Chart Industries, Inc.

Richard C Olak

John T Wickmann

Gerald P Horan

A clamping system for use in supporting automotive vehicles in secured relation above a floor surface includes an adjustable height pedestal having a base member with a ram member entered in sliding relation therein. Laterally inclined convergent internal side walls serve as guides to keep in mutually centered relation a pair of vertically extending mating faces of the base member and the ram member. These mating faces have laterally extending tooth members standing proud of their surfaces in mutually interengageable relation to lock the members together against vertical displacement. Clearance within the base member sufficient for the lateral disengagement of the respective tooth members permits vertical adjustment of the ram member relative to the base. Jacking screws extending laterally within the base serve to hold the ram member in tooth engaged relation with the mating face of the base, in a locked, pre-set position of a predetermined height. One or more clamps of the scott clamp type are used for securing the vehicle by its underside. In the case of a single clamp it is secured directly to the ram. Alternatively, a pair of scott clamps can be mounted in offset mutual force-balancing relation on a balance beam. The balance beam in one embodiment is pivotally attached at its center, to the ram. The pivotal attachment connection can be locked by way of a tapered joint. In a further embodiment the beam is rigidly secured to the ram.

Adjustable height clamping stand

The present invention relates to a laser gauging apparatus for measuring a vehicle during the construction of and the repair of the vehicle. The apparatus includes a T-shaped rail arrangement. On one of the rails, a laser carriage is mounted which carries a laser along the rail. Laser measuring instruments are mounted on the other rail. The laser gauging apparatus projects a beam having a horizontally extending portion and a vertically extending portion. The horizontally extending portion defines a horizontal datum plane under the vehicle from which measurements can be taken to the vehicle to determine the correct position of datum points on the vehicle. In accordance with the present invention there is also provided a laser target which can be suspended from the datum vehicle point. The target when suspended and when intersecting the laser beam, indicates that the vehicle reference datum point is in proper position.

Growing community of inventors

Peterborough, Canada

Richard C Olak