Patent ID: 6019554
Filing Date: 2000-02-01
Classification: G05B,Y10T

Abstract:
(a) A manual machine tool system having relative motion of a tool;(b) first moving means including a hand wheel and a hand wheel drive system connected to the tool and the hand wheel, the hand wheel when manually rotated actuating the hand wheel drive system to move the tool along a first axis;(c) first sensor means to detect the position of the tool along the first axis and to generate a first axis tool location signal;(d) second moving means to move the tool along a second axis which is different from the first axis;(e) second sensor means to detect location of the tool along the second axis and to generate a second axis tool location signal;(f) a computer based controller to accept machining objectives defining a region in which motion of the tool is prohibited and the tool location signals and to generate therefrom a control signal to disable relative tool motion along at least one axis when a tool location signal indicates that the tool is within the defined region;characterized in that the machine tool further comprises:(g) a first electrically controlled motion switch means physically connected to the hand wheel drive system to engage or disengage the hand wheel drive system's connection to the tool and to thereby start or stop the tool's movement along the first axis on receipt of said control signal; and(h) a second electrically controlled motion switch means connected to the second moving means to engage or disengage movement of the tool along the second axis on receipt of said control signal.