Optical alignment methods and means utilizing coordinated laser beams and laser beam coordinating means for same

Abstract

Abstract SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ESTABLISHING AND MAINTAINING A LASER BEAM AS A STRAIGHT LINE REFERENCE IN SPACE ARE PROVIDED IN WHICH A LASER DEVICE EMITTING TWO LASER BEAMS IN OPPOSED STRAIGHT LINE RELATIONSHIP IS UTILIZED IN COMBINATION WITH REFLECTIVE TARGETS FOR EACH OF THE LASER BEAMS. THE LASER DEVICE AND ONE OF THE TARGETS ARE FIXED AT PREDETERMINED POINTS IN SPACE AND ONE OF THE BEAMS IS ALIGNED ON THE ONE TARGET. THIS CONSTRAINS THE OTHER BEAM TO A GIVEN POSITION IN SPACE AND THE OTHER TARGET IS PLACED IN FIXED ALIGNMENT THEREWITH AT A RANDOM POINT IN SPACE TO PROVIDE A REFERENCE POINT PERMITTING THE REMOVAL OF THE FIRST TARGET AND/OR DESTRUCTION OF ITS ASSOCIATED PHYSICAL LOCATION WITHOUT AFFECTING THE ABILITY OF THE SYSTEM TO MAINTAIN SUBSTANTIALLY EXACT INITIAL ALIGNMENT OF THE BEAM. OTHER SYSTEMS ARE PROVIDED FOR SPECIFICALLY DETERMINING SUBTERRANEAN LOCATION OF PIPELINE INVERTS AND/OR CENTERLINES REFERENCED TO THE STRAIGHT LINE REFERENCE AND FOR ESTABLISHING A SUBTERRANEAN LASER BEAM REFERENCE IN PREDETERMINED RELATIONSHIP TO THE STRAIGHT LINE REFERENCE. TARGET STRUCTURES AND/OR TRANSDUCERS FOR DETECTING, REFLECTING AND/OR INDICATING THE IMPINGEMENT THEREON OF A LASER BEAM AND/OR EFFECTING THE LOCATION OF REMOTE POINTS IN SPACE OF PREDETERMINED PARAMETRIC RELATIONSHIP TO SAID STRAIGHT LINE REFERENCE ARE ALSO PROVIDED. THE LASER BEAM TARGETS UTILIZE CORNER PRISMS FOR REFLECTING IMPINGED BEAMS BACK ALONG THEIR OWN AXIS FOR DETECTION OF A TARGETED CONDITION AT THE LASER DEVICE, SCREEN AND PROJECTION SYSTEMS FOR VISUAL INDICATION OF A TARGETED BEAM CONDITION AT POINTS ADJACENT THE LASER BEAM AND TRANSDUCER MEANS FOR ALARM-TYPE READOUT OF A TARGETED CONDITION, SUCH READOUTS BEING PROVIDED EITHER IN QUALITATIVE OR QUANTITATIVE DISPLAY MODES.

Inventors

• 👤 John Alexander

Bibliographic Details