Apparatus for isolating and leveling a machine foundation

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to machine foundations, and more particularly, an apparatus for isolating and leveling a machine foundation with respect to a substructure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

When installing and setting up heavy-duty industrial machinery (i.e., machinery, equipment, presses, etc.), it is difficult to properly isolate a machine from the substructure (i.e., floor, ground, etc.) of a building or facility or from the ground or soil of the earth. Such isolation may be desired to isolate vibration from a machine that is sensitive to vibration, as in the case of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine. In the alternative, such isolation may be required to isolate the vibration created by a machine from a substructure. The shock and vibration generated or realized by these machines may create misalignments of the machine due to the forces and the settling of the substructure or the machine's foundation. Proper alignment, including leveling, flatness, and the like, is essential in order to operate the machinery efficiently, economically and safely.

Prior designs have attempted to isolate a machine foundation from a substructure by providing a concrete well in the substructure. Sand or other fill materials line the walls of the concrete well and create a barrier between the machine's concrete foundation and the substructure. Springs have also been utilized between the substructure and the machine's concrete foundation to isolate and support the machine foundation from the substructure. However, these designs do not provide a method or apparatus for easily and effectively leveling the machine.

Other past designs have utilized machine foundations that are integral with a substructure. Although some of these designs have provided leveling mechanisms between the machine and the foundation, the design of the machine foundation and the substructure must be completely re-engineered when replacing the existing industrial machinery. Re-engineering a machine foundation and a substructure is a costly proposition that is undesirable in the field of industrial machinery.

Thus, it would be desirable to provide an apparatus for isolating and leveling a machine foundation with respect to a substructure. It would also be desirable to have an apparatus for isolating and leveling a machine foundation wherein the apparatus and foundation could be reused with respect to a replacement machine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an apparatus for isolating a machine foundation from a substructure of a building while also providing proper adjustments to level the machine foundation. The apparatus of the present invention provides an enclosure connected to the machine foundation wherein the enclosure has an upper portion and a lower portion adjustably connected to one another to allow for various sizes of the enclosure. A bearing member is disposed within the enclosure and is adjustably connected to the enclosure. A resilient member is positioned between and in connection with the bearing member and the substructure for isolating and leveling the machine foundation relative to the substructure. In an alternative embodiment, a recess may be formed on a surface of the resilient member adjacent the bearing member, and the bearing member may provide a protruding surface that complementarily engages the recess of the resilient member to increase the stability of the resilient member.

The present invention may also provide at least one gauge extending between the bearing member and the substructure to determine the distance between the bearing member and the substructure for purposes of leveling the machine foundation relative to the substructure.

The present invention may also provide stabilizers having an anchor plate assembly adjustably connected to the enclosure. An isolating member is preloaded against the substructure by the anchor plate assembly to provide added stability to the machine foundation. The anchor plate assembly may apply a force to the isolating member that is substantially perpendicular to the axis in which the bearing member applies a load to the resilient member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The description herein makes reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout several views and wherein:

FIG. 1

is a sectional view showing the apparatus of the present invention being utilized to isolate and level the foundation of a MRI machine;

FIG. 2

is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus of the present invention taken in the direction of arrows

2

—

2

in

FIG. 3

;

FIG. 3

is a top plan view of the apparatus of the present invention shown in

FIG. 2

;

FIG. 4

is a top view of the apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 5

is a breakaway sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the resilient member and bearing member of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the disclosed embodiments.

FIGS. 1-5

illustrate the apparatus

10

of the present invention for isolating and leveling a machine foundation

12

with respect to a substructure

14

of a building (not shown) or the ground. As seen in

FIG. 1

, the apparatus

10

of the present invention may be used to isolate and level the machine foundation

12

of a machine

16

. The apparatus

10

may be utilized to isolate the vibration of a machine

16

from the substructure

14

, or the apparatus

10

may isolate the machine

16

from the vibration of the substructure

14

wherein the machine

16

is sensitive to vibration, such as in the case of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine installed in a hospital. The application of the present invention is not limited to MRI machines

16

, but rather, any large industrial machine which requires the isolation of vibration and shockwaves and requires the leveling of a foundation may be utilized to isolate and level the machine foundation

12

from the substructure

14

.

The machine

16

is typically installed within a building by providing a concrete well

18

in the substructure

14

of the building. The machine foundation

12

is fabricated from concrete wherein the footings of the machine

16

are set in the concrete machine foundation

12

. A plurality of the apparatuses

10

of the present invention are set within the machine foundation

12

at strategically placed locations. For instance, the apparatuses

10

may be equally spaced within the machine foundation

12

and positioned at the corners of the machine foundation

12

. The machine foundation

12

is placed within the concrete well

18

of the substructure

14

, and a small space is created between the concrete well

18

and the machine foundation

12

by the apparatuses

10

. The apparatuses

10

utilize resilient members

20

and isolating members

22

to separate and isolate the machine foundation

12

from the substructure

14

. By isolating the machine foundation

12

from the substructure

14

, the apparatuses

10

provide a way to level the machine foundation

10

while also isolating vibration and shockwaves from the substructure

14

.

As seen in

FIGS. 2-4

, the apparatus

10

of the present invention provides a substantially rectangular enclosure

24

that is set within the concrete of the machine foundation

12

and extends the entire depth or height of the machine foundation

12

. The enclosure

24

may also provide two cylindrical passageways or outlets

28

in the sides of the enclosure

24

that provide access to sidewalls

30

of the substructure

14

. It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the enclosure

24

being substantially rectangular, but rather, the enclosure

24

may be constructed in any geometric configuration that will allow for the proper isolation and leveling of the machine foundation

12

. In addition, the enclosure

24

may be fabricated from various materials. However, if the apparatus

10

is used in conjunction with a MRI machine, then a non-ferrous alloy, such as aluminum, should be utilized to construct the enclosure

24

so that the enclosure

24

will not affect the operation of the MRI machine

16

. A removable cover

31

covers the top of the enclosure

24

and is recessed just below the top surface

33

of the machine foundation

12

. The cover

31

should also be fabricated from a nonferrous alloy if used in conjunction with an MRI machine.

In order to adjust the depth or height of the enclosure

24

to correspond to the depth or height of the machine foundation

12

, the enclosure

24

has an upper portion

32

and a lower portion

34

that are telescopically received within one another. Specifically, the upper portion

32

of the enclosure

24

is telescopically received within the lower portion

34

of the enclosure

24

. The upper portion

32

and the lower portion

34

of the enclosure

24

are adjustably connected through the use of three substantially right angle flanges

36

that are connected to and extend outward from the exterior of the upper portion

32

of the enclosure

24

. The flanges

36

each have an aperture extending through the outwardly extending portion of the flange

36

. The flanges

36

are equally spaced about the outer perimeter of the enclosure

24

. The lower portion

34

of the enclosure

24

has an anchor ring

38

integrally connected to the lower portion

34

of the enclosure

24

. The anchor ring

38

has an inner perimeter

39

and an outer perimeter

41

relative to the enclosure

24

that both extend at a substantially right angle from the lower portion

34

of the enclosure

24

. Three rods

40

are integrally connected to the anchor ring

38

and extend upward toward the flanges

36

of the upper portion

32

of the enclosure

24

. The three rods

40

correspond in location and number to the apertures in the flanges

36

of the enclosure

24

. The rods

40

extend through the apertures provided in the flanges

36

, and three adjustable slip joints

42

, connected to each of the flanges

36

, receive and engage the rods

40

. The adjustable slip joints

42

provide a releasable locking mechanism that releaseably locks the rods

40

within the adjustable slip joints

42

and allows the upper portion

32

and the lower portion

34

of the enclosure

24

to telescopically move relative to one another to provide for the desired height of the enclosure

24

.

To apply the load of the machine

16

and the machine foundation

12

to the resilient member

20

, the apparatus

10

of the present invention provides a load bearing member

44

. The load bearing member

44

is a substantially flat, plate-like structure disposed within the enclosure

24

. Four threaded fasteners

46

connect the bearing member

44

to the inner perimeter

39

of the anchor ring

38

. The threaded fasteners

46

can be adjusted to adjust the distance between the bearing member

44

and the anchor ring

38

, thereby adjusting the load applied to the resilient member

20

and the distance between the machine foundation

12

and a floor

26

of the substructure

14

. However, the bearing member

44

can only be lowered to a point in which the upper portion

32

of the enclosure

24

bottoms out or engages the anchor ring

38

. This prevents the overloading of the resilient member

20

. It should be noted that the present invention anticipates other means of adjusting the distance between the bearing member

44

and the anchor ring

38

beside the fasteners

46

. For instance, hydraulic jacks may be utilized to adjust the height of the bearing member

44

.

The load of the bearing member

44

is applied to the resilient member

20

by having the resilient member

20

positioned between and in contact with a bottom surface

50

of the bearing member

44

and the floor

26

of the substructure

14

. The resilient member

20

is a substantially rectangular block of rubber material that allows for a certain amount of compressibility. This compressibility not only isolates the vibration and shock of the machine foundation

12

from the substructure

14

, but also allows for the adjustment of the fasteners

46

so as to level the machine

16

and its foundation

12

. The fasteners

46

can also adjust the vertical stiffness of the machine foundation

12

by compressing the resilient members

20

more to increase the stiffness and less to reduce the stiffness of the machine foundation

12

. Although the apparatus

10

of the present invention and the application thereof described may be best suited for a resilient member

20

fabricated from a rubber material, the present invention is not limited to the resilient member

20

being fabricated from a rubber material. The resilient member

20

may be fabricated from various springs, such as steel springs, or airbags. If the isolation of vibration is not a concern, then the resilient member

20

may be fabricated from a solid steel block in order to provide a more stable material for leveling the machine foundation

12

.

In an alternative embodiment, the structure of the resilient member

20

may be modified in order to stabilize the resilient member

20

by reducing the amount of horizontal movement of the resilient member

20

. As seen in

FIG. 5

, the resilient member

20

provides a recess formed in substantially the center of a top surface

56

of the resilient member

20

. The recess

52

may have a frusto-conical shape extending downward into the top surface

56

of the resilient member

20

. A complementarily engaging structure

57

is connected to the bottom surface

50

of the bearing member

44

through the use of a threaded fastener

58

. The complementarily engaging member

57

is connected to the end of a threaded fastener

58

. The threaded fastener extends through an aperture provided in the bearing member

44

and is secured to the bearing member

44

by the use of a threaded nut

60

. The complementarily engaging member

57

has a frusto-conical shape which matingly engages the recess

52

provided in the top surface

56

of the resilient member

20

. As the load is applied through the bearing member

44

to the resilient member

20

, the complementarily engaging member

57

works to reduce the amount of horizontal movement of the resilient member

20

. The complementarily engaging member

57

may be fabricated from a rubber material similar to the resilient member

20

or may be fabricated from any other substantially high strength material.

The apparatus

10

of the present invention may also provide horizontal stabilizers

61

in order to stabilize the machine foundation

12

in a horizontal direction while also providing a stiffness adjustment along the horizontal or Y axis. In order to utilize the horizontal stabilizers

61

, the enclosure

24

is located relatively close to one of the sidewalls

30

of the substructure

14

so that the horizontal stabilizer

61

can engage the sidewall

30

of the substructure

14

. In addition, if the enclosure

24

is located within a corner of the machine foundation

12

, the horizontal stabilizer

61

may be utilized on adjacent sidewalls

30

of the substructure

14

, as seen in FIG.

4

.

As seen in

FIGS. 2-4

, the horizontal stabilizer

61

is disposed within the outlet or passageway

28

of the enclosure

24

. Since the horizontal stabilizer

61

engages the sidewalls

30

of the substructure

14

, the passageway

28

of the enclosure

24

has a longitudinal axis

64

that is substantially perpendicular to a vertical, longitudinal axis

65

of the enclosure

24

. The passageway

28

of the enclosure

24

is substantially cylindrical and provides an inner portion

66

and an outer portion

68

that are telescopically adjustable so that the length of the passageway

28

may be adjusted to correspond to the length of the machine foundation

12

that extends between the enclosure

24

and an end of the machine foundation

12

. The inner portion

66

and the outer portion

68

of the passageway

28

have a slip joint feature that allows for easy telescopic adjustment of the inner portion

66

and the outer portion

68

. The telescopic arrangement of the passageway

28

is such that the outer portion

68

has a segment that is inside a segment of the inner portion

66

of the passageway

28

. It should be noted that the invention is not limited to a cylindrical passageway

28

, but rather, the passageway

28

may utilize any geometry that provides for a horizontal stabilizer

61

, as described in the present invention.

In order to horizontally stabilize the machine foundation

12

, four substantially rectangular tabs

69

extend radially inward from the inner circumference of the outer portion

68

of the passageway

28

. The four tabs

69

are spaced substantially 90° from one another. An anchor plate

70

has a substantially diamond configuration with four fingers

72

corresponding in position to the tabs

69

in the outer portion

68

of the passageway

28

. The anchor plate

70

provides a “twist lock” feature by having the four fingers

72

of the anchor plate

70

engage the tabs

69

on the outer portion

68

of the passageway

28

in a specific configuration. When the anchor plate

70

is rotated 45°, the four fingers

72

of the anchor plate

70

disengage the tabs

69

of the outer portion

68

of the passageway

28

. The anchor plate

70

provides a threaded aperture for threadably receiving a bolt or rod

76

, and a substantially cylindrical isolator plate

78

is connected to the end of the rod

76

. The isolating member

22

also has a substantially cylindrical configuration and is positioned between and in contact with the isolator plate

78

and the sidewall

30

of the substructure

14

. The rod

76

may be threadably adjusted with respect to the anchor plate

70

so that the amount of preload applied to the isolating member

22

by the isolator plate

78

may be adjusted by adjusting the length of the rod

76

. Threaded nut

79

secures the rod

76

in a predetermined position. The isolating member

22

is fabricated from a rubber material, but the isolating member

22

may also be fabricated from a spring or airbag.

In operation, the enclosure

24

is set within the concrete of the machine foundation

12

. The apparatuses

10

of the present invention are placed in strategic locations within the machine foundation

12

in order to properly isolate vibration from the machine foundation

12

to the substructure

14

, as well as provide specific leveling adjustments to the machine foundation

12

. In setting the enclosures

24

within the concrete of the machine foundation

12

, the length of the enclosure

24

must be properly adjusted for the height or depth of the machine foundation

12

by adjusting the upper portion

32

and the lower portion

34

of the enclosure

24

through the use of the adjustable slip joint

42

. Once the enclosures

24

are set in the machine foundation

12

, the machine foundation

12

is placed in the concrete well

18

of the substructure

14

. The resilient member

20

is placed on the bottom of the enclosure

24

, and the bearing member

44

is secured to the anchor ring

38

through the use of the fasteners

46

. The fasteners

46

are tightened until a sufficient load is applied to the resilient member

20

such that the machine foundation

12

lifts off the floor

26

of the substructure

14

. Gauges or gauge pins

80

may be installed through corresponding apertures in the bearing member

44

and the anchor ring

38

. The gauges

80

extend to the floor

26

of the substructure

14

to determine the distance between the bearing member

44

and the floor

26

of the substructure

14

. The gauges

80

provide the user with an indication as to whether the machine foundation

12

is level. By reading the gauges

80

from all of the apparatuses

10

in the machine foundation

12

, proper adjustments may be made to the fasteners

46

in the bearing member

44

and the anchor ring

38

by lowering or raising certain areas of the machine foundation

12

so as to properly level the machine foundation

12

. In addition, the stiffness of the machine foundation

12

along the vertical axis

65

may be adjusted by compacting the resilient member

20

further if greater stiffness is desired and reducing the amount of compactness of the resilient member

20

if less stiffness is desired. The natural frequency of the machine foundation

12

can also be altered by adjusting the amount of vertical stiffness in the resilient member

20

or varying the amount of vertical stiffness among the various resilient members.

After the proper adjustments are made to the bearing member

44

, the horizontal stabilizers

61

may be installed. The rod

76

along with the anchor plate

70

and isolator plate

78

are inserted into the passageway

28

of the enclosure

24

. The isolating member

22

is positioned between the isolator plate

78

and the sidewall

30

of the substructure

14

. The anchor plate

70

is inserted such that the four fingers

72

of the anchor plate

70

do not engage the tabs

69

located in the outer portion

28

of the passageway

28

. Force is applied to the anchor bolt

70

so as to preload the isolating member

22

. A sufficient amount of deformation of the isolating member

22

must occur to allow the anchor plate

70

to extend beneath the tabs

69

in the outer portion

68

of the passageway

28

in a locked position. The anchor plate

70

is then rotated 45° so that the four fingers

72

of the anchor plate

70

may engage the tabs

69

in the outer portion

68

of the passageway

28

. The bias from the isolating member

22

forces the anchor plate

70

against the tabs

69

so that a preload is applied and maintained against the sidewall

30

of the substructure

14

. The horizontal stiffness of the machine foundation

12

may be adjusted by threadably adjusting the length of the rod

76

. If a greater amount of horizontal stiffness is desired, the rod

76

is threaded outward toward the sidewall

30

of the substructure

14

such that the isolator plate

78

deflects or deforms the isolating member

22

to a greater degree. If a lesser amount of horizontal stiffness is desired, the rod

76

is threaded inward toward the enclosure

24

such that the isolator plate

70

decreases the amount of deflection or deformation to the isolating member

22

.

If the machine

16

is replaced with another machine (not shown), the machine foundation

12

and the apparatuses

10

may be utilized in conjunction with the new machine. The old machine

16

is removed from the machine foundation

12

, and the new machine is set within the machine foundation. Depending on the length of time the apparatuses

10

have been in use, the resilient members

20

may need to be replaced with new resilient members (not shown) fabricated from the same or different materials as the previous resilient members

20

, depending on the application. The set up for the new machine is the same procedure as noted above.

While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to those disclosed embodiments, but to the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. The scope is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications on equivalent structures as is permitted under the law.