Patent US3762820A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3762820A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Self levelling laser reference plane
Assignee: ATI Inc Indiana
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Filing: 1970-08-18
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Granted: 1973-10-02
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Expires: 1990-08-18
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus for establishing a horizontal self-correcting plane using light from a laser or other optical source to establish a geometric form whose plane is normal to the gravitational vector. The apparatus maintains the reference plane horizontal, regardless of supporting surface shifts or other displacements.
Inventors
- 👤 R Zoot
- 👤 G Erb
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 18:29
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01C; G01C15/00; G01C15/002; G01C15/004
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
145 words
A system for establishing and maintaining a self-levelling reference plane comprising: a plurality of spaced oriented individual reference devices aligned at corners of a geometrical pattern in a reference plane; each of said devices having a beam source and a beam receiver oriented at an angle to each other defined by the angle of the corner in which said device is disposed, such that said beam source is aligned along one boundary defining said corner and said beam receiver is aligned along the other of said boundaries defining said corner; each said device also including means responsive to the beam receiver for providing an indication of the orientation of a beam received from a next adjacent device in said system and means positioned in the path of a beam from said beam source for automatically maintaining the beam from said source in a level attitude.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
145 words
A system for establishing and maintaining a self-levelling reference plane comprising: a plurality of spaced oriented individual reference devices aligned at corners of a geometrical pattern in a reference plane; each of said devices having a beam source and a beam receiver oriented at an angle to each other defined by the angle of the corner in which said device is disposed, such that said beam source is aligned along one boundary defining said corner and said beam receiver is aligned along the other of said boundaries defining said corner; each said device also including means responsive to the beam receiver for providing an indication of the orientation of a beam received from a next adjacent device in said system and means positioned in the path of a beam from said beam source for automatically maintaining the beam from said source in a level attitude.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said beam levelling means comprises gravity responsive means for controlling the direction of the beam therethrough in accordance with the deviation of a selected portion of said means from a true vertical orientation.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said beam receiver comprises a beam splitter and a photoresponsive quadcell for developing comparison signals corresponding to the deviation of the received beam from the center of the quadcell.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
58 words
A system in accordance with claim 3 wherein said quadcell comprises a horizontally-disposed pair of photo-conductive segments and a vertically-disposed pair of photo-conductive segments, and further including a vertical indicator coupled to said vertically-disposed pair and a horizontal indicator coupled to said horizontally-disposed pair for indicating the position of the beam relative to the center of the quadcell.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
40 words
A system in accordance with claim 3 wherein each device further includes another photoresponsive element positioned to receive a reflected beam from the beam splitter of an adjacent device for developing signals indicative of the angle of said reflected beam.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
A system in accordance with claim 5 further including indicators coupled to said photoresponsive element for providing indications of azimuth and elevation angles respectively.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
135 words
A system for establishing a self-levelling reference plane comprising: a plurality of individual devices positioned respectively at corner positions in said plane; each of said devices including a beam source and means at right angles to the beam from said source for receiving a beam directed from an adjacent one of said devices; means for locating the first of said devices at a particular position and orientation relative to a reference object; means for locating a second of said devices at a particular position and orientation relative to said object and said first device; means for locating a third of said devices at a particular distance and orientation relative to said second device; and means for locating the fourth of said devices at a particular position and orientation relative to said third and first devices.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
135 words
A system for establishing a self-levelling reference plane comprising: a plurality of individual devices positioned respectively at corner positions in said plane; each of said devices including a beam source and means at right angles to the beam from said source for receiving a beam directed from an adjacent one of said devices; means for locating the first of said devices at a particular position and orientation relative to a reference object; means for locating a second of said devices at a particular position and orientation relative to said object and said first device; means for locating a third of said devices at a particular distance and orientation relative to said second device; and means for locating the fourth of said devices at a particular position and orientation relative to said third and first devices.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
A system in accordance with claim 7 wherein all of said devices are substantially alike in construction and function such that they may be intermixed with respect to the various positions in the system.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
74 words
A system in accordance with claim 7 further including a corner extender device having a beam receiver with indicating means coupled thereto for permitting the relocation of one of said first-mentioned devices along a first reference line extending past the original corner location of said device, and for establishing a second reference line along the path of the beam incident on said relocated device when said relocated device was in its initial corner location.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
A system in accordance with claim 7 further including vertical position servo means for automatically adjusting the elevation of said devices and the associated self-levelling reference plane established thereby.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
39 words
A system in accordance with claim 7 further including means for developing a warning signal upon detection of a deviation of any one of said beams from a predetermined position by an amount in excess of a preselected limit.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
183 words
The method of maintaining a self-levelling reference plane established by a plurality of beam devices, each of said devices including a beam source and a beam detector disposed at a predetermined angle to each other, while removing one of said devices from its corner position defined as the point of intersection of its own beam which is directed towards a succeeding adjacent beam device and the beam of the preceding adjacent beam device, said method comprising the steps of: positioning a beam-receiving corner extender in the beam path of the beam device to be displaced; removing the beam device to be displaced from its corner position along a first reference line defined by said corner extender and the succeeding adjacent beam device until the desired clearance is developed at said corner position; bringing said corner extender to a second position along a reference line defined by the beam path of the preceding adjacent beam device; and operating said corner extender to maintain said reference line as a part of the reference plane defined by the aligned beams of said plurality of beam devices.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
183 words
The method of maintaining a self-levelling reference plane established by a plurality of beam devices, each of said devices including a beam source and a beam detector disposed at a predetermined angle to each other, while removing one of said devices from its corner position defined as the point of intersection of its own beam which is directed towards a succeeding adjacent beam device and the beam of the preceding adjacent beam device, said method comprising the steps of: positioning a beam-receiving corner extender in the beam path of the beam device to be displaced; removing the beam device to be displaced from its corner position along a first reference line defined by said corner extender and the succeeding adjacent beam device until the desired clearance is developed at said corner position; bringing said corner extender to a second position along a reference line defined by the beam path of the preceding adjacent beam device; and operating said corner extender to maintain said reference line as a part of the reference plane defined by the aligned beams of said plurality of beam devices.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
55 words
Apparatus for use in developing and maintaining a portable self-levelling reference plane comprising a beam source and a beam receiver having central longitudinal axes fixed at a predetermined right angle to each other, and beam levelling means positioned to transmit a beam from said beam source after correcting any deviation thereof from a level orientation.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
55 words
Apparatus for use in developing and maintaining a portable self-levelling reference plane comprising a beam source and a beam receiver having central longitudinal axes fixed at a predetermined right angle to each other, and beam levelling means positioned to transmit a beam from said beam source after correcting any deviation thereof from a level orientation.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
17 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 13 further including a base platform and means for levelling said platform.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
31 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 14 further including a table mounted on said platform and means for adjusting the position of said table relative to said platform in two orthogonal directions.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
43 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 15 further including means for mounting said beam source and beam receiver on said table, said last-mentioned means including angular adjusting means for controlling the angular direction of the beam from the beam source relative to said table.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 13 further including indicating means coupled to said beam receiver for providing an indication of the location of an incident beam relative to said receiver.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
59 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 16 wherein said beam receiver comprises a photoresponsive quadcell having a first pair of horizontally-disposed segments and a second pair of vertically-disposed segments, said indicating means including a horizontal indicator coupled to the output of said first pair of segments and a vertical indicator coupled to the output of the second pair of segments.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 13 wherein said beam receiver comprises a beam splitter for reflecting a portion of an incident beam back toward the source of the beam.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
32 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 13 further including a second beam receiver and second indicating means for providing an indication of the angle of a beam incident on said second beam receiver.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
19 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 20 wherein said second indicating means provides indications of azimuth and elevation angle respectively.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-10-01 | 1977-04-02 | 1977-10-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-10-01 | 1981-04-02 | 1981-10-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-10-01 | 1985-04-02 | 1985-10-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |