Portable axle and frame alignment tool

• US 4,942,667 A
• Filed: 06/12/1989
• Issued: 07/24/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Axle-Tru Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Axle-Tru Incorporated
• Inventors: Fournier, Jerald C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoap, Allan N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Scanlon, Patrick R.
• Application Number:
  US07/370,054
• Time in Patent Office: 407 Days
• Field of Search: 33/288, 33/228, 33/608, 33/203.15, 33/203.16, 33/203.17, 33/203.18, 33/203.19, 33/203.20, 33/203.21, 356/154, 356/155
• US Class Current: 33/288
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/275 for testing wheel alignment
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 2210/16 Active or passive device attached to the chassis of a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 2210/24 Specially developed for using with trucks or other heavy-duty vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 2210/30 Reference markings, reflector, scale or other passive device

Abstract

A portable apparatus for aligning the axles of a tractor, a trailer, or other vehicle and for detecting bends, bows, twists and other irregularities in vehicle frames, has a light source used to provide a reference plane from which measurements can be taken. Dual targets are attached to the underside of the vehicle frame and are used in conjunction with the light source to establish the reference plane. In certain embodiments, the light source is slidably arranged on a U-shaped frame and is positionable to project a light beam at the targets. Once a reference plane is established, a gauge can be used to measure irregularities in the vehicle frame by measuring the distance from the reference plane to the underside of the vehicle frame. The U-shaped frame is directly attached along the center axis of the wheel axle so that the horizontal bar on which a light support is arranged will be exactly parallel to the wheel axle and thus provide a more accurate measurement of misalignment. Certain preferred embodiments include a perpendicularity checking device which assures that the beam of light is perpendicular to the horizontal bar, so that accurate and reliable measurements can be obtained.

Claims

1. An apparatus for detecting defects in the alignment of an axle with a frame of a vehicle, and for detecting deformities in said frame, said apparatus comprising:

a first target assembly attachable to an underside of said vehicle, said first target assembly comprising a first generally vertical member having first and second ends, means for attaching the first end of the vertical member to the underside of the vehicle, a first generally horizontal member attached to the second end of the first vertical member, and at least two targets mounted on said first horizontal member and spaced apart on a first line substantially transverse to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle, and spaced an equal vertical distance from said underside;

a second target assembly attached to said underside, said second target comprising a second generally vertical member having first and second ends, means for attaching the first end of the vertical member to the underside of the vehicle, a second generally horizontal member attached to the second end of the second vertical member, and at least two targets spaced apart on a second line substantially transverse to said longitudinal axis of the vehicle, and each spaced said vertical distance from said underside, said second target assembly targets each having an opening;

a light source means for generating a beam of light and for projecting said beam through the opening in one of the second target assembly targets when the light source means is in a first position, and wherein said light source means is movably positionable along a third line substantially transverse to said longitudinal axis of the vehicle to a second position such that said generated beam of light in its two positions defines a reference plane as said light source means is moved from said first to said second position to project the light beam through the openings in the second target assembly targets; and

gauge means, positionable between the underside of the vehicle and the reference plane, for indicating the existence of and degree of vertical deformation of the underside of the vehicle.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said targets of said first and second target assemblies are symmetrically mounted on said first and second horizontal members, respectively, relative to a central longitudinal axis of said vehicle.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means for attaching said first end of the vertical member of said first target assembly to said vehicle includes means for attaching said first target assembly to a kingpin of said vehicle.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first and second target assemblies include vertical adjustment means for adjusting said vertical distance of said targets from said underside of said vehicle.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a U-shaped frame having a generally horizontally extending portion aligned along said third line substantially transverse to said vehicle longitudinal axis and having generally upright portions extending at right angles to said generally horizontally extending portion, and means for slidably supporting said light source means on said generally horizontally extending portion.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said upright portions include axle connection means for connecting said U-shaped frame to an axle of said vehicle such that said generally horizontally extending portion of said U-shaped frame is parallel to said axle.

7. An apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising means for checking and adjusting the orientation of said projected beam of light to assure perpendicularity of said beam relative to the third line.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said means for checking and adjusting the orientation of said projected beam of light is attached to said horizontal portion of the U-shaped frame.

9. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said means for checking and adjusting the orientation of said projected beam of light includes at least two targets spaced apart from one another along a line perpendicular to said generally horizontal portion, said targets having openings aligned along said perpendicular line for allowing said beam of light to pass therethrough.

10. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said means for checking and adjusting the orientation of said projected beam of light includes mounting means for attachment to the horizontal portion of the U-shaped frame, and wherein said mounting means assures that said checking means is repositionable on said horizontal portion of the U-shaped frame in substantially identical orientations.

13. An apparatus according to claim 1,2 wherein the first end of the vertical member is adjustable attached to the means for attaching said first end to the underside of the vehicle to allow the vertical distance from the targets to the underside of the vehicle to be adjusted.

11. An apparatus for detecting defects in the alignment of an axle with a frame of a vehicle, and for detecting deformities in said frame, the apparatus comprising:

a first target assembly attachable to an underside of said vehicle, said first target assembly comprising a first generally vertical member having first and second ends, means for attaching the first end of the vertical member to the underside of the vehicle, a first generally horizontal member attached to the second end of the first vertical member, and at least two targets mounted on said first horizontal member and spaced apart on a first line substantially transverse to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle, and spaced an equal vertical distance from said underside;

a second target assembly attached to said underside, said second target assembly comprising a second generally vertical member having first and second ends, means for attaching the first end of the vertical member to the underside of the vehicle, a second generally horizontal member attached to the second end of the second vertical member, and at least two targets spaced apart on a second line substantially transverse to said longitudinal axis of the vehicle, and each spaced said vertical distance from said underside, said second target assembly targets each having an opening;

a horizontal bar positioned beyond the second target assembly;

means for aligning the horizontal bar along an axis that is parallel to the axle of said vehicle;

a light source means for generating a beam of light, the light source means being slideably mounted on the horizontal bar and moveable between a first position where the light beam projects through one of the second targets toward a corresponding one of the first targets to a second position where the light beam projects through the other of the second targets toward a corresponding other of the first targets, the light source means thereby creating a reference plane underneath the vehicle; and

gauge means, positionable between the underside of the vehicle and the reference plane, for indicating the existence of and degree of vertical deformation of the underside of the vehicle.

12. In an apparatus for detecting defects in the alignment of an axle with a frame of a vehicle, and for detecting deformities in the frame, said apparatus being of the type which comprises a light source movably mounted adjacent the vehicle for projecting a light beam underneath the vehicle, and at least one target assembly cooperating with the light beam projected by the light source, the improvement wherein said target assembly comprises a generally vertical member having first and second ends, means for attaching the first end of the vertical member to the underside of the vehicle, a generally horizontal member having a central portion attached to the second end of the vertical member, and at least two targets mounted to and spaced apart on said horizontal member.

14. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said means for attaching the first end of the vertical member to the underside of the vehicle comprises centering means for centering the vertical member along a central longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

15. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said target assembly further comprises a second horizontal member attached to the first end of the vertical member and extending adjacent a portion of the underside of the vehicle.

16. An apparatus of claim 15, wherein said vertical member and said horizontal members are rigidly attached to each other and pivotably attached to the means for attaching the first end of the vertical member to the underside of the vehicle, and further comprising means for pivotably adjusting the position of the vertical member and the horizontal members relative to the underside of the vehicle.

17. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said means for attaching the first end of the vertical member to the underside of the vehicle comprises means for self-adjusting the target assembly to a perpendicular relationship with a longitudinal axis of the vehicle.