The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 27, 2003
Filed:
Jun. 19, 2000
John W. Aaron, III, Cypress, TX (US);
Other;
Abstract
An alignment tool configured to be coupled to a first flange, the alignment tool having an alignment guide extending outward from the periphery of the first flange at an angle of between 0 and 90 degrees from the axis of the first flange. A plurality of such alignment guides are coupled to the first flange so that a second flange which is positioned off-axis from the first flange, but between the alignment guides of the alignment tools will be constrained to move toward an on-axis position as the second flange approaches the first flange. In one embodiment, one or more of the alignment tools includes at least one alignment pin which extends through a bolt hole of the first flange and beyond the face of the flange so that the alignment pin can engage one of the bolt holes of the second flange and thereby maintain rotational alignment of the flanges. In one embodiment, the alignment pin comprises a spring-loaded, telescoping pin which, when the flanges are not rotationally aligned, is compressed and does not extend beyond the face of the first flange, and when the flanges are rotationally aligned, extends beyond the face of the first flange to engage a bolt hole of the second flange.