Apparatus for checking diametral dimensions

Claim 1

An apparatus for checking diametral dimensions of a cylindrical surface of a mechanical part, comprising: a base; measuring means including two probes adapted to cooperate, along a measurement axis, with two points of the cylindrical surface, the measuring means providing measurement signals; processing circuits connected with the measuring means; support and positioning means coupled to the base for supporting and positioning the part to be checked and the measuring means; and control means connected to the support and positioning means for displacing the probes in cooperation with the cylindrical surface and for obtaining a relative motion between the probes and the cylindrical surface, wherein the control means are adapted to control said relative motion as a scanning motion with a displacement of the relative position of the measurement axis, with respect to the base and the cylindrical surface geometric axis, having a component perpendicular to the measurement axis, for arranging the measurement axis and the geometric axis both in coplanar and in non-coplanar positions, the processing circuits being adapted to process the measurement signals obtained during the scanning motion for detecting the diametrical dimension of the cylindrical surface.

Claim 2

An apparatus for checking diametral dimensions of a cylindrical surface of a mechanical part, comprising: a base; measuring means including two probes adapted to cooperate, along a measurement axis, with two points of the cylindrical surface, the measuring means providing measurement signals; processing circuits connected with the measuring means; support and positioning means coupled to the base for supporting and positioning the part to be checked and the measuring means; and control means connected to the support and positioning means for displacing the probes in cooperation with the cylindrical surface and for obtaining a relative motion between the probes and the cylindrical surface, wherein the control means are adapted to control said relative motion as a scanning motion with a displacement of the relative position of the measurement axis, with respect to the base and the cylindrical surface geometric axis, having a component perpendicular to the measurement axis, for arranging the measurement axis and the geometric axis both in coplanar and in non-coplanar positions, the processing circuits being adapted to process the measurement signals obtained during the scanning motion for detecting the diametrical dimension of the cylindrical surface.

Claim 6

The apparatus as set forth in one of claims 2 to 4, wherein said support and positioning means comprise a nose-piece displaceable by the control means for checking the proper positioning of the part and the possibility of carrying out the checking of the diametral dimensions.

Claim 8

An apparatus for checking a diameter of a cylindrical surface of a mechanical part, comprising measuring means including two probes adapted to cooperate, along a measurement axis, with two points of the cylindrical surface, the measuring means providing measurement signals; processing circuits connected with the measuring means; support and positioning means for supporting and positioning the part to be checked and the measuring means, the support and positioning means including a movable arm for supporting the part; and control means connected to the support and positioning means for displacing the probes in cooperation with the cylindrical surface and for obtaining a relative motion between the probes and the cylindrical surface, wherein the control means are adapted to displace said arm with respect to the measuring means for permitting the probes to scan a portion of the contour of the cylindrical surface and to obtain said relative motion as a scanning motion with a relative displacement of the position of the measurement axis, with respect to the cylindrical surface geometric axis, having a component perpendicular to the measurement axis, for arranging the measurement axis and the geometric axis both in coplanar and in non-coplanar positions, the processing circuits being adapted to process the measurement signals obtained during the scanning motion for detecting the diameter of the cylindrical surface.

Claim 9

An apparatus for checking a diameter of a cylindrical surface of a mechanical part, comprising measuring means including two probes adapted to cooperate, along a measurement axis, with two points of the cylindrical surface, the measuring means providing measurement signals; processing circuits connected with the measuring means; support and positioning means for supporting and positioning the part to be checked and the measuring means, the support and positioning means including a movable arm for supporting the part; and control means connected to the support and positioning means for displacing the probes in cooperation with the cylindrical surface and for obtaining a relative motion between the probes and the cylindrical surface, wherein the control means are adapted to displace said arm with respect to the measuring means for permitting the probes to scan a portion of the contour of the cylindrical surface and to obtain said relative motion as a scanning motion with a relative displacement of the position of the measurement axis, with respect to the cylindrical surface geometric axis, having a component perpendicular to the measurement axis, for arranging the measurement axis and the geometric axis both in coplanar and in non-coplanar positions, the processing circuits being adapted to process the measurement signals obtained during the scanning motion for detecting the diameter of the cylindrical surface.

Claim 12

An apparatus for checking the diameter of a cylindrical surface of a mechanical part, the cylindrical surface defining a geometric axis, comprising: spindle means rotatable about a rotation axis for at least 180°; the spindle means including an eccentric clamping device adapted to clamp the part with a pre-set eccentricity between said geometric axis and rotation axis; and measuring and processing means including two movable probes adapted to cooperate, along a substantially stationary measurement axis, with two points of the cylindrical surface, the measuring means providing a measurement signal responsive to the distance of said points, wherein said pre-set eccentricity has a value sufficient to permit the probes to reach, during rotation of the spindle means, a diametral position with respect to the cylindrical surface and wherein said measuring and processing means are adapted to detect the maximum value of said measurement signal during the rotation of the spindle means.

Claim 13

An apparatus for checking the diameter of a cylindrical surface of a mechanical part, the cylindrical surface defining a geometric axis, comprising: spindle means rotatable about a rotation axis for at least 180°; the spindle means including an eccentric clamping device adapted to clamp the part with a pre-set eccentricity between said geometric axis and rotation axis; and measuring and processing means including two movable probes adapted to cooperate, along a substantially stationary measurement axis, with two points of the cylindrical surface, the measuring means providing a measurement signal responsive to the distance of said points, wherein said pre-set eccentricity has a value sufficient to permit the probes to reach, during rotation of the spindle means, a diametral position with respect to the cylindrical surface and wherein said measuring and processing means are adapted to detect the maximum value of said measurement signal during the rotation of the spindle means.