Patent ID: 7038770

Claim:
A system for establishing a centerline in a rotary machine relative to a first and second reference surface, comprising: a light source for emitting a columnar beam of light; a support structure for fixedly supporting said light source relative to said rotary machine; a first centering tool having a pass-through light receiver disposed at one end of said centering tool at a position such that the center of said receiver lies at the center of said first reference surface when an opposite end of said centering tool is positioned to abut said first reference surface; a second centering tool having a light receiver disposed at one end of said centering tool at a position such that the center of said receiver lies at the center of said second reference surface when an opposite end of said centering tool is positioned to abut said second reference surface; and an adjustment mechanism on said support structure for adjusting the position of said light source in at least a horizontal and vertical direction and for aligning said beam of light to impact the center of said light receivers in said first and second centering tool.