Geometrical instruments – Gauge – Wheel
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-23
2001-05-08
Bennett, G. Bradley (Department: 2859)
Geometrical instruments
Gauge
Wheel
C033SDIG002, C033S286000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06226879
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to vehicles, and more particularly to high speed, precision vehicles of the type employed in the motor sports and gauging instruments therefor.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Vehicles of the type utilized in motor sports, for example NASCAR races, are precision machines which require constant and precise gauging, adjustment, alignment and the like. Taking just the wheels of the vehicle as one example, the wheels are subject to rotational deviations about a horizontal axis and a vertical axis, and to linear deviations with respect to each other.
More particularly, the wheels of the vehicle may be subject to “toe-in/toe-out” which occurs when the wheels are pivoted about a vertical either clockwise or counterclockwise. Such a condition results in the front and rear edges of the wheel lying in a plane other than one which is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the axle to which the wheel is attached. The wheels may also be subject to a condition known as “camber.” This condition occurs when the wheels are pivoted about a horizontal axis either clockwise or counterclockwise. This condition results in the top and bottom edges of the wheel residing in a plane other than one which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the axle to which the wheel is attached. Finally, the wheels may be subject to “offset” wherein the linear distances between the rear wheels and the front wheels differ, the linear distances between the left-hand wheels and the right-hand wheels differ, or either the front wheels or back wheels are shifted laterally relative to the other.
Contrary to what one would normally intuitively think, it is desirable in such a racing vehicle to have certain amounts of camber, toe-in/toe-out, and offset. In fact, all of these parameters can be fine tuned to a specific race track in order to optimize the performance of the racing vehicle for that track. However, before these parameters can be precisely fine tuned to maximize the vehicle's performance on a particular track, one must be able to first accurately measure each of these parameters.
One rather crude method which has been utilized to take various measurements from the vehicle has been to utilize a number of individual lengths of string or twine attached to various points of the automobile, for example, axles, wheels, chassis, engine and the like. For a plumb bob effect a weight is secured to the bottom end of each of these strings. Then, various measurements may be taken from the strings to various points on the vehicle structure with, for example, a tape measure. As can be appreciated, such a method is rather tedious, time consuming and less than precise.
An improvement upon this prior technique has purportedly been devised by CD Products and is referred to as its “CD Laser Alignment Tool” in an advertisement in a trade publication. That ad states that this device is used to align a rear end housing under a race car. The ad illustrates a laser (understood by the applicant to be a “point” laser which projects a linear laser beam which appears as a dot on a surface in the path of the beam) attached to one end of an arm, with the other end of the arm being mounted to a wheel hub.
It would be desirable to improve upon the CD Products Laser Alignment Tool to better facilitate establishment of various vehicle datums from which to take various precision measurements in order to be able to fine tune various parameters of the vehicle to optimize the vehicle's performance for a specific racing track.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a device for establishing a reference datum of a wheeled vehicle. The apparatus comprises a first element operably rotatably mounted to a hub of an axle of the vehicle, the first element having a first axis of rotation, a second element having one end rotatably mounted to the first element so as to have a second axis of rotation perpendicular to the first axis of rotation of the first element, and a laser mounted to the other end of the second element. The laser is oriented relative to the second element so as to project a laser plane either parallel to a longitudinal axis of the second element to thereby establish a vertical datum for the vehicle, or perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the second element to thereby establish a horizontal datum for the vehicle. Various distance measurements may then be made from these datums to various points on the vehicle structure.
As mentioned, the laser may be oriented such that it projects a plane either parallel or perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the second element to thereby establish vertical or horizontal datums, respectively. Preferably however, the laser is utilized to selectively project both a plane parallel to, and a plane perpendicular to, the longitudinal axis of the second element to selectively establish vertical and horizontal datums, respectively, for the vehicle, so that both horizontal and vertical measurements can be made and recorded.
The first element is preferably a swing arm pivot comprising a block on one end and a clevis ear on the other end. The block has a pair of bores therethrough. The bores are perpendicular to one another and perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the first element. The clevis ear has a bore therethrough parallel to one of the pair of bores in the block.
The second element is preferably a laser swing arm having a clevis on one end. The clevis has a bore therethrough and the clevis ear of the swing arm pivot is positioned in the clevis and secured with a pin passing through the clevis and the clevis ear bores. The other end of the laser swing arm has a block thereon with a bore therein perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the laser swing arm. The laser is installed in this bore.
The device further preferably comprises a mounting adapter removably securable to the hub, a shaft extending from the adapter outwardly away from the hub, and a retaining collar slidably mounted on the shaft and selectively positionable therealong. The swing arm pivot is mounted on the shaft by sliding it thereon through one of its bores and is secured in place therealong with the retaining collar.
The device further preferably includes a pair of set screws installed in the swing arm block. The pair of set screws are perpendicular to one another and perpendicular to the laser bore in the block. The laser can thereby be selectively oriented by rotating the laser in the bore and fixed via the set screws so as to project a laser plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of the swing arm and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the swing arm to thereby selectively establish vertical and horizontal datums, respectively for the vehicle. The swing arm block may further preferably include a bore therein coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the swing arm. The bore is filled with lead for a plumb bob effect.
The major advantage of the present invention is reference planes of true vertical and true horizontal can be established for a vehicle such that accurate measurements may be taken on the vehicle in order to optimize the vehicle's performance.
These and other advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent during the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings herein, in which:
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Bennett G. Bradley
Saturn Machine & Welding Co. Inc.
Wood Herron & Evans L.L.P.
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