US3174666A

US3174666A - Combination level stand and carrier

Info

Publication number: US3174666A
Application number: US282542A
Authority: US
Inventors: Vullmahn Herbert
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1963-05-21
Filing date: 1963-05-21
Publication date: 1965-03-23
Anticipated expiration: 1982-03-23

Description

March 23, 1965 H. VULLMAHN 3,174,666

COMBINATION LEVEL STAND AND CARRIER Filed May 21, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR HERBERT VULLMAHN ATTORNEY March 23, 1965 H. VULLMAHN 3,174,666

COMBINATION LEVEL STAND AND CARRIER Filed May 21, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENI' OR HERBERT VULL MAHN ATTORNEY United States Patent Office 3,174,666 COMBINATION LEVEL STAND AND CARRIER Herbert Vullmalm, 1435 Willowdale Ava, Elkhart, Ind. Filed May 21, 1963, Ser. No. 282,542 3 Claims. c1. 224-46) This invention relates to masons levels, and particularly to a device for holding them in stable position immediately prior to and after use, and which is adapted to be used also as a carrier when such levels are being transferred to and from a job.

A masons level is a delicate instrument and may be easily jarred or struck out of operational condition. Levels are used periodically during the construction of masonry walls, foundations, and the like, and must be maintained in a convenient position near the mason for such periodic use. It has been found that without some means of holding these delicate instruments in a firm position, they often become dislodged from their position when not in use, and the resulting fall or jar either mars the surface of the level or desrtoys or misaligns the delicate leveling mechanism for which they are designed.

The instant invention has as its object a combination level stand which may be utilized on the job for holding one or more levels in a stationary position when not in use, and which may be easily and quickly converted to a carrying device for transportation to and from the job.

The invention will be more clearly understood by referring to the following drawings. In the drawings, FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of my combination level stand and carrier, the position of the holding device when used as a carrier being shown in phantom. FIG. 2 is a top plan view of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is an elevational view from the right of FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the invention with the holding device folded and locked into carrying position.

In operation, the carrying device is locked in upright position and one or more levels are placed in the holder with their horizontal axis parallel to the sides of the holder or carrying device. They are held in this relation by a compressible band or loop spring exerting pressure against their sides which locks them in place against the sides of the holder or carrier. In this position, that is, when used as a holding device for on-the-job use, the levels are inserted in the holder or carrier until the inserted, downwardly-extending end strikes the base plate. On the job, the base plate may be conveniently weighted with blocks or a number of bricks to impart solidarity to the holding stand. When it is desired to do so, the device may be converted into a carrier by disengaging the locking device, folding the holding device over against the base plate, and engaging the base plate locking device. The levels may then be further inserted into the carrier until their centers of gravity are near the center of the carrier, or handle, and carrier and levels may be safely and easily carried from one place to another without fear of dropping.

Turning now to the drawings, reference numeral 2 designates the base plate of the device. This base plate may be constructed of any material which will give the desired strength to the device, but is preferably made of a flat rectangle of steel of a size which will depend upon the over-all size of the levels to be used in it. It will be recognized by those familiar with the art that over-all dimensions will depend upon the size of the levels for which the device is constructed. Since masons levels come in many and varied sizes, ingenuity will have to be exercised in the design of the particular device to be used.

Numeral 4 of the drawings represents the holding device portion of the invention and comprises a substantially square box, preferably of metal, which is attached to the 3,174,666 Patented Mar. 23, 1965 bottom end thereof to base plate 2 by hinges 6 and 8. These hinging means, which are normally standard metal hinges, are fastened to base plate 2 and holding device 4 in a plan vertical to the base plate. Preferably and contemplated in the preferred embodiment of the invention, holding device 4 is positioned at one end of base plate 2 so that when the device is in carrying position as shown in phantom in FIG. 1, the center of gravity of the device is near the middle of the base plate.

Hinging means 6, which is toward the middle of base plate 2, has a pivoting pin which is permanently fastened in said hinge. Hinging means 8, however, has a pivoting pin 10 which is adapted to be disengaged from hinge 8 thus permitting the holding device to be pivoted about the pivoting pin of hinge 6 in a plan that is parallel to base plate 2. Preferably hinging pin 10 is of U-shape construction, one arm of the U forming the fastening leg for hinge 8 and the other arm terminated at a right angled bend as shown at 12, so that when pin 10 is withdrawn from hinge 8 it strikes a stop 14 which prevents said hinging pin it from being completely disengaged from the device. Thus when hinge pin 10 is withdrawn from hinge 8, right angled bend 12 strikes the stop 14 which disengages the pin from hinge 8 permitting holding device 4 to be pivoted about the pin of hinge 6 and move to the carrying position as shown in FIG. 1.

Carrying device 4 is equipped with a compressible spring 16 which is in the form of a continuous band and held in position within the carrying device by means of holding pins 18 and 20. These holding pins may be permanently atfixed in holding device 4 and are preferably of metal. Compressible spring 16 which is held in position by holding pins 18 and 20 is positioned about the pins in such manner that when one or more masons levels are inserted in the holding device compression spring 16 exerts pressure against the sides of said levels and holds them firmly against the sides of holding device 4.

The opposite spring holding pin 20 is terminated at one end thereof by a right angled bend as shown at 22 which is adapted to be received by slot 24 in base plate 2. A handle 26 on the opposite end of pin 20 and rigidly attached thereto, permits the pin 20 to be rotated so that when engaged in slot 24 the right angled bend 22 locks the holding device 4 in carrying position.

Holding device 4 is also equipped on the side thereof with a carrying handle 28 by which the device may be grasped for transporting to and from the job.

Thus when it is desired to transport masons levels by means of this device to or from the job, hinge pin 10 is Withdrawn from hinge 8. The holding device 4 is pivoted about the pin of hinge 6 until it is parallel to base plate 2 and spring holding pin 20 engages the locking slot 24 in base plate 2. Handle 26 is rotated to engage right angled bend 22 thus locking the holding device in carrying position. The masons levels being compressed by compression spring 16 against the sides of holding device 4 are further inserted through the device until substantial balance is achieved and the device and level is carried by handle 28 from one position to another.

To summarize briefly, the instant invention relates to a combination holding and carrying device for masons levels which comprises a. base plate, a holding device mounted thereon by means of hinges, one of said hinges being equipped with a retractable pin, a locking means for fastening said holding device to said base plate and a carrying handle for transporting said carrying device.

What is claimed is':

1. A masons level tranporting and holding device which comprises a base plate, an open-ended box pivotally fastened thereto by means of a pair of hinges, one of said hinges having a removable pin, said box containing a compression band spring mounted therein so that when 3 levels are inserted adjacent to said spring they are held securely against the sides of said box, a locking device adapted to fasten said box in a position parallel to said base plate, and a carrying handle for transporting said device.

2. A device for holding and transferring masons levels which comprises an open-ended box which is pivotally mounted to one end of a base plate by a pair of hinges, one of said hinges having a removable hinge pin so that when said pin is removed, said open-ended box may be pivoted about the pin of the other hinge to a position parallel to said base plate, said box having in the upper and lower ends thereof spring holding pins, the upper of said pins terminating in a right angled bend, said base plate having a locking slot therein to receive said right angled portion of said spring holding pin, said'upper spring holding pin having a handle rigidly affixed to the end opposite said right angled bend for turning said pin, a compressible band spring mounted in said open-ended 4 box and held in position by said spring holding pins, and a carrying handle aiiixed to one side of said open-ended box.

3. A device according to claim 2 wherein said removable hinge pin is of U-shaped construction wherein one of the arms of said pin fastens the hinge and the other of said arms terminates in a right-angled bend and is slidably mounted in a portion of said hinge so that said pin may not be completely removed from said hinge.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,800,206 7/57 Thorpe 20616 3,105,303 10/63 Frizzell 33207 3,112,144 11/63 Martens 312--284 HUGO O. SCHULZ, Primary Examiner.

MORRIS TEMIN, Examiner.

Claims

1. A MASON''S LEVEL TRANSPORTING AND HOLDING DEVICE WHICH COMPRISES A BASE PLATE, AN OPEN-ENDED BOX PIVOTALLY FASTENED THERETO BY MEANS OF A PAIR OF HINGES, ONE OF A SAID HINGES HAVING A REMOVABLE PIN, SAID BOX CONTAINING A COMPRESSION BAND SPRING MOUNTED THERIN SO THAT WHEN LEVELS ARE INSERTED ADJACENT TO SAID SPRING THEY ARE HELD SECURELY AGAINST THE SIDES OF SAID BOX, A LOCKING DEVICE ADAPTED TO FASTEN SAID BOX IN A POSITION PARALLEL TO SAID BASE PLATE, AND A CARRYING HANDLE FO TRANSPORTING SAID DEVICE.