LASER BEAM SURVEY METHOD AND APPARATUS

• US 3,813,171 A
• Filed: 01/11/1973
• Issued: 05/28/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Spectra-Physics Incorporated (MKS Instruments Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: James D. Ramsay, Ted L. Teach
• Inventors: Teach, Ted L., Ramsay, James D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hubler, Malcolm F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Buczinski, S. C.
• Application Number:
  US05/322,864
• Time in Patent Office: 502 Days
• Field of Search: 172/4.5 350/7 356/152,172,158
• US Class Current: 356/139.02
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/004 Reference lines, planes or sectors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 37/907 Automatic leveling excavators

Abstract

Laser beam survey method and apparatus utilizing a single laser beam source to establish both horizontal and vertical surveying reference planes. Such method and apparatus can be utilized, for example, to simultaneously automatically control tool height adjustment and steering adjustment mechanisms in a mobile ditch or trench digging machine.

Claims

1. Laser beam survey apparatus for successively establishing first and second surveying reference planes, which planes are disposed at right angles to one another, said apparatus comprising, in combination:

a laser beam generating device;

arcuately movable laser beam reflective means to repeatedly reflect the laser beam from said generating device along a multitude of paths lying in a first plane; and

first stationary laser beam reflective means intercepting a portion of the first plane and disposed at an angle with respect thereTo to deflect the laser beam in the paths intercepted by said first laser beam reflective means into a multitude of diverging paths lying in a second plane angularly disposed relative to the first plane.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first stationary laser beam reflective means is disposed at an angle of 45* with respect to said first plane, whereby said second plane will be disposed at a right angle to said first plane.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said first plane is generally horizontally oriented and wherein said second plane is generally vertically oriented and generally vertically extending, and further comprising second stationary reflective means disposed at an angle of 45* with respect to the horizontal to repeatedly reflect the laser beam in the paths of the second plane along a multitude of diverging paths lying in a third plane, said third plane being generally vertically oriented and extending horizontally away from said laser beam survey apparatus.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 comprising a common housing for containing said first and second stationary laser beam reflective means, said housing being transmissive to said laser beam paths along said first, second and third planes.

5. An earth working machine comprising an earth working tool which is adjustable in height relative to a fixed horizontal plane, and a steering mechanism for steering the movement of the machine over the terrain relative to a fixed vertical plane;

first control means comprising first photosensitive means sensitive to light beams lying in said fixed horizontal plane for controlling the height of the earth working tool;

second control means comprising second photosensitive means sensitive to light beams lying in said fixed vertical plane for controlling the steering mechanism; and

laser beam survey apparatus disposed away from said machine and comprising a laser beam generating device for generating a single laser beam, and reflective means for alternately and repeatedly reflecting said single laser beam toward the first and second photosensitive means first in a multitude of first paths lying along said fixed horizontal plane and then in a multitude of second paths lying along said fixed vertical plane.

6. An earth working machine according to claim 5 wherein said reflective means comprises arcuately movable reflective means to reflect light from said laser beam generating device toward the first photosensitive means along a multitude of paths lying along said fixed horizontal plane and stationary reflective means for reflecting light beams from a multitude of paths lying along said fixed horizontal plane toward the second photosensitive means along a said multitude of second paths.

7. An earth working machine according to claim 6 wherein said stationary reflective means comprises a first reflector lying along said fixed horizontal plane and having a reflecting surface inclined at an angle of 45* with respect thereto and a second reflector facing toward the reflecting surface of said first reflector and in vertical alignment therewith, said second reflector being inclined toward said earth working machine at an angle of 45* with respect to said fixed horizontal plane.

8. Method of controlling earth working machinery from a remote position by repeatedly and alternately energizing a horizontal array of photocells and an adjacent vertical array of photocells carried by the earth working machine, comprising the steps of:

(1) producing a single laser beam rotating in a horizontal plane about an axis remotely located relative to the earth working machine, whereby said single laser beam repeatedly sweeps over at least one of the said vertical array of photocells; and

(2) intercepting said horizontally moving laser beam only during a minor portion of its arcuate movement to sweep said single laser beam through a vertical plane so as to traverse at least one of said horizontally spaceD array of photocells on said earth working equipment.