GB2343950A

GB2343950A - Levels and/or plumbs

Info

Publication number: GB2343950A
Application number: GB9825395A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Arnold Jordan
Original assignee: JORDAN SYDNEY
Current assignee: JORDAN SYDNEY
Priority date: 1998-11-19
Filing date: 1998-11-19
Publication date: 2000-05-24
Also published as: GB9825395D0

Abstract

A spirit level comprising a parallelepipedal container containing liquid and having a transparent face with pointers 10 marked thereon and angle protractor lines 9 marked thereon, the container having a bottom planar surface so that when the container is placed on a surface the liquid level between the pointers (10) indicates horizontal and the liquid level between the protractor lines 9 indicates an angle deviating from the horizontal. The device may include a laser beam projector.

Description

Title: IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO LEVELS AND/OR PLUMES The present invention relates to angle-determining devices and, more particularly, but not solely, levels and/or plumbs. Angle-determining devices include spirit levels, plumbs and any apparatus for assisting in indicating the horizontal, the vertical and/or any angle therebetween.

Devices such as spirit levels and plumb-lines are commonly used in the building industry and for home decorating, but with known devices it is difficult to indicate or measure a horizontal level or a vertical line at a distance from the device being used. For measuring levels at a distance from each other it is known to use a flexible-pipe filled with water and with a sealed glass phial at each end. It is awkward to use, especially above head height and/or when standing on ladders or other raised surface, and usually requires operation by more than one person. The water levels in the ends of the pipe are the same but are difficult to judge exactly due to the menisci.

According to one form of the present invention there is provided an angledetermining device having means for indicating a line which is horizontal, vertical or an angle therebetween and having a ray projector for projecting the line from the device.

Preferably the indicating means comprises a spirit level and the ray projector comprises a laser beam projector.

The spirit level may be in the form of a parallelepipedal box with at least one substantially transparent face. Further according to the present invention there is provided a spirit level in the form of such a box. A mirror may be attached thereto so that the view of the liquid level across the transparent face of the box is reflected at an angle so that an image of the level can be seen by a viewer looking in the mirror without having to look directly at said transparent face. In this configuration the spirit level may or may not be provided with a ray projector.

A constructional embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein: Figure 1 shows a front perspective view of an angle-determining device according to the present invention; Figure 2 shows a plan view of the device shown in Figure 1; and Figure 3 shows a plan view of the device shown in Figure 1 in an alternative position.

Figure 4 shows a front perspective view of a further embodiment of the invention; and Figure 5 shows a perspective view of an alternative arrangement of the embodiment shown in Figure 5.

The device shown in Figure 1 comprises a shallow glass-fronted parallelepipedal box or case 1 containing liquid 8 preferably in the form of spirit e. g. alcohol. The liquid is introduced through filler hole 7 which is suitably plugged. However, it is envisaged that in a preferred form of the device the case 1 will be an hermetically sealed unit with no visible filler hole or plug.

The glass face of the case 1 is marked with pointers 10 and with protractor markings in the form of angle guide-lines 9 and degree numbers on the guide-lines 9.

On the upper surface of the case 1 there is mounted a housing 2 having alignment notches 4 and containing a laser beam projector which can be activated by switch 6 to emit a beam from aperture 3.

In order to obtain a level horizontal line from one location to another the case 1 is offered up to a wall or other surface and the one of the notches 4 aligned with a pre-determined mark. When the liquid is level between the lateral pointers 10 the switch 6 is activated so that a laser beam is emitted and a red spot is projected onto a remote wall or surface. The dead centre of the red spot is marked and a line drawn between the dead centre mark and the notch 4 alignment mark will be horizontal. For use as a plumb in place of a plumb-line, the case 1 is rotated through 90 so that the previously upper and lower pointers 10 are now lateral.

When the liquid is level between these pointers an exactly vertical laser beam can be projected. For any angle between the vertical and the horizontal, the protractor markings are used.

Figure 2 shows the housing 2 mounted on a pivot 5 on the case 1 with the housing 2 in its normal position parallel with the case 1. The housing 2 can be swivelled as shown in Figure 3 so that when the switch 6 is activated a beam will be projected in a straight line along the wall against which the case 1 is held flat.

Other means of tilting the beam may be provided rather than having the housing 1 pivotably mounted. For example lugs may be provided on one edge of the case and the lugs may be pivotable or mounted on a pivotable rod so as to be movable into and out of a position to cause tilting. The lugs may be tapered to provide a different degree of tilting depending upon the degree to which the lugs are pivoted into and out of position. The case 1 may be transparent on both sides so as to be usable either way round. The lugs may be permanently affixed on one side.

The upper surface of the housing 1 may be stepped so that one planar portion thereof is level with the aperture 3. When the device is placed on an existing surface with the said planar portion flush with said existing surface, the spot or line projected by the beam will be on the same level as said existing surface.

The switch of known laser beam projectors is normally of a type which is monostable in an"off'position and has to be pressed to hold it in an"on"position.

However, this may be a disadvantage and cause movement of the device after the liquid is noted to be level between the pointers 10. Accordingly a bi-stable switch may be provided which can be permanently switched on prior to noting the liquid level.

The housing 2 may contain two oppositely disposed projectors or a single projector capable of projecting in either or both directions with a single switch or two switches.

As shown in Figure 4 the box or case 1 may be used by itself as a level or plumb.

It may be of various sizes and partially filled with any liquid which may be clear or coloured. The case may be fixed into one end of a metal tubular extrusion to form a spirit level with a straight edge. It may be mounted between two such extrusions and the ends of the extrusions may cover the menisci adjacent the pointers 10. One of the extrusions may have a slot to receive an upright vertical bar or one of the extrusions may be L-shaped to include an integral upright bar.

One of the extrusions may have a ratchet mechanism so that the spirit level may be used for finding angles between the vertical and the horizontal. The extrusions and case 1 may form a kit of parts to be used as required.

As shown in Figure 5 the box 1 may be provided with a hinged flap 11 carrying a polished metal mirror or reflector 12 so that the level can be viewed from above without the viewer having direct sight of the transparent face of the case.

The case may be completely transparent including the top, bottom and sides or partially transparent with only the front and/or rear face being transparent.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. An angle-determining device comprising a box containing liquid and having a lower surface on which the box can stand, the box having an at least partially transparent surface through which the liquid can be viewed and having a plurality of markings so that when the box is placed on a surface the liquid level viewed in relation to the markings determines the horizontal or an angle.
2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the box is parallelepipedal and has a lower planar surface.
3. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein one side surface of the box is transparent and has markings to indicate the horizontal and angular markings to indicate angles deviating from the horizontal.
4. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the box carries a ray projector to throw a beam onto a surface remote from the box.
5. A device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the ray projector is a laser beam projector.
6. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a mirror or other reflector is provided so that the at least partially transparent surface can be viewed from an angle perpendicular to said surface.
7. An angle-determining device substantially as described herein with reference to the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2 or in Figures 1 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.

7. An angle-determining device substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated by any one of the embodiments shown in Figures 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1. An angle-determining device comprising a box having a cavity deiined by at least one partially transparent surface carrying a plurality of markings of which at least one is a straight line extending over a major portion of the width of the transparent surface, or spaced pointers indicating an imaginary straight line therebetween, and a liquid within said cavity of such quantity that the liquid level extends over a major part of the width of the box and to a level substantially coincident with said straight line marking or said pointers, wherein said box has mounted thereon, or inclues, a light beam projector dispose on an axis arrange parallel to and/or at right angles to said straight line marking or the imaginary line indicated by the pointers, whereby in use the device may be tilted until the liquid level coincides with the straight line marking or pointers and can project a beam horizontally if the beam is arrange parallel to the straight line or vertically if the beam is arrange at right angles to the straight line.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the box is parallelepipedal and has a lower planar surface.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the markings indicate the horizontal and angular markings to indicate angles deviating from the horizontal.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the beam projector is adjustably mounted on the box whereby when the device is held against the wall the beam projection may be swivelled in a direction to cast the beam as an elongate image on the wall.

5. A device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the beam projector is a laser beam projector.

6. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a mirror or other reflector is provided so that the at least partially transparent surface can be viewed from an angle perpendicular to said surface.