# US 2014/0360032 A1 · Method for alignment of a vehicle and levelling bench arrangement > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0360032 A1 - Document ID: US20140360032A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/270,184 - Filed: 2014-05-05 - Published: 2014-12-11 - Earliest claimed: 2006-09-07 - Assignees: Car-O-Liner Company - Applicants: Car-O-Liner AB - Inventors: Peter Henblad; Michael Kleis; Joel Backman; Sivert Stenkvist - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140360032A1 ## CPC - B60S 5/00: Servicing, maintaining, repairing, or refitting of vehicles (vehicles adapted to carry a workshop for servicing or maintenance B60P3/14; servicing rail locomotives B61K) - B21D 1/14: Straightening frame structures - G01B 5/25: for testing the alignment of axes - G01C 9/02: Details - B60S: SERVICING, CLEANING, REPAIRING, SUPPORTING, LIFTING, OR MANOEUVRING OF VEHICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - B21D: WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS OR PROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL (working or processing of wire B21F) - G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS - G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S) ## Abstract A method for alignment of a vehicle and a levelling bench arrangement in relation to one another is disclosed, wherein the levelling bench arrangement comprises a levelling bench (1), a support structure (3), a plurality of beams (5), and a plurality of fixture devices (7). According to the method the support structure is arranged on the levelling bench, at least some of the beams are locked to the support structure, at least some of the fixture devices are releasably mounted at the beams, a vehicle, which is to be repaired or inspected, is arranged above the levelling bench, the mounted fixture devices are aligned with respect to the vehicle by means of continuously moving the beams and the support structure in a horizontal plane so that the fixture devices will define certain specific reference points of the vehicle and the beams are releasably fastened to the levelling bench. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for alignment of a vehicle and a levelling bench arrangement in relation to one another, wherein the levelling bench arrangement comprises a levelling bench, a support structure, a plurality of beams, and a plurality of fixture devices, wherein said method is characterized by the steps of: arranging said support structure on said levelling bench, locking said beams to said support structure at least in a horizontal plane, releasably mounting said fixture devices at said beams, arranging a vehicle, which is to be repaired or inspected, in a first position above said levelling bench, aligning said fixture devices with respect to said vehicle by means of continuously moving said beams and said support structure as a single unit in the horizontal plane so that the fixture devices will define certain specific reference points of the vehicle, and releasably fastening at least some of said beams or said support structure to said levelling bench, thereby locking said beams and said support structure to said levelling bench in an aligned position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein, said vehicle, which is to be repaired or inspected, is arranged in a second position above said levelling bench before said fixture devices are mounted at said beams, where said second position is higher than said first position, and said vehicle is arranged in said first position by means of lowering said vehicle. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein after at least one of said plurality of beams beams or said support structure have/has been fastened to said levelling bench, at least one additional beam of said plurality of beams is locked to said support structure at least in the horizontal plane. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, where said levelling bench arrangement comprises further fixture devices, wherein said further fixture devices are mounted at said further beams. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said support structure is elongated and is locked to said levelling bench in a direction essentially parallel (y) with a longitudinal direction (y) of said vehicle. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein said beams are locked to said elongated support structure perpendicular (x) to the extension (y) thereof. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein said beams are locked to said support structure at selected positions of a finite number of selectable positions along the extension of said support structure. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said fixture devices are mounted at said beams at selected positions of a finite number of selectable positions along the extension of said beams. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, where each of said fixture devices comprises a column releasably mountable at said beams and a head releasably mountable at said column, wherein the step of mounting said fixture devices at said beams comprises the steps of mounting said column at said beams and mounting said heads at said columns. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein said heads are mounted at said columns at a selected vertical position of a finite number of selectable vertical positions in order to obtain mounted fixture devices of a selected height of a finite number of selectable heights. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein each of said fixture devices comprises a column releasably mountable at said beams, an adapter releasably mountable at said column, and a head releasably mountable at said adapter, wherein the step of mounting said fixture devices at said beams comprises the steps of mounting said columns at said beams, mounting said adapters at said columns, and mounting said heads at said adapters. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein said adapters are mounted at said columns at a selected vertical position of a finite number of selectable vertical positions in order to obtain mounted fixture devices of a selected height of a finite number of selectable heights. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein said heads are mounted at said adapters in selected orientations of a finite number of selectable orientations. ### Claim 14 A levelling bench arrangement comprising a levelling bench, a support structure, a plurality of beams, and a plurality of fixture devices releasably mountable at said beams, characterized in that, said beams are lockable to said support structure at least in a horizontal plane, said beams and said support structure are as a single unit continuously movable in horizontal plane on said levelling bench, thereby making alignment of said fixture devices with respect to a vehicle, which is to be repaired or inspected and which is therefore arranged above said levelling bench, possible, wherein said fixture devices define certain specific reference points of the vehicle in the aligned position, and at least some of said beams or said support structure is releasably fastenable to said levelling bench, thereby making locking of said beams and said support structure to said levelling bench in an aligned position with respect to said vehicle possible. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The levelling bench arrangement of claim 14, wherein said support structure is elongated and, when being locked to said levelling bench, oriented in a direction (y) essentially parallel with a longitudinal direction (y) of said vehicle. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The levelling bench arrangement of claim 15, wherein said beams are lockable to said elongated support structure perpendicular (x) to the extension (y) thereof. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The levelling bench arrangement of claim 14, wherein said beams are lockable to said support structure at a finite number of selectable positions along the extension of said support structure. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The levelling bench arrangement of claim 14, wherein said fixture devices are releasably mountable at said beams at selected positions of a finite number of selectable positions along the extension of said beams. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The levelling bench arrangement of claim 14, wherein each of said fixture devices comprises a column releasably mountable at said beams and a head releasably mountable at said column. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The levelling bench arrangement of any of claim 14, wherein each of said fixture devices comprises a column releasably mountable at said beams, an adapter releasably mountable at said column, and a head releasably mountable at said adapter. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The levelling bench arrangement of claim 20, wherein said adapters are releasably mountable at said columns at a finite number of selectable vertical positions in order to obtain mounted fixture devices of a finite number of selectable heights. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The levelling bench arrangement of claim 20, wherein said heads are releasably mountable at said adapters in a finite number of selectable orientations. ### Claim 23 A method for alignment of a vehicle and a levelling bench arrangement in relation to one another, wherein said levelling bench arrangement comprises a levelling bench, a support structure, preferably a support structure in one piece, and a plurality of fixture devices, wherein said method is characterized by steps of: arranging said support structure on said levelling bench, releasably mounting said fixture devices at said support structure, arranging a vehicle, which is to be repaired or inspected, in a first position above said levelling bench, aligning said fixture devices, with respect to said vehicle by the means of continuously moving said support structure in a horizontal plane so that the fixture devices will define certain specific reference points of the vehicle, and releasably fastening said support structure to said levelling bench, thereby locking said support structure to said levelling bench in an aligned position. ### Claim 24 A levelling bench arrangement comprising a levelling bench, a support structure, preferably a support structure in one piece, and a plurality of fixture devices, characterized in that said plurality of fixture devices are releasably mountable at said support structure, said support structure is continuously movable in a horizontal plane on said levelling bench, thereby making alignment of said fixture devices with respect to a vehicle, which is to be repaired or inspected and which is therefore arranged above said levelling bench, possible, wherein the fixture devices define certain specific reference points of the vehicle in an aligned position, and said support structure is releasably fastenable to said levelling bench, thereby making locking of said support structure to said levelling bench possible in an aligned position with respect to said vehicle.