US2611188A

US2611188A - Clinometer

Info

Publication number: US2611188A
Application number: US95678A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frank V Bell
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1948-05-28
Filing date: 1949-05-27
Publication date: 1952-09-23
Anticipated expiration: 1969-09-23

Description

Sept. 23, 1952 v, BELL CLINOMETER Filed May 27, 1949 FRHNK V L Patented Sept. 23, 1952 YCLINOMETER Frank Bell, Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada Application May'27, 1949, Serial No. 95,678 In Canada May 28, 1948 My invention relates .torclinometers for. use upon mobile road grading machinery, and the like, and the object of the invention is to provide.

a clinometer for attachment to the moldboards or cutting blades. of road grading or building.

vehicles; the clinometer constituting a means whereby the gradient cut of the road crown may be readily maintained while the grading vehicle is inmotion. l HY It is usual to form the-ball or mercury races of clinometers from glass tubing, but in mounting them on road grading machinery blades or moldboards the incidence of breakage has been found tobe extremely high,,such breakage being due to the vibration of boththe blades and the vehicle. To overcome this shattering of the tubes, tubes of-plastic or bendable material have been experimented with, but it was found that plastic tubes would not hold the precisely uniform curvature when held in ordinary mounts.

The principal object of the invention them-is to provide a mount for plastic tubes in which such a tube is clamped between members, at least one of which is machined or otherwise finished at precisely the proper curvature and the tube pressed-against the curvature of that particular member, or both members, so that it is permanently set at the proper uniform curvature.

The clinometer is designed to be instantly readable from a distance by the operator of the vehicle irrespective of the angle from which the clinometer is viewed; the clinometer being particularly constructed to withstand'violentvibration and temperature changes without shattering or goi'ng out of adjustment. v I

In another form of the'invention a globule of mercury in the tube of the clinometer isutilized as a means for closing selected electric cir cuits provided to, energize electric motors, solenoids or the like, which actuate the gradient setting and control mechanisms, whereby a uniform gradient is automatically maintained While the grading vehicle is in motion.

With the above and other objects in view as will be hereinafter apparent, the invention consists in general of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically claimed.

In the accompanying drawings like characters of reference indicate like parts in the several views, and:

Figure l is a front elevational view of the clinometer.

"sold ers, (01. 33-206) Figure 2 is a vertical cross-sectional, view through the clinometer. 3

Figure 3 is anexploded front elevational view of the clinometer. i 1

The tube carrying. frame ofthe'clinometer is of rectangular shape and comprises a pair of upper and lower tube.

clampingmembers

2 and 3 and a pair of spacing end blocks 4. The clamping member 2 has a convex lower edge. 5 and the clamping member 3 a concave upper edge 6,.at

least the upper edge of the lower member 3hav ing a precisely uniform curvature. L l The tube 1 is formed of ,a shatterproof transparent bendable material, suchas plastic, having suitable removable plugs Bin each end, and contains a suitably sized ball or mercury'globule.

The clamping ;

members

2 and 3 are drawn together by bolts I0 which extend throughsuitw ably positioned orifices 9 in the membersand spacing end blocks 4. When the clamping mernbers are drawn together by the'bolt's, their edges 5 and B engage and grip the tube, pressing it into; the desired accurate curve, the; tube being of course more or less preformed.

The spacing blocks 4 are dimensioned-tare tain the

members

2 and 3 in theldesired spaced relationship when ,the tube is clamped;- lJpon reference to Figure J2. it will be seen that the,

lower edge 5 of th inember- 2 is-rabbeted or recessed'to grasp the'tube, andthat the edgefli ofthe member 3 is flat; v 1

The tube engaging portions of

flthe members

2 and 3 are formed with cut-away'sloping sides H so as to expose the tube 1 and its ball or mercury globule 24 to the maximum extent. The tube engaging portion of the, member carrie's suitable graduation marks 12 which are carried,-

upon the side walls ll and upon the tube engaging edge 6. j

The tube carrying frame is mounted between a pair of vertical plates 13 and I4 extending upwardly from a base plate l5 adapted to be bolted to a moldboard or element iii of the equipment carrying the clinometer.

The tube frame is secured between the plates l3 and M by a bolt 11 passing through the plates and the frame. To effect adjustment of the level of the frame in relation to the moldboard or element It, the plate 13 carries a pair of horizontal lugs l8 through which adjusting screws 19 engage the under face of the member 3. It will be understood that the frame may be swung about the bolt [1 by adjustment of the screws 19.

To provide automatic control, a plurality of electrodes 20 are carried within the member 2 nisms are sometimes used. With my automaticgradient control clinometer, the mechanisms are preferably operated by electric motors, solenoids or the like (not shown), which are energized by electrical circuits closed by the mercury globule 24 simultaneously contacting two of the elec trodes 20 to bridge the gap and close the circuit v to a motor or solenoid.

In the manual gradient control of mobile grad ing equipment, the operator actuates the control mechanism to maintain the mcldboard at the correct gradient inclination, and in the visual use of my clinometer, the operator through manual control retains the mercury globule at a predetermined graduation point.

With automatic gradient control in operation, the closing or opening of the electrical circuits through the electrodes 20 regulates the hydraulic or mechanical controls of the cutting edges of the equipment, keeping them at a constant and uniform gradient regardless of the irregularity of the ground over which they are passing.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the use of any clinometer is particularly' applicable to construction without benefit of grade stakes, straight edges, levels, lines or surveying instruments etc., a uniform crown of accurate dimensions on a road, highway or airport runway prior to or at the time of applying a concrete, asphalt, stone orother type of sur- There has thus been provided a simple and eflicient device of the kind described and for the purpose specified.

It is obvious that minor changes may be 'made in the form and construction of the invention without departing from the material spirit thereoffi It is not, therefore, desired to confine the invention to the exact form herein shown and described, but it is desired to include all'such as properly come within the scope claimed.

I claim: v

'1. A clinometer comprising a bendable tube containing a gravity controlled element, an upper and a lower clamping member, said members having longitudinally curved'faces between whichv the tube is gripped and curved longitudinally, the curved face of the upper of said clamping members being transversely concaved to conform to the tube wall, said members having the walls either side of said clamping faces cut away for a substantial length between the ends thereof to reduce engagement with said tube to a narrow contact band to thereby expose a major portion of the tube surface throughout said length between the ends, and clamping means to force said clamping members into clamping engagement with said tube.

2. A clinometer comprising a bendable tube containing a gravity controlled element, a lower clamping member rockably mounted on a support structure and an upper clamping member adapted to clamp said tube to said lower clamping member, said members having longitudinally curved faces between which said tube is gripped and curved longitudinally with the curved face of the upper of said clamping members being transversely concaved to conform to the tube wall, said members having the walls at least on one side of said faces cut away for a substantial length between the ends of said members, clamping means to force said upper clamping member and'tube towards said lower clamping member, and adjustable means for rocking said lower clamping member with said tube clamped thereto without upsetting curvature of said tube.

3. A clinometer comprising a bendable tube containing a gravity controlled element, a lower clamping member formed with a longitudinal precisely curved support surface for said tube pivotallymounted on a support structure, an upper clamping member adaptedto clamp said i tube to said precisely curved support surface,

means for urging said upper clamping member to conform said tube to said longitudinal curved surface, and means to adiustably tilt said pivotally mounted lower clamping member while maintaining precise curvature of said tube against said precisely curved support surface.

FRANK V. BELL.

REFERENCES CITED Thefollowing references are of record in the file'of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,877,628 Replogle Sept. 13. 1932 1,877,629 Replogle Sept. 13, 1932 2,101,077 Langsner Dec. 7. 1937 2,101,837 Blanchett Dec. 14, 1937 2,317,715 Ball Apr. 27, 1943 2,338,811 Hasbrook Jan. 11, 1944 2,471,651 Pantuosco May 31, 1949 2,477,927 Hanson Aug. 2, 1949