Quill for coordinate measuring machines

Claim 1

A quill construction for coordinate measuring machines, comprising a guide having a bore, a quill of substantially rectangular cross-section having means for accommodating a feeler adjacent its lower end and guided in said bore for movement in a Z-direction, said quill having a surface provided with a Z-direction scale, said quill having two mutually perpendicular first surfaces connected to each other at a first corner area, two mutually perpendicular second surfaces connected to each other at a second corner area which is diametrically opposite said first corner area, said first surfaces being connected to said second surfaces at two diametrically opposite third corner areas, said surfaces extending in the Z-direction, said quill having upper, intermediate and lower bearing zones spaced in the Z-direction, at least two first bearings engaged between said guide and said quill in each of said upper and lower zones, each of said at least two first bearings engaged against one of said first surfaces, at least oen second bearing engaged between said guide and said quill in each of said upper and lower bearing zones and each engaged against one of said second surfaces and second corner area for counteracting forces of said first bearings in said upper and lower bearing zones, and two intermediate bearings engaged between said guide and said quill in said intermediate bearing zone, each intermediate bearing engaged against one of said first surfaces between said first bearings on each of said first surfaces and out of vertical alignment with said first bearings on each of said first surfaces, each of said first, intermediate and second bearings slidably supporting said quill for movement in the Z-direction on said guide.