Importance

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Abstract

A floating pin joint is provided for coupling a linear potentiometer to a machine for measuring relative movement between first and second component parts of the machine. The potentiometer has an elongated housing securable to the first component part and a drive actuator slidably attached to the housing. In one embodiment, the floating pin joint includes a bushing, an actuator rod and a spring. The bushing can be positioned in a mounting hole on the drive actuator with an annular bearing surface disposed at one end of the bushing facing outwardly from the mounting hole. The actuator rod has a flange disposed between a first end and second end which contacts the bearing surface when the second end of the rod is extended through the bushing. The spring attaches to the second end of the rod for maintaining the flange in contact with the bearing surface. The first end of the actuator rod can be connected to the second component part of the machine so that movement of the second component part in a predetermined direction causes movement of the drive actuator along the potentiometer in the predetermined direction to result in accurate positional measurements between the component parts of the machine. The floating pin joint reduces or substantially eliminates axial movement within the joint that can introduce measurement errors, while allowing radial, rotational and pivotal movement in the joint.

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First Claim