GB1571109A

GB1571109A - Level determining device

Info

Publication number: GB1571109A
Application number: GB3438176A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1976-11-25
Filing date: 1976-11-25
Publication date: 1980-07-09

Description

(54) A LEVEL DETERMINING DEVICE (71) I, ANTHONY EDWARD MOSS, of 65, Fullingdale Road, Headlands, Northampton, a British Citizen, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to a device, hereinafter referred to as CCa level", for use in determining the level of a surface.

Such devices generally comprise a sealed tube containing a liquid and an air bubble which displaces in the liquid in accordance with the angular disposition or level of the tb:e. The devices are customarily employed in the building industry for determining the level or plumb of a building element, usually with reference to a vertical horizontal plane.

According to the invention there is provided a level comprising a casing in which a cylindrical member is mounted so as to be freely rotatable about an axis which is or can be made horizontal, the member being weighted so as to maintain or tend to maintain a given orientation in space due to gravity with said axis horizontal, the member having four pointers on one circular end face thereof such that a first pair of the pointers are vertical and the second pair of pointers are horizontal in said given orientation, all four pointers being simultaneously visible through a window in one face of the casing in all possible relative orientations of the casing and the member, the casing having four pointers or markers which are positioned so as to become juxtaposed respectively with the four pointers of said member in one predetermined relative orientation of the casing and the member, wherein the freely rotatable cylindrical member has markings on a peripheral portion thereof and wherein the casing has a window positioned in another face thereof to permit viewing of the peripheral portion of the freely rotatable member.

The freely rotatable member is preferably rotatable through an angle greater than 900 (most preferably through 360 ) so that the level may be used in determining the level of a surface with reference to both horizontal and vertical planes. However, such member may be constructed or constrained such that it can turn only through an angle of less than 360 , or such that it may be locked in a selected position (when not in use), and the expression "rotatable" as used herein is intended to cover such arrangements.

The pointers of the casing may in fact be carried by an element which is mounted to a body of the casing to form part of the casing.

Such construction provides for one way in which the level may be employed for determining the level of a surface with reference to an angle that is inclined between the horizontal and vertical planes.

The invention will be more fully understood from the following description of embodiments thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 shows a perspectivet view of a portion of a level; Figure 2 shows a sectional elevation view of the level as seen along section plane 2-2 of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a freely rotatable member of the level, shown removed therefrom; Figure 4A and 4B show sectional-edge and side elevation views respectively of an alternative form of level; Figure 5 shows a perspective view of an alternative rotatable member for the level of Figures 4A and 4B; and Figure 6 shows a perspective view of three levels mounted to a support therefor.

As illustrated in Figures 1 to 3, the level comprises a casing 10 having side edges 11 and 12, one at least of which is being adapted tobe placed against an object for which a level determination is required.

The casing has a hollow portion 13 within which is mounted a freely rotatable cylindrical member 14. The member 14 is rotatably mounted upon a spindle 15 which is secured within an embossed portion 16 of the casing.

The member 14, which is preferably moulded from a synthetic plastics material, carries four pairs of integrally moulded pointers 17 and markers 18, is separated from the embossment 116 by- a washer 19 and is held captive to the spindle by a drclip 20 or the like. Two pairs of the pointers 17 are vertical and the other two pairs of pointers 17 are horizontal. All the pointers 17 are simultaneously visible through one face of the casing 10, as shown in Figure 1, in all relative positions of the casing 10 and member 14.

A hole 21 is formed in the member 14 and is filled with a pIug 22 of a material having a density significantly greater than that of the member 14. This plug causes the member 14 to have an eccentric centre of gravity.

An annular ring 23 is fitted to the main body of the casing 10 and forms a portion of the casing 10, such annular ring also being preferably formed from a synthetic plastics material and carrying four integrally moulded pointers 24.

As is shown in Figure 1, the pointers 24 correspond in position with the pointers 17 only when the housing edges 11 (or 12) are in a vertical or horizontal position.

The annular ring 23 defines a window 25 to permit viewing of the face of the member 14, and such window may be closed by a glass or dear plastics lens to prevent ingress of dust to the spindle 15.

A further window 26, which may idso be glazed, is located in at least one of the side edges 11 and 12 and possibly also the top edge of the casing. Such window permits side viewing of the markers 18 of the member 14, whereby alignment of the marker 18 with fixed markers 27 or 28 associated with the window may be sighted. Any alignment (or misalignment) of the markers 18 and 27128 corresponds with alignment (or misalignment) of the pointers 17 and 24.

The casing 10 or the annular ring 23 may be marked with a protractor scale to permit the measurement of inclination of a surface.

The pointers and markers 17, 118, 24 and 27 are preferably coloured for contrast with other portions of the level, and, instead of the pointers and markers being formed as integrally moulded portions, they may be constituted by painted or stuck-on indicia, transfers or the like.

Figures 4A and 4B show an alternative form of level; that is one which may be viewed from either face. Such level comprises casing 40 within which is mounted a freely rotatable member 41 (having an eccentric weight 41a) similar to that above described. However in this level, two circular dear plastics or glass windows 42 are provided and the rotatable member is supported by a metal spindle 43 which extends between the windows. The spindle is located by two bearing cups 44, one of which being positioned in a central aperture of the respective windows.

An annular ring 45, which is similar to that described above with reference to Figures 1 to 3, is located within each window 42 and carries pointers 46 which align with corresponding pointers 47 on the rotatable member when the level is in either a horizontal or vertical position.

Although not shown, the level of Figures 4A and 4B incorporates an edge window and/or a top window as described with reference to the Figure 1 embodiment.

Figure 5 shows a perspective view of an alterrative form of rotatable member 51 for use in the level of Figures 4A and 4B. This member, instead of being mounted upon a removable metal spindle, is formed with integrally moulded stub axles 52 and with integrally moulded spacer (washer) portions 53.

The member is otherwise similar to the rotatable member described with reference to Fig aire 3, it having pointers 521s, markers 5lb and an eccentric weight 51c.

However, it is to be understood that the rotatable member need not be formed as a moulding; it may for example be fabricated in metal as a cylindrical element having a cylindrical tube portion fitted with end disc-like faces. The weight would then be fitted eccentrically within the element, for example affixed to the wall of the cylindrical portion.

As is shown in Figure 6, the various level embodiments as described above may be incorp orated in a metal (or alternatively a timber) support 70. Figure 6 shows three levels 71 mounted in the one support, and such levels may be arranged respectively to display a level condition at three different angles, but the support may mount a single level.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. A level comprising a casing in which a cylindrical member is mounted so as to be freely rotatable about an axis which is or can be made horizontal, the member being weighted so as to maintain or tend to maintain a given orientation in space due to gravity with said axis horizontal, the member having four pointers on one circular end face thereof such that a first pair of the pointers are vertical and the second pair of pointers are horizontal in said given orientation, all four pointers being simultaneously visible through a window in one face of the casing in all possible relative orientations of the casing and the member, the casing having four pointers or markers which are positioned so as to become juxtaposed respectively with the four pointers of said member in one predetermined relative orientation of the casing and the member, wherein the freely rotatable cylindrical member has markings on a peripheral portion thereof and wherein the casing has a window positioned in another face thereof to permit viewing of the peripheral portion of the freely rotatable member.

2. A level as claimed in claim 1 wherein the four pointers of the member are positioned so as to become juxtaposed respectively with the four pointers of the casing in three further predetermined relative orientations of the cas

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. of the pointers 17 are vertical and the other two pairs of pointers 17 are horizontal. All the pointers 17 are simultaneously visible through one face of the casing 10, as shown in Figure 1, in all relative positions of the casing 10 and member 14. A hole 21 is formed in the member 14 and is filled with a pIug 22 of a material having a density significantly greater than that of the member 14. This plug causes the member 14 to have an eccentric centre of gravity. An annular ring 23 is fitted to the main body of the casing 10 and forms a portion of the casing 10, such annular ring also being preferably formed from a synthetic plastics material and carrying four integrally moulded pointers 24. As is shown in Figure 1, the pointers 24 correspond in position with the pointers 17 only when the housing edges 11 (or 12) are in a vertical or horizontal position. The annular ring 23 defines a window 25 to permit viewing of the face of the member 14, and such window may be closed by a glass or dear plastics lens to prevent ingress of dust to the spindle 15. A further window 26, which may idso be glazed, is located in at least one of the side edges 11 and 12 and possibly also the top edge of the casing. Such window permits side viewing of the markers 18 of the member 14, whereby alignment of the marker 18 with fixed markers 27 or 28 associated with the window may be sighted. Any alignment (or misalignment) of the markers 18 and 27128 corresponds with alignment (or misalignment) of the pointers 17 and 24. The casing 10 or the annular ring 23 may be marked with a protractor scale to permit the measurement of inclination of a surface. The pointers and markers 17, 118, 24 and 27 are preferably coloured for contrast with other portions of the level, and, instead of the pointers and markers being formed as integrally moulded portions, they may be constituted by painted or stuck-on indicia, transfers or the like. Figures 4A and 4B show an alternative form of level; that is one which may be viewed from either face. Such level comprises casing 40 within which is mounted a freely rotatable member 41 (having an eccentric weight 41a) similar to that above described. However in this level, two circular dear plastics or glass windows 42 are provided and the rotatable member is supported by a metal spindle 43 which extends between the windows. The spindle is located by two bearing cups 44, one of which being positioned in a central aperture of the respective windows. An annular ring 45, which is similar to that described above with reference to Figures 1 to 3, is located within each window 42 and carries pointers 46 which align with corresponding pointers 47 on the rotatable member when the level is in either a horizontal or vertical position. Although not shown, the level of Figures 4A and 4B incorporates an edge window and/or a top window as described with reference to the Figure 1 embodiment. Figure 5 shows a perspective view of an alterrative form of rotatable member 51 for use in the level of Figures 4A and 4B. This member, instead of being mounted upon a removable metal spindle, is formed with integrally moulded stub axles 52 and with integrally moulded spacer (washer) portions 53. The member is otherwise similar to the rotatable member described with reference to Fig aire 3, it having pointers 521s, markers 5lb and an eccentric weight 51c. However, it is to be understood that the rotatable member need not be formed as a moulding; it may for example be fabricated in metal as a cylindrical element having a cylindrical tube portion fitted with end disc-like faces. The weight would then be fitted eccentrically within the element, for example affixed to the wall of the cylindrical portion. As is shown in Figure 6, the various level embodiments as described above may be incorp orated in a metal (or alternatively a timber) support 70. Figure 6 shows three levels 71 mounted in the one support, and such levels may be arranged respectively to display a level condition at three different angles, but the support may mount a single level. WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. A level comprising a casing in which a cylindrical member is mounted so as to be freely rotatable about an axis which is or can be made horizontal, the member being weighted so as to maintain or tend to maintain a given orientation in space due to gravity with said axis horizontal, the member having four pointers on one circular end face thereof such that a first pair of the pointers are vertical and the second pair of pointers are horizontal in said given orientation, all four pointers being simultaneously visible through a window in one face of the casing in all possible relative orientations of the casing and the member, the casing having four pointers or markers which are positioned so as to become juxtaposed respectively with the four pointers of said member in one predetermined relative orientation of the casing and the member, wherein the freely rotatable cylindrical member has markings on a peripheral portion thereof and wherein the casing has a window positioned in another face thereof to permit viewing of the peripheral portion of the freely rotatable member.

ing and the member.

3. A level as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein a or each said window is closed by transparent material.

4. A level as claimed in any preceding daim wherein each said pointer on the freely rotatable member is formed as an integral projec- tion of such member.

5. A level as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the said pointers of the casing are carried by at least one element which is mounted to a body of the casing to form part of the casing.

6. A level as olaimed in claim 5 wherein the or each said element comprises an annular form element

7. A level substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.