Spirit level

• US 5,709,034 A
• Filed: 02/29/1996
• Issued: 01/20/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kapro Industries Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Kapro Industries Ltd.
• Inventors: Kohner, Gabriel
• Primary Examiner(s): Fulton, Christopher W.
• Application Number:
  US08/608,757
• Time in Patent Office: 691 Days
• Field of Search: 33/377, 33/365, 33/378, 33/379, 33/381, 33/382, 33/389, 33/390
• US Class Current: 33/377
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 9/28 Mountings

Abstract

A spirit level including a body portion having at least one open, hollow end, the body portion having at least one aperture formed on a face thereof, and a clamp insertable into the at least one hollow end, the clamp including at least one vial mounting portion, the clamp being folded and inserted into the at least one hollow end, the at least one vial mounting portion being adapted to be fixedly held in the at least one aperture after insertion of the clamp into the at least one hollow end, wherein a vial is fixedly mountable in the at least one vial mounting portion.

Claims

1. A spirit level comprising:

a body portion having at least one open, hollow end, and at least one non-circular aperture formed on a face thereof;

a clamp insertable into said at least one hollow end, said clamp comprising at least one vial mounting portion, said clamp being folded and inserted into said at least one said at least one vial mounting portion being fixedly held in said at least one non-circular aperture and having a precisely fixed orientation relative to said body portion which is determined by said non-circular aperture and

a vial calibrated and bonded in place onto said vial mounting portion following insertion of said clamp into said body portion.

2. A spirit level according to claim 1 and wherein said clamp is formed as a single element having a pair of vial mounting portions connected to each other by a resilient strip, said pair of vial mounting portions being folded along said resilient strip such that said pair of vial mounting portions are in generally overlying mutual alignment.

3. A spirit level according to claim 1 and wherein said at least one hollow end is open along a longitudinal axis, and said face is generally perpendicular to said longitudinal axis.

4. A spirit level according to claim 1 and comprising an end cap which is inserted into said at least one hollow end after inserting therein said clamp, thereby applying a generally lateral force against said at least one vial mounting portion and fixedly pressing said at least one vial mounting portion in said at least one aperture.

5. A spirit level according to claim 4 and wherein said end cap undergoes a deformation when applying said force against said at least one vial mounting portion, said deformation further fixing said end cap and said clamp in said at least one hollow end.

6. A spirit level according to claim 4 and wherein said end cap is formed with a Euro-slot.

7. A method for manufacturing a spirit level, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a body portion having at least one open, hollow end, said body portion having at least one aperture formed on a face thereof;

providing a clamp insertable into said at least one hollow end, said clamp comprising a single element having a pair of foldable vial mounting portions connected to each other by a resilient strip;

folding said pair of vial mounting portions along said resilient strip such that said pair of vial mounting portions are in generally overlying mutual alignment;

inserting said clamp, with said vial mounting portions folded into said at least one hollow end;

fixing said vial mounting portions in said at least one aperture; and

fixedly mounting a vial in said vial mounting portions.