The alignment of machinery and machine elements is a highly complex procedure which is critical in many contexts. For example, electric motors or other types of drivers must be placed in proper position to drive machines, such as rotary or centrifugal pumps, fans or the like. To do so, the output shaft of the motor must be closely aligned (that is, to within a few thousandths of an inch) with the input shaft of the machine which is to be driven. Once such alignment is achieved, the conventional flexible coupling between the machines compensates for any remaining offsets in the alignment of the machines and therefore provides an acceptable driving connection.
Existing devices for aligning machine elements such as drivers and input shafts include built-in jacking devices or common hand tools.
Conventional built-in jacking devices utilize transverse and longitudinal jackscrews which are permanently mounted to the driver at the baseplate or soleplate of the driver, with each jackscrew being mounted adjacent to one of the feet of the driver. Rotation of such jackscrews causes them to move axially and to thereby push against the driver feet to cause movement in the horizontal plane.
Although such jackscrews satisfactorily move and align machine components, their permanent affixation to the machine components (such as at the baseplate) presents some disadvantages with respect to their use. For example, separate jackscrews must be purchased for each foot of each component to be moved, since a jackscrew mounted to one component cannot be removed for use on different components.
Moreover, because conventional jackscrews must be permanently installed, difficulties may be encountered in situations where the machine components are not equipped with jackscrews prior to field installation of the machine components. For example, it may be difficult given the positioning and orientation of the components to install the jackscrews on site, or hotwork restrictions may preclude their installation in the field. Moreover, the permanently attached jackscrews may interfere during change out of components and also during cleaning of the machine baseplate.
Other tools that are commonly used (typically in combination) for horizontal movement and alignment of machine components include portable hydraulic jacks, wedges, pry bars, cranes, sledge hammers. Small machine elements may also be pushed by hand. Unfortunately, movement and alignment of machinery using such tools can be very time consuming, dangerous to personnel and machinery, and it often results in imprecise alignment of components.
An apparatus for moving and aligning is therefore desired which provides the ease and precision afforded by conventional jackbolt devices but which is capable of temporary attachment to machine components without loss of precision or effectiveness.