US281133A - Drain-tile-ditch level - Google Patents

Description

LYMAN r. roN'rIoUs,

PATENT Fries..

on ADAIR, ILLINOIS.

DRAIN-TILE-DITCH LEVEL.

SPEIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 281,133, dated July 10, 1853.

Application filed April 520, 11583. (No model.)

To all wle/m it may concern:

f-Be it known that I, LYMAN F. PoNTioUs, of Adair, in the county of McDonough and Sktate of Illinois, have invented anew and Improved Drain-Tile-Ditch Level, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention consists of a device by which to take the inclination of the ground to be drained and set aspirit-level to showsr the said inclination on the stock to which the level is attached, the said stock being provided with legs Whereon to set it for ascertaining the inclination, which legs are also adapted for being so adjusted to the stock that they serve for a handle by which the stock can be con veniently laid on the bottom of the ditch to gage the inclination by a person standing on the bank, all as hereinafter fully described.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a side elevation of the device in the position in which it is used to ascertain the inclination of the ground to be drained, for a guide by which to gage the inclination of the bottom of the tile-ditch. It also represents a profile of the ground to be drained. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device in the position for gaging the bottom of the ditch, with a part in section; and Fig. 3 is aplan view of the device as represented in Fig. 2, Without the leg or handle attachment.

To a Wood stock, a, of similar construction as is commonly used :for a carpenters -or masons spiritdevel, but preferably of larger or longer dimensions, I arrange a bubble-vial, b,

in a recess, c, under a top plate, d, ona pivot, e, at one end, so that it may swing downward from the plate d at the other end, Where it is provided with a binding-screw,f, projecting out through a slot, g, in the side of the stock, suitably for fastening the vial b at any desired point, the said bubble-vial being level with the stock when thek free end is shifted up to and fastened against the top plate, d.k This bubble-vial is preferably located about midway between one end and the middle of the stock, and at the middle of said stock I have an eyebolt, h., extending through the stock, and a metal Washer, c', Withabinding-nut, j, on the other side, by Which to secure the stock to a supporting-rod, 7a, on which the stock may be i shifted up and down the Whole length of the rod, or nearly so, and the stock may also be turned on the rod to level the stock or incline it either Way from the level. In order to bind the rods against the washers, the eyebolts have their eyes drawn partially through the Washers, as shown in Fig. 3 ofthe drawings. This supporting rod or leg 7: has a brace, Z, of similar character, jointed to itat m, near the upper end, for steadying thestock when set up on rod 7c for use, both 'the rod and the brace being pointed to set in the ground. The top of the supporting-rod k is provided with aliandle, o, `for a convenient means of handling the device when used for gaging the bottom of the ditch.

Near the end opposite to Where the bubblevial is mounted the stock is provided with another eyebolt, p, having a binding-nut, q, and a washer, s, to connect thebrace 7, the same as support k is connected when the device is used for gaging the ditch. In the iirst place, to obtain the inclination of the ground t0 be drained, I set up the level on the rod k and brace Z, as in Fig. I, where the lower end vof the drain is to be, then set up a stake, t, at the upper end, or thereabout, the stake being of the same height as the height of the level on the rod 7c, and set the stock of the level to the inclination of the sight-line from the stock to the top of the stake. Then I adjust the bubble-vial by shifting its fore end down until the bubble shows level, and fasten it in that position. Then I attach the supporting-rod and brace, at their lower ends, to the stock by the eyebolts 1L and p, for a handle, as in Fig. 2, by which to lower the level into'the ditch from the bank Whenever it may be required to gage the bottom by the level, which Will have the proper inclination When the bubble shows level, said bubble vial being inclined to the stock, as above stated.

The special merit of this invention is that the device is an ordinary level when the bubblevial is set up against t-he top plate, while by the manner of its adj ustability on the supporting-bar and of the bubble-vial it is a grading-level, and by the contrivance for using it in the ditch it is a convenient and practical gage for grading the ditch.

IOO

My improved level is also useful for tiling or ditching level land, as follows: An outlet for a drain on level land can frequently be had, and in such cases a main tile can be laid down five or six feet deep along one side of the field, if an outlet is found into some slough .or gully 5 then tile can be laid from this main tile out into the eld at suitable distances apart, all connected with the main tile, which, being down deep, would give sufficient fall to the other tiles for long distances-say from forty to eighty rods or more. To use my level for this purpose all that is needed is to make the stake t longer-say, if the main tile is six feet deep, andthe branch tile connected With it and to run out across the field, say, forty rods or more, is to end Within, say, a foot of the top of the ground, all that is necessary is to add five feet to length of stake t-that is, make it ve feet higher than the distance from the top of the level-stock to the ground; then take sight at the top of stake and set the level, as before.

When the rods are taken out of the eyes and laid down with the levelstock and tied to it, the level is then convenient to sbip or carry about.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. The stock a, having the adjustable bubble-vial b, and adjusting supporting-eyebolt h, and Washer z', in combination with the supporting-rod k and brace Z, substantially as' described.

2. The stock a, having the adjustable bubble-vial I), and adjusting supporting-eyebolts h p, and Washers t' s, in combination with the supporting-rod k and brace Z, substantially as described.

3. The stock a, having the adjustable bubble-vial 1),-and adjusting supporting devices h p and z' s, in combination with the supporting rod kbrace Z, and handle o, substantially as 4o Witnesses:

WM. L. CLAYTON, S. LEIGHTY.

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