Laser gauging system and component parts therefor

A laser gauging apparatus for measuring a vehicle during construction of and repair of said vehicle, said apparatus comprising:

• support means positionable below said vehicle;
• laser means mounted on said support means for projecting at least one horizontally extending beam portion beneath said vehicle, said horizontal beam portion defining a horizontal datum plane under said vehicle from which measurements to said vehicle are obtainable, said laser means additionally projecting a vertical beam portion which defines a vertical datum plane, said support means comprising a first elongate rail means, said laser means including a laser adjustably mounted on a first carriage means, said first carriage means being slidable along said first elongate rail means;
• second elongate rail means secured at right angles to said first rail means for extending beneath the centerline of said vehicle, said second elongate rail means being adpated to carry measuring instruments, adjustable support means for horizontally supporting said first and second rail means above a base;
• third carriage means slidably mounted to said second elongate rail means, said third carriage means being adjustable to said second elongate means to ensure said third carriage means lies in a plane parallel to said horizontal datum plane, base frame members mounted to said third carriage means and extending parallel to said first elongate rail means beneath the front end of said vehicle to define a base frame, upstanding frame members extending upwardly of said base frame and beside said vehicle, an upper horizontally extending frame member lying in a vertical plane defined by one of the lower base frame members, and at least one pointer extending downwardly from said horizontal frame member toward the vehicle and at least one pointer extending into the side of the vehicle from the upstanding frame members, and wherein said third carriage means includes a first laser target, said base frame members includes stabilizer members for engaging the base, said stabilizer members each including a second laser target, the first and second laser targets ensuring said third carriage means and base members extend horizontally.

A beam splitting laser target for measuring a vehicle with a laser beam during construction of and repair of said vehicle, said beam splitting laser target including:

• carriage means adapted to move along an elongate rail;
• a housing adjustably mounted on said carriage means, said housing having first opposing slots in alignment with the direction of projection of the laser beam, said housing having second elongate slots located at right angles to said first opposing slots;
• and,
• at least two beam splitting means mounted in said housing to deflect one portion of said beam entering one of said first opposing slots in a first direction through one of said second slots and to deflect a second portion of said beam entering the one of the first opposing slots in a second direction through the other of said second opposing slots, the remainder of said beam entering said housing passing through the other slot of said first opposing slots.