processing machine

Claim 1

A propeller measuring machine, comprising a probe moving means responsive to feed signals and coupled to the probe for moving the probe, said probe having a first portion secured to said moving means and a second portion which is held by the first portion and which projects from the first portion and which includes a tip displaceable relative to the first portion when the probe contacts a solid member with the second portion, guidance means coupled to said moving means for producing feed signals which cause said moving means to move the probe to the predetermined locations near the surface of the propeller being measured and at each location to move the moving means so that the probe travels toward contact with the surface of the propeller, detecting means coupled to said probe and said guidance means for starting the observance of feed signals from the guidance means at the time the tip is displaced in response to contact with the propeller and for continuing the observance of the feed signals until the feed signals emitted by the guide means are sufficiently great to have caused movement of the moving means toward the surface to a reference position located a predetermined distance relative to a desired propeller shape, and recording means coupled to said detecting means for recording the output of said detecting means.

Claim 9

The method of measuring the surface of a propeller, which comprises: moving a probe body and a probe, which projects from the body and is movable along the body, in spaced relationship to the surface of a propeller to one of a plurality of measurement positions, moving the body and the probe toward the propeller; the step of moving including moving the probe body in response to feed signals; determining when the probe moves in response to contacting the propeller, thereafter continuing to move the body toward the propeller and evaluating feed signals which control the movement of the probe body until the feed signals are sufficient to have moved the probe body to a predetermined reference location at the one of the positions to provide an indication of the position of said surface.

Claim 10

The method of measuring the surface of a propeller, which comprises: moving a probe body and a probe, which projects from the body and is movable along the body, in spaced relationship to the surface of a propeller to one of a plurality of measurement positions, moving the body and the probe toward the propeller; the step of moving including moving the probe body in response to feed signals; determining when the probe moves in response to contacting the propeller, thereafter continuing to move the body toward the propeller and evaluating feed signals which control the movement of the probe body until the feed signals are sufficient to have moved the probe body to a predetermined reference location at the one of the positions to provide an indication of the position of said surface.