Inclination measuring device

• US 4,641,434 A
• Filed: 10/03/1985
• Issued: 02/10/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/1983
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Max Engler
• Original Assignee: Max Engler
• Inventors: Engler, Max
• Primary Examiner(s): Stearns, Richard R.
• Application Number:
  US06/783,370
• Time in Patent Office: 495 Days
• Field of Search: 33/366, 33/377
• US Class Current: 33/366.19
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 9/06 Electric or photoelectric indication or reading means
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 9/20 the indication being based on the inclination of the surface of a liquid relative to its container

Abstract

The instrument includes a cylindrical chamber with two parallel end walls. At least one of the end walls is plated with two semicircular condenser plates forming a gap between them. The chamber is filled half and half with two non-intermixing liquids of different specific gravity. In one embodiment the other end wall is plated with a third condenser plate and the two liquids are non-conductive and have different dielectric properties. In another embodiment, the two condenser plates on the one end wall are plated with a dielectric layer and at least one of the two liquids is an electrolyte. The instrument has a high measuring range and high accuracy and resolution.

Claims

1. An inclination measuring instrument comprising a cylindrical chamber with two planar, parallel, radial end walls, a first of the end walls being plated with at least two condenser plates, the two plates defining a gap between them and being plated with a solid dielectric layer, and the chamber containing equal amounts, by volume, of two non-intermixing, non-intersoluble liquids of different specific gravity and different electrolytic properties.

2. The instrument according to claim 1 wherein the gap between said plates is a straight line forming an angle of about 30 to about 60 degrees with a reference surface of the instrument, the two end walls being perpendicular to the reference surface.

3. The instrument according to claim 1 wherein the condenser plates each consist of a metal layer plated onto the first end wall.

4. The instrument according to claim 1 including two condenser plates which are semicircular in configuration.