System and method for aligning apparatus utilizing a laser

Claim 1

An alignment system for apparatus, said system comprising stationary means for producing a beam of coherent light, means for leveling said beam so that it is generally normal to a radial line extending from the center of the earth and passing a point adjacent said beam producing means, means disposed adjacent said stationary means for producing a beam of coherent light for moving said beam parallel to itself in a horizontal plane, means disposed adjacent said stationary means for producing a beam of coherent light for moving said beam parallel to itself in a vertical plane, and means for detecting said beam and determining its position with respect to a known reference point, said detecting means including a rotatably mounted target that, in one position, is adapted to detect the relative position of the beam with respect to a known reference point, and which is rotatable to a second position to allow the beam to pass through the detecting means.

Claim 9

A method for aligning apparatus having a plurality of elements disposed on a centerline which sags in a vertical direction utilizing a laser capable of projecting a beam of coherent light and target means for detecting the beam and determining its position with respect to a known reference point, said method comprising the steps of locating and fixing the laser so that it projects a generally horizontal beam of coherent light through two points on said centerline; locating a target so that the center of the detecting means is coincident with the axis of one element, displacing the beam vertically a distance corresponding to the vertical displacement of the portion of the element with respect to the two points on the centerline through which the beam originally passed; positioning said one element so that its axis generally aligns with the target and the detecting means indicates the beam is coincident with the axis of the one element, placing a target in a second position in the one element so that the detecting means is aligned with the axis of the one element; displacing the beam vertically a distance equal to the desired displacement of the second portion of the element relative to the line betweeen the two points on the centerline; positioning the element so that the detecting means indicates that the axis of the element is coincident with the beam; and proceeding in a like manner with each successive element until all of the elements are aligned with the centerline which sags in a vertical direction.

Claim 10

A method for aligning apparatus having a plurality of elements disposed on a centerline which sags in a vertical direction utilizing a laser capable of projecting a beam of coherent light and target means for detecting the beam and determining its position with respect to a known reference point, said method comprising the steps of locating and fixing the laser so that it projects a generally horizontal beam of coherent light through two points on said centerline; locating a target so that the center of the detecting means is coincident with the axis of one element, displacing the beam vertically a distance corresponding to the vertical displacement of the portion of the element with respect to the two points on the centerline through which the beam originally passed; positioning said one element so that its axis generally aligns with the target and the detecting means indicates the beam is coincident with the axis of the one element, placing a target in a second position in the one element so that the detecting means is aligned with the axis of the one element; displacing the beam vertically a distance equal to the desired displacement of the second portion of the element relative to the line betweeen the two points on the centerline; positioning the element so that the detecting means indicates that the axis of the element is coincident with the beam; and proceeding in a like manner with each successive element until all of the elements are aligned with the centerline which sags in a vertical direction.

Claim 11

A method for aligning apparatus having a plurality of elements on a centerline which sags in a vertical direction utilizing a laser capable of projecting a beam of coherent light and target means for detecting the beam and determining the position of the beam with respect to known reference points, said method comprising the steps of leveling the beam so that it is generally horizontal; locating and fixing the laser so that its beam passes through two points on said centerline; locating one element axially and generally aligning it with said centerline, positioning a target relative to a first position on the one element so that the beam detecting means is aligned with the axis of the element; displacing the beam vertically a distance corresponding to the vertical distance between an imaginary line through the points where the beam intersects the centerline and a desired elevation of the axis of the element at the location of the target; positioning the one element so that the beam detecting means indicates that the beam is coincident with the axis of the element at the location of the target; positioning the target relative to a second position on the one element so that the beam detecting means is aligned with the axis of the element, displacing the beam vertically a distance corresponding to the vertical distance between an imaginary line through the points where the beam intersects the centerline and the desired elevation of the axis of the element at the second location of the target; positioning the one element so that the beam detecting means indicates that the beam is coincident with the axis of the element at the second location of the target in the element; repeating the above-mentioned steps on each successive element to be aligned until all the elements are aligned on the centerline which sags in a vertical direction.

Claim 12

A method for aligning apparatus having a plurality of elements on a centerline which sags in a vertical direction utilizing a laser capable of projecting a beam of coherent light and target means for detecting the beam and determining the position of the beam with respect to known reference points, said method comprising the steps of leveling the beam so that it is generally horizontal; locating and fixing the laser so that its beam passes through two points on said centerline; locating one element axially and generally aligning it with said centerline, positioning a target relative to a first position on the one element so that the beam detecting means is aligned with the axis of the element; displacing the beam vertically a distance corresponding to the vertical distance between an imaginary line through the points where the beam intersects the centerline and a desired elevation of the axis of the element at the location of the target; positioning the one element so that the beam detecting means indicates that the beam is coincident with the axis of the element at the location of the target; positioning the target relative to a second position on the one element so that the beam detecting means is aligned with the axis of the element, displacing the beam vertically a distance corresponding to the vertical distance between an imaginary line through the points where the beam intersects the centerline and the desired elevation of the axis of the element at the second location of the target; positioning the one element so that the beam detecting means indicates that the beam is coincident with the axis of the element at the second location of the target in the element; repeating the above-mentioned steps on each successive element to be aligned until all the elements are aligned on the centerline which sags in a vertical direction.

Claim 13

A method for aligning apparatus having a plurality of elements disposed on a centerline which sags in a vertical direction utilizing a laser capable of projecting a beam of coherent light and target means for detecting the light beam and determining its position with respect to a known reference point and having X and Y direction adjusting means, said method comprising the steps of locating two targets so that the center of the detecting portions of the targets are on the centerline of the apparatus; locating and fixing the laser so that the light beam generally aligns with the center of the two targets, displacing the light beam parallel to itself in vertical and horizontal planes until it is in a vertical plane passing through the center of the detection portion of the two targets aligned with the centerline; leveling said beam so that it is perpendicular to a line passing through the center of the earth and passing through a point adjacent the laser; locating the center of a detecting portion of the target means at one location coincident with the axis of one element; displacing the detecting portion with X and Y adjusting means until the detecting portion of the target is centered with respect to the light beam; determining the displacement of the axis of the element with respect to the centerline; adding the desired sag correction to the Y displacement; moving the element so that its axis aligns with the desired position of the centerline; centering the detecting portion of the target means with the light beam; checking the X and Y location of the detecting means with respect to the axis of the element; relocating the element, if necessary, to align the axis with the centerline of the apparatus; locating the center of the detecting portion of a target means at a second location coincident with the axis of one element; displacing the detecting portion with the X and Y adjusting means until the detecting portion of the target means is centered with respect to the light beam, determining the displacement of the axis of the element with respect to the centerline; adding the desired sag correction to the Y displacement; moving the element so that its axis aligns with the desired position on the centerline; centering the detecting portion of the target means with respect to the light beam; checking the X, Y location of the detecting means with respect to the axis of the element; relocating the element, if necessary to align the axis with the centerline of the apparatus; and repeating the above-mentioned steps for each element until all the elements of the apparatus are aligned with the centerline.

Claim 14

A method for aligning apparatus having a plurality of elements disposed on a centerline which sags in a vertical direction utilizing a laser capable of projecting a beam of coherent light and target means for detecting the light beam and determining its position with respect to a known reference point and having X and Y direction adjusting means, said method comprising the steps of locating two targets so that the center of the detecting portions of the targets are on the centerline of the apparatus; locating and fixing the laser so that the light beam generally aligns with the center of the two targets, displacing the light beam parallel to itself in vertical and horizontal planes until it is in a vertical plane passing through the center of the detection portion of the two targets aligned with the centerline; leveling said beam so that it is perpendicular to a line passing through the center of the earth and passing through a point adjacent the laser; locating the center of a detecting portion of the target means at one location coincident with the axis of one element; displacing the detecting portion with X and Y adjusting means until the detecting portion of the target is centered with respect to the light beam; determining the displacement of the axis of the element with respect to the centerline; adding the desired sag correction to the Y displacement; moving the element so that its axis aligns with the desired position of the centerline; centering the detecting portion of the target means with the light beam; checking the X and Y location of the detecting means with respect to the axis of the element; relocating the element, if necessary, to align the axis with the centerline of the apparatus; locating the center of the detecting portion of a target means at a second location coincident with the axis of one element; displacing the detecting portion with the X and Y adjusting means until the detecting portion of the target means is centered with respect to the light beam, determining the displacement of the axis of the element with respect to the centerline; adding the desired sag correction to the Y displacement; moving the element so that its axis aligns with the desired position on the centerline; centering the detecting portion of the target means with respect to the light beam; checking the X, Y location of the detecting means with respect to the axis of the element; relocating the element, if necessary to align the axis with the centerline of the apparatus; and repeating the above-mentioned steps for each element until all the elements of the apparatus are aligned with the centerline.

Claim 15

A method for aligning apparatus having a plurality of elements disposed on a centerline which sags in a vertical direction utilizing a laser capable of projecting a beam of coherent light and target means for detecting the light beam and determining its position with respect to a known reference point, said method comprising the steps of; locating two target means so that their centers are coincident with said centerline and are disposed at the same elevation; locating and fixing the laser and direction its beam so that it passes through the center of said target means having their centers coincident with said centerline; locating a target so that the center of the detecting means is coincident with the axis of one element, displacing the beam vertically a distance corresponding to the vertical displacement of the portion of the element with respect to the two points on the centerline through which the beam originally passed; positioning said one element so that its axis generally aligns with the target and the detecting means indicates the beam is coincident with the axis of the one element, placing a target in a second position in the one element so that the detecting means is aligned with the axis of the one element; displacing the beam vertically a distance equal to the desired displacement of the second portion of the element relative to the line between the two points on the centerline; positioning the element so that the detecting means indicates that the axis of the element is coincident with the beam; and proceeding in a like manner with each successive element until all of the elements are aligned with the centerline which sags in a vertical direction.

Claim 16

A method for aligning apparatus having a plurality of elements disposed on a centerline which sags in a vertical direction utilizing a laser capable of projecting a beam of coherent light and target means for detecting the light beam and determining its position with respect to a known reference point, said method comprising the steps of; locating two target means so that their centers are coincident with said centerline and are disposed at the same elevation; locating and fixing the laser and direction its beam so that it passes through the center of said target means having their centers coincident with said centerline; locating a target so that the center of the detecting means is coincident with the axis of one element, displacing the beam vertically a distance corresponding to the vertical displacement of the portion of the element with respect to the two points on the centerline through which the beam originally passed; positioning said one element so that its axis generally aligns with the target and the detecting means indicates the beam is coincident with the axis of the one element, placing a target in a second position in the one element so that the detecting means is aligned with the axis of the one element; displacing the beam vertically a distance equal to the desired displacement of the second portion of the element relative to the line between the two points on the centerline; positioning the element so that the detecting means indicates that the axis of the element is coincident with the beam; and proceeding in a like manner with each successive element until all of the elements are aligned with the centerline which sags in a vertical direction.