GB2192280A

GB2192280A - Level and angle indicating device

Info

Publication number: GB2192280A
Application number: GB08614524A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Kavanagh; Gerald Kavanagh
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1986-06-14
Filing date: 1986-06-14
Publication date: 1988-01-06
Also published as: GB8614524D0

Abstract

A level and angle indicating device (1) comprises a container (2) of fluid, a buoyancy member (8) in the container (2) and mounted to permit relative pivoting movement between the container (2) and the buoyancy member (8), and indicating means (14/9A) to indicate the relative pivoted position of the buoyancy member to the container relative to a datum. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Level and angle indicating device

Description The present invention relates to a level and angle indicating device.

Level indicating devices comprising a spirit level are of course well established but these prior spirit level devices have had the disadvantages of lacking ease of reading and not being satisfactorily usable where items are to be set at an angle away from the horizontal or vertical. It is an object of the present invention to provide a level and angle indicating device which can accurately indicate set angles in a range between the horizontal and the vertical and which is economic to manufacture.

According to the present invention a level and angle indicating device comprises a container of fluid, a buoyancy member in the container mounted to permit relative movement between the container and the buoyancy member, and indicating means to indicate the relative position of the buoyancy member to the container with regard to a datum.

Preferably the buoyancy member is pivotally mounted within the container, and preferably the buoyancy member comprises arm means pivotally mounted at one end and a buoyancy element carried by the arm means. The buoyancy element therefore defines a tethered float which is submerged in fluid so that the arm means can be maintained in a vertical position thereby defining the line of reference or datum for various angular settings of the container in angle indicating operations. The indicating means preferably comprises a scale.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 shows a side elevation of a level indicating device in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 shows an "exploded" isometric view of the device of Fig. 1; and Figure 3 is a sectional side view of the device through section A-A in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, a level and angle indicating device 1 comprises a container 2 for fluid having a semi-circular top wall 3, a flat bottom wall 4, and sides 5, 6. The construction is such that a sealed and leak-proof chamber 7 is located in the container 2 and the chamber 7 is filled with suitable fluid, for example an appropriate oil. A tethered but pivotal buoyancy member 8 is located in the chambe 7 and comprises a-- strip 9 having a spindle 10 at one end pivotally mounted to the side walls 5, 6 by low-friction needle bearings at 11 and 12 and a buoyancy element 13-mounted on the strip 9. A scale 14 is located on the wall 6 and is of semi-circular form so that an end portion or pointer 9A of the strip 9 can pass over the scale 14 for readings, To enable viewing of the scale 14, the wall 5 can be wholly or partly transparent.

The container 2 and buoyancy member 8 will be made of suitable material such as for example suitable plastics material.

To facilitate level and angle measuring operations, the device 1 is carried by straight edge apparatus 15 and in particular is received in a complementary shaped recess in the apparatus 1. For fine setting of the device 1 in the apparatus 15, the device 1 is located by a setting screw 16. The principle of operation of the device 1 is that due to buoyancy effect on the element 13 in chamber 7 the strip 9 will be maintained in a vertical orientation which will define the reference or datum for the various angular settings of the container 2.

Initial setting is achieved by placing the straight edge apparatus 15 on an absolutely horizontal surface then locking the device 1 in position by screw 16 with the pointer 9A accurately aligned with a datum mark i.e. line D of scale 14. All angular settings (0-360 ) of the straight edge through any vertical plane can then be accurately indicated by the scale 14.

Modifications are of course possible. In particular the buoyancy member could take some other form. For example additional arms could be provided to carry the buoyancy element or elements. The container 2 could take some other form than that shown. It will be understood that the device 1 alone and without apparatus 15 could be used for level measurement and that the device 1 could be used in conjunction with any other ancillary apparatus.

CLAIMS 1. A level and angle indicating device comprising a container of fluid, a buoyancy member in the container mounted to permit relative movement between the container and the buoyancy member, and indicating means to indicate the relative position of the buoyancy member to the container with regard to a datum.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the buoyancy member is pivotally mounted within the container.

3. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the buoyancy member comprises arm means pivotally mounted at one end and a buoyancy element carried by the arm means.

4. The device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the indicating means comprises a scale.

5. The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the scale is located in the container, and wherein a wall of the container is wholly or partly transparent for reading of the scale.

6. The device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the buoyancy member is pivotally mounted by means of needle

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Level and angle indicating device Description The present invention relates to a level and angle indicating device. Level indicating devices comprising a spirit level are of course well established but these prior spirit level devices have had the disadvantages of lacking ease of reading and not being satisfactorily usable where items are to be set at an angle away from the horizontal or vertical. It is an object of the present invention to provide a level and angle indicating device which can accurately indicate set angles in a range between the horizontal and the vertical and which is economic to manufacture. According to the present invention a level and angle indicating device comprises a container of fluid, a buoyancy member in the container mounted to permit relative movement between the container and the buoyancy member, and indicating means to indicate the relative position of the buoyancy member to the container with regard to a datum. Preferably the buoyancy member is pivotally mounted within the container, and preferably the buoyancy member comprises arm means pivotally mounted at one end and a buoyancy element carried by the arm means. The buoyancy element therefore defines a tethered float which is submerged in fluid so that the arm means can be maintained in a vertical position thereby defining the line of reference or datum for various angular settings of the container in angle indicating operations. The indicating means preferably comprises a scale. An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 shows a side elevation of a level indicating device in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 shows an "exploded" isometric view of the device of Fig. 1; and Figure 3 is a sectional side view of the device through section A-A in Fig. 1. Referring to the drawings, a level and angle indicating device 1 comprises a container 2 for fluid having a semi-circular top wall 3, a flat bottom wall 4, and sides 5, 6. The construction is such that a sealed and leak-proof chamber 7 is located in the container 2 and the chamber 7 is filled with suitable fluid, for example an appropriate oil. A tethered but pivotal buoyancy member 8 is located in the chambe 7 and comprises a-- strip 9 having a spindle 10 at one end pivotally mounted to the side walls 5, 6 by low-friction needle bearings at 11 and 12 and a buoyancy element 13-mounted on the strip 9. A scale 14 is located on the wall 6 and is of semi-circular form so that an end portion or pointer 9A of the strip 9 can pass over the scale 14 for readings, To enable viewing of the scale 14, the wall 5 can be wholly or partly transparent. The container 2 and buoyancy member 8 will be made of suitable material such as for example suitable plastics material. To facilitate level and angle measuring operations, the device 1 is carried by straight edge apparatus 15 and in particular is received in a complementary shaped recess in the apparatus 1. For fine setting of the device 1 in the apparatus 15, the device 1 is located by a setting screw 16. The principle of operation of the device 1 is that due to buoyancy effect on the element 13 in chamber 7 the strip 9 will be maintained in a vertical orientation which will define the reference or datum for the various angular settings of the container 2. Initial setting is achieved by placing the straight edge apparatus 15 on an absolutely horizontal surface then locking the device 1 in position by screw 16 with the pointer 9A accurately aligned with a datum mark i.e. line D of scale 14. All angular settings (0-360 ) of the straight edge through any vertical plane can then be accurately indicated by the scale 14. Modifications are of course possible. In particular the buoyancy member could take some other form. For example additional arms could be provided to carry the buoyancy element or elements. The container 2 could take some other form than that shown. It will be understood that the device 1 alone and without apparatus 15 could be used for level measurement and that the device 1 could be used in conjunction with any other ancillary apparatus. CLAIMS

1. A level and angle indicating device comprising a container of fluid, a buoyancy member in the container mounted to permit relative movement between the container and the buoyancy member, and indicating means to indicate the relative position of the buoyancy member to the container with regard to a datum.

bearings.

7. The device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fluid of the container is oil.

8. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in combination with ancillary apparatus.

9. The combination as claimed in claim 8, wherein means are provided to enable fine setting of said device relative to said ancillary apparatus.

10. The combination as claimed in claim 8 or 9, wherein the ancillary apparatus comprises straight edge apparatus.

11. A level indicating device substantially as herein before described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.