Apparatus for sensing or detecting, in an open-sided cavity of a container or nest for supporting an article having a peripheral wall of a uniform height, the presence or non-presence of such an article in said cavity and, if the presence of such an article is sensed or detected, whether the article is correctly or uniformly seated or positioned in the cavity. A reference or fixed probe and a plurality of actuable probes extend towards said cavity from a detector or detector assembly positioned adjacent said cavity and each is intended to contact a different one of a plurality of substantially equally spaced-apart points on the annular, surface or rim of the peripheral wall of any article in the cavity when the probes move towards the cavity. If the actuable probes contact the rim of the peripheral wall of an article in the cavity at substantially the reference plane at which the fixed probe contacts such rim, display and/or control device or devices reflecting the presence and correct or uniform seating of the article in the cavity are actuated. If any of the actuable probes are not actuated to about the reference plane or are actuated slightly past that plane during the movement thereof towards said cavity, indications or displays and/or control devices reflecting incorrect or non-uniform seating of an article in the cavity, or non-presence of an article in the cavity, are actuated.
A probe used for programming a robot arm in order to perform a cutting operation on a work-piece. During the programming operation, the probe is attached to the robot arm and moved around the profile of a test-piece. An electric lamp is provided for indicating contact between the probe and the test piece. Additional circuitry including an electric lamp is provided for indicating when the body of the probe and a pin (4) having an end tip (8) which actually forms the contracting portion of the probe are misaligned.
An apparatus for gauging the diameter and concentricity of a bore in a workpiece, the bore having an inner surface, the apparatus comprising a base, a first surface engaging member supported by the base for movement along an axis and relative to a reference point, a selectively adjustable second surface engaging member supported by the base for movement along the axis, the second surface engaging member and the reference point defining the diameter of a circle, a third surface engaging member movably supported by the base and located on the circle, the third surface engaging member moving in response to movement of the second surface engaging member to maintain location of the third surface engaging member on the circle, the first, second, and third surface engaging members being adapted to be housed in the bore and to engage the inner surface of the bore, and the first surface engaging member being biased away from the second surface engaging member and against the inner surface of the bore, and a gauge for indicating movement of the first surface engaging member from the reference point.
