Roll alignment method and apparatus

Claim 2

A gyroscopic alignment device comprising: an elongated base having V-block feet for positioning said base on an elongated cylindrical member; a gyroscope and housing therefor mounted for free movement at one end of the elongated base; a reference plane mirror mounted on the housing of said gyroscope adapted to move with said gyroscope and housing; an optical system mounted at the other end of said elongated base for determining alignment of the reference plane mirror with respect to the optical system, and means for aligning said optical system and reference plane mirror relative to each other.

Claim 3

A gyroscope alignment device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said optical system comprises an autocollimator.

Claim 4

A gyroscopic alignment device as set forth in claim 2 wherein said autocollimator comprises: an eyepiece; a comparison reticle in the focal plane of said eyepiece; and a beamsplitter for providing an optical path between said eyepiece and said reference plane mirror.

Claim 5

A gyroscopic alignment device as set forth in claim 3 wherein said autocollimator further comprises: a light source on the side of the beamsplitter opposite said eyepiece; a reticle spaced from said light source; and a collimating lens positioned between the beamsplitter and the reference plane mirror.

Claim 6

A gyroscopic alignment device as set forth in claim 1 wherein a reticle is formed on the reference plane mirror and the optical system comprises an eyepiece for viewing the reference plane mirror and a comparison reticle.

Claim 7

A gyroscopic alignment device as set forth in claim 5 wherein there is provided level indicating means mounted on said elongated base oriented in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the elongated base.

Claim 8

A gyroscopic alignment device as set forth in claim 6 wherein there is also provided balancing weight means depending from said elongated base.

Claim 9

A gyroscopic alignment device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said gyroscope and housing are mounted on said elongated base for rotation about two orthogonal axes, said axes being mutually orthogonal to the axis of spin of the flywheel of said gyroscope.

Claim 10

A gyroscopic alignment device comprising: an elongated base having at least one V-shaped groove formed along the bottom thereof for placement of the base on an elongate cylindrical member; a gyroscope and housing therefor mounted for free movement at one end of the elongated base; a reference plane mirror mounted on the housing of said gyroscope adapted to move with said gyroscope and housing; an optical system mounted at the other end of said elongated base for viewing said reference plane mirror comprising; eyepiece lens means; means providing an optical path between said eyepieCe lens means and said reference plane mirror; comparison reticle means interposed in the optical path between said eyepiece lens means and said reference plane mirror for indicating alignment between said optical system and said reference plane mirror.

Claim 11

A gyroscopic alignment device comprising: an elongated base having at least one V-shaped groove formed along the bottom thereof for placement of the base on an elongate cylindrical member; a gyroscope and housing therefor mounted for free movement at one end of the elongated base; a reference plane mirror mounted on the housing of said gyroscope adapted to move with said gyroscope and housing; an optical system mounted at the other end of said elongated base for viewing said reference plane mirror comprising; eyepiece lens means; means providing an optical path between said eyepieCe lens means and said reference plane mirror; comparison reticle means interposed in the optical path between said eyepiece lens means and said reference plane mirror for indicating alignment between said optical system and said reference plane mirror.

Claim 12

A gyroscopic alignment device as set forth in claim 9 wherein said means providing an optical path between said eyepiece lens means and said reference plane mirror comprises a beamsplitter and a collimating lens and said comparison reticle means comprises cross hairs interposed in the focal plane of said eyepiece lens means.