Telescopic leveling instrument

• US 20030033722A1
• Filed: 08/08/2001
• Published: 02/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Anthony D. Lanham
• Original Assignee: Anthony D. Lanham
• Inventors: Lanham, Anthony D.
• Application Number:
  US09/924,192
• Publication Number:
  US 20030033722A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 33/374
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 9/26 Details

Abstract

A telescopic leveling instrument has a small and light-weight bubble-level block (1) with orthogonal walls that include a rectangular first end (3) and a rectangular second end (4) from which telescopic markers are extended. The telescopic markers can include circular telescopic tubes (2), square telescopic tubes (11) or rectangular telescopic tubes (12). The bubble-level block is articulated to be finger-held with a first hand of a user for positioning it against an object while with a second hand, the user is utilizing the telescopic markers for measuring and marking a desired position selectively in relationship to the object against which the bubble-level block is being held. Attachable to extendable ends of the telescopic markers can be a selection of marking aids (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24). Preferably, the telescopic markers are ruled with distance indicia for fine measurement. The telescopic markers can be attached removably to the rectangular ends for horizontal measurement and levelness marking in a single direction or in oppositely disposed directions from the bubble-level block. Optionally, one or more of the telescopic markers can be attached removably to a bottom of the bubble-level block for measuring and marking verticality, squareness and vertical distances.

Claims

1. A telescopic leveling instrument comprising:

a bubble-level block having orthogonal walls;

one or more telescopic markers extended horizontally from at least one vertical wall of the orthogonal walls of the bubble-level block; and

the bubble-level block being small, light-weight and articulated to be hand-held with a first hand of a user for positioning it against an object while with a second hand of the user, the telescopic markers are employed to measure and to mark selectively in relationship to the object.

2. The telescopic leveling instrument of claim 1 wherein:

the telescopic markers are extended from two oppositely disposed vertical walls of the bubble-level block and have horizontal axes that are collinear.

3. The telescopic leveling instrument of claim 2 and further comprising:

a telescopic marker extended vertically from a bottom wall of the bubble-level block and having a vertical axis that is orthogonal to the horizontal axes of the telescopic markers that are extended from the two oppositely disposed vertical walls.

4. The telescopic leveling instrument of claim 1 and further comprising:

a level-bubble tube on the bubble-level block;

the level-bubble tube having a leveling bubble that is exposed for visibility from a top of the bubble-level block; and

the level-bubble tube being parallel to the bottom wall of the bubble-level block, parallel to the horizontal axes of the telescopic markers and perpendicular to the vertical walls of the bubble-level block.

5. The telescopic leveling instrument of claim 1 wherein:

the leveling bubble is exposed for visibility from at least part of sides of the bubble-level block.

6. The telescopic leveling instrument of claim 1 wherein:

the telescopic markers are articulated to provide marking rigidity to maintain an extended-mode horizontality to the bottom horizontal-surface wall.

7. The telescopic leveling instrument of claim 1 wherein:

the telescopic markers are articulated to provide horizontal-bend resilience for touch marking with marking aids on the extendable ends.

8. The telescopic leveling instrument of claim 1 wherein:

the telescopic markers include a plurality of circular telescopic tubes having outside circular telescopic tubes affixed to the bubble-level block and successively inside circular telescopic tubes slidable axially outward and inward selectively in telescopic working relationship.

9. The telescopic leveling instrument of claim 1 wherein:

the telescopic markers include a plurality of square telescopic tubes having outside square telescopic tubes affixed to the bubble-level block and successively inside square telescopic tubes slidable axially outward and inward selectively in telescopic working relationship.

10. The telescopic leveling instrument of claim 1 wherein:

the telescopic markers include a plurality of vertically oriented rectangular telescopic tubes having outside vertically oriented rectangular telescopic tubes affixed to the bubble-level block and successively inside vertically oriented rectangular telescopic tubes slidable axially outward and inward selectively in telescopic working relationship

11. A telescopic leveling instrument comprising:

a bubble-level block having orthogonal walls which are predeterminedly rectangular;

the orthogonal walls including a first end, a second end, a bottom, a top, a first side and a second side;

the first end including a first vertical end wall and the second end including a second vertical end wall;

the first side including a first vertical side wall and the second side including a second vertical side wall;

the bottom including a bottom horizontal-surface wall and the top including a top horizontal-surface wall;

one or more telescopic markers extended horizontally from at least one of the vertical end walls;

marking aids on extendable ends of at least one of the telescopic markers; and

the bubble-level block being small, light-weight and articulated to be hand-held with a first hand of a user for positioning it against an object while with a second hand of the user, the telescopic markers are employed to measure and to mark selectively in relationship to the object.

12. The telescopic leveling instrument of claim 11 wherein:

the telescopic markers include a first telescopic marker extended from the first end and a second telescopic marker extended from the second end of the bubble-level block;

the bubble-level block has a block axis intermediate the first end and the second end thereof;

the block axis is parallel to the bottom, the top, the first side and the second side of the bubble-level block;

the first telescopic marker and the second telescopic marker have horizontal marker axes that are collinear; and

the horizontal marker axes are parallel to the block axis.

13. The telescopic leveling instrument of claim 12 and further comprising:

a bottom telescopic marker extended perpendicularly from a plane of the bottom of the bubble-level block and having a vertical axis that is orthogonal to the horizontal marker axes.

14. The telescopic leveling instrument of claim 11 and further comprising:

a level-bubble tube on the bubble-level block;

the level-bubble tube having a leveling bubble that is exposed for visibility from a top of the bubble-level block; and

the level-bubble tube being parallel to the bottom wall of the bubble-level block, parallel to the horizontal axes of the telescopic markers and perpendicular to the vertical end walls of the bubble-level block.

15. The telescopic leveling instrument of claim 11 wherein:

the leveling bubble is exposed for visibility from at least part of sides of the bubble-level block.

16. The telescopic leveling instrument of claim 11 wherein:

the telescopic markers are attached removably to allow attachment of a single telescopic marker to the bubble-level block.

17. The telescopic leveling instrument of claim 11 wherein:

the telescopic markers are ruled with distance indicia from a predetermined point on the bubble-level block to predetermined points proximate the extendable ends of the telescopic markers.

18. The telescopic leveling instrument of claim 11 wherein:

the bottom horizontal-surface wall and the top horizontal-surface wall are rectangular intermediate the first end and the second end of the bubble-level block are rectangular;

the first vertical side wall and the second vertical side wall of the bubble-level block are rectangular; and

the first vertical end wall and the second vertical end wall of the bubble-level block are rectangular.

19. The telescopic leveling instrument of claim 18 wherein:

the bubble-level block has a finger-holdable width intermediate the first vertical side wall and the second vertical side wall;

the bubble-level block has a finger-holdable length intermediate the first vertical end wall and the second vertical end wall; and

the bubble-level block has a finger-holdable height intermediate the bottom horizontal-surface wall and the top horizontal-surface wall.

20. The telescopic leveling instrument of claim 19 wherein:

the finger-holdable width is approximately three-fourths of an inch;

the finger-holdable length is approximately three inches and

the finger-holdable height is approximately one inch.

21. The telescopic leveling instrument of claim 19 wherein:

the bubble-level block includes a leveling bubble in a level-bubble tube that is parallel to the bottom horizontal-surface wall of the bubble-level block, parallel to the horizontal axes of the telescopic markers and perpendicular to the vertical end walls of the bubble-level block;

the level-bubble tube is situated intermediate the first end and the second end of the bubble-level block;

the level-bubble tube has a tube axis that is parallel to the bottom horizontal-surface wall;

the first vertical side wall and the second vertical side wall include side-vision bays predeterminedly intermediate the first end and the second end of the bubble-level block for side vision of the leveling bubble;

the top horizontal wall includes a top vision bay predeterminedly intermediate the first end and the second end of the bubble-level block for top vision of the leveling bubble; and

the level-bubble tube is situated predeterminedly lower vertically than the top horizontal wall.

22. The telescopic leveling instrument of claim 21 wherein:

the first vertical side wall and the second vertical side wall include side positioning channels that are parallel to the bottom horizontal-surface wall and coplanar to a horizontal marker axis of a telescopic marker extended from an end of the bubble-level block.

23. The telescopic leveling instrument of claim 22 wherein:

the side positioning channels are V-shaped.

24. The telescopic leveling instrument of claim 21 wherein:

the bottom horizontal-surface wall includes a bottom positioning channel that is parallel to the first vertical side wall, parallel to the second vertical side wall and coplanar to the horizontal marker axis of the telescopic marker extended from the end of the bubble-level block.

25. The telescopic leveling instrument of claim 24 wherein:

the bottom positioning channel is V-shaped.

26. The telescopic leveling instrument of claim 11 wherein:

the marking aid is attached removably to the extendable ends of the telescopic markers.

27. The telescopic leveling instrument of claim 11 wherein:

the marking aid includes a marker ring having a circumferential wall attached to the extendable end of the telescopic marker for positioning of a pencil or other marking device centrally in the marker ring and coplanar to the axis of the telescopic marker.

28. The telescopic leveling instrument of claim 11 wherein:

the marking aid includes a point holder that is articulated to cinch-hold a marker point that includes a pencil lead and a needle-like metallic point.

29. The telescopic leveling instrument of claim 11 wherein:

the marking aid includes a liquid-dispenser holder that is articulated to hold a liquid-dispenser that includes a ball-point pen.

30. The telescopic leveling instrument of claim 11 wherein:

the marking aid includes a powder holder that is articulated to hold a porous dispenser of powder.

31. The telescopic leveling instrument of claim 11 wherein:

the marking aid includes a marking point that is attachable directly to the extendable end of the telescopic marker.

32. The telescopic leveling instrument of claim 11 wherein:

the marking aid includes a straight-edge block;

33. The telescopic leveling instrument of claim 32 wherein:

the straight-edge block is rectangular with walls that are parallel to at least the bottom horizontal-surface wall, the first vertical-surface wall and the second vertical-surface wall of the bubble-level block.

34. The telescopic leveling instrument of claim 11 wherein:

the marking aid includes a V-shaped indentation having an axis that is collinear to the axis of the telescopic marker.

35. The telescopic leveling instrument of claim 11 wherein:

the telescopic markers are articulated to provide marking rigidity to maintain an extended-mode horizontality to the bottom horizontal-surface wall.

36. The telescopic leveling instrument of claim 11 wherein:

the telescopic markers are articulated to provide horizontal-bend resilience for touch marking with marking aids on the extendable ends.

37. The telescopic leveling instrument of claim 11 wherein:

the telescopic markers include a plurality of circular telescopic tubes having outside circular telescopic tubes affixed to the bubble-level block and successively inside circular telescopic tubes slidable axially outward and inward selectively in telescopic working relationship.

38. The telescopic leveling instrument of claim 11 wherein:

the telescopic markers include a plurality of square telescopic tubes having outside square telescopic tubes affixed to the bubble-level block and successively inside square telescopic tubes slidable axially outward and inward selectively in telescopic working relationship.

39. The telescopic leveling instrument of claim 11 wherein:

the telescopic markers include a plurality of vertically oriented rectangular telescopic tubes having outside vertically oriented rectangular telescopic tubes affixed to the bubble-level block and successively inside vertically oriented rectangular telescopic tubes slidable axially outward and inward selectively in telescopic working relationship

40. A telescopic leveling instrument comprising:

a bubble-level block having orthogonal walls which are predeterminedly rectangular;

the orthogonal walls including a first end, a second end, a bottom, a top, a first side and a second side;

the first end including a first vertical end wall and the second end including a second vertical end wall;

the first side including a first vertical side wall and the second side including a second vertical side wall;

the bottom including a bottom horizontal-surface wall and the top including a top horizontal-surface wall;

one or more telescopic markers extended horizontally from at least one of the vertical end walls;

marking aids on extendable ends of at least one of the telescopic markers;

the telescopic markers include a first telescopic marker extended from the first end and a second telescopic marker extended from the second end of the bubble-level block;

the bubble-level block being small, light-weight and articulated to be hand-held with a first hand of a user for positioning it against an object while with a second hand of the user, the telescopic markers are employed to measure and to mark selectively in relationship to the object;

the bubble-level block has a block axis intermediate the first end and the second end thereof;

the block axis is parallel to the bottom, the top, the first side and the second side of the bubble-level block;

the first telescopic marker and the second telescopic marker have horizontal marker axes that are collinear;

the horizontal marker axes are parallel to the block axis;

a bottom telescopic marker extended perpendicularly from a plane of the bottom of the bubble-level block and having a vertical axis that is orthogonal to the horizontal marker axes;

the telescopic markers are attached removably to allow attachment of a single telescopic marker to the bubble-level block;

a level-bubble tube on the bubble-level block;

the level-bubble tube having a leveling bubble that is exposed for visibility from a top of the bubble-level block;

the level-bubble tube being parallel to the bottom wall of the bubble-level block, parallel to the horizontal axes of the telescopic markers and perpendicular to the vertical end walls of the bubble-level block;

the leveling bubble is exposed for visibility from at least part of sides of the bubble-level block;

the bottom horizontal-surface wall and the top horizontal-surface wall are rectangular intermediate the first end and the second end of the bubble-level block;

the first vertical side wall and the second vertical side wall of the bubble-level block are rectangular;

the first vertical end wall and the second vertical end wall of the bubble-level block are rectangular;

the bubble-level block has a finger-holdable width intermediate the first vertical side wall and the second vertical side wall;

the bubble-level block has a finger-holdable length intermediate the first vertical end wall and the second vertical end wall;

the bubble-level block has a finger-holdable height intermediate the bottom horizontal-surface wall and the top horizontal-surface wall;

the bubble-level block includes a leveling bubble in a level-bubble tube that is parallel to the bottom horizontal-surface wall of the bubble-level block, parallel to the horizontal axes of the telescopic markers and perpendicular to the vertical end walls of the bubble-level block;

the level-bubble tube is situated intermediate the first end and the second end of the bubble-level block;

the level-bubble tube has a tube axis that is parallel to the bottom horizontal-surface wall;

the first vertical side wall and the second vertical side wall include side-vision bays predeterminedly intermediate the first end and the second end of the bubble-level block for side vision of the leveling bubble;

the top horizontal wall includes a top vision bay predeterminedly intermediate the first end and the second end of the bubble-level block for top vision of the leveling bubble; and

the level-bubble tube is situated predeterminedly lower vertically than the top horizontal wall.

41. The telescopic leveling instrument of claim 40 wherein:

the telescopic markers are ruled with distance indicia from a predetermined point on the bubble-level block to predetermined points proximate the extendable ends of the telescopic markers.

42. The telescopic leveling instrument of claim 40 wherein:

the first vertical side wall and the second vertical side wall include side positioning channels that are parallel to the bottom horizontal-surface wall and coplanar to a horizontal marker axis of a telescopic marker extended from an end of the bubble-level block.

43. The telescopic leveling instrument of claim 40 wherein:

the bottom horizontal-surface wall includes a bottom positioning channel that is parallel to the first vertical side wall, parallel to the second vertical side wall and coplanar to the horizontal marker axis of the telescopic marker extended from the end of the bubble-level block.

44. The telescopic leveling instrument of claim 40 wherein:

the marking aid is includes a selection of marking aids that are attached removably to the extendable ends of the telescopic markers.

45. The telescopic leveling instrument of claim 40 wherein:

the telescopic markers are articulated to provide marking rigidity to maintain an extended-mode horizontality to the bottom horizontal-surface wall.

46. The telescopic leveling instrument of claim 40 wherein:

the telescopic markers are articulated to provide horizontal-bend resilience for touch marking with marking aids on the extendable ends.

47. The telescopic leveling instrument of claim 40 wherein:

the telescopic markers include a plurality of circular telescopic tubes having outside circular telescopic tubes affixed to the bubble-level block and successively inside circular telescopic tubes slidable axially outward and inward selectively in telescopic working relationship.

48. The telescopic leveling instrument of claim 40 wherein:

the telescopic markers include a plurality of square telescopic tubes having outside square telescopic tubes affixed to the bubble-level block and successively inside square telescopic tubes slidable axially outward and inward selectively in telescopic working relationship.

49. The telescopic leveling instrument of claim 40 wherein:

the telescopic markers include a plurality of vertically oriented rectangular tubes having outside vertically oriented rectangular tubes affixed to the bubble-level block and successively inside vertically oriented rectangular tubes slidable axially outward and inward selectively in telescopic working relationship.