GB2354963A

GB2354963A - Drill leveling device

Info

Publication number: GB2354963A
Application number: GB9923714A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Terence Horncastle
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-10-08
Filing date: 1999-10-08
Publication date: 2001-04-11
Anticipated expiration: 2019-10-08
Also published as: GB9923714D0; GB2354963B

Abstract

A drill levelling device comprises a calibrating bit 12 adapted for insertion into a chuck 4 or the drill, for facilitating levelling of the drill prior to affixing the level indicating member 14 to the body of the drill.

Description

1 2354963 Drill Levelling Device The present invention relates to tool

levels and more particularly to a levelling device for a hand held drill.

Devices are known for attaching to hand held drills in order to indicate when the drill is level. In use of such devices, however, it is difficult to apply the device to the drill in the correct, or sufficiently accurate, orientation.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a drill levelling device, comprising a calibrating bit for coupling to a chuck of a hand held drill, and a level indicating member for attachment to the body of the hand held drill, said level indicating member being provided with at least one level and said calibrating bit being provided with a calibrating level for indicating when the hand held drill is in a level orientation when said calibrating bit is coupled to the chuck of the hand held drill, and for thus facilitating attachment of the level indicating member to the hand held drill for indicating when the hand held drill is in a level orientation.

It will be appreciated that, in use, the calibrating bit is engaged with the chuck of the drill, then the drill is oriented so that the calibrating level of the calibrating bit indicates that the drill (i.e. the chuck axis) is horizontal. The level indicating member can then be applied to the body of the drill, such that the level of the indicating member is horizontal. The level indicating member is accordingly attached in an accurate orientation relative to the drill.

Preferably the level indicating member includes a pair of generally planar flanges, said flanges being integrally coupled together by a flexible pivoting portion such that one of said flanges may be applied to a top of the hand held drill and the other said flanges may be applied to a side of the hand 2 held drill.

Preferably the flanges of the level indicating member are initially coplanar. The member can then be flexed for the flanges to adopt relative orientations suited to the particular 5 drill to which it is desired to attach it.

Preferably at least one level is provided on each of the two flanges of the level indicating member.

Preferably a first pair of spirit levels are provided on or in an outer face of said first flange, said first pair of spirit levels having longitudinal axes positioned substantially perpendicular to each other.

Preferably a second pair of spirit levels are provided on or in an outer face of said second flange, said second pair of spirit levels having longitudinal axes positioned substantially perpendicular to each other.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of a drill levelling device according to the present invention, shown with a drill with which it is used; FIGURE 2 is an end view of a level indicating member of the drill levelling device; and FIGURE 3 is a side view of the level indicating member of the drill levelling device.

With reference now to the drawings, a drill levelling device 10 is shown comprising a calibrating bit 12 and a level indicating member 14. The calibrating bit 12 is designed for coupling to a chuck 4 of a hand held drill 2. The level indicating member 14 is designed for coupling to a body 3 of the hand held drill.

The calibrating bit 12 includes a calibrating level 16 and a generally cylindrical connection portion 18 extending outwardly from the calibrating level 16. The connection 3 portion 18 has a longitudinal axis coincident with a longitudinal axis of the calibrating level 16. The connection portion 18 is designed for reception by the chuck 4 of the hand held drill 2. When the calibrating level 16 is thus coupled to the chuck 4, the calibrating level 16 is aligned with the drilling axis of the hand held drill for indicating when the drilling axis of the hand held drill is in a level orientation. Coupling the calibrating bit 12 to the chuck 4 facilitates attachment of the level indicating member 14 to the hand held drill for indicating when the hand held drill is in a level orientation, i.e. an orientation such that its drilling axis is horizontal.

The level indicating member 14 includes a pair of generally planar flanges 22 and 24 integrally coupled together by a flexible or pivoting portion 26. The level indicating member 14 is arranged for the flange 22 to be applied to the top of the hand held drill and for the flange 24 to be applied to a side of the hand held drill, as shown.

Spirit levels 32 and 34 are coupled to an outer face 27 of the first flange 22, spirit level 32 being aligned parallel to the axis of flexing of the portion 26, and the spirit level 34 being aligned perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the spirit level 32.

Spirit levels 36 and 38 are coupled to an outer face 28 of the second flange 24, spirit level 38 being aligned parallel to the flexing axis of portion 26 and spirit level 36 being aligned perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the spirit level 38.

The first flange 22 has a curved outer perimeter or edge 42 such that the first flange tapers approaching the pivot portion 26. Thus, the pivot portion 26 is located at a neck between the first flange and the second flange.

A first fastening element 52 is coupled to an inner face 29 of the level indicating member 14, and a second 4 fastening element 54 is provided for coupling to the body of the hand held drill: for example the fastening element 54 may have a self-adhesive backing or a double-sided adhesive tape may be used. The second fastening element 54 is complementary to the first fastening element 52 such that the first fastening element 52 is selectively engageable to the second fastening element 54. Thus, the level indicating member 14, is selectively engageable to the body of the hand held drill. In the embodiment shown, the first and second fastening elements comprise hook and loop fasteners to facilitate fine adjustment of the orientation of the level indicating member on the drill.

In use, the calibrating bit 12 is inserted into the chuck 4 and the chuck 4 is tightened to align the calibrating bit 12 on the drilling axis of the drill, i.e. on the same axis as a drill bit when coupled in the chuck. The level indicating member 14 is then applied to the drill so that both the calibrating bit 12 and the level indicating member 14 coincide in indicating when the drill is in a level orientation. The calibrating bit 12 is then removed and a normal drill bit can be inserted into the chuck. The level indicating member 14, particularly its spirit level 32 or 38, will then indicate when the drill bit is in a level orientation for facilitating level drilling using the drill bit. The level indicating member 14, particularly its spirit level 34 or 36, will also indicate when the drill bit is in a vertical orientation, when it is desired to drill vertically upwards or downwards.

The level indicating member 14 is manufactured initially with its flanges 22 and 24 in a common plane, and is then flexed to bring these two flanges to appropriate relative orientations for application to the top and side of the drill 2.

It will be appreciated that the level indicating member 14 may be applied to drills of a wide variety of different shapes and sizes, such that the device in accordance with the invention is suited to universal use.

6

Claims

Claims

A drill levelling device, comprising a calibrating bit for coupling to a chuck of a hand held drill, and a level indicating member for attachment to the body of the hand held drill, said level indicating member being provided with at least one level and said calibrating bit being provided with a calibrating level for indicating when the hand held drill is in a level orientation when said calibrating bit is coupled to the chuck of the hand held drill, and for thus facilitating attachment of the level indicating member to the hand held drill for indicating when the hand held drill is in a level orientation.
2) A drill levelling device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said calibrating bit includes a generally cylindrical connection portion extending outwardly from said calibrating level, said connection portion being adapted for coupling to the chuck of the hand held drill.
3) A drill levelling device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said connection portion has a longitudinal axis coincident with a longitudinal axis of said calibrating level.
4) A drill levelling device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said level indicating member includes a pair of generally planar flanges, said flanges being integrally coupled together by a flexible pivoting portion such that one of said f langes may be applied to a top of the hand held drill and the other said flanges may be applied to a side of the hand held drill.
5) A drill levelling device as claimed in claim 4, in which said flanges are initially coplanar.
7 6) A drill levelling device as claimed in claim 4 or 5 wherein a f irst pair of spirit levels are provided on or in an outer face of said first flange, said first pair of spirit levels having longitudinal axes positioned substantially 5 perpendicular to each other.
7) A drill levelling device as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein a second pair of spirit levels are provided on or in an outer face of said second f lange, said second pair of spirit levels having longitudinal axes positioned substantially perpendicular to each other.
8) A drill levelling device as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 7, wherein said first flange has a curved outer perimeter such that said first flange tapers approaching said pivot portion.
9) A drill levelling device as claimed in any one of claim 4 to 8, wherein said second flange has a curved outer perimeter such that said second flange tapers approaching said pivot portion.
10) A drill levelling device as claimed in any one of claim 4 to 9, further comprising a first fastening element provided on an inner face of said level indicating member, and a second fastening element adapted for attaching to the body of the hand held drill, said second fastening element being complementary to said first fastening element such that said first fastening element is selectively engageable to said second fastening element whereby said level indicating member is selectively attachable to the body of the hand held drill.
11) A drill levelling device substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.