US Patent 7185412 Multi-axis, processor-controlled, toolhead positioner

A multi-axis, computerized numerically-controlled (CNC) toolhead positioning device with six degrees of freedom of movement while utilizing only five axes of movement, comprising a rotating workpiece mount assembly (28) and a rotating gantry (64) with a mounted toolhead assembly base (80). Perpendicular rotational axes about a mounted workpiece (26) provide the capability to perform specific toolhead operations on the arcuate surface of the workpiece (26), subject to the type of mounted toolhead assembly. The computer (120) uses CNC software to integrate operator instructions, machining operations, and the sequence of operations into an automatic and coherent machining package.