US3869804A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Vehicle frame alignment gage
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1973-06-04
•
Granted: 1975-03-11
•
Expires: 1993-06-04
Abstract
Abstract Presented is a vehicle frame straightening gage for attachment to a bent or twisted vehicle frame prior to the straightening operation, which functions to indicate when the frame has been straightened to its original alignment. The gage itself does not impose stress on the bent or the twisted frame, this function being performed by related apparatus. The function of the gage is to indicate to the operator of such related apparatus when the frame has been returned to its original alignment.
Inventors
- 👤 George R Friend
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 00:17
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01B; G01B5/00; G01B5/0025; G01B5/24
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
195 words
A vehicle frame alignment gage comprising: a. an elongated datum member adapted to be suspended below the frame to be aligned; b. a plurality of datum bars mounted on said datum member for selective adjustment therealong, said datum bars being pivotally mounted on said datum member so that said datum bars may be swung from a position generally parallel to said datum member to a position generally perpendicular thereto; c. datum rod assemblies mounted on the ends of said datum bars remote from said datum member and adjustable to control the height between said frame and said datum member; and d. means on the ends of selected ones of said datum bars remote from said datum member apart from said datum rod assemblies constituting a pointer assembly for visually designating the proper position of a point of reference on said frame without attachment to said frame and being selectively movable vertically and transversely in relation to said datum member and the datum bars on which said datum rod assemblies are mounted whereby during alignment of said frame said pointer assembly designates the proper position of said point of reference in relation to the datum member.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
195 words
A vehicle frame alignment gage comprising: a. an elongated datum member adapted to be suspended below the frame to be aligned; b. a plurality of datum bars mounted on said datum member for selective adjustment therealong, said datum bars being pivotally mounted on said datum member so that said datum bars may be swung from a position generally parallel to said datum member to a position generally perpendicular thereto; c. datum rod assemblies mounted on the ends of said datum bars remote from said datum member and adjustable to control the height between said frame and said datum member; and d. means on the ends of selected ones of said datum bars remote from said datum member apart from said datum rod assemblies constituting a pointer assembly for visually designating the proper position of a point of reference on said frame without attachment to said frame and being selectively movable vertically and transversely in relation to said datum member and the datum bars on which said datum rod assemblies are mounted whereby during alignment of said frame said pointer assembly designates the proper position of said point of reference in relation to the datum member.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
The combination according to claim 1, in which said datum rod assemblies are slidably mounted on said datum bars for selective adjustment toward and away from said datum member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
The combination according to claim 1, in which suspension means are slidably mounted on said datum member including a cable selectively attachable to said vehicle frame, said suspension means being adjustable to elevate or lower said datum member in relation to said frame.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
The combination according to claim 1, in which said pointer assembly associated with selected ones of said datum bars includes a pointer rod provided with indicia means for determining the elevation of said pointer above said datum member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
53 words
The combination according to claim 1, in which each said datum rod assembly includes a bearing assembly slidably disposed on the associated datum bar for transverse adjustment thereon and selectively lockable thereto, and means for latching the upper end of each said datum rod assembly to an associated portion of the vehicle frame.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
109 words
The combination according to claim 1, in which each said datum rod assembly comprises a suspension rod for suspending said datum member from the associated vehicle frame, each said suspension rod including clamp Means for clamping the upper end of said suspension rod to the underside of said vehicle frame, said clamp means comprising a vertically extending resilient support member forming an extension of said suspension rod and a generally perpendicular clamp portion integral with said support portion and manipulable to extend through a reference aperture in said frame and engage the peripheral edge thereof whereby to detachably secure said suspension assembly to the underside of said vehicle frame.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
189 words
A vehicle frame alignment gage comprising: a. an elongated datum member adapted to be suspended below the frame to be aligned; b. a plurality of datum bars mounted on said datum member for selective adjustment therealong; c. datum rod assemblies mounted on the ends of said datum bars remote from said datum member and adjustable to control the height between said frame and said datum member; d. means on the ends of selected ones of said datum bars remote from said datum member constituting a pointer assembly for designating the proper position of a point of reference on said frame whereby during alignment of said frame said pointer assembly designates the proper position of said point of reference in relation to the datum member; and e. vehicle body alignment means mounted on the end portions of said datum bars remote from said datum member, said vehicle body alignment means including a post adjustably associated with each end of each datum bar, and a bar adjustably mounted on adjacent posts and movable in relation to said vehicle body to form a plane of reference to which measurements may be related.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
189 words
A vehicle frame alignment gage comprising: a. an elongated datum member adapted to be suspended below the frame to be aligned; b. a plurality of datum bars mounted on said datum member for selective adjustment therealong; c. datum rod assemblies mounted on the ends of said datum bars remote from said datum member and adjustable to control the height between said frame and said datum member; d. means on the ends of selected ones of said datum bars remote from said datum member constituting a pointer assembly for designating the proper position of a point of reference on said frame whereby during alignment of said frame said pointer assembly designates the proper position of said point of reference in relation to the datum member; and e. vehicle body alignment means mounted on the end portions of said datum bars remote from said datum member, said vehicle body alignment means including a post adjustably associated with each end of each datum bar, and a bar adjustably mounted on adjacent posts and movable in relation to said vehicle body to form a plane of reference to which measurements may be related.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
189 words
A vehicle frame alignment gage comprising: a. an elongated datum member adapted to be suspended below the frame to be aligned; b. a plurality of datum bars mounted on said datum member for selective adjustment therealong; c. datum rod assemblies mounted on the ends of said datum bars remote from said datum member and adjustable to control the height between said frame and said datum member; d. means on the ends of selected ones of said datum bars remote from said datum member constituting a pointer assembly for designating the proper position of a point of reference on said frame whereby during alignment of said frame said pointer assembly designates the proper position of said point of reference in relation to the datum member; and e. vehicle body alignment means mounted on the end portions of said datum bars remote from said datum member, said vehicle body alignment means including a post adjustably associated with each end of each datum bar, and a bar adjustably mounted on adjacent posts and movable in relation to said vehicle body to form a plane of reference to which measurements may be related.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
189 words
A vehicle frame alignment gage comprising: a. an elongated datum member adapted to be suspended below the frame to be aligned; b. a plurality of datum bars mounted on said datum member for selective adjustment therealong; c. datum rod assemblies mounted on the ends of said datum bars remote from said datum member and adjustable to control the height between said frame and said datum member; d. means on the ends of selected ones of said datum bars remote from said datum member constituting a pointer assembly for designating the proper position of a point of reference on said frame whereby during alignment of said frame said pointer assembly designates the proper position of said point of reference in relation to the datum member; and e. vehicle body alignment means mounted on the end portions of said datum bars remote from said datum member, said vehicle body alignment means including a post adjustably associated with each end of each datum bar, and a bar adjustably mounted on adjacent posts and movable in relation to said vehicle body to form a plane of reference to which measurements may be related.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
57 words
The combination according to claim 7, in which means are provided mounting said post resiliently on the associated end of said datum bar, said resilient mounting means including a channel clamp mounted on said datum bar and a spring assembly interposed between said post and said channel clamp to resiliently retain the post on said channel clamp.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
87 words
The combination according to claim 7, in which clamp means are provided on each said post for clamping said reference bar thereto, each said clamp means comprising a U-shaped bracket straddling said post and including right angle clamp portions adapted to clamp said reference bar between said right angle portions and the associated edge of said post, and spring means interposed between said U-shaped bracket and said post to impose a resilient bias on said clamp means to resiliently clamp the reference bar to the associated post.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
190 words
A vehicle frame alignment gage comprising: a. an elongated datum member adapted to be suspended below the frame to be aligned; b. a plurality of datum bars mounted on said datum member for selective adjustment therealong, each said datum bar comprising a bearing assembly slidably journaled on said datum member and including means for selectively locking said bearing assembly to said datum member against slidability, said datum bar including a pair of datum beams each pivotally mounted by one end on said bearing assembly and independently pivotal from a position parallel to said datum member to a position substantially perpendicular thereto. c. datum rod assemblies mounted on the ends of said datum bars remote from said datum member and adjustable to control the height between said frame and said datum member; and d. means on the ends of selected ones of said datum bars remote from said datum member constituting a pointer assembly for designating the proper position of a point of reference on said frame whereby during alignment of said frame said pointer assembly designates the proper position of said point of reference in relation to the datum member.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
190 words
A vehicle frame alignment gage comprising: a. an elongated datum member adapted to be suspended below the frame to be aligned; b. a plurality of datum bars mounted on said datum member for selective adjustment therealong, each said datum bar comprising a bearing assembly slidably journaled on said datum member and including means for selectively locking said bearing assembly to said datum member against slidability, said datum bar including a pair of datum beams each pivotally mounted by one end on said bearing assembly and independently pivotal from a position parallel to said datum member to a position substantially perpendicular thereto. c. datum rod assemblies mounted on the ends of said datum bars remote from said datum member and adjustable to control the height between said frame and said datum member; and d. means on the ends of selected ones of said datum bars remote from said datum member constituting a pointer assembly for designating the proper position of a point of reference on said frame whereby during alignment of said frame said pointer assembly designates the proper position of said point of reference in relation to the datum member.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
The combination according to claim 10, in which lock means are provided for selectively locking each said datum beam to the associated bearing assembly in said perpendicular position.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-03-10 | 1978-09-09 | 1979-03-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-03-10 | 1982-09-09 | 1983-03-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-03-10 | 1986-09-09 | 1987-03-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |