GB2283818A

GB2283818A - Level-indicating device

Info

Publication number: GB2283818A
Application number: GB9422559A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Ashworth
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1993-11-10
Filing date: 1994-11-09
Publication date: 1995-05-17
Also published as: GB9422559D0

Abstract

A liquid level system comprising a device 1 for use by a single operator having a hollow spool 4 within a housing 7 and a tube 3. The spool 4 is partially filled with water and provides a large reservoir of water as a reference level. The tube 3 is in liquid communication with water in the spool 4 so that a remote end 3b of the tube can be located in subsequent remote positions from the spool 4 to enable the level of liquid 3a in the tube to be measured by the operator at the subsequent remote positions to sense levels relative to the reference level. The end of tube 3 is provided with a manually-operable valve. <IMAGE>

Description

wMEASURINC DEVICE" THIS INVENTION relates to a measuring system including a measuring device using a displaceable medium to sense levels at remote locations relative to a reference level. A measuring device employing portable liquid filled reservoir providing the reference level and a tube in liquid communication with the reservoir to sense levels at remote locations on a building site or the like.

Before any form of building can commence on a new building site, a builder usually has to have some degree of levelling carried out on the site.

There are many ways in which a building site can be measured and pegged out so that the site can be levelled.

One system employs a long length of hose having opposite ends open to atmosphere. The hose is partially filled with water, such that no matter where the ends of the hose are located on the building site, the water level adjacent each end will remain the same. In use, a person holds one end of the hose at a fixed location on the building site to provide a fixed reference level. Another person holds the other end of the hose and moves around the building site to various remote locations. The other end of the hose is used to sense corresponding levels to the reference level at the remote locations and these are marked on pegs. The site can be excavated or filled according to the levels marked on the pegs.

This system is time consuming to use as it requires two people to make measurements. This system is difficult to handle since it is not easy to store the length of hose and water spillage is common. For these reasons, the system is generally inconvenient to use. In addition, each time the hose is used, it must be refilled adding to the general inconvenience of the system.

It is an object of the present invention to alleviate at least to some degree the abovementioned problems associated with the prior art.

In one aspect therefore, the invention resides in a measuring system for use by a singie operator to sense levels on a building site relative to a reference level the system comprising a device having a large reservoir of liquid providing the reference level and a tube in liquid communication with the reservoir so that the tube can be located in subsequent remote positions from the reservoir to enable the level of liquid in the tube to be measured by the operator at the subsequent remote positions to sense levels relative to the reference level.

The tube can be made from any suitable flexible material. Typically the tube can be made from a clear plastics material so that the operator can see the liquid in the tube.

Preferably the tube has a remote end which is normally sealed so that liquid cannot inadvertently spill when the tube is being moved. In this embodiment, the remote end of the tube typically includes a pressure release valve so the tube can be opened to atmosphere so that air pressure in the tube remains at atmosphere when a measurement is taken.

Preferably, the pressure release valve comprises a stopper in the form of an automatically sealing pressure release spigot which can be inserted into the remote end of the tube. Preferably the automatically sealing pressure release spigot can be manually opened so that air pressure can escape or enter the tube and equalise the pressure in the tube to atmospheric pressure after the tube has been moved to a different location on the building site.

Preferably, the automatically sealing pressure release spigot can be made in longitudinal half sections which are joined by an integral hinge arrangement so that the longitudinal half sections can be brought together to form the spigot.

Typically, the longitudinal half sections have a pivotal centre positioning means so that when the longitudinal half sections are brought together to form the spigot, they are kept in their correct alignment The reservoir can be made from any suitable material, preferably it can be made from plastics material.

Preferably the reservoir comprises a hollow spool so that the tube can be wound onto the spool for storage. The spool can be made of any suitable material which includes plastics material to hold the liquid. The spool can be shaped to allow the most effective way to hold the tube in the position around the spool. Preferably, the spool is generally dumbbell shaped having two opposed truncated cone shaped sections having base and surfaces and apical regions with a cylindrical mid portion bridging between the apical region of the two cone shaped sections providing a narrow region bounded by diverging annular side walls.

The side walls can be set at any reasonable angle for storage of the tube but preferably, an angle of about 120 degrees is used so that the tube can most effectively wind around the spool with close packing.

Preferably, the spool has a suitable handle enabling an operator to wind the tube onto the spool. Typically the handle is placed on a base end surface of one of the two opposed truncated cone sections Further, the same base end surface has a suitable manually operable sealable outlet so that the air in the spool can be vented to atmospheric pressure. Also the outlet can be used to fill or empty the spool of the liquid as required.

A connector is employed so that the tube is in liquid communication with any part of the spool. Preferably, the connector communicates with the cylindrical mid portion of the spool, so that no matter in what orientation the reservoir or spool is placed on the ground, no air can enter into the tube via the spool.

Typically the connector between the tube and the spool is recessed so that the tube will not kink or buckle adjacent the connector.

The device preferably including a housing for holding the reservoir. The housing can be made from any suitable material. Preferably the housing can be made from plastics materials moulded as two identical halves including cooperating snap action connectors which can be snap fitted together forming the housing.

Preferably the housing includes a handle arrangement so that the operator can hold the reservoir securely for transporting it from one location to another.

Typically the handle arrangement is integrally moulded as part of the housing for ease of manufacture and appropriate overall shape of the reservoir. Preferably the housing is box-like in its shape with top and bottom surfaces and side walls bridging between the top and bottom surfaces of the top and bottom surfaces having inside surfaces bearing on the base surfaces of the spool slightly larger than the overall size of the spool. Preferably, the box-like housing can be large enough to hold to the spool and all the tube when fully wound up inside the housing.

Typically, the top and bottom surfaces of the housing each have an aperture so that a major portion of the base end surfaces of the spool are exposed and occupy the same plane as the top and bottom surfaces of the housing.

Preferably, the inside surfaces of the top and bottom surfaces of the housing have friction reducing means to reduce surface contact between the spool and the inner surface. The friction reducing means is typically circumferentially spaced friction reducing ribs protruding from the inside surfaces of the housing so that the spool can be wound more freely when the operator is either winding tube onto the spool or pulling tube from the spool.

The top and bottom surfaces of the housing can have sighting means for setting the position of the housing relative to a site being levelled. Typically, the sighting means is in the form of spaced projections moulded into the comers of the top and/or bottom surfaces of the housing. These projections can be used for sighting the reservoir in a correct location on the building site to be levelled using the measuring system of the present invention.

Preferably, the side walls of the housing have an opening through which the tube travels. Typically the opening can be in the form of a tube outlet passage situated in a comer of the housing so that the tube can travel in or out of the housing. Typically the tube outlet passage has guide means including a tapered passage section to limit the winding angle of the tube onto the spool in order to inhibit kinking of tube as it travels through the outlet passage.

Preferably, the outlet passage is a guide slot extending across the housing, the guide slot having an entry including opposed, longitudinally extending rounded edges defining a neck, the neck being a narrow portion of the tapered passage section.

In order that the invention can be more readily understood and be put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention and wherein: Figure 1 is a pictorial view illustrating a measuring system according to the present invention; Figures 2 and 3 are exploded pictorial views illustrating a pressure release valve arrangement used as a stopper in a measuring system according to the present invention; Figure 4 is a top plan view illustrating sighting means for use for locating a measuring system according to the present invention; Figure 5 is an exploded pictorial view illustrating a measuring system according to the present invention; Figure 6 is a transverse section view illustrating an embodiment of a spool used in a measuring system according to the present invention;; Figure 7 is a part pictorial view illustrating an embodiment of a spool used in a measuring system according to the present invention; and Figure 8 is a cross sectional view illustrating a tube outlet passage used in a measuring system according to the present invention.

Referring to the drawings and initially to Figure 1, there is illustrated a measuring system comprising a device 1 for use by a single operator having a hollow spool 4 within a housing 7 and a tube 3. The spool 4 is partially filled with water and provides a large reservoir of water as a reference level 2. The tube 3 is in liquid communication with water in the spool 4 so that a remote end 3b of the tube can be located in subsequent remote positions from the spool 4 to enable the level of liquid 3a in the tube to be measured by the operator at the subsequent remote positions to sense levels relative to the reference level.

The spool 4 has a handle arrangement in the form of a freely rotating knob type handle 5 so that the spool 4 is easily rotated to wind the tube 3 onto the spool 4.

The spool 4 also has a manually operable sealable outlet in the form of a screw cap means 6 so that the spool 4 can be filled or emptied of water and also the air pressure in the spool 4 can be vented to atmospheric pressure during use.

The reservoir 2 has a housing 7 which can be made from any suitable material preferably plastics material. The housing 7 is manufactured as two identical halves 7a and 7b so that they can be snap fitted together to form the housing 7 enclosing the spool 4.

The housing 7 further has a handle arrangement in the form of a handle 8 so that the device 1 can be easily carried.

The tube 3 can be made from any suitable flexible material, typically in the form of clear plastic so that an operator can see in the tube 3 the liquid level 3a.

The remote end 3b is normally sealed using a stopper in the form of an automatically sealing pressure release spigot 9, the automatically sealing pressure release spigot 9 can be manually opened by an operator applying sideways finger pressure to the spigot 9 in the direction of arrows A and B (see Figure 2) to vent the tube to atmosphere.

The automatically sealing pressure release spigot 9 will automatically seal when the operator releases the spigot 9. This will be explained in more detail in Figures 2 and 3.

The housing 7 has an opening in the form of a tube outlet passage 10, the tube outlet passage 10 is shaped to allow the tube 3 to be wound in and out of the reservoir more easily.

Referring to Figures 2 and 3, there is illustrated pictorial views of spigot 9 of Figure 1.

The spigot 9 can be made from any suitable material preferably a mouldable plastics or rubber type material is used. The spigot 9 in Figure 2 is moulded in two longitudinal halves 9a and 9b joined at an integrally formed hinge 11. Each of the longitudinal halves 9a and 9S have a longitudinal cavity 12 and 13 respectively positioned adjacent to a centrally located longitudinal axis 14. Each longitudinal cavity 12 and 13 is moulded part way along their respective longitudinal halves 9a and 9b so that cavity 12 vents the top of the longitudinal half 9a and cavity 13 vents the bottom of the longitudinal half 9b.

Further, each longitudinal cavity 12 and 13 is moulded on opposite adjacent sides of the longitudinal axis 14 so that when the longitudinal halves 9a and 9b are brought together as shown in Figure 3, the respective cavities 12 and 13 do not meet.

The longitudinal halves 9a and 9b further have a pivotal centre positioning means in the form of a pivot pin 33 and corresponding socket 34 respectively, so that when the longitudinal halves 9a and 9b are brought together, the pivotal centre positioning means (not shown) ensures the longitudinal halves 9a and 9b forming the spigot 9 remain in their correct alignment.

The longitudinal halves 9a and 9b further have a retaining means in the form of shoulders 17a and 1 7b, so that when the longitudinal halves 9a and 9b are brought together by bending the halves 9a and 9b about hinge 11, a complete annular shoulder 17 is formed (see Figure 3).

The spigot 9 can be securely retained by pushing the spigot 9 into the tube 3 until the shoulder 17 has been inserted in the remote end of the tube 3b.

Referring to Figure 3, the longitudinal halves 9a and 9b further include lugs 15 and 16 respectively, the lugs 15 and 16 can be pressed towards one another as shown by inwardly pointing arrows A and B so that the cavities 12 and 13 are in fluid communication so that the space above the liquid level 3a can be vented to atmospheric pressure.

Referring to Figure 4, there is illustrated a top plan view of the housing 7 and spool 4. The housing 7 comprises a top surface 18 having sighting means in the form of projections 19. These projections 19 9 can be used to correctly align the housing 7 by sighting the housing 7 on a building site to be levelled at right angles.

Referring to Figure 5, there is illustrated an exploded pictorial view of the measuring device shown in Figure 1.

The spool 4 is in the form of two truncated cone shaped sections 23 and 24 respectively, and the cone shaped sections are in liquid communication by having a cylindrical mid portion 29 (see Figure 6) connecting the apices of the cone shaped sections 23 and 24. The cone shaped sections 23 and 24 have base end surfaces 25 and 26 so that the spool 4 can be enclosed within the housing 7 but is free to rotate within the housing. The base end surface 25 has a manually operable sealable outlet in the form of a screw top cap 6 so that liquid can be poured into the spool 4. The screw top cap 6 can be used to vent the spool to atmospheric pressure.

in this Figure, the screw top cap 6 has been centrally located on the base end surface 25 so that the spool 4 can easily be filled with liquid.

The base end surface 25 also has a handle in the form of an eccentrically located knob 5 so that spool 4 can be used to wind the tube 3 onto the spool.

The housing half 7b has an inner surface 27 having a series of circumferentially spaced friction reducing ribs 28. The friction reducing ribs 27 are positioned around the aperture 22so that surface contact between the housing 7 and the spool 4 is reduced and the spool 4 rotates freely within the housing 7.

When the housing halves 7a and 7b are snap fitted together, the tube outlet 10 is formed in a corner where two adjacent side walls of the housing halves 7a and 7b come together.

Figure 5 further shows tube 3 wound around the spool 4 and has the spigot 9 in position so that the liquid cannot run out or overflow from the tube 3.

Referring to Figure 6, there is illustrated a cross section of the spool 4 of Figure 5. The spool 4 is made up of the two opposed truncated cone shaped sections 23 and 24 respectively which are connected in fluid communication by a cylindrical mid portion 29. The shape of the spool 4 is such that the angle formed at the intersection of the cylindrical mid portion 29 and the cone shaped sections 23 and 24 is 120 degrees. By having this angle of 120 degrees, the tube 3 when fully wound up on the spool 4 is packed into position in a most effective way.

Referring to Figure 7, there is illustrated a portion of the spool 4 of Figure 5 and 6 showing a preferred embodiment of a connector in the form of a recessed nipple 30 joining the tube 3 to the spool 4. Tube 3 Is thereby connected In liquid communication to the cylindrical mid portion 29 of the spool 4.

The recessed nipple 30 is shaped so that the tube 3 will not kink when being wound onto the spool 4. The recessed nipple 30 is also located on the cylindrical mid portion 29 so that, in normal use, no matter what orientation the spool 4 is placed in, the tube 3 will remain full of liquid as the liquid level in the spool will always be above the recessed nipple 30.

Referring to Figure 8, there is illustrated a crosssectional view of the housing 7 showing the tube outlet 10, the tube outlet 10 includes a guide means in the form of a pair of guide walls 31 and 32. The guide walls 31 and 32 are shaped to lead the tube 3 and thereby inhibit kin king.

The present invention discloses and teaches a measuring system for sensing levels and it will be appreciated that although the above has been given by way of illustrative example of the present invention, many varlations and modifications thereto will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the broad ambit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A measuring device for use by a single operator to sense levels on a building site relative to a reference level, the system comprising a device having a large reservoir of liquid providing the reference level and a tube in liquid communication with the reservoir so that the tube can be located in subsequent remote positions from the reservoir to enable the level of liquid in the tube to be measured by the operator at the subsequent remote positions to sense levels relative to the reference level.

2. A measuring device according to claim 1 wherein the tube has a remote end, the remote end of the tube including a manually operable pressure release valve so the tube can be opened to atmosphere so that air pressure in the tube remains at atmosphere when a measurement is taken.

3. A measuring device according to claim 2 wherein the pressure release valve comprises a stopper in the form of an automatically sealing pressure release spigot inserted into the remote end of the tube, the automatically sealing pressure release spigot being manually openable so that air pressure can escape or enter the tube and equalise the pressure in the tube to atmospheric pressure after the tube has been moved to a different location on the building site.

4. A measuring device according to claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the pressure release valve comprises longitudinal sections having alignable pressure release passages, the sections being moveable together to assume in use, a biased apart unaligned position, the longitudinal sections have a pivotal centre positioning means so that when the longitudinal half sections are manually brought together the pressure release passages become aligned.

5. A measuring device according to claim 1 wherein the reservoir is a generally dumbbell shaped spool on which the tube is wound.

6. A measuring device according to daim 5 wherein the spool has two opposed truncated cone shaped sections having base end surfaces and apical regions with a cylindrical mid portion bridging between the apical regions of the two cone shaped sections providing a narrow region bounded by diverging annular side walls of said coneohaped sections.

7. A measuring device according to claim 6 wherein the side walls are set at an angle of about 120 degrees so that the tube can effectively vind around the spool with close packing.

8. A measuring device according to claim 1 wherein the reservoir is a dumbbell shaped spool having a narrow mid portion and a connector is employed to connect the tube to the spool so that the tube is in liquid communication with liquid inside the spool, the connector communicating with the mid portion of the spool below the liquid level within the spool so that air within the spool cannot enter into the tube for all orientations of the spool.

9. A measuring device according to claim 1 wherein the reservoir is a spool on which the tube can be wound, the tube being connected to the spool by a connector, the connector being a recessed connector so that the tube will not kink or buckle adjacent the connector as the tube is wound on to the spool.

10. A measuring device according to claim 1 wherein the device includes a housing for holding the reservoir, the housing being made from plastics materials moulded as two halves including co-operating snap action connectors which can be snap fitted together forming the housing.

11. A measuring device according to claim 1 wherein the device includes a housing holding the reservoir, the housing having top and bottom surfaces, the top and bottom surfaces of the housing each have an aperture so that a major portion of the reservoir is exposed at opposite ends of the housing.

12. A measuring device according to claim 1 wherein the reservoir comprises a spool and the device includes a housing holding the spool, the housing having inside surfaces in contact with the spool, the inside surfaces of the housing have friction reducing means to reduce surface contact between the spool and the inner surface of the housing.

13. A measuring device according to claim 12 wherein the friction reducing means comprises spaced friction reducing ribs protruding from the inside surfaces of the housing so that the spool can rotate freely when an operator is either winding tube onto the spool or puliing tube from the spool.

14. A measuring device according to claim I wherein the reservoir is located inside a housing, the housing having sighting means for setting the position of the housing relative to a site being levelled.

15. A measuring device according to claim 14 wherein the sighting means is in the form of spaced projections.

16. A measuring device according to claim 1 wherein the reservoir comprises a rotatable spool within a housing, the housing having an opening through which the tube travels, the opening being in the form of a tube outlet passage having guide means including a tapered passage section to limit the winding angle of the tube onto the spool in order to inhibit kinking of tube as it travels through the tube outlet passage.

17. A measuring device according to claim 16 wherein the tube outlet passage is a guide slot extending across the housing1 the guide slot having an entry including opposed, longitudinally extending rounded edges defining a neck, the neck being a narrow portion of the tapered passage section.

18. A measuring device according to claim 1 wherein the reservoir has a narrow portion and an enlarged end, the tube being connected to the narrow portion, the narrow portion, the enlarged end and the connection being so dimensioned and arranged that the liquid level inside the reservoir is always above the connection independent of the orientation of the reservoir,

19. A measuring device according to claim 18 wherein the tube has a remote end, the remote end of the tube including a manually operable pressure release valve so the tube can be open to atmosphere when a measurement is taken and the reservoir is a generally dumbbell shaped spool on which the tube is wound.

20. A measuring device according to claim 1 or claim 1 8 wherein the reservoir is a generally dumbbell shaped spool on which the tube is wound, the spool being held inside a housing, the tube being connected to the spool via a recessed connector so that the tube will not kink or buckle adjacent the connector as the tube is wound onto the spool.

21. A measuring device accordingto claim 1 or claim 18 wherein the reservoir is a generally dumbbell shaped spool on which the tube is wound and the spool is housed within a housing, the housing having a tube outlet passage including tube guide means having a tapered passage section to limit the winding angle of the tube onto the spool in order to inhibit kinking of the tube as it travels through the tube outlet passage.

22. A measuring device according to claim 1 or claim 18 wherein the reservoir comprises a dumbbell shaped spool located within a housing, the housing having inside surfaces in contact with the spool, the inside surfaces of the housing having friction reducing means to reduce surface contact between the spool and inner surface of the housing.

23. A measuring device according to claim 1 or claim 18 wherein the reservoir is a dumbbell shaped spool within a housing, the housing having sighting means for setting the position of the housing relative to a site being levelied.

24. A measuring device according to claim 1 or claim 18 wherein the reservoir is a dumbbell shaped spool within a housing, the housing having a tube outlet passage comprising a guide slot extending across the housing, the guide slot having an entry including opposed, longitudinally extending rounded edges defining a nedc, the neck being a narrow portion of the tapered passage section.

25. A measuring device substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.