| 摘要 |
A device for maintaining a cutting edge, e.g. a focused laser beam at a constant distance from a surface of the work piece as the cutting edge imposes a cut line in a coating on the surface of the work piece. The device includes a constant force spring connecting a tube to a support and a surface follower mounting an end of the tube. The positions of a surface of the surface follower and the cutting edge have a predetermined relationship to one another. Gas moving out of the tube provides a first gas bearing between the surface follower and inner surface of the tube, and gas moving through passageways in the surface follower provide a second gas bearing between the surface of the surface follower and a surface of the coating. The thicknesses of the bearings remain constant as the follower moves over the surface of the piece to maintain the cutting edge at a constant distance from the surface of the coating. |
