US 2006/0218806 A1Published application

Automatic plumbing device

AssigneeMississippi Department of Transportation

InventorsSteve Lyle, Kenneth Wallace, Rocky Reeves, David Rainey, Stewart Parker, James Jones, Willis Henderson

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

This invention relates to an automatic or self plumbing device and method for maintaining survey or data collection or reflection equipment in a vertical plumb position despite horizontal and/or vertical changes of position of the device or vehicle with the device attached thereto. The invention also provides a means for maintaining survey or data collection or reflection equipment in a vertical plumb position and at a constant height above ground or surface to be surveyed. The invention provides a means for mounting or attaching the device to a vehicle or other mobile prime mover and a means for remotely changing the position of the device mounted on the vehicle from within the vehicle for accurate, efficient, and timely collection of data while the device and vehicle are stationary or in motion.

Claims43

Dependent claims

An automatic plumbing device for positioning and maintaining a target in a plumb orientation, in spite of a tilted condition of the device itself, the device comprising:

a housing having at least one opening in the top and at least one opening in the bottom thereof;
a base plate having a top surface and a bottom surface and an opening near the center thereof tiltably mounted in said housing so that it can tilt in a first X axis and a second Y axis;
pivotable bracket coupling means mounted to said base plate in the center and over top of the opening of said base plate and tiltably mounted so that it can tilt in said first X axis and said second Y axis;
a receiver tube with a top end and a bottom end that extends through both said top opening and bottom opening of said housing tiltably mounted to said pivotable bracket coupling means so that it can tilt in said first X axis and said second Y axis about said pivotable bracket coupling means;
a threaded bolt mounted at the top end of said receiver tube and oriented in a third Z axis;
at least two first actuators having a base end and a movable plunger end, wherein the two first actuators are mounted to the lower surface of said base plate and which, when activated, move said receiver tube and target about said pivotable bracket coupling means in said first X axis and said second Y axis for maintaining said receiver tube in a vertical plumb position;
at least one second actuator having a base end and a movable plunger end and which, when activated, moves said base plate, receiver tube, pivotable bracket coupling means, and target in said third Z axis, substantially orthogonal to both said first X axis and said second Y axis, for maintaining said base plate, receiver tube, pivotable bracket coupling means, and target at a constant height above ground;
a first sensor mounted inside said housing to said receiver tube for determining if said receiver tube is in a vertically plumb position;
communication means between said first sensor and the at least two first actuators for controllably activating said at least two first actuators to tilt said receiver tube in either or both of said first X axis or said second Y axis for maintaining said receiver tube in a vertically plumb position;
a second sensor mounted to the bottom end of said receiver tube outside and below said housing for determining if said receiver tube is at a constant height above ground;
communication means between said second sensor and the at least one second actuator for controllably activating said at least one second actuator to move said base plate, receiver tube, pivotable bracket coupling means, and target in said third Z axis for maintaining said receiver tube at a constant height above ground;
and
means for visually aligning said device with objects to be surveyed or measured.

10 more elements

An automatic plumbing device for positioning and maintaining a moving target in a plumb orientation, in spite of a tilted condition of the device itself, the device comprising:

a housing having at least one opening in the top and at least one opening in the bottom thereof;
a base plate having a top surface and a bottom surface and an opening near the center thereof tiltably mounted in said housing so that it can tilt in a first X axis and a second Y axis;
pivotable bracket coupling means mounted to said base plate in the center and over top of the opening of said base plate and tiltably mounted so that it can tilt in said first X axis and said second Y axis;
a receiver tube with a top end and a bottom end that extends through both said top opening and bottom opening of said housing tiltably mounted to said pivotable bracket coupling means so that it can tilt in said first X axis and said second Y axis about said pivotable bracket coupling means;
a threaded bolt mounted at the top end of said receiver tube for accepting a complementary threaded end of a target;
at least one first relay;
at least one second relay;
at least two first actuators having a base end and a movable plunger end, wherein the two first actuators are mounted to the lower surface of said base plate and which, when activated, move said receiver tube and target about said pivotable bracket coupling means in said first X axis and said second Y axis for maintaining said receiver tube in a vertical plumb position;
at least one second actuator having a base end and a movable plunger end and which, when activated, moves said base plate, receiver tube, pivotable bracket coupling means, and target in a third Z axis substantially orthogonal to both said first X axis and said second Y axis for maintaining said base plate, receiver tube, pivotable bracket coupling means, and target at a constant height above ground;
a first sensor mounted inside said housing to said receiver tube for determining if said receiver tube is in a vertically plumb position;
communication means between said first sensor and the at least two first actuators for controllably activating said at least two first actuators to tilt said receiver tube in either or both of said first X axis or said second Y axis for maintaining said receiver tube in a vertically plumb position;
a second sensor mounted to the bottom end of said receiver tube outside and below said housing for determining if said receiver tube is at a constant height above ground;
communication means between said second sensor and the at least one second actuator for controllably activating said at least one second actuator to move said base plate, receiver tube, pivotable bracket coupling means, and target in said third Z axis for maintaining said receiver tube at a constant height above ground;
means for visually aligning said device with objects to be surveyed or measured;
and
means for mounting said device to a vehicle.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.