Patent ID: 11906084
Assignee: nan
Field: Machine tools (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC F  B  G | IPC B  F  G

Claim 4:
5. A process for leveling a flange, the steps comprising:
providing a circular flange having first and second sides and having a plurality of angularly spaced-apart first bolt holes defined in the first side and a plurality of angularly spaced-apart second bolt holes defined in the second side, the first and second plurality of bolt holes being arranged on the flange so that some of the plurality of first bolt holes are associated with corresponding second bolt holes of the plurality of second bolt holes;
providing first and second leveling units for installing the flange, each leveling unit including a U-shaped spring-loaded wire having first and second legs, each leg having a distal end and a proximal end, a spring connecting the proximal ends of the first and second legs of each leveling unit together, the spring biasing the legs of each leveling unit so that the distal ends of the first and second legs of each leveling unit are biased toward each other, a ball bearing on the distal end of each of the first and second legs of each leveling unit, each ball bearing being spherical in shape and having a central axis, the ball bearings on the first and second legs of each leveling unit being axially co-linear with each other and being sized to be seated in the bolt holes defined in the flange, the spherical ball bearings on the first and second legs respectively of each leveling unit being accommodated in associated flange bolt holes in the first and second sides of the flange respectively to mount each leveling unit on the flange; the steps comprising:
positioning the first leveling unit on the flange by a process which includes the steps of seating the first ball bearing of the first leveling unit in the first flange hole on the first side of the flange and seating the second ball bearing of the first leveling unit in the second flange hole on the second side of the flange which is associated with the first flange hole in which the first ball bearing of the first leveling unit is positioned;
positioning the second leveling unit on the flange by a process which includes steps of seating the first ball bearing of the second leveling unit in the first flange hole that is angularly spaced-apart from the first flange hole having the first ball bearing of the first leveling unit seated therein, seating the second ball bearing of the second leveling unit in the second flange hole on the second side of the flange which is associated with the first flange hole in which the first ball bearing of the second leveling unit is positioned;
resting a level on the seated ball bearings on the first side of the flange;
resting the level on the seated ball bearings on the second side of the flange; and
adjusting the flange until the associated flange holes on the first and second sides of the flange are level with each other.