WHEEL RELIEF DETECTOR

PURPOSE:To detect the relief amount of a running robot and to achieve safety in working by bringing a detecting shaft into contact with a surface on which a wheel runs, and detecting the movement in the direction of the detecting shaft with a detecting device. CONSTITUTION:A relief detecting shaft 5 is inserted into two bearings 6a and 6b which are fixed to a wheel part 3. A spring 7 is coupled with the lower part of the bearing 6b of the shaft 5. The spring 7 is held with a spherical caster 8. A rack 9 is formed at the shaft 5 on the upper side of the bearing 6a. The rack 9 and a pinion 10 which is fixed to the shaft of a potentiometer 11 are engaged. The potentiometer 11 is fixed to an attaching stage 13 of the wheel part 3 through a fixing stage 12. In this constitution, the amount of up and down movement of the shaft 5 is transmitted to the potentiometer 11 through the pinion 10 and can be detected as digital values. Therefore, accidents such as the breakdown of the working robot and the flaws in the wall of a pipe can be prevented.