Abstract: A linear measuring system has a base, a rail assembly with a pair of tracks, a channel between the tracks, a linear guide assembly with a bearing block and channel anvil, a linear encoder assembly with a scale and reader head, and a fixed anvil. The bearing block has an adjustable contact preload for sliding along the tracks. The bearing block varies the distance between the channel anvil and the fixed anvil, and reader head is connected to the bearing block and slides in reading engagement with the scale to determine the distance between the anvils. The channel's sides diverge from each other as they extend from the bottom to the top, and the channel anvil extends down to the bottom of the channel. The rail assembly can be formed from a single elongate beam with the channel on the beam's top side and the tracks on the beam's sides.

Abstract: A cutting tool for a lineal milling machine has a female tapered surface for close tolerance matching to the outer, male tapered surface on the outside of the spindle which mounts the cutting tool to provide the maximum width of support for the cutting edge. The cutting edges comprise a plurality of carbide inserts, each with its own flute formed in the body of the tool, such that as the cutting tool is rotated at high speed an annulus of cutting surface is created which is ideally suited for use with the following method. A new method for lineal machining includes the steps of advancing the cutting tool into the workpiece to form a substantially arcuate edge, retracting the cutting tool from the workpiece, indexing the cutting tool to an overlapping position, and then advancing the cutting tool into the workpiece to remove the amount of overlap, with those steps being repeated to mill pocket openings or for any other lineal milling application.

Abstract: A cutting tool for a lineal milling machine has a female tapered surface for close tolerance matching to the outer, male tapered surface on the outside of the spindle which mounts the cutting tool to provide the maximum width of support for the cutting edge. The cutting edges comprise a plurality of carbide inserts, each with its own flute formed in the body of the tool, such that as the cutting tool is rotated at high speed an annulus of cutting surface is created which is ideally suited for use with the following method. A new method for lineal machining includes the steps of advancing the cutting tool into the workpiece to form a substantially arcuate edge, retracting the cutting tool from the workpiece, indexing the cutting tool to an overlapping position, and then advancing the cutting tool into the workpiece to remove the amount of overlap, with those steps being repeated to mill pocket openings or for any other lineal milling application.