Patent ID: 7665200

Claim:
A multiple purpose, multiple axis computer numerical control machine comprising: a Y axis base, said base having a rectangular open frame, said base including means for securing a first tooling plate parallel to the Y axis for supporting a workpiece, said base including means for causing and guiding linear motion of an upper assembly in the Y axis direction, said base configured for the support of the means for causing and guiding linear motion of the upper assembly in the Y-axis direction, an X axis base slidably mounted on said Y axis base, said X axis base including means for causing and guiding linear motion in the X axis direction of a portion of the upper assembly, said X axis base configured for the support of the means for causing and guiding linear motion of the portion of the upper assembly in the X-axis direction, a Z axis base slidably mounted on said X axis base, said Z axis base including two vertical surfaces with a common base, wherein the upper assembly includes the X axis base and the Z axis base, and the portion of the upper assembly includes the Z axis base, the machine also comprising a vertical axis assembly mountable on said Z axis base, said vertical axis assembly including means for causing and guiding linear motion of a second tooling plate in the vertical direction, which vertically moveable tooling plate is for interchangeably supporting a variety of tools, said means for causing and guiding linear motion of the second tooling plate including a horizontally rigid counterweight assembly connected to said second tooling plate, the counterweight assembly including a guided counterweight base that is equal in weight to the total weight of the second tooling plate and any other vertically movable structure except for the interchangeable tools, and the counterweight assembly includes means for facilitating the easy addition or subtraction of additional weight to or from the counterweight base equal to the weight of the interchangeable tool that is to be supported on the second tooling plate.