Guide for precision tool slide - has air bearing pad supporting slide on spherical ends of screws

摘要

The slide (3) has adjusting screws (5) with spherical ends (6) supported by blocks (2) with hardened and ground surfaces (7) which fit in recesses in the bearing pad (4). The bearing pads (4) are attached to the slide (3) by leaf springs (8) so arranged that the plane of the spring coincides with the surface (7). The undersurface of the pad is covered with layer of low friction material and is supplied with air through the pipe (9) to create an aero-static bearing. The spherical ends (6) of the screws (2) ensure that the bearing is self-aligning and so reduces friction to an absolute minimum.