Disc Cam Machine Foot for Precise Bolt Hole Adjustment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for installing machines on foundations face challenges due to limited bolt clearance, which restricts accurate placement, and doweling is time-consuming and expensive.
Innovation Solution
The system employs enlarged bolt holes in machine feet with disc-shaped cams and a locating stud, allowing for precise adjustment and locking without dowels, enabling greater movement and secure lateral fixation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If standard bolt holes with slight clearance are used, then manufacturing precision is maintained, but machine placement accuracy deteriorates due to insufficient adjustment range
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies nesting by placing the cam assembly inside the enlarged bolt hole. The cam is a disc-shaped component that fits within the bolt hole, with a locating stud that centers it. This nested structure allows the cam to provide lateral adjustment while remaining contained within the enlarged hole, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing precision and placement accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The cam mechanism introduces dynamics to the previously static bolt hole. By rotating the cam on the locating stud, the machine foot can be adjusted laterally to different positions. This dynamic adjustment capability enables precise machine placement while maintaining a simple enlarged hole design, overcoming the limitation of fixed standard bolt holes.
2Reliability
If doweling is used to prevent lateral movement, then reliability is improved, but installation time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the doweling step from the installation process by using the cam mechanism instead. The cam, when rotated into position and secured with the set screw, provides lateral movement prevention without requiring separate dowel pins. This eliminates time-consuming dowel installation while maintaining reliability in preventing lateral machine movement.
Solution Approach 2:
The cam acts as an intermediary between the machine foot and the bedplate, providing lateral movement prevention. Instead of using dowels that require precise drilling and fitting, the cam mechanism mediates the connection, allowing for easier installation while achieving the same reliability in preventing lateral movement.
3Adaptability or versatility
If enlarged bolt holes are used, then adaptability is improved for machine placement, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to larger hole size
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the bolt hole function into two parts: the enlarged hole provides adaptability and adjustment range, while the cam assembly provides the precision positioning. This segmentation allows the hole to be larger without sacrificing overall system precision, as the cam mechanism compensates for the increased hole size by providing precise lateral adjustment capability.
Data Source
AI summary
This invention uses disc shaped cams in enlarged hoes in machine feet to allow a machine to be moved and properly installed to the bedplate. Once the machine is in the proper location, the cams are locked into place with a set screw which prevents the cams from rotating and the machine from moving. The machine foot is then secured to the base by a washer and the manufacturer's specified anchor bolt is torqued to the proper value.