MXPA99002164A - Apparatus and method for automatically compensating for lateral runout - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus (50) and method for automatically compensating for the lateral runout between an on-car lathe apparatus (52) and a vehicle hub (44) axis including one or more stop discs (94, 96) that rotate with the drive shaft of the lathe and that can be selectively stopped from rotating with the shaft by a stop mechanism (98, 100).

Description

APPARATUS AND METHOD TO AUTOMATICALLY COMPENSATE THE LATERAL DESCENTRATE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an improved winch apparatus for brakes in an automobile. More specifically, this invention relates to a method and an apparatus for automatically compensating the lateral off-centering of a winch apparatus with respect to the wheel hub of a vehicle. The invention further includes a novel measurement and control system for decentering which describes the off-centering of a disc brake unit and sends a correction signal to an automated control system to adjust in order to effectively compensate the lateral offset . The novel apparatus and method for decentering can also be advantageously used in other practical applications to align two concentrically linked rotation arrows. A brake system is one of the primary safety features in all road vehicles. The ability to quickly decelerate and put a vehicle on a controlled stop is always important for the safety of the occupants of the vehicle and those in the immediate vicinity. In this, a vehicle braking system is designed and manufactured under specifications of accuracy and rigorous inspection. One of the main components of a brake system are the disc brake units that are normally mounted on the front wheels of most passenger vehicles. Disc brake units generally include a caliper (cooperating with a hydraulic brake system), brake pads, a wheel hub and a rotor. The caliper supports and positions a pair of brake pads on opposite sides of a brake rotor. In a brake rotor without a bushing (that is, when the rotor and the bushing are separate components), the rotor is secured to the wheel hub of the vehicle, via a rotor lining, with a series of bolts for rotation with the bushing around a spindle axis of the vehicle. When the driver of a vehicle presses a brake pedal thus activating the hydraulic system, the brake pads are forced together and towards the rotor to hold the friction surfaces of the rotor. Disc brake units must be kept within manufacturers' specifications throughout the life of the vehicle in order to ensure optimum performance and maximum safety. However, several problems have devastated the automotive industry since the beginning of disc brakes.

A major problem in brake systems is usually referred to as "lateral decentering". The lateral decentering is generally the side-to-side movement of the fraction surfaces of the rotor as it rotates with the wheel hub of the vehicle around a spindle axis. Referring to Figure 1, for example, a rotor having friction surfaces on its side sides is shown. A rotor is mounted on a vehicle wheel hub for rotation about the horizontal spindle axis X. In an optimal rotor configuration, the rotor is mounted to rotate in a plane Y that is precisely perpendicular to the spindle axis X. Generally, The good performance of the brakes depends on the friction surfaces of the rotor being perpendicular to the spindle axis of rotation X and parallel to each other ("parallelism"). In the optimum configuration, the opposing brake pads will contact the friction surfaces of the rotor at perfect 90-degree angles and will exert equal pressure on the rotor as it rolls. More typically, however, the disc brake unit will produce at least a degree of lateral offset that deviates from the ideal configuration. For example, a rotor will rotate frequently in a plane Y 'inclined and about an axis X' that is a few hundredths of an inch away from the axial alignment with the spindle (shown exaggeratedly in Figure 1). In this rotor configuration, the brake pads, which are perpendicular to the spindle axis X, will not make contact with the friction surfaces of the rotor along a plane of constant pressure. The lateral offset of a rotor is the lateral distance that the rotor deviates from the ideal plane of rotation Y during a rotation cycle of the rotor.A certain amount of lateral offset is inherently present in the hub and rotor unit. The friction surface offset from the rotor results when the friction surfaces of the rotor are not perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the rotor itself, the offset of the rotor trim results in defects in the individual components. When the fitting of the lining contains deviations that produce an off-center assembly, a stacked offset results when the offsets of the components are aggregated or "stacked" together An excessive amount of lateral offset on a component or unit (i.e. decentered stacking) will generally result in noise in the brakes, pedal pulsation, and a reduction if gnificante of the efficiency of the global system of brakes. Moreover, brake pad wear is uneven and accelerates with the presence of lateral offset. Normally, the manufacturers specify a maximum lateral offset for the friction surfaces, the rotor lining and the bushing, which is acceptable for the operation to be safe and reliable. After prolonged use, the rolling layer of a brake rotor must be renewed in order to put the brake unit within the manufacturer's specifications. This renewal of the rolling layer is normally achieved by a grinding and cutting operation. Several brake lathes of the prior art have been used to renew the surface of brake rotors. These prior art rotors can be classified into three general classes: (1) bench-mounted lathes; (2) winches mounted on the gauge in the car; and (3) winches mounted on the bushing in the automobile. As discussed below, the winches mounted on the bushing of the car have proven to be the most reliable and accurate lathes of the industry, to re-finish the rotor. Bench-mounted lathes, for example, which are described in US Pat. No. 3,540,165 to Lanham, are not efficient and do not have the ability to couple with the rotor. In order to renew the surface of a rotor in a bench-mounted lathe, it is first required that the operator completely remove the rotor from the hub unit. The operator then assembles the rotor on the bench vise using a series of cones and adapters. After the trimming operation, the operator reassembles the rotor in the spindle of the vehicle. Even if the rotor is mounted to the lathe perfectly centered and free of offset, the offset between the rotor and the hub does not count in the operation of re-finishing the surface of the bench lathe. In addition, bank lathes are capable of bending the arrows, which introduces off-centering in a machined rotor. This offset is then transferred to the brake unit where it can be added with the offset of the bushing to produce a stacked offset effect. Similarly, winches mounted on the gauge, for example, that disclosed in Patent No. US 4,388,846 to Kopecko et al., Have had limited success in compensating for lateral offset, but require operations they take time During the renewal procedure of a rotor, the brake caliper must first be removed to expose the rotor and bushing. Once removed, the caliper mounting clamp is released and can be used to mount a lathe mounted on a gauge in the car. Winches mounted on the calibrator are completely unacceptable for many reasons, including lack of a connection of "rigid loop" between the drive motor and the cutting tool and the inability to assure a perpendicular relationship between the cutting tools and the rotor . Moreover, the calibrated winches do not have any reliable means to measure and correct the lateral offset. Typically and in much the same manner as described below with respect to the winches mounted on the hub, a dial indicator is used to determine the total amount of lateral offset on the disk unit. The measurement technique is problematic in terms of time, accuracy and automechanical capacity for comfortable use of the equipment. Winches mounted on the hub in the car, for example, disclosed in Patent of the United States No. 4,226,146 to Ekman, assigned to the assignee of the present application, part of this reference, they have proven to be the medium more efficient and exact for the renewal of the rotor. Referring now to Figure 2, there is shown a disc brake winch 10 in the vehicle, of the Ekman type, for mounting the bushing of a vehicle 14. The winch 10 includes a body 16, a drive motor 18, a adapter 20 and a cutting unit 22. The lathe is also provided with a stop and anti-rotation post (not shown), either of which can be used to account for the rotation of the lathe during a renovation operation. After the brake caliper is removed, the adapter 20 is secured to the vehicle hub 14 using the projecting nuts. The winch body 16 is then mounted to the adapter 20. At this point in the prior art process, the operator must determine the total amount of the lateral offset and make an appropriate adjustment. Specifically, the operator first mounts a dial indicator 26 to the cutting head 22 using a knob 28. The dial indicator 26 is positioned to make contact with the vehicle 14 at one of its distal ends as shown in Figure 2. Once the calibration 26 is properly placed, it is required that the operator follow the following steps in order to measure and compensate the lateral offset: (1) The operator couples the winch with the rotor using the adapter and the procedure indicated in the above. (2) The operator activates the lathe motor 18 which causes the adapter 20, and thus the bushing and rotor of the brake unit, to rotate. The total lateral de-centering of the unit will be reflected by corresponding lateral movement in the winch body. (3) The lateral movement of the winch body is then quantified using the gauge 26. Specifically, the operator observes the dial gauge to determine the high and low points of deflection and the corresponding location of these points on the lathe. (4) By identifying the highest deflection of the dial gauge, the operator "stops" the motor and stops rotation at the point of the highest identified deflection. (5) The operator then makes an adjustment to compensate for off-centering of the unit. This is achieved by carefully turning the adjusting screw 24. Specifically, there are four adjustment screws and the correction screw (s) must be turned depending on the location of the high point. The effect of the turning of the screws is to adjust the orientation of the lathe body with respect to the adapter 20 (and therefore the rotor and the bushing) to mechanically compensate for the off-centering of the unit. The operator adjusts the screws until the highest deflection point is halved as determined by reference in the dial indicator 26. (6) The operator activates the winch motor 18 and observes the dial indicator 26 to identify again the highest deflection of the quadrant. If the maximum lateral movement of the winch body, as measured by the deflection of the needle, is acceptable (ie normally less than 3/1000) then the mechanical compensation is completed and the winch spinning operation can begin. Otherwise, additional measurement and adjustment will be necessary by repeating steps (1) to (6). The cutting operation is then carried out by adjusting the tool holder 22 and the cutting tools 23, and setting the proper cutting depth. Although the brake lathe in the vehicle mounted on the hub was a considerable advance in the lathe industry for disc brake, its structure and its corresponding procedure for the compensation of lateral offset of the disk brake unit has practical limitations. First, as is readily apparent, upon observing steps (1) to (6) above, the Ekman procedure requires an important amount of time to determine a lateral offset offset of the brake unit. Although the amount of specific time needed will vary based on the experience of the operator, the time of the procedure even for the most trained and experienced person is important and can substantially increase the cost associated with the rotor renewal, for the store and for the owner of the vehicle. Second, the prior art system and method requires the owner and the shop technicians to carry out extensive training and training to the operator in order to ensure that adequate mechanical compensation of lateral off-centering is achieved. Moreover, the Ekman system is specific to the operator. That is, the accuracy and success of the measurement and adjustment of the lateral offset will vary from operator to operator. In general, the systems and methods of the prior art are problematic with respect to accuracy in the measurement and adjustment of lateral off-centering. The systems of the prior art require an operator to locate a high reading for lateral offset by observing the calibrator 26; Often, the operator is required to "stop" the engine to relocate the high point once it has been identified. Moreover, even if the operator correctly locates and / or relocates the high point of lateral decentering, human errors are frequently introduced during the adjustment process. For example, selecting the correct screw or screws 24 and applying the precise amount of torque required for the adjustment is often difficult and imprecise. The difficulties and limitations suggested in the foregoing are not intended to be exhaustive, but rather that they are, among many, those that demonstrate that although very little attention has been devoted to disc brake lathes, these systems will allow improvements that are worth pain.

OBJECTIVES AND BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore a general object of the invention to provide a novel lathe system for disc brake in a vehicle that will avoid or minimize the difficulties of the type described above. It is another general object of the invention to provide a novel system for measuring and controlling the offset for a disc brake lathe in a vehicle, which accurately detects and quantifies the de-centering of a lathe apparatus with respect to the hub unit. of a vehicle. It is yet another general object of the invention to provide a novel apparatus for the automated alignment for a disc brake winch in a vehicle, which adjusts the axial alignment of the winch in accordance with the information produced by a sensor and control system of the offset . It is a specific object of the invention to provide a novel system for measuring and controlling the off-center for a disc brake lathe in a vehicle, which sends a corrective signal to an automated control system, for its adjustment. It is a specific object of the invention to provide a novel lathe apparatus for disc brake in a vehicle, which eliminates the need for manual adjustment by an operator, in order to compensate for lateral de-centering. It is another specific object of the invention to provide a novel apparatus system for disc brake lathe in a vehicle, which will measure and adjust the off-center in an accurate and consistent manner. It is yet another specific object of the invention to provide a novel lathe apparatus for disc brake in a vehicle, which will significantly reduce the time required for a complete operation of the brake disk turning. It is still another specific object of the invention to provide an offset measuring and control system for a disc brake winch in a vehicle, which has a processing unit for accurate and reliable evaluation of the data. It is another specific object of the invention to provide an offset measuring and control system for a disc brake winch in a vehicle, which warns an operator or directs an electrically controlled system, to effect an axial alignment of the winch and bushing vehicle. It is still another specific object of the invention to provide an automated alignment device for a disc brake lathe in a vehicle that accurately adjusts the relative angle between the axis of rotation of the vehicle hub and the drive shaft of the lathe. It is still another specific object of the invention to provide an apparatus for automated alignment for a disc brake lathe in a vehicle, which, when in use with a suitable system, will reduce the total lateral de-centering of the lathe relative to the unit. bushing of the vehicle until it falls within the manufacturer's acceptable specifications. It is a further specific object of the invention to provide an automated alignment apparatus for a disc brake winch in a vehicle, which is simple, accurate, can be controlled by computer, and is low in cost. It is another specific object of the invention to provide an offset measuring and control system for a disc brake winch in a vehicle, which detects rotational accelerations while rejecting linear accelerations in any of the three dimensional axes.

It is another specific object of the invention to provide an offset control and measurement system for a disc brake winch in a vehicle, which detects rotation which is a one piece mechanism mounted securely on the winch and which is not subject to operator error during installation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The automatic alignment apparatus for a disc brake winch in a vehicle of the present invention, which is intended to achieve at least the above objects, includes a brake winch having an automatic alignment coupling that operates in response to a corrective signal to adjust the alignment of the winch with respect to the vehicle in order to mechanically compensate for lateral offset. The automatic alignment mechanism includes one or more stop discs rotating with the drive shaft of the winch and which can be selectively stopped from rotating with the arrow by means of a stop mechanism. In response to this stoppage, one or more adjustment discs are rotated to adjust the relative position of the winch shaft with respect to the axis of the disc brake unit. In this way, the system compensates for and corrects the lateral de-centering that exists between two concentrically connected rotary arrows.

DRAWINGS Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a graphical representation of a phenomenon of lateral off-centering. Figure 2 is a plan view showing a disc brake winch in a vehicle and representing a prior art method for measuring and compensating the lateral offset of a disc brake unit. Figure 3 is a perspective view showing a disc brake lathe in a vehicle, mounted on a bushing of a vehicle in preparation for a disk surface renovation operation, in accordance with the present invention. Figure 4 is a partially sectioned schematic view of a disc brake winch, with an automatic alignment apparatus of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, mounted on the hub of a vehicle. Figures 5a. and 5b are cross-sectional and front views, respectively, of the automatic alignment apparatus of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the disc adjustment units of the apparatus for automatic alignment of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figures 7a and 7b are front cross-sectional views of one of the disc adjusting units of the automatic alignment apparatus of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figures 8 and 9 are cross-sectional views of the disc adjustment units of the automatic alignment apparatus of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figures 10a and 10b are cross-sectional and side views, respectively, of the automatic alignment apparatus of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figure 10c are cross-sectional and front views of an adjustment disc of the automatic alignment apparatus of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figure 10 are cross-sectional and front views of an inclined disc of the pivoting ring automatic alignment apparatus of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 11 and 11b are schematic representations of the compensation vector and compensation alignment angle of the automatic alignment apparatus of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view of the automatic alignment apparatus of the third preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figure 13 * a and 13b are front views of the input and output adapter units and a front view of the drive arm unit, respectively, of the apparatus of the third preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figure 14 is a front view of the stopping mechanism of the reading star of the automatic alignment apparatus of the third preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figures 15a-g is a chronogram of the stopping operation of the reading star of the automatic alignment apparatus of the third preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figure 16 is a flowchart of the automatic alignment operation, which uses the automatic alignment apparatus of the third preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figure 17 is a schematic view of the phenomenon of rotational decentering that occurs during a cutting operation of the disc brake winch in a vehicle, mounted on the hub of a vehicle. Figure 18 is a schematic view of a phenomenon of linear decentering that occurs during a cutting operation of the disc brake winch in a vehicle, mounted on the hub of a vehicle. Figure 19a and 19b are cross-sectional and front views, respectively, of a rotary piezoelectric accelerometer of the measuring system and controlling the offset of the present invention. Figure 20 is a front view of a rotary transducer of magnetic contrast effect of the centering measurement and control system of the present invention. Figures 21 and 21a are front and side views of a rotating infrared generator accelerometer of the centering measurement and control system of the present invention. Figure 22 is a front view of a tuned coil rotary oscillator accelerator of the measurement and control system of the present invention.

Figure 23 is a circuit diagram of the control system and the off-center control and measurement system of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Background of the Invention Referring now to Figure 3, there is shown a perspective view of a lathe 30 for disc brake in a vehicle, of the present invention mounted on a hub 44 of a brake unit 14 of a vehicle. . The disc brake winch 30 includes a motor 32, a body 34, a cutting head 36 with cutting tools 38 and an adapter 40. The vehicle disc brake unit includes a rotor 42 operably attached to a hub. 44. Normally, the connection of the rotor 42 to the hub is through a rotor liner (not shown) formed in the rotor 42 (ie, a "hubless" rotor). However, an integral rotor and hub are used in commercial vehicles. The adapter 40 is mounted to the hub 42 of the vehicle using the projecting nuts 46.

Apparatus and Method for Automatic Compensation of Off center The novel disc brake winch in a vehicle with automatic compensation and alignment mechanism of the subject invention is now described with reference to Figures 4 to 9. With reference to Figure 4, a lathe 48 having a mechanism of automatic alignment 50, the body or housing of the lathe 52, bushing adapter 54 and the drawbar unit 56. The drawbar unit includes a drawbar 58 that extends through the body 52 and the alignment mechanism 50 and is functionally connected to the adapter 54 by means of a threaded connection (as shown) or the like. A calibrated knob 60 is tightened during the automated lathe alignment sequence and after the alignment is completed, a run knob 62 is tightened for the cutting operation. The spring 64 is a belleville washer that provides a loading force on the bar 58 which in turn runs through the components of the winch. Referring to Figure 5a, a cross-sectional view of the self-alignment coupling 50 of the preferred embodiment is shown. An input adapter 66 is functionally connected to a rotating drive shaft of the lathe machine (shown in interrupted lines in FIG. 4). The arrow 68 is attached to the input adapter 66 so that the mounting face adapter 66 is perpendicular to the arrow shaft 68 so that the arrow 68 runs in alignment with the axis of the lathe machine. Two disk drives 86 and 88 are provided for adjustment or tilt to be interposed between the input adapter 66 and an alignment drive disk 70, which is attached to the arrow 68 and rotated therewith by a key 72 and a regulating screw 74. A pivot plate 76 is operatively connected to an output adapter 78 and mounted to the arrow 68 by means of the spherical bearing 80 so that the pivot plate 76 can pivotally move relative to the arrow 68 while remaining limited. of the radial movement. A pin 82, inserted in the pivot plate 76, fits into a slot 84 attached to the periphery of the drive disk 70 and causes the pivot plate 76 to rotatably engage the arrow 68 and the input adapter 66. Thus, when the input adapter 66 is mounted on the drive shaft of the lathe machine and the output adapter 78 is mounted on the adapter 54 of the brake disk of the automobile, the output rotation of the lathe machine will cause The adapter of the car's brake disc rotates, causing the brake disc to rotate. The adjustment or diverting disk units 86 and 88, which are mirrors one from the other, are positioned between the input adapter 66 and the output adapter 78 as shown. The axial force produced by the axially mounted drawbar 58, which assembles the outlet adapter 78 to the brake disc hub of the automobile, causes the output adapter 78 to be forced against the inclined disc unit 88 and assume an angle to the arrow 68 which depends on the rotational relative positions of the inclined disk 90 and 92. Referring to Figure 6, the disk drives 90 and 92 of adjustment are shown in parallel and in positions of maximum angular off-centering. The control of the relative position of the inclined discs 90 and 92 is achieved while the output shaft of the lathe machine is driving the brake disc hub of the automobile. Specifically, by stopping the rotation of the stop disk 94 or 96, its associated inclined disk is rotated relative to the other inclined disk, thereby producing a change in the output angle of the disk adjustment units 86 and 88, causing the angle of the output adapter 78 to change in response. This causes a change in the angular alignment of the lathe machine shaft and the car's disk brake shaft. As shown in Figures 5a and 5b, stop discs 94 and 96 are selectively stopped by energizing a respective electromagnetic latch 98 and 100. The hooks are controlled by a microprocessor system that works in conjunction with a mechanism for controlling and measuring the offset described in more detail below. The output arrow of the lathe machine rotates at a speed that is too fast (eg, 123.14 RPM) to allow the stop and release of a stop disk and associated slanted disc for adjustment. Thus, the rotation speed of the adjustment components is decreased by using a gear train contained in each of the inclined disc units. The gear train will extend the time allowed for adjustments at a given 1/2 revolution of the arrow 68 (ie, the time it takes for the stop pin 114 to stop the relative rotation of the inclined discs at 1/2 revolution for maximum angular offset adjustment). For example, the time is extended to 123.14 RPM of the rotation arrow, from .243 seconds per 1/2 revolution of the arrow 68 to 3,297 seconds thus allowing easy and complete adjustment of the inclined disk drives 86 and 88. Making Referring to Figures 6 and 7a, the preferred gear mechanism comprises a gear 102 that contains 88 teeth, the gear 102 is engaged with the key 104 to rotate with the arrow 68. The gear 106 contains 38 teeth and is mounted on a pivot 108 formed in the stop disk 94. Thus, when the stop disk 94 is stopped by the electromagnetic latch 98, the gear 106 rotates at a much faster speed than the arrow 68. For example, if the arrow 68 rotates to 123.14 RPM, gear 105 rotates at 285,166 RPM. A gear 110, also mounted on the pivot 108, is provided with 36 teeth and is fastened with pin to the gear 106 to rotate therewith. The gear 110 is coupled to the gear 112 which is provided with, for example 90 teeth. Thus, the gear 112 rotates at 114.06 RPM, or .926X the rotational speed of the arrow 11, rotating backward relative to the arrow 68 and the inclined disk 92. Since the inclined disc 90 is secured with pin to the gear 112, it also moves backward relative to the arrow 68 thereby adjusting the relative position of the inclined disks 90 and 92. The gear arrangement and the stop discs of the present invention allow adjustment of the inclined disc units and thus both, the alignment of the drive shafts of the lathe and the hub axes, without the need for a separate motor or power source. It is understood that the identified gear ratios and the speeds of rotation are practical examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention thereof. When the stop disk 94 is released, it and the inclined disc 90, in its new position, rotate again at the speed of the arrow 68.

A stop pin 114 secured to the inclined disc 92 stops the relative rotation of the discs inclined to 1/2 revolution. With the stop disk 94 being parallel to the stop disk 96 at one end for maximum angular offset at the other end. Specifically, by stopping the rotation of both stop discs 94 and 96, the adjustment disc 90 and 92 remain fixed in reciprocal relationship. Stopping the rotation of the stop disk 94 only until the stop pin 114 engages the inclined disk 90 causes the stop disk 96, and thus the output adapter 78, to assume the maximum angular offset position. Referring to Figure 8, the adjustment disc units 86 and 88 and the associated adjustment discs 90 and 92 are rotated in reciprocal relationship so that the "tilt" or wedge in respective interfaces complements each other and the surface Input of the unit is parallel to the output surface. This is achieved by stopping the stop disk 94 until the latch 114 engages the slanted disk 90. Thus, the output adapter 78"runs aligned" with the input rotation axis. The angle of the interface of the two inclined discs has been exaggerated in the figures, for clarity. The angle could be of a dimension that depends on the application of the winch, but could be in the order of 0.323 degrees. It is noted that because the input adapter 66 is solidly mounted to the arrow 68 and its face is perpendicular to the axis of rotation, the adapter 66 serves as a position reference to the inclined disc unit 86. Referring to FIG. Figure 9, the inclined disc units 86 and 88 with the discs are rotated in reciprocal relationship by stopping the stopping disc 96 until the pin 114 engages the inclined disc 90. In this position the inclined angle on the two reciprocally inclined discs , causes the output surface of the unit and the output adapter 78 to display the maximum angular offset with the input rotation axis. With the novel alignment adjustment system of the present invention, the offset caused by misalignment between the axle of the vehicle hub and the axle of the winch can be corrected without the loss of time and the inexact manual methods of the prior art. With the novel system, additional adjustment motors are not necessary and exact and automated realignment is possible when the novel alignment system is operated in conjunction with a control and measurement system of the type described below. A second preferred embodiment incorporates the fundamental characteristics of those exhibited in relation to the first embodiment, but allows adjustments with only one inclined disc and the output pivots on a selectable axis only when they are driven by the inclined disc. In the first preferred embodiment, the compensation vector (explained in greater detail when referring to Figures Ia and llb) necessary to adjust the angle of the output adapter 78 could potentially require adjustment of two inclined discs. The fixed pivot shaft of the second preferred embodiment eliminates this problem, requiring only one adjustment, potentially reducing the time required for the alignment of the arrow. Referring to Figure 10a, a cross-sectional view of automatic alignment coupling or mechanism 120 is shown occupying the same position of mechanism 50 of the first embodiment shown in Figure 4. Inlet adapter 122 is attached to the arrow rotation of the lathe machine. The arrow 124 is attached to the input adapter 122 so that the adapter 122 mounting the face is perpendicular to the arrow 124 so that the arrow 124 runs aligned with the axis of the lathe machine. A second arrow 126 is positioned on the arrow 124 and the rotated position of the second arrow 126 relative to the arrow 124 is controlled by the stop disk unit 128. The stop disk unit 128 contains a gear train and operates similar to the stopping disk units 94 and 88 of the first preferred embodiment. Nevertheless, in this case, instead of driving an inclined disk when the stop disk 130 is stopped by an electromagnetic latch, the second arrow 126 is driven and moves backward relative to the arrow 124. The rotary movement of the arrow 126 also controls the rotational position of a pivot ring unit 132 which is firmly attached to the second arrow 126. An output adapter 134 is mounted on the arrow 124, held in place by a clamp ring 136, and rotated with the arrow 124 by a drive disc 138. A second stop disk unit 130, which contains a gear train, is mounted on the second arrow 126 and operates in a manner similar to the stop discs 94 and 96 of the first preferred embodiment with the output of the gear train driving a single inclined disk 140 detailed in Figure 10c. When the stop disk 130 is stopped, the inclined disk 140 moves backward relative to the arrow 124. The axial force produced by an axially mounted drawbar 58, see again Figure 4, causes the output adapter 134 , through the pivot ring 132, assume an angle with respect to the arrow 124 that depends on the rotated position of the inclined disc 140. Referring to Figure 10b, a cross-sectional view of the automatic alignment mechanism rotated 90 degrees is shown counterclockwise around the input shaft of Figure 10a. The pivot ring 132 does not rest against the stop disk unit 130 on its total surface. Instead, there are 2"protuberances" placed diametrically on the face of the pivot ring 132 resting against the stop disk unit 130. This allows the inclined disk 140 to transmit its angle to the pivot ring 132 but allows the Pivot ring 132 pivots on its fixed shaft pins 142. Thus, once adjusted, the necessary compensation vector (explained in more detail when referring to Figures 11 and 11b) is necessary so that the alignment does not change when the inclined disk 140 varies the offset angle of output. Referring to Figure 10, the pivot ring unit 132 is shown in greater detail. Specifically, by making one of the "protuberances" on the pivot ring 132 a certain amount larger than the other, the pivot ring 132 becomes perpendicular to the arrow 124 at an extreme position of the inclined disc 140 and at maximum angle of compensation at the other end. A variance of 1/2 degree, for example, is provided between the protrusions as shown in Figure 10Od. Similarly, a 1/2 degree variance is provided between the protuberances in the inclined disc 140 as shown in Figure 10c. In this way, when the inclined disc 140 and the pivot ring 132 are placed against the disc 130 with the 1/2 degree face angles complementing each other, an offset of 0 degrees between the input to output adapters is achieved. On the other hand, when the disc is rotated 180 degrees in reciprocal relation, the opposite angles to each other and the entrance and exit of decentering is 1 degree. Referring now to FIGS. 11 and 11b, there is shown a schematic illustration of the relationship between the compensation vector, the compensation angle, the pivot axis contemplated by the alignment device of the present invention. In general, two parameters are important when aligning the rotation arrows of the winch and the brake bushing. The first parameter referred to as the "compensation vector" is defined by the rotation position where the deflection of the lateral offset of the brake winch is the largest. The second parameter referred to as the "compensation angle" is defined by the angle that the input adapter and the output adapter must assume in reciprocal relation in order to compensate for this lateral offset. In the second modality, the compensation vector and the compensation angle can be adjusted separately as shown in Figure 10A. However, in the first and third modes (described below), the compensation vector is set by simultaneously "stopping or stopping" the input disk and the output disk. This does not affect the relative rotational positions of the discs and therefore does not change the angle of entry to exit. • More than that, adjusting the compensation vector only changes the rotational position where the ability to change the disc angle is effective. The compensation angle is adjusted by "stopping" the output disc only, which rotates it relative to the input disc and thus changes the input to the output angle. Referring now to Figures 12 to 16, a third preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown. The third preferred embodiment is similar to the first preferred embodiment differing in that the inclined discs are separated from each other and from the inlet and outlet adapters by means of roller pusher thrust pads to allow free rotation of these elements under normal axial pressure; the placement rotations of the inclined discs in reciprocal relation and in relation to the input and output adapters is carried out by actuating four "reading stars" that drive the inclined discs through the gear trains; and the ability of the inclined discs to be positioned both forward and reverse is provided, allowing a considerable reduction in time for final alignment. Referring to Figure 12, there is a cross-sectional drawing of an automatic alignment coupling or mechanism 144, occupying the same position of the mechanism 50 of the first embodiment shown in Figure 4. An input adapter 146 is attached to the output arrow of the brake lathe and rotationally driven by it. The adapter 146 contains two "read stars" 180 and 182 that drive the gear trains that finally place an inclined disc 152, described in greater detail when referring to Figure 13a. An adapter cover 154 serves as a cover for the gear and as a bearing surface running perpendicularly aligned with the arrow 156 which is attached to the input adapter 146. The thrust bearing unit 158_, with its two race rings, is placed between the inclined disc 152 of the inlet and the bearing surface of the adapter cover 154. This bearing unit allows free rotation of the inclined disk J-52 relative to the input adapter 146 and the arrow 156 attached while the automatic alignment mechanism is under axial pressure in normal operation. The inclined disc 160 is separated from the inclined disc 152 by means of a thrust bearing unit 162 identical to the thrust bearing unit 158 to allow the inclined disc 160 to rotate freely under axial pressure. A third thrust bearing unit 164 is positioned between the outgoing sprocket 160 and the cover 166 of the outlet adapter, to allow again the free rotation of the slanted disc 160 out. The output adapter 168 contains the same "read star" and the gear unit as the input adapter 146 d does. This differs in that it is free to move to an angle that varies as much as 1 degree, for example, perpendicular to the arrow shaft 156. The output adapter 158 is rotationally coupled to the arrow 156 by means of a drive arm 170 which it is keyed to the arrow 156. Referring to Figure 13b, the input side of the output adapter 168 without the read star and the gears is shown for clarity. The drive arm 170 is shown in place with the key 172 engaging the arrow 156. A drive pin 174 is positioned in the output adapter 168 and is engaged in the slot 176 of the drive arm 170 to make the adapter 168 will rotate with the arrow 156 while allowing the output adapter 168 to tilt angularly relative to the arrow 156. Referring to Figure 12, a collar 178 serves as both a bearing surface for the inside diameter of the adapter 168 of exit like espaldón to avoid the disassembled of the parts when the mechanism of self-alignment does not operate under axial pressure. A corrugated washer 153 or the like is placed between the input slant disc 152 and the input adapter 146 to provide some friction so that rotation of the slant disc 160 will not cause undesired rotation of the slant disc 152. With reference to Figure 13a, the input and output adapter units preferably comprise a front reading star 180 which is coupled to the gear 184 having, for example, 18 teeth. The gear 184 meshes with a gear 186 having, for example, 56 teeth. The gear 186 is coupled to the gear 188 having, for example, 18 teeth. The gear 188 meshes with an annular gear 190 which has for example140 teeth. The annular gear 190 is operatively linked to a respective inclined disc 152 or 160 as shown in Figure 12. Referring again to Figure 13a, when the complete self-aligning mechanism rotates at 2.05 RPS for example, in normal operation, the wheel 180 can be rotated by "hooking" one or more teeth while the reading wheel 180 passes through a fixed stop mechanism comprising an electromagnetic latch or the like. Thus, a tilted disc can be rotated in increases relative to the self-aligning mechanism. The reverse reading star 182 and the gear unit operates in a manner similar to the forward reading star 180 and the gear unit, except that an additional gear 192 causes the inclined rotation to rotate in the opposite direction when the star of reading 182 is rotated. Referring to Figure 14, a stopping mechanism 194 of the reading star is shown comprising a toothed engagement member 196 and a magnetic element such as a solenoid 198 or the like. Preferably, a stop mechanism 194 is provided to operate in conjunction with the input adapter 146 and another is provided to operate in conjunction with the output adapter 168. The toothed member 196 may contain one or more teeth so as to "hook" one or more teeth of the reading star in each rotation of the automatic alignment mechanism. Note that the teeth of member 196 are spaced to allow time to lift the toothed member between contact with the read star to control the amount of rotation of the star by rotation of the self-aligning mechanism. While the reading stars on each adapter 146 and 168 are in line, the action of the "latching" or "stopping" mechanism of the reading star has to be timed in synchronism with the rotation "of the self-aligning mechanism to so that only the desired star (i.e., forward star 180 or reverse star 182) is driven Figure 15 shows an exemplary timing control diagram for the star stop mechanism 194. As shown , a similar timing transducer or pulse transducer is used as reference point, Referring to Figure 16, a diagram flow of the novel alignment process as specifically exemplified with reference to the third preferred embodiment is shown. notes that any suitable measuring device could be used in conjunction with the alignment mechanism, preferably, however, a novel sensing device. The measurement and measurement of the present invention as described below, is used to operate in conjunction with the novel alignment mechanisms described below. It is also noted that although the alignment process is shown and described in Figure 16 with reference to the third preferred embodiment, the algorithm of the general process is applicable to all embodiments of the present invention. In addition, the apparatus and the novel process for alignment can also be advantageously used in other practical applications to align two arrows that rotate concentrically. In general, the flow chart of Figure 16 shows a sequence of "trial and error" settings where an adjustment is made initially by stopping a reading star in one of the adapters and measuring the change in offset or alignment. If decentering improves, an additional adjustment is ordered in the same direction. If the alignment worsens, an adjustment is ordered in the opposite direction. This process is repeated until the alignment is corrected until they are within the specifications and the winch shaft and hub axis align. Two different periods of adjustment are employed in the present invention. A first cycle takes place where large adjustments are made in the orientation of the inclined discs 152 and 160 to more significantly change the alignment of the shaft and arrow of the hub, and with this correct the decentering. Once the alignment reaches a predetermined low level, finer adjustments are made to correct the off-center to within the specified tolerances. Referring to Figure 16, the offset process begins with the initialization of several variables. In step 302, the stop level of the stop mechanism 194 is set to three performances of the reading stars. This provides the large movements of the inclined discs 152 and 160 at the beginning of the adjustment cycle. Also in step 302, several internal accounts and limits are initialized, including the Z flag and the D flag, and a test counter. Also, the initial specification value is provided and represents an acceptable level of offset. Normally, the value is set to be in the order of 0.001 inch. The test counter works when the off-center falls to a "Min" value. This counter causes the value of "Spec" to increase after the system attempts to reach the current offset value "Spec" ("Spec" -Specifications) a programmed number of attempts or cycles. This prevents the system from always trying to reach an offset value that is impossible under the circumstances.

An initial evaluation of the off-center is done in step 303 and this quantity is stored an R-pres, representative of a base value of the off-center. Step 304 provides a comparison of the measured offset with an offset measurement conforming to the specification, usually in the order of 0.001 inches as indicated above. If the offset is less than .001 inches, the offset is determined to fall within the specified tolerances ("Spec") and no additional compensation is required as indicated in step 310. In step 306, the value of R- pres is copied to the memory location of R-last. Next, if R-pres does not exceed a predetermined level "Min" (step 307), the stop mechanism 196 is set to stop a tooth of the read star 180 or 182 per revolution as indicated in step 308. In step 309, the test count is incremented and in step 310 the intent account is evaluated so that the intent account is at a limit, the offset limit "Spec" is raised (step 311) and the count of test is reset to 0 (step 312). The upper "Spec" limit usually consists of a value that is still acceptable but less preferred than the original "Spec" limit (for example 0.001 inch). For example, the "Spec" greater than 0.003 inch is acceptable. In step 313, the Z flag is tested to determine whether the performance of the reading star has run in both directions. That is, if both the output reading star 180 (forward) and 182 (reverse) have been activated. In step 10, if the flag Z has not been tilted twice, then the program proceeds to step 315 to determine the state of the flag D and if the flag Z has been tilted has been tilted twice, then the step 314 scales to flag D. If D equals 0, then the read only output star is triggered by changing the "compensation angle" of the system. If D is equal to 1, both the output and input read stars are triggered to change the "compensation vector" of the system. In step 318, the system waits for one of the two revolutions of the lathe (depending on whether the accelerometer is operating in mode 1 or in mode 2 as described below) before continuing in order to allow transients entered by The last setting of the reading star will dissipate. In step 319, off-centering is measured again. In step 320, if the decentering is less than the Spec (eg, .001 or .003 inch), the system proceeds to step 305 and the offset adjustment is completed. In step 321, the offset of the current measurement, R-pres, is compared to the offset of the last measurement, R-last. If R-pres is less than R-last, the system continues to step 306 where R-pres is copied to R-last and the process continues through another iteration and the same previously read reading star is triggered again. If, on the other hand, R-pres is greater than R-last, the system continues in step 322 where the flag Z is tilted towards its opposite state. The control is then returned to step 306 where, in turn, the other reading star of the reading star pair is operated to cause the rotation of the adjustment disc * in an opposite direction. In this way, the system uses a trial and error technique to reduce off-centering. As the decentering continues to decrease, additional performances of the same star occur. However, if the decentering gets worse, the opposite reading star is activated to start correcting the offset. If this forward and reverse cycle does not improve the offset, the compensation vector is adjusted by moving the adjustment discs both input and output. A microprocessor and suitable circuitry control the operation of the present invention as described below when referring to Figure 23. The alignment adjustment system of the present invention is a substantial improvement of the devices and techniques of the prior art. Once the appropriate sensing and measuring system is properly secured (for example, one of the novel systems discussed below), the automatic alignment system provides the mechanical compensation of the total lateral offset present in the disc brake unit. Specifically, the alignment system adjusts the alignment of the brake winch component with respect to the vehicle hub in order to compensate for lateral offset. This, in turn, ensures that the cutting head 36 is positioned perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the hub 44.

System for the Control and Measurement of the Lateral Descentrado. The apparatus and method for off-center compensation set forth above serve to align the lathe and the rotor shaft under the direction of an angular decentered detection and control mechanism of the present invention. However, it is understood that the mechanism of detection and control of off-centering described herein can be used without any suitable detector which is responsible for the acceleration or angular variation in the distance between the end of the cutting tool of the winch body and the car. under consideration In the present invention, the decentering detector preferably takes an electronic accelerometer. The novel measurement and control system can also advantageously be used in other practical applications to align two concentrically connected rotary arrows. Referring to Figures 17 and 18, there is shown a bead winder unit coupled through a self-aligning mechanism of the type shown and described above, for a wheel axle. Lathe tools are shown at the arm end of the brake unit mechanism, arranged to move from the center of the brake disc to the outside while the drive motor causes the wheel and brake disc to rotate as described before The solid lines show the position of the mechanism when the wheel axis and the lathe axis are in alignment. Under these conditions, the lathe tools cut the disc surfaces smoothly. However, where offset is present, the winch will rotate back and forth when in use. The dotted lines show the undulation of the lathe mechanism when the wheel axis and the lathe axis are misaligned (in the drawing the decentered is very exaggerated). Obviously, with the undulation of the tools and the winch mechanism, the lateral offset of the disc brake is cut off in the rotor and this operation is not acceptable. Note that at point "X" the mechanism changes its position not only linearly but also in a rotational direction perpendicular to the drive axis. That is, the angle of the mechanism changes cyclically as the wheel is rotated. It is at this point that the detection devices of the decentering detection and control mechanism of the present invention are preferably placed to optimize the sensitivity of the measurement. Preferably, the detector devices are additionally arranged so that the internal axis of the rotor (as described below) is perpendicular to the drive shaft of the lathe. Referring to Figure 18, there is another misalignment mode that can occur when the wheel axis and the winch axis are in misalignment. That is, misalignment out of center. With this, the movement of the winch mechanism contains only linear components while not being angularly offset, therefore there is no rotational movement perpendicular to the drive axis. This off-centering movement does not significantly detract from the smooth cutting of the brake disc surface and can be allowed. For this reason, it is an object that the detecting device of the present invention detects only the rotating components printed in its housing while rejecting all linear movements. A variety of different detection configurations can be used as part of the decentering detection and control mechanism of the present invention. Generally, there are two operating modes used when using the rotary accelerometer as an off-center detector. In a first mode the natural frequency of the resonant movement of the rotor transducer is configured (as explained below) to be approximately 1.5 times - the frequency of the lathe's praying. In the configuration of this mode, the accelerometer achieves the fastest tracking of the changes in off-center and therefore, often the fastest alignment due to the inherent damping in the frequency differential. However, the sensitivity of the system offset is less than 1/2 that of mode two. In mode two, the natural frequency of the resonant movement of the transducer-rotor is configured to be below the rotation frequency of the lathe. This provides the greatest sensitivity for off-centering and helps suppress harmonics in the off-center movement that can cause alignment uncertainty. However, this configuration mode is slower in tracking the changes in off-center which can make the alignment slow compared to the one configuration mode. In any case, the natural frequency of the resonant movement should never be placed in the rotation frequency of the lathe because operating in resonance with the lathe results in an unnatural sudden increase of the rotor-transducer movement that does not allow the accelerometer to immediately follow the magnitude of the offset, making the alignment process seriously slow. Regardless of the mode of operation, several considerations are relevant in the implementation of each of the embodiments of the inventive accelerometer. First, the accelerometer rotor must be fully balanced in order to ensure the measurement of rotational accelerations, while rejecting linear accelerations. Second, the rotation of the rotor must be physically limited so that rotation only occurs within the sensitive area of the transducer. Finally, the natural frequency of the resonant movement of the rotor-transducer must be configured to operate in either mode 1 or 2 as previously discussed. In this regard, the natural frequency depends on various variables including the mass of the rotor, the diameter of the rotor and the characteristics of a spring element (for example the music wire).

The accelerometer mode that uses a piezoelectric element as a detector (described below) is more suitable to operate where the natural frequency of the resonant movement is approximately 1.5 times the rotation frequency of the lathe because some force is required to bend the element that has cause a high spring speed. The other transducer schemes described below are not contact devices and the spring speed can be dictated by the spring selection. In this regard, these embodiments are well suited either "for mode one or operation mode 2. In a first embodiment as shown in Figure 19, there is a rotary accelerometer detector 210. Detector 210 comprises a housing 212 containing a rotor 214 mounted for rotation in the bearings 216 and 218. The rotor 214 is carefully balanced so that all accelerations except the rotational acceleration do not cause rotation of the rotor 214. The rotation of the rotor 214 is detected by an element 220 piezoelectric which is mounted between the housing 212 and the rotor 214 and inclined by any rotation of the rotor 214 producing a voltage proportional to the amount of the inclination Rotating the rotor 214 is limited to protect the piezoelectric element 220 by mounting the element 220 piezoelectric in the slot 222 in the rotor 214. The piezoelectric disk 220 and the rotor 214 function as a spring and mass system which has a natural frequency of resonant movement as generally described in the foregoing. In this spring / mass system, the rotor constitutes the mass and the piezoelectric disk 220 constitutes the spring. In this mode, the system operates in mode one so that the mass and diameter of the rotor and the quality of the piezoelectric spring are adjusted to obtain a frequency in the order of 1.5 times the rotation frequency of the lathe. It is further important that the rotor 11 be suitably damped to minimize the start time This can be achieved by filling the housing 10 with a viscous fluid and sealing the housing with a cover Alternatively, the damping can be provided by using a viscous material adhering to the bearings 12. and 13. Other damping techniques are considered to be within the scope of the invention.A resulting signal, whose amplitude is proportional to the magnitude of the angular off-center, is then sent to a control system as described below when referring to Figure 23. The detector device of the present invention can also be configured with alternative elements of tra nduction that provide an adequate control signal. For example, the inventive detector may be a detector element comprising an accelerometer with a tuned coil oscillator. Referring to Figure 22, the spring component of this system comprises a wire 244 (preferably a music or piano wire) that is attached to body 256 and rotor 246 as shown. The wire can be attached by any suitable means such as clamps as shown in Figure 22. As previously noted, the natural frequency of the resonant movement of the rotor-transducer depends on the mass and diameter of the rotor and the characteristics of the spring. When a music wire 244 is used to control the frequency as shown, the tension of the wire 244 and the caliber of the wire 244 are manipulated to vary the frequency. For example, to achieve a natural frequency or resonant movement of the rotor-transducer that is below the frequency of the rotation of the lathe, a calibration is used in the range of approximately 9 to 10 hundredths and the tension of the wire is configured to be relatively loose. On the other hand, to achieve a natural frequency of resonant rotor-transducer movement that is approximately 1.5 times the rotation frequency of the lathe, a calibration is used in the range of approximately 16 hundredths and the tension of the wire is configured to be relatively tight. A disc 248 of ferrite or the like is placed on the periphery of the rotor 246 adjacent to a coil 250 mounted in the housing, which forms the -L- of an oscillator circuit 252. When the rotor 246 rotates, the ferrite disk 248 moves relative to the coil 250, causing a change in the inductance of the coil 250 of the oscillator, and therefore a change in the oscillation frequency. A discriminator 254 converts the change in oscillation frequency to a direct current variation voltage. This variation voltage reflects the rotation of the accelerometer housing 256. The signal is then advanced to a control system as described below when referring to Figure 23. As noted above, it is important to configure the rotor so that it is balanced. In order to limit the rotation of the rotor so that rotation only occurs within the sensitive area of the transducer, a counterbore 245 is provided which cooperates with a pin 247 to limit rotation of the rotor in a suitable manner. Other limit means are within the scope of the invention. In an alternative embodiment, the detector device is an accelerometer with a magnetic contrast effect transducer as shown in Figure 20. In this configuration, an Icaf spring 222 has a spring speed which, in combination with the rotor inertia 224 , provides a resonant frequency of approximately 1.5 times the rotational speed of the brake winch shaft (ie, operation in mode one). Alternatively, the accelerometer of this mode could be configured to operate in the one or two mode using a music wire as described above. A magnet 226 is placed on the periphery of the rotor 224. A contrast-effect transducer 228 with a linear characteristic is placed in the housing 230 adjacent the magnet 226 so that the rotary movement of the rotor is reflected in the output voltage of the transducer 228 of contrast effect. The magnitude of the alternating current voltage at the output of the contrast effect transducer 228 is a reflection of the rotational movement of the accelerometer housing 230 which is attached to the winch, preferably in the position identified when referring to Figures 17 and 18. The resulting signal is advanced to a control system as described below with reference to Figure 23. In yet another alternative mode, the detector element comprises an accelerometer with an infrared generator. Referring to Figure 21 and 21a, a laminar spring 232 is shown having preferably a spring velocity which, in combination with the inertia of a rotor 234, provides a resonant frequency of approximately 1.5 times the rotational speed of the arrow of the brake lathe Again, this accelerometer could be alternatively configured to operate in the one or two mode using a music wire as described above. An infrared generator diode 236 is placed in front of an infrared detector diode 238 on the housing 240 near the periphery of the rotor 234. A shutter 242 is attached to the rotor 234 and projects between the IR generator 236 and the IR detector 238 so that the rotational movement of the rotor 234 varies the amount of radiant energy transferred, causing the voltage to leave the IR detector 238 to reflect the magnitude of the rotation of the housing 240. Again, this measurement reflects the offset of the disk coupling. The signal is advanced to a control system as described with reference to Figure 23. The detector and control mechanism of the present invention further comprises a control circuit which is now described with reference to Figure 23. The transducer 400 can advantageously being understood from any of several different types of detectors designed to evaluate the rotational acceleration of the lathe as set forth below. Because the lateral decentration manifests itself in variable rotational movement imparted to the lathe, any detector arrangement capable of producing an exact qualitative measure of rotational acceleration can be used. The preferred one structured herein uses an inertial disk and a piezoelectric element such as transducer 400, as described in more detail below. The output of the transducer 400 is fed to the amplifier 402 and then to the rectifier 404. Because the decentering produces a cyclic movement in the lathe, the signal produced by the transducer 400 is sinusoidal by nature; however, at lower offset levels other waveforms may resonate. After amplification by the amplifier 402 and rectification by the full-wave rectifier 403, the off-center request signal is fed to an integrator 404 which resets 406 each rotation cycle of the lathe as indicated. The signal is then sent to a sample and verification circuit 407. A contrast collection timer 405 produces a synchronization signal as shown. The output is then transmitted to the 408 A / D converter (alternating current / direct current) that samples the voltage level and produces a digital representation of it. The output of the converter 408 A / D is passed to both the holding circuit 410 and the microprocessor 412. The output of the holding circuit 410 is also provided to the microprocessor 412. The holding circuit 410 is a conventional sample and check hold and is It clocks just before the A / D time converter 408 presents a new sample. In this way, both the current sample taken by the converter 408 A / D and the last sample taken by the converter 408 A / D are available to the microprocessor 412. At the output of the microprocessor 412, amplifiers 414 and 416 are provided. used for the impulse stop mechanism 196. Taken in conjunction with the algorithm indicated in Figure 16, the microprocessor 412 is thus provided with a sample stream of the rotor offset under consideration, together with a sample representing the last historical value of the decentering. In this way, the microprocessor implements the trial and error technique described above with respect to Figure 16.

SUMMARY OF THE MAJOR ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION After reading and understanding the above detailed description of an inventive brake lathe, in a vehicle, with an automatic alignment system and process, in accordance with the preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be appreciated that various advantages are obtained other than the system and the object alignment process. Without attempting to establish all the desirable features of the present disc brake winch in a vehicle, with automatic alignment system, at least some of the major advantages included that provides a disc brake winch in a vehicle, which has an alignment unit automated device 50 including a pair of adjustment disc units that are positioned between an input adapter 66, 122, 146 and an output adapter 78, 134, 168. Each of the adjustment disc units includes an adjustment disc 90, 92, 140, 152, 160 and the associated stop disk. An electromagnetic coupling 98, 100 or the like is operatively associated with each of the stop discs 94, 96 and operates in response to a control signal issued from a control system. When the rotation of one of the stop discs stops, the rotational movement of the winch drive shaft is transferred, through the appropriate gear, to a respective adjustment disc to change the relative position of the drive shaft of the winch and the hub of the vehicle.

In a preferred embodiment, the control algorithm and the alignment process herein comprises a series of "trial and error" adjustment questions in order to compensate for off-centering. While the lathe starts to rotate and the contrast signal provides a timing signal, and the offset level is evaluated and if within the "Spec" limit, usually 0.001 inch, the alignment goes to the light "Low-Ready for Cut "and the program ends. If the offset is above the "Spec" limit, an action of the forward readout star is ordered. Decentering is evaluated and if it is lower, additional actions of the same reading star are ordered until an action causes the decentering to increase. At this point, if the decentering is still above the "Spec" limit, an action of the output readout star is ordered in reverse. If the decentering is lower, additional actions are ordered until an action causes the decentering to increase. The two previous actions adjust the "compensation angle". At this point, if the de-centering is still above the "Spec" limit, one operation of the sample star is ordered one after the other in advance of both the output and the input. This action adjusts the "compensation vector". The decentering is evaluated and if it is lower, additional actions are ordered, one after the other, of the reading stars of the output and input, until an action causes the decentering to increase. At this point, if the decentering is still above "Spec", one of the output and input retrace reading stars is ordered one after the other. Decentralization is evaluated and if it is lower, additional actions are ordered. If a performance causes the offset to increase, and if the offset is still above the "Spec" limit, the actions of the reading star invert the output read-only stars to the mode again as previously described. This sequence of action continues as in the previous, trial and error, until the decentering is reduced to the "Spec" limit, where the "Ready to Cut" light illuminates and the program ends. An account of the number of tests is maintained to reach the "Spec" offset level and when a predetermined number of tests is exceeded, the acceptance level is raised to approximately 0.003 of an inch and if the decentration is within this level, a "Ready for Cut" light illuminates and the program ceases. If this new higher offset level can not be reached after a predetermined number of tests, an "Out of Spec" light is illuminated and the program ends. The operator goes to verify the coupling of the lathe to the brake disc hub and to check the bad wheel cushions, corrects the problem and tries the alignment cycle again. Depending on the level of offset, the system can be controlled so that the teeth of the reading star are "engaged" in each actuation of the reading star for fast adjustment or only one tooth of the star is engaged in each action, allowing fine adjustment of the offset level. In describing the invention, reference has been made to a preferred embodiment and to the illustrative advantages of the invention. Those skilled in the art, however, and familiar with the present disclosure of the subject invention, may recognize additions, deletions, modifications, substitutions and other changes that fall within the scope of the invention object of the present.

Claims (29)

1. CLAIMS t 1. A disc brake system in a vehicle for renewing the brake disc surface of a vehicle brake unit, the brake winch comprises a winch body with a drive motor, a bonded cutting head functionally to the body, and a drive shaft, the lathe system for braking in a vehicle is further defined by an alignment system comprising: an input adapter configured to rotate with the drive shaft; an output adapter configured to rotate with the drive arrow; at least one stop disk placed between an input and output adapter and operated to follow the rotation of the drive shaft and which can be operated to rotate in relation to the rotation of the drive shaft; and at least one adjustment disc associated with the at least one respective stop disk and operable to rotate in response to relative rotation of the at least one stop disk, the at least one adjustment disk is configured to be capable of adjust the axial alignment of the drive shaft with respect to a rotational axis of the brake disc.
2. 2. A lathe system for disc brake in a vehicle, according to claim 1, wherein: at least one stop mechanism associated with the at least one stop disk wherein the stop mechanism moves from a first stop position and a second withdrawal position so that when the stop mechanism is in the first stop position, the stop disk is rotated in relation to the rotation of the drive arrow.
3. 3. A lathe system for disc brake in a vehicle, according to claim 2, wherein: the at least one stop disk comprises a pair of stop discs rotatably secured to the input adapter so that the torque of Stop discs rotate with the input adapter when the associated stop mechanism is in the second removal position and at least one of the pair of stop discs rotates relative to the input adapter when the associated stop mechanism is in its first position of unemployment. A lathe system for disc brake in a vehicle, according to claim 3, wherein: the at least one stop disk comprises a pair of additional stop discs rotatably secured to the output adapter so that the torque of additional stop discs rotate with the output adapter when the associated stop mechanism is in the second withdrawal position and at least one of the pair of additional stop discs rotates relative to the input adapter when the associated stop mechanism is in Your first stop position. 5. A lathe system for disc brake in a vehicle, according to claim 4, wherein: the at least one adjustment disc comprises a first adjustment disc operatively associated with the pair of stop discs and a second adjustment disc functionally associated with the pair of additional stop discs. 6. A lathe system for disc brake in a vehicle, according to claim 5, wherein: the first and second adjustment discs comprise inclined discs having an inclined surface so that the inclined surfaces of the inclined discs are opposite each other in a stop-to-stop relationship. A winch system for disc brake in a vehicle, according to claim 5, further comprising: a first gear train operatively associated with the pair of stop discs and a second gear train operatively associated with the additional torque of stop discs, the gear trains are configured to follow the movement of the respective pair of stop discs, the first gear train is functionally associated with the first adjustment disc and the second gear train is functionally associated with the second disc of adjustment. A lathe system for disc brake in a vehicle, according to claim 7, wherein the first and second gear trains are configured so that when the associated stop mechanism stops one of the respective pair of stop discs, the respective adjustment disc is rotated in a first rotational direction and when the stop mechanism stops the other from the respective pair of stop discs, the respective "adjustment disc" is rotated in a rotational direction opposite to the first direction rotational A lathe system for disc brake in a vehicle, according to claim 8, further comprising: an annular gear operatively connected to the first inclined disk so that the movement of the annular gear is followed by the inclined disk. A lathe system for disc brake in a vehicle, according to claim 5, wherein the gear train comprises a first gear section associated with one of the pair of stop discs and a second gear section associated with the other of the stop discs, wherein: the first gear section comprises a first gear element operable to rotate with a respective stop disk, a second gear element meshed with the first gear element, and a third gear element that can be operated to rotate with the second engagement member, the third engagement member is engaged with the annular engagement so that the rotation of the associated stop disk causes the respective rotation of the first, second and third engagement elements thereby causing the rotation of the annular gear in the first rotational direction. the second gear section comprises a first gear element operable to rotate with a respective stop disk, a second gear element meshed with the first gear element, and a third gear element meshed with the second gear element, and a fourth gear element operable to rotate with the third gear element, the fourth gear element is engaged with the ring gear so that the rotation of the associated stop wheel causes the respective rotation of the first, second, third and third gear. fourth meshing elements, thereby causing the rotation of the annular gear in a rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction. 11. A winch system for disc brake in a vehicle, according to claim 10, further comprising a driving arm coupled to rotate with the driving arrow, the driving arm is rotationally coupled to the output adapter so that the The output adapter follows the rotation of the drive arm, the output adapter is further configured to be able to rotate about a vertical axis perpendicular to the central axis of the drive shaft. 12. A lathe system for disc brake in a vehicle, according to claim 2, wherein the at least one stop disk comprises reading stars having a plurality of protruding teeth. 13. A lathe system for disc brake in a vehicle, according to claim 12, wherein the stop mechanism comprises an electromagnetic element and a toothed engagement member that can operate to engage at least one of the plurality of teeth of the Reading star A lathe system for disc brake in a vehicle, according to claim 13, further comprising means for synchronizing the actuation of the stop mechanism so that the toothed engagement moves within its first stop position to make contact with an at least one stop disk specified upon receipt of a control signal. 15. A lathe system for disc brake in a vehicle, according to claim 1, further comprising: a draw bar extending through the winch body and the alignment system and operable for connection to a bushing adapter of a vehicle brake unit. 16. A lathe system for disc brake in a vehicle, according to claim 1; further comprising means for measuring the lateral off-centering of a brake disk, the means for measurement produces an electrical control signal that drives the stop mechanism. 17. An alignment unit for use in a lathe system for disc brake in a vehicle for renewing the surface of the brake disc of a vehicle brake unit, the alignment system comprising: an input adapter configured to rotate with a driving arrow of a lathe system for braking; an output adapter configured to rotate with a drive arrow of a lathe system for braking; at least one disk placed between an input and output adapter and operable to follow the rotation of the drive shaft and which can be operated to rotate in relation to the rotation of the drive shaft; and at least one adjustment disk associated with the at least one disk and operable to rotate in response to relative rotation of the at least one disk, the at least one adjustment disk is configured to be capable of adjusting the relative axial alignment of the input adapter with the output adapter. 18. A winch system for disc brake in a vehicle, according to claim 17, wherein: the at least one disc comprises a pair of discs rotatably secured to the input adapter so that the pair of discs rotate with the disc. input adapter and can be rotated in relation to the input adapter. 19. A winch system for disc brake in a vehicle, according to claim 18, wherein: the at least one disc comprises a pair of additional discs rotatably secured to the output adapter so that the pair of additional discs rotate with the output adapter and can be rotated in relation to the output adapter. 20. A lathe system for disc brake in a vehicle, according to claim 19, wherein: the at least one adjustment disk comprises a first adjustment disk functionally associated with the disk pair and a second associated adjustment disk functionally with the pair of additional stop discs, the first and second adjustment discs comprise inclined discs having an inclined surface so that the inclined surfaces of the inclined discs are opposite each other in a stop to stop relationship. 21. A lathe system for disc brake in a vehicle, according to claim * 20, further comprising: a first gear train operatively associated with the pair of stop discs and a second gear train functionally associated with the additional torque of stop discs, the gear trains are configured to follow the movement of the respective pair of stop discs, the first gear train is functionally associated with the first adjustment disc and the second gear train is functionally associated with the second disc of adjustment. 22. A winch system for disc brake in a vehicle according to claim 20, further comprising: a first adapter cover adjacent to the input adapter and a second adapter cover adjacent to the output adapter, the input and output adapters , the adapter covers, and the adjustment discs have a concentric axis of rotation. 23. A lathe system for disc brake in a vehicle according to claim 22, further comprising: thrust bearings positioned between the surfaces of the adapter and the adjacent surfaces of the adjustment discs. 2
4. 4. An apparatus for aligning the axes of the two rotation arrows, comprising: a first input adapter configured to rotate with one of the arrows; a second output adapter configured to rotate with the other of the arrows; at least one stop disk placed between the input and output adapter and which can be operated to follow the rotation of the first arrow and can be operated to rotate in relation to the rotation of the first arrow; and at least one adjustment disc associated with one of the at least one of the respective stop disks, for rotating in response to relative rotation of the at least one stop disk, the at least one adjustment disk is configured to be capable of of adjusting the axial alignment of the first arrow with respect to an axis of rotation of the second arrow. 2
5. 5. A method for adjustment and alignment between a vehicle brake unit and a disc brake lathe in a vehicle, which has a drive motor, a cutter head operatively attached to the body, and a drive shaft wherein the disc brake winch in a vehicle is operatively connected to the hub of a vehicle brake unit in order to compensate the off-center, which comprises the steps of: (a) measuring the rotational acceleration of the winch that is reflected in lateral de-centering of the joint between the vehicle brake unit and the disc brake winch in a vehicle; (b) comparing the measured offset value of the lathe with an acceptable stored offset limit and stopping the additional adjustment if the measured value is below an acceptable limit; (c) adjusting in a first direction the relative axial position of the drive shaft of the lathe with respect to the axis of rotation of the vehicle brake unit; (d) repeating the measurement step (a), and if it is determined that the offset is lower in the repetition, repeat the step (c) until it is determined that the offset increases; (e) adjusting in a second direction, the relative axial position of the drive shaft of the lathe relative to the axis of rotation of the vehicle brake unit; (f) repeating the measurement step (a), and if it is determined that the offset is lower in the repetition, repeat step (c). 2
6. 6. A method for adjusting the alignment in order to compensate for off-centering between a vehicle brake unit and a disc brake lathe in a vehicle, which has a drive motor, a cutting head functionally attached to the body, and a drive shaft wherein the disk brake winch in a vehicle is operatively connected to the hub of a vehicle brake unit, the brake winch further includes an alignment system having an input adapter and an output adapter configured for rotating with the drive arrow, and a first pair and a second pair of stop discs rotatably coupled to the respective input and output adapters, the first pair of stop discs is functionally coupled with a first adjustment disc and the second pair of stop discs is operatively coupled with a second adjustment disc so that rotation of one of the pair of stop discs causes a respective adjustment disc to rotate in a second disc. In a first direction and the rotation of the other pair of stop discs causes a respective adjustment disc to rotate, in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the method comprises the steps of: (a) measuring the rotational acceleration of the lathe that is reflected in lateral de-centering of the joint between the vehicle brake unit and the disc brake lathe in a vehicle; (b) comparing the measured offset value of the lathe with an acceptable stored offset limit and stopping the additional adjustment if the measured value is below an acceptable limit; (c) rotating one of the pair of stop discs of the output adapter to a predetermined degree and repeating the measurement step (a) and the comparison step (b), and if determining that the offset is lower in the repetition , continue to rotate and repeat step (a) and (b) until it is determined that the offset is increased; and (d) rotating the other of the pair of stop discs of the output adapter by a predetermined degree and repeating the measurement step (a) and the comparison step (b), and if determining that the offset is lower in the repetition, continue to rotate and repeat step (a) and step (b) until it is determined that decentering has increased. 2
7. 7. A method to adjust the alignment, according to claim 25, further including the steps of: (e) simultaneously rotating the same pro discs of the input and output adapter for a predetermined degree and repeating the measurement step (a) and the comparison step (b) ), and if it is determined that the offset is lower in the repetition, continue to guide and repeat step (a) and step (b) until it is determined that the offset has increased; and (f) simultaneously rotating the other and the same stop discs of the input and output adapter a predetermined degree and repeating the measurement step (a) and the comparison step (b), and if the offset is determined is lower in the repetition, continue to rotate and repeat step (a) and (b) until it is determined that the offset has increased. 2
8. 8. A method for adjusting the alignment according to claim 26, further including the step of: maintaining an account of the number of rotations of the stop disks and when the count reaches a predetermined number, adjusting the acceptable limit of stored off-center to a value that is higher but remains within an acceptable level. 2
9. 9. A method for adjusting the alignment according to claim 26, further including the steps of: adjusting the degree of rotation of each of the stop discs depending on the level of offsetting measured.