Leveling Machines on Support Surfaces

• US 20140020234A1
• Filed: 07/16/2013
• Published: 01/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Workshops For Warriors
• Original Assignee: Workshops For Warriors
• Inventors: Luis y Prado, Hernn
• Granted Patent: US 9,581,283 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 29/592
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/00 Stands or trestles as supports for apparatus or articles placed thereon ; Stands for scientific apparatus such as gravitational force meters without heads F16M13/00; easels or stands for blackboards or the like A47B97/04; show-stands A47F7/00; for workmen E04G1/32; sockets or holders for poles or posts E04H12/22; supporting or suspending for lighting devices F21V21/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 7/00 Details of attaching or adjusting engine beds, frames, or supporting-legs on foundation or base; Attaching non-moving engine parts, e.g. cylinder blocks elastic or equivalent mounting for absorbing vibrations F16F, especially F16F15/04
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49 Method of mechanical manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49895 Associating parts by use of aligning means [e.g., use of a drift pin or a "fixture"]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49897 Registering mating opposed tool parts [e.g., registering a punch and a cooperating die]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49899 by multiple cooperating aligning means

Abstract

A method of leveling a machine on a support surface includes supporting the machine on the support surface, the machine including multiple load-bearing supports, and inserting a stack of support plates underneath a load-bearing support of the multiple load-bearing supports, the stack of support plates having an area and a strength that are sufficient to support the machine. The stack of support plates includes a first plate that includes multiple projections that extend outward from a bottom surface of the first plate and a second plate that includes multiple recesses that extend inward from a top surface of the second plate, the multiple recesses being sized to receive the multiple projections, respectively, and multiple grooves disposed along respective edges of the top surface. When the first plate is stacked adjacent the second plate, the first and second plates bear against each other to support a load of the machine.

Claims

1. A method of leveling a machine on a support surface, the method comprising:

supporting the machine on the support surface, the machine comprising a plurality of load-bearing supports; and

inserting a stack of support plates underneath a load-bearing support of the plurality of load-bearing supports, the stack of support plates having an area and a strength that are sufficient to support the machine, the stack of support plates comprising;

a first plate comprising a plurality of projections that extend outward from a bottom surface of the first plate, and

a second plate comprising a plurality of recesses that extend inward from a top surface of the second plate, the plurality of recesses being sized to receive the plurality of projections, respectively, and a plurality of grooves disposed along respective edges of the top surface,

wherein when the first plate is stacked adjacent the second plate, the first and second plates bear against each other to support a load of the machine, the plurality of projections extend within the plurality of recesses, respectively, such that the first and second plates nest with each other and are substantially prevented from moving with respect to each other in two dimensions, and the plurality of grooves form respective cavities between the bottom surface of the first plate and the top surface of the second plate.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting a thickness of the stack of support plates.

3. The method of claim 2, comprising adding one or more additional support plates to the stack of support plates.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising inserting another stack of support plates underneath another load-bearing support of the machine.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein when the stack of support plates is disposed underneath the load-bearing support, the first plate is in direct contact with the load-bearing support.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first plate comprises one or more recesses that extend from a top surface of the first plate, the one or more recesses sized to engage a leveling component of the machine.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first plate comprises a textured surface configured to reduce movement between the first plate and an object that is in direct contact with the first plate.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second plate comprises a non-marring bottom surface.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the stack of support plates comprises one or more of a third plate and a fourth plate.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the stack of support plates comprises one or materials including steel, aluminum, and titanium.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the stack of support plates comprises a precision ground material.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein either of the first plate and the second plate is configured to support a load of up to about 10,000 lb to about 50,000 lb.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second plates have thicknesses between about 0.25 inch and about 1.0 inch.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of projections is located at a center of the first plate, and one of the plurality of recesses is located at a center of the second plate.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of the plurality of projections are located near respective corners of the first plate, and one or more of the plurality of recesses are located near respective corners of the second plate.

16. A stack of support plates for leveling a machine on a support surface, the stack of support plates comprising:

a first plate comprising a plurality of projections that extend outward from a bottom surface of the first plate, and

a second plate comprising a plurality of recesses that extend inward from a top surface of the second plate, the plurality of recesses being sized to receive the plurality of projections, respectively, and a plurality of grooves disposed along respective edges of the top surface,

wherein when the first plate is stacked adjacent the second plate, the first and second plates bear against each other to support a load of the machine, the plurality of projections extend within the plurality of recesses, respectively, such that the first and second plates nest with each other and are substantially prevented from moving with respect to each other in two dimensions, and the plurality of grooves form respective cavities between the bottom surface of the first plate and the top surface of the second plate.

17. The stack of support plates of claim 16, wherein the first plate comprises one or more recesses that extend from a top surface of the first plate, the one or more recesses sized to engage a leveling component of the machine.

18. The stack of support plates of claim 16, further comprising one or more of a third plate and a fourth plate.

19. The stack of support plates of claim 16, wherein one of the plurality of projections is located at a center of the first plate, and one of the plurality of recesses is located at a center of the second plate.

20. The stack of support plates of claim 16, wherein one or more of the plurality of projections are located near respective corners of the first plate, and one or more of the plurality of recesses are located near respective corners of the second plate.