Abstract: One example method involves generating a calibration control signal that causes an actuator to rotate a first platform at least one complete rotation about an axis. The method also involves receiving encoder output signals. The encoder output signals are indicative of angular positions of the first platform about the axis. The method also involves receiving sensor output signals from an orientation sensor mounted on the first platform. The sensor output signals are indicative of a rate of change to an orientation of the orientation sensor. The method also involves determining calibration data based on given sensor output signals received from the orientation sensor during the at least one complete rotation. The calibration data is for mapping the encoder output signals to calibrated measurements of the angular positions of the first platform about the axis.

Abstract: A turntable includes a rotatably supported table, an electric cylinder, and a cam mechanism configured to convert the linear motion of the electric cylinder into the rotary motion of the table. The cam mechanism includes at least one cam groove provided on the table side, and at least one cam follower moved in parallel to the linear motion direction of the electric cylinder and configured to engage with the at least one cam groove.

Abstract: An angle measuring system including: a rotary encoder including an encoder main body and a rotating shaft which is freely rotatable with respect to the encoder main body, the rotary encoder which detects a relative rotation angle of the rotating shaft with respect to the encoder main body; a regulation member which regulates an absolute rotation angle of the encoder main body about the rotating shaft within a fixed range; an absolute angle detecting device which detects the absolute rotation angle of the encoder main body about the rotating shaft concurrently with detection of the relative rotation angle by the rotary encoder; and a correction device which corrects the rotation angle detected by the rotary encoder based on the rotation angle detected by the absolute angle detecting device.

Abstract: A method for setting a lead-angle value of a motor drive control circuit is disclosed. The motor drive control circuit energizes and drives the windings of a motor with an energizing timing based on a stored lead-angle value. The method includes the steps of: rotating a rotor at a given rpm (step S102), energizing and driving the windings during the rotation at the given rpm with the lead-angle value being switched (step S110); calculating an average value of current amount that energizes and drives the windings (step S114); calculating a total value of consecutive multiple average values for each lead-angle value (step S120); finding a smallest total value among the total values, and setting a lead-angle value corresponding to the smallest total value as a stored lead-angle value (step S122).

Abstract: A feed apparatus has a ball screw, a nut, a drive motor, a braking mechanism and a controller and moves a movable body vertically. When recognizing a movement command for rapid traverse relating to the movable body, the controller, when the movable body is to be moved upward, moves the movable body past a target position according to the movement command and then reverses the moving direction thereof and moves the movable body to the target position and stops it there, and, when the movable body is to be moved downward, moves the movable body directly to the target position and stops it there. After moving the movable body to the target position and stopping it there, the controller causes the drive motor to keep the position of the movable body at the stop position and causes the braking mechanism to brake the movement of the movable body.

Abstract: An apparatus for moving a spindle along a longitudinal axis, the apparatus includes a spindle; a drive member for moving said spindle over a range of travel along said longitudinal axis in a first direction; a spring for applying a first force in combination with a second force to the spindle in the first direction; a stop element arranged so as to disengage the second force, such that when said spindle is within a first portion of said range of travel, said first force is applied to said spindle in combination with said second force, and when said spindle is within a second portion of said range of travel, said stop element disengages said second force so only said first force is applied to said spindle.

Abstract: A cam device includes an armlike cam follower for moving a lift unit upward and downward, and a plate cam having a cam contour face in contact with the cam follower. The cam is formed in a side surface thereof with a recessed portion having an inwardly facing periphery which provides a guide face extending along the cam contour face. A movable roller is in bearing contact with the guide face. The cam follower and the movable roller are biased toward each other by and elastic member.

Abstract: A system for calibrating a rotary table (10) includes an indexing table (20) (which is a Hirth coupling table) and an angular interferometer (100), together with a control (200). The indexing table is mechanically coupled to the rotary table (this being the only connection between the rotary table to be calibrated and the calibration system), and the interferometer is set up to measure rotation of the indexing table. During rotation of the rotary table (10) to a target angle, the control (200) monitors the interferometer reading, and when this reading exceeds a predetermined threshold, actuates a drive motor (240) of the table (20) to counter rotate the table, thereby to maintain the optics (106) of the interferometer in alignment with the laser beams (L2, L3) and thus enable continuous measurement of the position of the indexing table.

Abstract: Rotation and linear movement of a main gear is provided by a pinion gear rotatably mounted on a crank arm and in meshing engagement with the main gear. A connecting arm between the gear centers keeps the gears in meshing engagement. The pinion gear may have a diameter one half the diameter of the main gear to provide rotation of the main gear 180 degrees after one revolution of the pinion gear. The crank arm may be rotated in opposite directions to provide oscillating movement of the main gear. In a tire building machine, the main gear may be mounted in a linear guide of an upright plate member for vertical movement. The main gear is connected to a shaft for rotating and tilting a hub member having two spaced apart tire building drums mounted with axes at an angle of 90 degrees and in the same plane as the axes of the tire building drums so that they can be oscillated between two fabricating positions.

Abstract: A differential rotary-to-rotary cam system to achieve long dwell periods with continuous rotary input including a rotary prime mover of several different types and a differential cam assembly which can be interposed between a particular power input and a power output to produce a repetitive differential motion wherein a long dwell is obtained at the rotary output. This is particularly enhanced when the differential is driven by a basic power system which in itself can produce a dwell in its output motion.

Abstract: An improved dual cam indexing drive assembly (10) is disclosed which is well suited for use in driving various types of rotational, linear, and/or reciprocating work transfer apparatus (12). The drive system (10) utilizes primary and secondary rotatable cams (32, 34) supported on and driven by a common shaft (36) coupled to a power source (24) via suitable gear reduction (30), clutch and/or brake means. Aligned primary and secondary cam followers (54, 56, 58 and 64, 66, 68) are provided on the moving transfer apparatus (14), the primary cam followers (54, 56, 58) being designed to operatively engage cam grooves (46, 48) provided on both primary and secondary cams (32, 34) whereas the secondary cam followers (64, 66, 68) cooperate only with cam grooves (48, 50, 52) provided on the secondary cam (34) to drive the work transfer apparatus (12) between successive work stations.

Abstract: Stepping drive mechanism for converting a constant input rotatory movement to a linear movement of a given length accelerated first from zero, then continuing at constant velocity, and finally decelerated back to zero, in which the constant input rotatory movement introduced into the drive of the mechanism is transmitted to cylindrical driving cams having indexing grooves provided in their cylindrical circumferential surface, which are engaged by an indexing pin provided on a carrier component coupled with the drive of the mechanism. The indexing pin carrier component has the form of a circular disk mounted for rotation about its central axis, on each of whose opposite flat sides a driving cam is provided, one associated with the acceleration-deceleration phase and one with the constant-velocity linear movement phase. The cams each have an axis of rotation disposed at right angles to the central axis of the indexing pin carrier component, in whose indexing grooves an associated indexing pin engages.

Abstract: The kinetic energy of an intermittently movable work member is converted, independently of its main drive motor, to potential energy during deceleration of the work member as it approaches each of its dwell positions. During the initial portion of the next index step, the stored potential energy is imparted to the work member, again independently of the drive motor, to assist in the work member's acceleration and to reduce the demands on the drive motor. Since the energy storage and transfer occurs independently of the drive motor, armature current and temperature increase in the drive motor is minimized for any given performance level.

Abstract: An indexing apparatus (10) is disclosed which is designed for use with various types of work transfer equipment and is operative to provide smooth rapid jerk-free acceleration and deceleration whereby workpieces may be smoothly and rapidly transferred between operating stations. The indexing apparatus (10) includes suitably arranged cams (90, 90', 106, 124, 130, 132, 150, 162, 180) and cam followers (38, 52, 114, 116, 166, 168, 174) which operate to convert a driving input motion which is typically rotary in nature to a desired output motion which may be either linear or rotary but which is characterized by substantially jerk-free, smooth acceleration and deceleration at the beginning and end of the respective indexing movements. In one embodiment the apparatus comprises a crank arm (22) having cam followers (38, 52) provided thereon which control pivotal movement of transfer arm (58) which is in turn connected to a linearly reciprocable apparatus which may include a work supporting surface for example.

Abstract: When machine elements having a large mass are indexed, i.e. subjected to short, quick rotating movements, very great acceleration and deceleration forces must be transmitted via the driving means of the machine. Due to vibrations occurring, increasing the stresses on the driving means, the driving means must be dimensioned accordingly. The present invention provides a method and an arrangement for the compensation of the forces applied and thus for reducing the stresses which occur. This is performed by combining the indexing machine element with a cam disc which is contacted by a number of spring-loaded cam followers, whereby the cam disc has such a shape that the cam follower decelerates and accelerates the cam disc following the desired movement pattern of the machine element.

Abstract: A reversible rotary indexing mechanism capable of generating large indexing angles including those exceeding one revolution. A constant velocity rotary input is connected to a rotary output by an eccentric accelerating-decelerating drive means which, by reason of a shifting mechanism, is selectively disengageable with the output at a maximum velocity, zero acceleration condition, while at the same time a constant velocity drive from the input is connected to the output. Conversely, the constant velocity drive is disconnected at the same time that the accelerating-decelerating drive means is reconnected to accomplish deceleration. An output lock is also provided and actuators including composite cams can be utilized to accomplish the action of the shifting mechanism.In addition, the mechanism can be used with higher harmonic components to increase the design flexibility with greater inherent dwell capabilities and significantly longer constant velocity ranges.

Abstract: A turret index assembly has an air piston connected to a pawl to provide a cushioned stop therefor after its engagement with one of the teeth of a machine tool turret index plate.

Abstract: Indexing apparatus is disclosed whereby a constantly rotating drive shaft can intermittently drive apparatus driven thereby. An arm carried by the drive shaft pivotally carries a second arm which has means for engaging a cammed surface whereby the pivoted arm is moved radially toward and away from the drive shaft. The rotated output member is mounted for rotation about the longitudinal axis of the drive shaft and includes a projection adapted to be engaged selectively by an engaging member on the pivoted arm as the pivoted arm is rotated in response to the positioning of the camming surface. In the preferred embodiment, the projection is an extended member and the engaging member is initially brought into contact close adjacent the drive shaft and moved radially outward in a decreasing amount whereby the rotated member is smoothly accelerated. Correspondingly, upon disengagement, the engaging member is moved radially outward in an increasing amount to smoothly decelerate the rotated member.

Abstract: An index apparatus for indexing a rotary table rotatably and vertically slidably received within a base, comprises a pair of coupling members secured to the rotary table and the base, respectively, and engageable with each other. The rotary table is lifted and lowered by a hydraulic actuator. The rotary table is rotated by a drive means including a drive motor. Generating means are provided to generate a signal each time the rotary table is rotated a unit angle. Control means are provided to reduce the rotational speed of the rotary table in response to the number of signals generated from the generating means, when the rotary table is rotated to a position spaced a predetermined angular distance from a desired angular position thereof. Control means also cause the rotation of the rotary table to stop in response to the number of signals from the generating means, when the rotary table is rotated to the desired angular position thereof.