Patent ID: 7607377

Claim:
An alignment mechanism which connects between a lathe spindle having a spindle axis and a hub adapter which in turn attaches to a hub mounted on an axle having a hub axis, the alignment mechanism being acted on by an alignment adjustment system that serves to adjust the alignment of the spindle axis with respect to the hub axis, the alignment mechanism comprising: a base for attachment to the lathe spindle, said base having a base bearing-engaging surface and a base mounting surface for placement against the lathe spindle; a first slant disk bounded by a first indexable ring, for engagement by the alignment adjustment system, and by a pair of planar first disk side surfaces which are inclined with respect to each other by a first disk angle α 1 , said first slant disk being interposed between a pair of first disk ring bearings that each contact one of said first disk side surfaces and being further positioned such that one of said first disk ring bearings contacts said base bearing-engaging surface of said base; a float plate in contact with the one of said first disk ring bearings that is not in contact with said base; a second slant disk bounded by a second indexable ring, for engagement by the alignment adjustment system and by a pair of planar second disk side surfaces which are inclined with respect to each other by a second disk angle α 2 , said second slant disk being interposed between a pair of second disk ring bearings that each contact one of said second disk side surfaces and being further positioned such that one of said second disk ring bearings contacts said float plate; a cap for attachment to the hub adaptor, said cap having a cap bearing-engaging surface that contacts the one of said second disk ring bearings that is not in contact with said float plate and a cap mounting surface for placement against the hub adapter; a centering structure for maintaining concentricity of said base, said first slant disk, said first pair of ring bearings, said float plate, said second slant disk, said second pair of ring bearings, and said cap; and means for limiting rotational motion between said base, said float plate, and said cap.