Patent Publication Number: US-6710929-B2

Title: Method of forming and using laser light columns

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/670,684, filed Sep. 27, 2000, U.S. Pat. No. 6,470,578, which claims the benefit of provisional application No. 60/156,497 filed Sep. 28, 1999. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This invention relates to a method and portable apparatus for generating and projecting a column of light, either a cylindrical or conical column of laser light or the like with substantially uniform intensity, for shop and/or field layout or verification of two or three dimensional patterns of intersection of cylindrical and conical surfaces with any two-dimensional or three-dimensional objects of regular or irregular geometry, encountered in a variety of industrial applications, such as vessel, duct and pipe fitting construction or coping, or for verification of cylindrical and/or conical geometries. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In many industrial applications, it is often necessary to join one component to another, such as joining one pipe to another, either perpendicularly or at a non-perpendicular angle relative to one another. Conically shaped components, such as nozzles, must often be joined to a pressure vessel or the like. In joining components in these and related applications, the pattern of intersection between the components must somehow be marked in order to let the receiving component be appropriately cut to allow the component to be joined to be attached to the receiving component. This is a difficult task given the many variables in the component shapes and other variables regarding the angle and direction in which they are to be joined together. 
     Existing layout, measurement, and projection laser instruments, such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,580,345 to Andrew, are not equipped to develop a true length full pattern projection, and are intended to mark a simple projection on a pipe surface for subsequent angular or beveled cutting. U.S. Pat. No. 5,860,220 to Gerd uses a rotary arm with a laser light source that must be rotated to mark cut lines. If one attempts to use existing conventional mechanical tools for measurement and drafting for this purpose, such tools have a number of functional and geometric limitations and further rely on the skill and dexterity of the technician. The commercial CAD software programs that are capable of generating a full-scale plot of intersection or transition geometry with unfolded pattern coordinates, to be transposed onto the work piece surface, are expensive, cumbersome, and time consuming to use. Alternatively, the common practice, currently employed by smaller manufacturers, is to resort to a limited selection of prefabricated intersection contour templates to be used for standard connections between components of certain cross-sectional dimensions. However, this latter practice is obviously limited as to the nature of the components that can be joined together as well as to the angle and direction in which they can be joined together. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides an accurate, cost-effective and easy-to-use apparatus and method for integrated layout and verification of multiple shell intersection, transition and connection patterns. The apparatus and method covers a broad spectrum of fabricating shop and field operations for a variety of industries, such as process and utility equipment and piping fabrication, structural steel and sheet metal fabrication. 
     One aspect of this invention comprises a method for indicating a pattern of intersection between a receiving component and a component to be joined with the receiving component. The method comprises forming a column of light that represents physical characteristics of one of the components. The method further includes projecting the column of light so formed least partially onto a surface of the other component such that at least a portion of the pattern of intersection is represented on the surface of the other component by the outline of that portion of the light column which contacts the surface of the other component. 
     Another aspect of this invention relates to an apparatus for indicating a pattern of intersection between a receiving component and a component to be joined with the receiving component. The apparatus comprises an illuminator assembly for projecting a column of light that represents one of the components. A support stand adjustably carries the illuminator assembly to allow the column of light projected by the illuminator assembly to be projected onto the other component at a desired spot and in a desired direction, whereby the intersection pattern is represented by the outline of the column of light on a surface of the other component. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     This invention will be described more completely in the following Detailed Description, when taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus according to this invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic view of the operation of a portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, namely of the operation of the laser light plane source; 
     FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, particularly illustrating various positional adjustments that can be made thereto; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a set of projector cones of different sizes representing different working diameter ranges used in the apparatus of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, particularly illustrating the illuminator assembly disconnected from its support stand; 
     FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view, similar to FIG. 6, of a portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, particularly illustrating the illuminator assembly disconnected from its support stand and showing some of the components of the illuminator assembly in exploded form; 
     FIG. 8 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, particularly illustrating the base of the support stand; 
     FIG. 9 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 in operation in the method of this invention, particularly illustrating the apparatus being used to project a cylindrical column of light onto the side of a pipe; 
     FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 in operation in the method of this invention, particularly illustrating the apparatus being used to project a cylindrical column of light onto the side of a planar surface and further illustrating the use of both the centering beam and the two additional laser light surfaces used to project orthogonal reference planes; 
     FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 in operation in the method of this invention, particularly illustrating the apparatus being used to project a cylindrical column of light onto the side of a planar surface and further illustrating the use of the centering beam only; 
     FIG. 13 is a side elevational view of the illuminator assembly of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 in operation in the method of this invention, particularly illustrating the illuminator assembly being used to project a cylindrical column having a first diameter; 
     FIG. 14 is a side elevational view, similar to FIG. 13, of the illuminator assembly of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 in operation in the method of this invention, particularly illustrating the illuminator assembly being used to project a cylindrical column having a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter shown in FIG. 13; 
     FIG. 15 is a side elevational view of the illuminator assembly of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 in operation in the method of this invention, particularly illustrating the illuminator assembly being used to project a conical column having a first cone angle; 
     FIG. 16 is a side elevational view, similar to FIG. 15, of the illuminator assembly of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 in operation in the method of this invention, particularly illustrating the illuminator assembly being used to project a conical column having a second cone angle that is smaller than the first cone angle shown in FIG. 15; 
     FIG. 17 is a side elevational view of the illuminator assembly of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 in operation in the method of this invention, particularly illustrating the illuminator assembly being used to project a conical column having a first cone angle and illustrating an alternative embodiment using a single slidable diverting cone on the illuminator shaft; 
     FIG. 18 is a side elevational view of the illuminator assembly of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 in operation in the method of this invention, particularly illustrating the illuminator assembly being used to project a conical column having a second cone angle that is smaller than the first cone angle shown in FIG.  17  and illustrating an alternative embodiment using a single slidable diverting cone on the illuminator shaft; 
     FIG. 19 is a side elevational view of the illuminator assembly of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 in operation in the method of this invention, particularly illustrating the illuminator assembly being used to project a cylindrical column of light against a planar surface to form an intersection pattern; 
     FIG. 20 is a top plan view of the intersection pattern formed by the illuminator assembly in FIG. 19, the specific pattern being an ellipse; 
     FIG. 21 is a perspective view of the apparatus according to this invention, particularly illustrating the illuminator assembly preparing the end of a pipe for joining to another component and particularly illustrating a second embodiment of a support stand for the illuminator assembly; 
     FIG. 22 is a perspective view of the apparatus according to this invention, particularly illustrating the illuminator assembly projecting an intersection pattern onto the side of a pipe, or onto a paper template laid on the pipe and particularly illustrating a third embodiment of a support stand for the illuminator assembly; 
     FIG. 23 is a perspective view of the apparatus according to this invention, particularly illustrating the illuminator assembly and the first embodiment of the support stand therefor as shown in FIGS. 10-12; 
     FIG. 24 is a perspective view of the apparatus according to this invention, particularly illustrating the illuminator assembly and the second embodiment of the support stand therefor as shown in FIG. 21; 
     FIG. 25 is a perspective view of the apparatus according to this invention, particularly illustrating the illuminator assembly and the third embodiment of the support stand therefor as shown in FIG. 22; 
     FIG. 26 is a perspective view of the apparatus according to this invention, particularly illustrating the illuminator assembly and the third embodiment of the support stand therefor as shown in FIGS. 22 and 25 with portions being shown in exploded form for the purpose of clarity; 
     FIG. 27 is a side elevational view of an application for which the apparatus and method of this invention are suited, namely two pipes joined together; 
     FIG. 28 is a cross-sectional view what is shown in FIG. 27, namely a cross-sectional view of two pipes joined together; 
     FIG. 29 is a side elevational view of another application for which the apparatus and method of this invention are suited, namely joining a conical shell and a pipe being joined together; and 
     FIG. 30 is a cross-sectional view what is shown in FIG. 29, namely a cross-sectional view of the conical shell and pipe joined together. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The apparatus of this invention comprises, in general terms, an illuminator assembly, indicated generally as  48 , secured to or carried by a support stand, indicated generally as  50 . Illuminator assembly  48  projects a column of laser light or the like, either a cylindrical or a conical column, against a planar or non-planar surface. Support stand  50  adjustably positions illuminator assembly  48  in three-dimensional space to permit wide variation in the location and direction of the light column projected by illuminator assembly  48 . Support stand  50  is portable to allow illuminator assembly  48  to be moved from site to site and to be positioned adjacent the surface against which the column of light is to be projected. 
     The Illuminator Assembly 
     Illuminator assembly  48  is provided with a removable, flange-mounted, mirrored inner surface, 45° projector cone  9 . Projector cone  9  has a mounting flange  52  which removably attaches projector cone  9  to an illuminator assembly housing  5 A. Thus, different sized cones  9  can be installed on illuminator assembly housing  5 A as selected by the user by unbolting mounting flange  52  of one cone  9  and by bolting mounting flange  52  of a differently sized cone  9  to illuminator assembly housing  5 A. The purpose of this is to allow a projector cone  9  of sufficient size to be installed that is capable of projecting a column of light within a desired range of working diameters. See FIGS. 11 and 12 which show differently sized projector cones  9  attached to illuminator assembly housing  5 A. 
     A given projector cone  9  when used on illuminator assembly housing  5 A covers successive increments of a particular working diameter range. A sliding illuminator shaft  1 A is carried on illuminator assembly housing  5 A and is equipped with a main laser light plane source  2 . Laser light plane source  2  is capable of radially emitting a full 360° laser light plane strictly perpendicular to the axis of illuminator shaft  1 A. This radial plane of laser light emitted by laser light plane source  2  will engage and be reflected by the mirrored inner surface of projector cone  9  into a cylindrical light column. 
     Illuminator shaft  1 A slides inside a slotted stationary sleeve  4  on illuminator assembly housing  5 A. Illuminator shaft  1 A is equipped with a linear scale indicator  1 B traveling within the slot of stationary sleeve  4 . Sliding illuminator shaft  1 A back and forth within stationary sleeve  4  moves laser light plane source  2  back and forth within projector cone  9  to vary the diameter of the cylindrical light column projected by projector cone  9 . See FIGS. 13 and 14. Indicator  1 B cooperates with a linear scale  7  located on illuminator assembly housing  5 A to help the user select a desired diameter of the projected cylindrical light column. Once a desired reading on linear scale  7  is obtained, the position of sliding illuminator shaft  1 A relative to stationary sleeve  4  can be secured or locked by a set screw  54  that extends into one of two sliding shaft support lugs  5 B, 5 C located on illuminator assembly  48  housing. 
     The operation of laser light plane source  2  is depicted in FIG. 3. A laser beam source  55  located along the axis of illuminator shaft  1 A projects a laser beam against the apex of a conical mirrored surface  56 . This converts the laser beam into a thin plane  58  of laser light that is projected radially outwardly through a cylindrical glass tube  59  forming the housing of laser light plane source  2 . The plane  58  of laser light extends around a full 360° circumference. Laser light plane source  2  is well known in the laser art for emitting laser light in a plane radial to the axis of the source, and any suitable laser light plane source  2  known in the art could be mounted on illuminator shaft  1 A and used for the purposes of this invention. 
     The end of illuminator shaft  1 A has an additional central laser pointer  3 B. The end of illuminator shaft  1 A is also equipped with two additional laser light sources  3 A, emitting and diverging laser light through two cylindrical surface lenses into mutually perpendicular laser light planes. See FIG. 11 which illustrates the centering beam provided by laser pointer  3 B and the mutually perpendicular planes emitted by laser light sources  3 A. The 90° angle between the laser light planes provided by laser light sources  3 A is maintained by virtue of the rigid mounting of laser light sources  3 A to the end of illuminator shaft  1 A. 
     A set of replaceable light diverting cones  10 , each with a mirrored outer surface, is also provided. One such light diverting cone  10  is mounted on illuminator shaft  1 A inside projector cone  9 . Within the set of cones  10 , light diverting cones  10  come in different reflective surface angles, at 5° cone angle increments or at any specific desired angle. The user selects one such light diverting cone  10  from the set thereof and mounts this cone  10  on illuminator shaft  1 A in advance of laser light plane source  2 . 
     As noted earlier, light plane  58 , generated by laser light plane source  2  perpendicular to the axis of illuminator shaft  1 A, strikes or is bounded by the circumference of the inner, mirrored surface of projector cone  9 . This reflects the circular boundary of light plane  58  into a cylindrical column of light that is parallel to illuminator shaft  1 A and to the axis of projector cone  9 . The axial position of sliding illuminator shaft  1 A with respect to projector cone  9  defines the diameter of the resulting projected cylindrical column of light. This diameter can be easily changed by the user or operator by displacing illuminator shaft  1 A inside, and along the axis of, projector cone  9  using a hand-driven worm gear adjusting mechanism  6  or any other suitable linear motion mechanism. The resulting projection diameter of the cylindrical light column can be read from linear scale  7  on illuminator assembly housing  5 A. 
     In using illuminator assembly  48 , illuminator shaft  1 A is adjusted so that the diameter of the resulting cylindrical column of light is set to some desired value. Typically, the diameter is set to be equal to that of a component, such as a vessel nozzle or a round shell attachment or a pipe, for the purpose of preparing or marking a receiving surface, i.e. a surface to which the component is to be joined such that the surface subsequently receives the component. For example, assume that a circular pipe having a 5 inch diameter is to be joined to another pipe having a 10 inch diameter. In this case, illuminator shaft  1 A is positioned to provide a cylindrical column of light having a 5 inch diameter, i.e. a diameter that is equal to that of the component, i.e. the 5 inch pipe, that is to be received in or joined to the 10 inch pipe. 
     Referring now to FIG. 10, after illuminator assembly  48  is adjusted to provide a cylindrical column of light having the correct diameter, i.e. in the example above a 5 inch diameter equal to the diameter of the 5 inch pipe that is to be joined to the 10 inch pipe, illuminator assembly  48  can then be positioned adjacent the receiving surface, i.e. adjacent the 10 inch pipe. In setting the diameter of the column of light, such diameter can be set to be either precisely equal to the pipe diameter, or approximately equal to the diameter of the 5 inch pipe since it might be desirable to have the diameter of the column of light either slightly more or slightly less than the exact diameter of the pipe to accommodate the type of weld that might be used to join the 5 inch pipe to the 10 inch pipe. Through suitable adjustment of support stand  50 , illuminator assembly  48  is directed at the receiving surface in a desired direction. In the case of the example shown in FIG. 10, illuminator assembly  48  is directed perpendicularly towards one side of the 10 inch pipe. 
     After illuminator assembly  48  is properly positioned, the projection of the cylindrical column of light by illuminator assembly  48 , captured by the receiving surface represented by the side of the pipe, will visually represent the intersection pattern formed on the joining pieces by their connection. In other words, again referring to FIG. 10, the cylindrical column of light will have an outline  62  when it strikes the receiving surface which will exactly represent the required intersection pattern that must be cut into the receiving surface in order to receive the component. Again, in the case of the example shown in FIG. 10, outline  62  will represent the intersection pattern required for the 5 inch pipe to be received in the 10 inch pipe in order to join the 5 inch pipe to the 10 inch pipe in the desired manner. This outline  62  can be traced or marked in any suitable manner, and the intersection pattern can subsequently be cut by a cutting implement following the marked outline  62 , to create an opening suitable for receiving the 5 inch pipe. 
     In adjusting and pointing illuminator assembly  48  at the receiving surface, the center of the pattern is defined by the centering beam emitted by laser pointer  3 B located at the end of illuminator shaft  1 A. For example, the beam from laser pointer  3 B can be directed at the center of the pattern in accordance with the connection pattern coordinates suggested by the work piece construction documents. similarly, the perpendicular light planes emitted from laser light sources  3 A can also help center and locate illuminator assembly  48  so that it is directed at an appropriate angle at the receiving surface. 
     Obviously, the use of laser pointer  3 B, and/or the light planes provided by laser light sources  3 A, are useful, but not strictly necessary to the operation of the invention. Other ways of centering and aligning illuminator assembly  48  so that the cylindrical column of light strikes the receiving surface at the right spot and in the right direction could be used. 
     While FIG. 10 illustrates an orientation in which illuminator assembly  48  projects a cylindrical light column to form an intersection pattern of two pipes connected perpendicularly relative to one another, illuminator assembly  48  can obviously be adjusted for non-perpendicular attachments as well. For example, FIGS. 27 and 28 illustrate the joining of a small pipe  60  to a large pipe  61  at an angle and off-center on the large pipe. Again, illuminator assembly  48  would be positioned to shine a cylindrical column of light on the large pipe  61 , equal in diameter to the diameter of the small pipe  60 , at the location where the small pipe  60  is to connect to the large pipe  61  and at the angle the small pipe  60  is to make with the large pipe  61 . When this is done, the intersection pattern will be visually displayed on the large pipe  61  to allow this intersection pattern to be marked and cut. 
     Moreover, illuminator assembly  48  can also be used to show an intersection pattern on a planar or two-dimensional surface, as opposed to a three-dimensional surface such as a pipe. See FIGS. 11 and 12 which show an intersection pattern projected at a perpendicular angle onto a planar surface, and FIGS. 19 and 20 which show a non-perpendicular projection onto a planar surface. 
     The replaceable diverting cones  10 , one of which is attached to illuminator shaft  1 A, can be used for generating a conically shaped light column by deflecting the cylindrical light column using the outer reflective surface of diverting cone  10  attached to illuminator shaft  1 A. This is illustrated in FIGS. 15 and 16. Conical light columns with a central angle up to and exceeding 90° can be projected by illuminator assembly  48 . The geometry of the conical light column, defined by the cone surface angle at the point of reflection, is determined in accordance with the required geometry of the construction and the distance between the apparatus and the pattern projection on the surface of the receiving shell or work piece, with the help of geometric reference tables, provided by the apparatus supplier. The replaceable diverting cone  10 , located at the front end of illuminator shaft  1 A, is compact and requires the operator to place diverting cone  10  the near the back end of projector cone  9  when working with conical nozzles or shell intersections. As with the aforementioned cylindrical laser light column, the beam, emitted by the central laser pointer  3 B at the end of illuminator shaft  1 A, provides a centering function. 
     A conically shaped column of light can be projected against a receiving surface to represent the intersection pattern of a conically shaped object with that surface. For example, a conically shaped column of light would be used if a conical nozzle were to be attached to the surface of a pressure vessel. Again, as in the case of the cylindrical column of light, the purpose of projecting a conical column of light onto a surface is to directly represent the intersection pattern between the surface and the component that is to be joined to that surface. This allows the intersection pattern to be marked for subsequent cutting of the pattern and assembly of the component to the surface or simply for verification purposes. Verification would be simply a projection of the column of light onto a surface to observe the pattern and to verify that the intersection pattern corresponds to a desired pattern and does not spatially extend into areas where it should not. 
     In addition, another use for the cylindrical and conical columns of light projected by illuminator assembly  48  is for the verification of cylindrical and conical geometries of various components or structures. For example, one could project a cylindrical column of light of a predetermined diameter to ensure that a particular cylindrical member or object was sized to be entirely received within this column of light, and was not deformed such that portions of the member or object extended outside the column of light. Similarly, the conical columns of light could be used to check and verify the geometry of conically shaped objects. 
     FIGS. 29 and 30 illustrate the connection of a conical shell to a pipe. This is an application where illuminator assembly  48  would be used to project a conical column of light against the pipe to visually represent the intersection pattern. The cone angle used in this column of light would be equal to the angle of the conical shell. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 17 and 18, instead of using a set of replaceable light diverting cones  10  to adjust and select the cone angle of the conical column of light, it would be possible to use a diverting cone, having a bell-shaped outer surface  64  known as a hyperboloid, that would move towards and away from laser light plane source  2  on illuminator shaft  1 A. By adjusting the distance between such a diverting cone and laser light plane source  2 , one can select where the reflected cylindrical light column would engage the bell-shaped outer surface  64  of diverting cone to select a particular cone angle. 
     Illuminator assembly  48  includes various switches  66  that can alternatively activate the various laser light sources carried on illuminator assembly  48 , i.e. main laser plane source  2 , laser pointer  3 B, and/or either or both of laser light sources  3 A. Switches  66  are connected to a power supply (not shown) and are located in power box  8  at the back end of illuminator assembly housing  5 A. The power supply can be of any suitable type, and preferably includes a battery power supply that is self-contained within power box  8 . However, other power supplies, including external power supplies such as an external source of electrical power, could also be used. 
     The Support Stand 
     Turning now to support stand  50  which is used to orient illuminator assembly  48 , support stand  50  includes an upper holding bracket  11 A for illuminator assembly  48 . Illuminator assembly housing  5 A is rigidly attached to holding bracket  5 A by mounting screws or bolts  68 . Holding bracket  11 A can be rotated in two vertical planes, parallel and perpendicular to the axis of illuminator shaft  1 A, about two horizontal pins  12 A and  13  that hinge in various supporting lugs. The upper horizontal pin  12 A provides rotational freedom or capability for the mutually perpendicular laser light planes emitted by laser light sources  3 A at the end of illuminator shaft  1 A. The supporting lugs  12 E,  12 F for upper horizontal pin  12 A are rigidly mounted to lower horizontal pin  13  that provides rotational freedom or capability for the beam provided by laser pointer  3 B as well as for the column of light provided by illuminator assembly  48  itself. 
     The supporting lugs  14 A of lower horizontal pin  13  are mounted on a turntable consisting of an upper plate  14 C and a lower plate  15 A. Upper plate  14 C carries supporting lugs  14 A for lower horizontal pin  13 . Upper plate  14 C is rotatable on top of lower plate  15 A. Lower plate  15 A is, in turn, supported by three or four leveling screws  16  on top of a vertically telescoping shaft assembly  19 . Each leveling screw  16  has a spindle-in-a-socket connection with a shaft assembly bearing cap plate  17  that is fixed to the top of a U-shaped bracket  18  carried on telescoping shaft assembly  19 . Upper and lower plates  14 C and  15 A are connected via an inner and outer spindle and socket similar to the basic construction components of a transit such that upper plate  14 C can rotate back and forth on lower plate  15 A. 
     Set screws  15 B are provided at the socket and below lower plate  15 A to lock upper plate  14 C at a desired angle in the horizontal plane. Two protractor scales  12 D and  14 B, each encompassing a minimum of 135°, are provided at the joints of horizontal pins  12 A and  13  for taking readings of the angle of inclination in the two vertical planes that are parallel and perpendicular to the axis of illuminator shaft  1 A. The readings of the angles of vertical rotation are obtained with the help of indicators  11 B and  13 A attached to holding bracket  11 A and lower horizontal pin  13 , respectively. In addition, the supporting outer flange of lower plate  15 A of the turntable is provided with a pointer that can be read against a protractor scale  15 D carried on upper plate  14 C for measuring the horizontal angle of rotation of illuminator assembly  48  about the vertical axis of telescoping shaft assembly  19 . 
     The above described rotational degrees of freedom are illustrated in FIG.  4 . Rotation of illuminator assembly  48  about upper horizontal pin  12 A provides rotation as indicated by the arrows A about the x axis in the illustrated xyz coordinate system. Rotation of illuminator assembly  48  about lower horizontal pin  13  provides rotation as indicated by the arrows B about the y axis in the illustrated xyz coordinate system. Finally, rotation of illuminator assembly  48  by rotating upper plate  14 C relative to lower plate  15 A provides rotation as indicated by the arrows C about the z axis in the illustrated xyz coordinate system. This rotational capability provides for the adjustment needed for projecting a column of light in a desired direction relative to a receiving surface. 
     Upper plate  14 C is provided with a circular level indicator  14 D. Most applications will be performed with the upper pin  12 A locked in the zero position with the help of a set screw  12 B bearing against a locking knob  12 C on pin  12 A. In this locked zero position, the mutually perpendicular laser light planes provided by laser light sources  3 A are strictly vertical and horizontal, i.e. aligned with the planes defined by the xz and xy axes, respectively. The accuracy of this position can be verified with the two mutually perpendicular one-way level indicators  11 C of water bubble type located on holding bracket  11 A. 
     Vertical up and down adjustability of illuminator assembly  48  is achieved by the axial translation of telescoping shaft assembly  19  driven by a worm gear mechanism  20 . Telescoping shaft assembly  19  is received in a vertical post  21  that is rigidly fixed to a base  22 A. Vertical adjustment movement is accomplished, with a high degree of accuracy, by worm gear mechanism  20  and in accordance with work piece construction documents. In other words, telescoping shaft assembly  19  can be used to raise illuminator assembly  48  to the level it has to be in order to be positioned adjacent the receiving surface. 
     Base  22 A of support stand  50  is equipped with a minimum of three swivel wheels  24 , two of which are lockable, as well as a minimum of three vertically adjustable threaded bearing studs  23  having sole plates  23 A, allowing the user to easily move support stand  50  to the desired location and to thereafter secure support stand  50 . The user can secure support stand  50  in position using the adjustable bearing studs  23  that are also used for initial leveling of base  22 A. Thus, during transport, wheels  24  are used to roll the apparatus of this invention from one place to another. Once in place, bearing studs  23  are lowered until the sole plates  23 A are beneath the wheels  24  and engage the ground or floor. The sole plates can be individually adjusted until base  22 A is level as indicated by a bubble type leveling apparatus  22 B provided on base. 
     Alternatively, an elevated base, mounted upon a tripod, may be used in place of base  22 B, similar to the arrangement found in common surveying instruments. As noted earlier, circular level indicators of water bubble type are provided on base  22 B for convenience during positioning and set up. The elevation of illuminator assembly  48  above the adjustable base  22 A, whether base is elevated and tripod mounted or supported on stilts just above the floor as shown in the drawings, can be read from a vertical scale (not shown) marked on the side of telescoping shaft assembly  19  at the location where telescoping shaft assembly  19  enters into post  21 . An additional measurement with a ruler may be performed to obtain, if desired, the height of the adjustable base  22 A above the floor so that the height of illuminator assembly  48  above the floor can thus be determined. 
     In addition to the leveling provided by threaded studs  23 , more precise leveling of illuminator assembly  48  can also be obtained by adjusting the elevation of the leveling screws  16  which support the upper and lower plates  14 C and  15 A of the turntable that provides illuminator assembly  48  with rotational capability in the horizontal plane about the z axis. 
     Thus, support stand  50  described above allows the height of illuminator assembly  48  to be easily adjusted relative to the ground or a floor by using telescoping shaft assembly  19  to raise and lower illuminator assembly  48 . In addition, illuminator assembly  48  once raised or lowered can be rotated about the xyz axes to allow illuminator assembly  48  to be pointed in a desired direction at a receiving surface. Once so oriented, operation of the various laser light sources provided on illuminator assembly  48  serves to project the intersection pattern of a cylindrical or conical object onto the receiving surface as described earlier. 
     The apparatus of this invention can be stored and transported in its most compact position, with telescoping shaft assembly  19  retracted inside post  21  into its lowest position. 
     A second embodiment of a support stand  50 ′ for supporting illuminator assembly  48  is shown in FIGS. 21 and 24. In support stand  50 ′, illuminator assembly  48  is offset from telescoping shaft assembly  19  by the length of a swing or pivot arm  70 . Thus, illuminator assembly  48  can be pivoted in its entirety about the axis of telescoping shaft assembly  19  by virtue of pivot arm  70 . Once pivot arm  70  is an a desired location, illuminator assembly  48  is still rotationally adjustable about each of the xyz axes in the xyz coordinate system. 
     One use for support stand  50 ′ is preparing a pipe end for insertion into another pipe or the like. In this use, as shown in FIG.  21 . pivot arm  70  is swung so that illuminator assembly  48  faces one side of the pipe end. Then, when illuminator assembly  48  projects a cylindrical column of light representing the receiving surface to which the pipe end is to be joined, one half of this light column will be positioned to fall on the pipe end so that a first half  62   a  of the necessary cut in the pipe end is illustrated and can be marked. If pivot arm  70  is then swung around 180° to face the opposite side of the pipe end and this procedure is repeated, the other half  62   b  will be visually represented on the pipe end and can also be marked. Cutting along outlines  62   a  and  62   b  will then trim or prepare the pipe end for insertion into or abutment with another pipe. In the case of simply abutting the pipe end with an existing pipe without cutting into the existing pipe, as when the pipe end is part of a cylindrical support for the existing pipe, only the pipe end will be cut and not the existing pipe itself. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 22,  25  and  26 , a third support stand  50 ″ is illustrated for mounting illuminator assembly directly on top of a pipe. Support stand  50 ″ includes an upper saddle  72  having curved downwardly extending legs  74  adapted to about against a top side of the pipe. A tightenable cinch or strap  76  is carried on saddle  72  to allow saddle  72  to be placed on top of the pipe and clamped in place thereon. A support member  78  is fixed to top of saddle  72 . A slidable support plate  80  can slide back and forth through a slot  82  in support member  78 . Lower plate  15 A includes a downwardly extending threaded stem  84  that passes through a hole  86  in support plate  80 . A nut  88  can be tightened on stem  84  against the underside of support plate  80  to allow illuminator assembly to be carried on support plate  80 . 
     After saddle  72  is installed on a pipe by tightening cinch or strap  76 , illuminator assembly  48  can be placed in a desired lateral position relative to the pipe by sliding support plate  80  back and forth on saddle  72 , using a scale  90  to help position illuminator assembly  48 . A set screw or other locking means can be used to help hold support plate  80  in an adjusted position on saddle  72 . Once so secured, illuminator assembly can still be rotationally adjusted about each of the xyz axes in the xyz coordinate system. 
     FIG. 22 shows illuminator assembly  48  mounted on support stand  50 ″, with support stand  50 ″ being located around a pipe with illuminator assembly  48  located on top of the pipe. Illuminator assembly  48  can then be operated to visually project an intersection pattern onto the pipe representing where a component will be desirably secured to the pipe. 
     Regardless of which support stand is used to carry illuminator assembly  48 , such an illuminator assembly  48  desirably projects the outline  62  of an intersection pattern directly onto the receiving surface. However, if a piece of paper  100  or the like is first overlaid onto the receiving surface, as shown in FIG. 22, the intersection pattern will be projected onto the paper  100 . If the paper is removed and the outline  62  of the intersection pattern is cut out, a paper template will be formed that can then be laid back down on the pipe to use for marking or cutting purposes. Preferably, paper  100  will have perpendicular axes marked on it to allow the template cut from paper  100  to be properly oriented when the template is subsequently being used. 
     Applications for the apparatus of this invention can are numerous and widespread. Such applications can be found in manufacturing applications or any application where one component needs to be joined to another or where one simply wishes to verify the intersection pattern of one component on another or simply wishes to verify the geometry of cylindrical and conical objects. Specifically, some of the applications for this invention include, but are by no means limited to, the equipment components of plate and shell geometry found in commercial, heavy industrial, environmental, drainage, HVAC, process and utility systems. 
     This invention provides high-quality, low-cost true length 3-D pattern projection and marking, and accommodates changes of geometry of cylindrical and conical shell components, as well as interconnection of these components with one or more regular, irregular, or corrugated surfaces. The apparatus of this invention is provided with various degrees of freedom and adjustability, which facilitate the access to the required locations across the work piece surface, per construction documents, such as the crown or invert of a cylindrical shell, while enabling the user to trace a wide range of attachment diameters by virtue of vertical and horizontal translation of the apparatus parts, as well as a multitude of angles of mutual orientation or intersection of the pieces through the rotational capability of the components. The apparatus of this invention is of light and efficient, yet rigid, construction, which ensures the accuracy of projection and the precision of the resulting pattern. 
     Various modifications of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Thus, the scope of this invention is to be limited only by the appended claims.