GB2293018A

GB2293018A - Angle measuring apparatus and method

Info

Publication number: GB2293018A
Application number: GB9417714A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ian Cockburn
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1994-09-03
Filing date: 1994-09-03
Publication date: 1996-03-13
Also published as: GB9417714D0

Abstract

The angle measuring apparatus, comprises jaws 11 and 12 which are pivotally mounted, by means of hinges 11a and 12a respectively, on an elongate fixed member 13. The fixed member 13 comprises upper and lower portions 13a, 13b between which is slidably mounted an elongate actuating member 14. The jaws 11 and 12 are respectively connected pivotally to first ends of linkage members 15 and 16 at regions remote from their respective hinges 11a and 12a. The linkage members 15 and 16 are pivotally connected at their second ends to the slidable actuating member 14. A clamp 17 is secured to both the upper and lower portions 13a and 13b of the fixed member, and is provided with a releasable locking grub 17b which may be releasably tightened to lock the position of the actuating member 14 relative to the fixed member 13. The construction enables the jaws 11 and 12 to move pivotally in relation to the fixed member 13 by sliding the actuating member 14 relative to the fixed member 13. A scale is marked on the fixed member 13 and a corresponding marker line is marked on the actuating member 14. The position of the marker line on the scale indicates the size of the angle between each of the jaw members and the fixed member. <IMAGE>

Description

ANGLE MEASURING APPARATUS AND METHOD The present invention relates to angle measuring apparatus and to a method of measuring angles.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided apparatus for measuring an angle, the apparatus comprising first and second jaw members and a fixed member, wherein at least the first jaw member is pivotally moveable with respect to the fixed member, such that an angle between at least one jaw member and the fixed member is variable, there being further provided indication means arranged in use to provide an indication of the size of an angle between at least one jaw member and at least one other portion of the apparatus.

Preferably, the indication means is arranged, in use, to provide an indication of the size of an angle between at least one jaw member and the fixed member.

Alternatively or additionally, the indication means may be arranged, in use, to provide an indication of the size of an angle between the jaw members.

In a preferred arrangement, the second jaw member is pivotally moveable with respect to the fixed member.

Preferably, the or each jaw member is moveable by the action of an actuating member, to which the or each jaw member is connected.

The or each jaw member may be pivotally connected to the actuating member.

Preferably, the or each jaw member is connected to the actuating member by a linkage member.

In a preferred arrangement, the first jaw member is connected to the actuating member by a first linkage member, and the second jaw member is connected to the actuating member by a second linkage member.

Preferably, the arrangement is such that relative translational movement between the actuating member and the fixed member is arranged to cause pivotal movement of the or each jaw member with respect to the fixed member.

The actuating member may be slideably mounted on the fixed member.

The indication means may comprise a scale marked on one of the fixed member and actuating member, and a marker on the other of the fixed member and actuating member.

Preferably, the scale is marked on the fixed member and the marker is on the actuating member.

The apparatus may be provided with a level-indicator such as a spirit level. Preferably, the level-indicator is located on the actuating member.

There may be provided releasable locking means arranged, in use, to lock the jaw members in a desired position relative to each other and/or relative to the fixed member.

The locking means may lock the or each jaw member in a desired position relative to the fixed member by inhibiting relative translational movement between the actuating member and the fixed member.

The apparatus may be such that the angle between interior faces of the jaw members may vary between 0 and 3600.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a template apparatus for forming an angle, the template comprising first and second jaw members and a fixed member, wherein at least one of the jaw members is pivotally moveable with respect to the fixed member, such that an angle between at least one jaw member and the fixed member is variable, there being further provided indication means arranged, in use, to provide an indication of the size of an angle between at least one jaw member and at least one other portion of the apparatus.

The template may be according to any statement herein.

The invention also provides a method of measuring an angle using angle measuring apparatus, the method comprising causing pivotal movement of at least one jaw member of first and second jaw members relative to a fixed member, and obtaining a measurement of the angle between at least one jaw member and the fixed member from indication means located on the angle measuring apparatus.

Preferably, the method includes varying the angle between at least one jaw member and the fixed member by moving an actuating member to which the or each jaw member is connected.

Preferably, the method includes varying the angle between the jaw members and/or between at least one jaw member and the fixed member by causing relative movement between the actuating member and the fixed member.

The method may include measuring an angle with measuring apparatus according to any statement herein.

The invention may also include any combination of the features or limitations referred to herein.

The invention may be carried in to practice in various ways, but an embodiment will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of angle measuring apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 shows schematically part of the apparatus of Figure 1, and Figure 3 is a schematic exploded view of the apparatus of Figure 1.

Referring particularly to Figure 1, this shows generally at 10 angle measuring apparatus, comprising jaws 11 and 12 which are pivotally mounted, by means of hinges lla and 12a respectively, on an elongate fixed member 13.

The fixed member 13 comprises upper and lower portions 13a, 13b between which is slideably mounted an elongate actuating member 14. The jaws 11 and 12 are respectively connected pivotally to first ends of linkage members 15 and 16 at regions remote from their respective hinges lla and 12a. The linkage members 15 and 16 are pivotally connected at their second ends to the slidable actuating member 14. A clamp 17 is secured to both the upper and lower portions 13a and 13b of the fixed member, and is provided with a releasable locking grub 17a which may be releasably tightened to lock the position of the actuating member 14 relative to the fixed member 13.

The construction enables the jaws 11 and 12 to move pivotally in relation to the fixed member 13 by sliding the actuating member 14 relative to the fixed member 13.

A scale is marked on the fixed member 13 and a corresponding marker line is marked on the actuating member 14. The position of the marker line on the scale indicates the size of the angle between each of the jaw members and the fixed member.

In addition, a spirit level 22 is located on the actuating member 14 to enable the apparatus to be used to determine the inclination of a surface, for example to the horizontal, by ensuring that the actuating member is level with horizontal according to the spirit level and then locating one jaw flat against the surface to be measured.

Preferably, a type of spirit level known as a "pillbubble" is used since this provides an indication as to whether the apparatus is level in at least two substantially transverse directions.

Figure 2 is an end view of the apparatus of Figure 1.

It can be seen that the two jaws 11 and 12 are slightly offset to enable the edge of one jaw to rest, for example, on the edge of a workpiece, whilst the other jaw may extend below the edge of the workpiece.

Figure 3 is an exploded diagram of the apparatus of Figure 1.

In Figure 3 it can be seen that the actuating member 14 is slideably mounted between the upper and lower portions 13a, 13b of the fixed member in a tongue-andgroove fashion. Also shown in Figure 3 are smaller hinges 18, 19, 20 and 21 by which the ends of the linkage members 15 and 16 are pivotally connected to the jaws 11 and 12 and to the actuating member 14.

The mounting of the jaws 11, 12 on the fixed member 13 and of the small hinges 18, 19, 20, 21 on the jaws 11, 12 and actuating member 14 as well as the mounting of the clamp 17 on the fixed member, may be by any suitable means such as screws or adhesive (not shown).

The apparatus described above may be constructed inexpensively from wood, plastics or metal. It permits the user to measure external or internal angles, since the size of the angle between the jaws is always calculable knowing the angle between each jaw and the fixed member (according to the scale).

In addition, the provision of the spirit level permits the user to measure an angle of inclination of a surface to the horizontal, by placing a jaw flat against the surface and ensuring that the fixed member is horizontal according to the spirit level.

The apparatus may be provided in different sizes according to the types of work in which it is required to be used.

The apparatus may also be used as a template, for example, to define an angle to which a workpiece must be cut.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made to the invention without departing from its scope.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. Apparatus for measuring an angle, the apparatus comprising first and second jaw members and a fixed member wherein at least the first jaw member is pivotally moveable with respect to the fixed member such that an angle between at least one jaw member and the fixed member is variable there being further provided indication means arranged, in use, to provide an indication of the size of an angle between at least one jaw member and at least one other portion of the apparatus.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the indication means is arranged, in use, to provide an indication of the size of an angle between at least one jaw member and the fixed member.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the indication means is arranged, in use, to provide an indication of the size of an angle between the jaw members.

4. Apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the second jaw member is pivotally moveable with respect to the fixed member.

5. Apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the or each jaw member is moveable by the action of an actuating member to which the or each jaw member is connected.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the or each jaw member is pivotally connected to the actuating member.

7. Apparatus according to claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the or each jaw member is connected to the actuating member by a linkage member.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the first jaw member is connected to the actuating member by a first linkage member and the second jaw member is connected to the actuating member by a second linkage member.

9. Apparatus according to any of claims 5 to 8, wherein the arrangement is such that relative translational movement between the actuating member and the fixed member is arranged to cause pivotal movement of the or each jaw member with respect to the fixed member.

10. Apparatus according to any of claims 5 to 9, wherein the actuating member is slidably mounted on the fixed member.

11. Apparatus according to any of claims 5 to 10, wherein the indication means comprise a scale marked on one of the fixed member and actuating member, and a marker on the other of the fixed member and actuating member.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the scale is marked on the fixed member and the marker is on the actuating member.

13. Apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 12, wherein the apparatus is provided with a level indicator such as a spirit level.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13 and claim 5, wherein the level indicator is located on the actuating member.

15. Apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 14, wherein there is provided releasable locking means arranged, in use, to lock the jaw members in a desired position relative to each other and/or relative to the fixed member.

16. Apparatus according to claim 15 and any of claims 5 to 12, wherein the locking means locks the or each jaw member in a desired position relative to the fixed member by inhibiting relative translational movement between the actuating member and the fixed member.

17. Apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 16, wherein the apparatus is such that the angle between interior faces of the jaw members may vary between 0 and 3600.

18. A template apparatus for forming an angle, the template comprising first and second jaw members and a fixed member, wherein at least one of the jaw members is pivotally moveable with respect to the fixed member, such that an angle between at least one jaw member and the fixed member is variable, there being further provided indication means arranged, in use, to provide an indication of the size of an angle between at least one jaw member and at least one other portion of the apparatus.

19. A template apparatus according to claim 18, the template apparatus comprising apparatus for measuring an angle according to any of claims 1 to 17.

20. A method of measuring an angle using angle measuring apparatus, the method comprising causing pivotal movement of at least one jaw member of first and second jaw members relative to a fixed member, and obtaining a measurement of the angle between at least one jaw member and the fixed member from indication means located on the angle measuring apparatus.

21. A method according to claim 20, wherein the method includes varying the angle between at least one jaw member and the fixed member by moving an actuating member to which the or each jaw member is connected.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein the method includes varying the angle between the jaw members and/or between at least one jaw member and the fixed member by causing relative movement between the actuating member and the fixed member.

23. A method of measuring an angle, the method being substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

24. Apparatus for measuring an angle, the apparatus being substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

25. A template apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

26. A method of measuring an angle, the method comprising using apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 19 or claim 24 or claim 25.