Spirit level with sliding measurement system

• US 7,513,056 B1
• Filed: 11/01/2007
• Issued: 04/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hobden, Robert J. B., Snider, Gregory Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson; Amy Cohen
• Application Number:
  US11/933,509
• Time in Patent Office: 523 Days
• Field of Search: 334/51, 333/51, 333/54, 333/74, 333/79, 333/81, 33483-487, 334/91, 336/13, 336/45, 335/20, 336/66, 336/69, 336/70, 335/74, 335/79, 333/33, 333/34, 334/04, 33/270.3, 33 27031- 27033, 33 321- 323, 248/466, 248/475.1, 248/476, 248/544, 248/447.1, 248/477
• US Class Current: 33/451
• CPC Class Codes: B25H 7/00 Marking-out or setting-out work measuring, gauging G01; optical apparatus G02B; by photographic means G03C
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 9/26 Details

Abstract

A level is disclosed with a sliding measurement system. The level includes a planar upper surface, a planar lower surface and a web extending between the upper surface and the lower surface. The web includes at least one elongate channel to which a track having an inwardly facing slot is mounted. The level further includes one or more pods slideably received on the track in the inwardly facing slot. The pod includes a generally cylindrical female member having upper and lower ridges extending outwardly therefrom, and a generally cylindrical male member configured to receive a marking instrument, the male member being matingly received in the female member. The upper and lower ridges of the female member are configured to be received in the inner slot of the track and are slideable thereon. The level further includes at least one bubble level vial mounted to the web of the body of the level.

Claims

1. A level comprising:

a body having an upper portion with a planar upper surface, a lower portion with a planar lower surface and a web extending between said upper portion and said lower portion, the web having at least one elongate channel;

a track mounted to the web to define a periphery for a slot, the track defining an inner slot;

at least one pod slideably received in the elongate channel, the pod comprising a generally cylindrical female member having upper and lower ridges extending outwardly therefrom, and a generally cylindrical male member matingly received in the female member, the upper and lower ridges of the female member being operably configured to be received in the inner slot of the track and slidable thereon; and

at least one bubble level vial mounted to the web of the body of the level.

2. The level of claim 1, wherein said body has a generally I-shaped cross-sectional outline.

3. The level of claim 1, wherein the male member comprises a distal end and a proximal end, the distal end being inserted into the female member and comprises an end cap having an opening.

4. The level of claim 3, wherein the proximal end of the male member comprises an outwardly extending flange having indicia positioned thereon, one of said web or track further comprising a measurement scale, the indicia of the flange indicating the distance the pod is from a location on the level.

5. The level of claim 1, wherein the web comprises two elongate channels extending longitudinally from a center web portion of the body, each elongate channel having a pod mounted therein, the pod being slideable from a first position to a second position on the track.

6. The level of claim 1, wherein the track comprises first and second discrete sections, the first and second sections combine to define an upper slot that flanks the web of the body and a lower slot configured to receive the pod.

7. The level of claim 1, wherein the generally cylindrical male member has a body sized to receive a marking instrument.

8. The level of claim 1 wherein the male member comprises a distal end and a proximal end, the distal end being inserted into the female member and comprises an end cap having a midline generally perpendicular the upper and lower portions of the body, the end cap including a stencil opening at the midline, the proximal end of the male member comprises an outwardly extending flange having indicia positioned thereon, the indicia being substantially coplanar with the midline of the end cap.

9. The level of claim 8, wherein one of said web and track further comprises a measurement scale, the indicia of the flange indicating the distance the pod is from a location on the level.

10. A level comprising:

a body having first and second ends, an upper portion with a planar upper surface, a lower portion with a planar lower surface and a web extending between said upper portion and said lower portion, the web having two spaced elongate channels;

at least one pod slideably received in one of the two spaced elongate channels, wherein the pod defines a passageway therethrough and wherein a portion of the passageway is sized to receive a marking instrument therein; and

a vial member comprising at least one bubble level vial mounted to the web of the body of the level, the vial member being mounted between the spaced elongate channels.

11. The level of claim 10, wherein the vial member comprises at least a first and second bubble level vial.

12. The level of claim 11 wherein the first and second bubble level vials are spaced from each other by a first span, the first span being less than a second span defined by the distance from one of the first and second bubble levels to one of the first and second ends of the body.

13. A method for placing indicators on a surface at a proper spacing to mount and level an item having mounting fasteners, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a level having a body having first and second ends, an upper portion with a planar upper surface, a lower portion with a planar lower surface and a web extending between said upper portion and said lower portion, the web having a bubble level vial and a pair of elongate channels, and at least one pod slideably received in one of the elongate channels, wherein the pod defines a passageway therethrough, and wherein a portion of the passageway is sized to receive a marking instrument therein;

placing the pods at a proper spacing by holding the level to the item adjacent the mounting fasteners and sliding the pods such that the pods are aligned with the mounting fasteners; and

indicating on the surface this spacing by holding the level against the surface, leveling the level, and inserting a marking instrument through each pod to indicate on the surface the spacing to mount the item.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the passageway includes an end cap which substantially encloses an end of the passageway, wherein the end portion includes an opening therethrough, and wherein the opening is smaller in size than the body portion of passageway.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the opening is in the shape of a cross.