Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01C—MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY
  • G01C9/00—Measuring inclination, e.g. by clinometers, by levels
  • G01C9/18—Measuring inclination, e.g. by clinometers, by levels by using liquids
  • G01C9/24—Measuring inclination, e.g. by clinometers, by levels by using liquids in closed containers partially filled with liquid so as to leave a gas bubble
  • G01C9/26—Details
  • G01C9/28—Mountings

Definitions

• the present invention relates to spirit levels in general, and particularly to a level which may be used to plumb posts and pipes of any shape and to set signs affixed to the posts or pipes, or affixed to walls.
• Spirit or bubble levels used to plumb vertical posts, pipes or poles are well known.
• an early United States Patent 392, 124 to Jackson describes a spirit level attachable to a vertical post with screws.
• United States Patent 3,826,013 to Baher describes a post level with right-angular arms adapted to engage a circumferential surface of a post. The post level is hand-held against the post and bubble vials indicate the degree of verticality of the post.
• the present invention seeks to provide a novel level which may serve as a post, pipe and sign level.
• the level of the present invention may be used to plumb any vertical pole or post of any arbitrary cross section (circular, rectangular, triangular, irregular, oversize, etc.) and may also be used to horizontally set an object.
• the level is thus particularly useful to persons installing road signs on posts, because the level can be used not only to plumb the verticality of the post but can also be used to horizontally set the road sign affixed to the post.
• the level has hinged arms which may be folded into a compact size for storage and transport thereof. Bubble vials are mounted on the arms, and the arms fold inwards so that the bubble vials are protected by the structure of the arms. The arms may be spread out 180° and the level used as a conventional bubble level.
• a strap, magnetic surface or other device is provided for attaching the level to the post , pipe, or sign.
• a post level including a pair of arms pivotally attached to each other at a hinge, each arm defining at least one level face for plumbing a surface, and at least one bubble vial mounted on at least one of the arms on a surface generally opposite to the at least one level face, wherein the arms may be swung about the hinge so as to be positioned generally parallel with each other with the at least one bubble vial being between the arms.
• an auxiliary bubble vial is attached along the hinge, the auxiliary bubble vial being generally perpendicular to the at least one bubble vial.
• the hinge is formed with at least one indent mechanism so as to permit positioning the arms at a predetermined angle relative to each other.
• the post level includes an attachment device for attaching the level to an object to be plumbed.
• the attachment device may be a strap, magnetic surface, elastic band, and/or multiple hook fastener.
• each arm includes at least two generally mutually perpendicular level faces for plumbing surfaces.
• Fig. 1 is a simplified pictorial illustration of a post level, constructed and operative in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention
• Fig. 2 is a simplified, partially cutaway illustration of a portion of the post level of Fig. 1, showing an indent mechanism in a hinge;
• Fig. 3 is a simplified top view illustration of the post level of Fig. 1 ;
• Fig. 4 is a simplified pictorial illustration of the post level of Fig. 1 being used to vertically plumb a post and horizontally set a sign on the vertical post.
• Post level 10 preferably includes a pair of arms 12 pivotally attached to each other at a hinge 14, and preferably made of a mechanically stable and durable metal alloy or plastic.
• Each arm 12 defines at least one level face 16 for plumbing a surface, level face 16 typically having an accurate flatness and smoothness.
• each arm defines a plurality of mutually perpendicular level faces 18, 20 and 22, which are also mutually perpendicular to level face 16.
• At least one bubble vial 24 is mounted on at least one of the arms 12 on a surface 26 generally opposite to level face 16.
• an auxiliary bubble vial 28 is attached along hinge 14 generally perpendicular to bubble vials 24.
• a vertical post or pipe 30 may be plumbed by observing bubble vials 24.
• Post 30 may be of any arbitrary cross section, such as circular, rectangular, triangular, irregular, oversize, etc.
• hinge 14 is formed with at least one indent mechanism 32 so as to permit positioning arms 12 at a predetermined angle relative to each other.
• Indent mechanism 32 may, for example, comprise a spring-loaded ball bearing 34 which selectively engages one or more dimples 36 formed in hinge 14.
• sign 44 may be horizontally set with respect to a horizontal axis 48 by spreading arms 12 out 180° and magnetically attaching post level 10 to a flat surface of sign 44 and observing bubble vials 24.
• sign 44 may be horizontally set with respect to a horizontal axis 48 by resting sign 44 on surface 20 and observing bubble vials 24.

Landscapes

• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Radar, Positioning & Navigation (AREA)
• Remote Sensing (AREA)
• Details Of Rigid Or Semi-Rigid Containers (AREA)
• Road Signs Or Road Markings (AREA)
• Tires In General (AREA)
• Geophysics And Detection Of Objects (AREA)
• Toys (AREA)
• Conveying And Assembling Of Building Elements In Situ (AREA)
• On-Site Construction Work That Accompanies The Preparation And Application Of Concrete (AREA)
• Rod-Shaped Construction Members (AREA)

Priority Applications (5)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=11069817

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (9)

Cited By (2)

Families Citing this family (58)

Citations (5)

Family Cites Families (8)

• 1997
  • 1997-02-18 IL IL12024997A patent/IL120249A/xx not_active IP Right Cessation
• 1998
  • 1998-01-14 DE DE69829363T patent/DE69829363T2/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1998-01-14 WO PCT/IL1998/000017 patent/WO1998036242A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 1998-01-14 AT AT98900348T patent/ATE291217T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1998-01-14 JP JP53551998A patent/JP3856844B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1998-01-14 EP EP98900348A patent/EP0961916B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1998-01-14 AU AU54947/98A patent/AU5494798A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1998-01-14 ES ES98900348T patent/ES2239386T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1998-01-15 US US09/007,870 patent/US6029359A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime

Patent Citations (5)

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