Securement arrangement for a level end cap

• US 7,770,298 B1
• Filed: 04/11/2008
• Issued: 08/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Johnson Level & Tool Mfg Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Johnson Level & Tool Mfg Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Johnson, William G., Wojciechowski, Timothy J.
• Primary Examiner(s): GUADALUPE, YARITZA
• Application Number:
  US12/101,618
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: 333/65, 333/79, 334/51, 33377-378, 33381-382, 33389-390, 33347-348, 33370-371
• US Class Current: 33/365
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 9/26 Details

Abstract

An end cap feature for a level includes a frame having a gauging surface and a web which extends at an angle relative to the gauging surface. The web includes a recess adjacent to an end of the frame. The web recess opens onto the end of the web and extends inwardly therefrom. An end member includes a web-receiving such as a slot defined between a pair of side members, each of which is formed with an opening. The web recess and the end member openings are in alignment with each other when the end of the web is received within the web-receiving structure. A retainer member is positioned within the web recess when engaged within the opening of the end member, and the retainer member and web recess are configured such that engagement of the retainer member within the web recess maintains the end member in engagement with the web. Engagement of the retainer member within the opening of the end member prevents movement of the end member relative to the web.

Claims

1. A level, comprising:

a frame including a gauging surface and a web defining an end, wherein the web lies in a plane and extends at an angle relative to the gauging surface, and wherein the web includes a recess adjacent the end;

an end member including web-receiving structure within which the end of the web is received upon movement of the end member toward the web in a direction along the plane of the web, wherein the end member includes an engagement portion having an opening, wherein the engagement portion of the end member overlaps the web inwardly of the end of the web, and wherein the web recess and the opening in the engagement portion of the end member are in alignment with each other when the end of the web is received within the web-receiving structure; and

a retainer member that is engaged within the opening in the engagement portion of the end member and within the web recess when engaged within the opening in the engagement portion of the end member, wherein the retainer member is moved into engagement within the web recess and into the opening in the engagement portion of the end member by lateral movement of the retainer member in a direction transverse to the plane of the web, wherein the retainer member, the opening in the engagement portion of the end member, and the web recess include mating engagement structure that is configured such that engagement of the retainer member within the web recess and the opening in the engagement portion of the end member maintains the end member in engagement with the web against an axial force applied to the end member in a direction along the plane of the web.

2. A level according to claim 1, wherein the web recess opens onto the end of the web and extends inwardly therefrom.

3. A level according to claim 2, wherein the mating engagement structure includes one or more indentations defined by the web recess located inwardly of the end of the web, wherein the indentations extend outwardly from the opening in an outward direction and are configured to receive engagement structure defined by the retainer member.

4. A level according to claim 1, wherein the retainer member extends through the opening in the engagement portion of the end member and is configured to occupy substantially the entirety of the opening.

5. A level according to claim 1, wherein the retainer member comprises a pair of retainer member sections that are positioned within the opening in the engagement portion of the end member and within the web recess by lateral movement toward each other in a direction transverse to the plane of the web from opposite sides defined by the web and the end member, and which are configured for engagement with each other to so as to maintain the retainer member sections within the opening in the engagement portion of the end member and within the web recess.

6. A level according to claim 1, wherein the retainer member includes a transverse recess.

7. An end member securement arrangement for a level having a frame that includes a web that lies in a plane, comprising:

an open area in the web located adjacent an end defined by the web;

an end member configured for engagement with the web in a direction along the plane of the web, wherein the end member includes an engagement portion having an opening that overlaps the open area of the web when the end member is engaged with the web; and

retainer means engageable within the opening in the engagement portion of the end member and with the open area of the web for maintaining the end member in engagement with the web, wherein the retainer means is moved into engagement within the web recess and within the opening in the engagement portion of the end member by lateral movement of the retainer means in a direction transverse to the plane of the web, wherein the retainer means, the opening in the engagement portion of the end member, and the web recess include mating engagement structure that is configured such that engagement of the retainer means within the open area of the web and the opening in the engagement portion of the end member maintains the end member in engagement with the web against an axial force applied to the end member in a direction along the plane of the web.

8. An end member securement arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the retainer means is frictionally engaged with the end member and the web.

9. An end member securement arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the retainer means comprises a retainer member having a cross sectional shape that matches the configuration of the opening in the engagement portion of the end member.

10. An end member securement arrangement according to claim 9, wherein the retainer member includes a transverse passage and that defines a transverse passage through the end member when the retainer member is secured within the opening in the end member.

11. An end member securement arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the retainer means comprises a pair of retainer members configured to engage each other from a pair of oppositely facing sides defined by the end member by lateral movement toward each other in a direction transverse to the plane of the web.

12. An end member securement arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the open area in the web includes a recess that extends inwardly from the end of the web, and at least one outwardly extending indentation that extends outwardly from the recess, wherein the retainer means is engageable within the recess and includes a protrusion configured to be received within the indentation, and wherein the indentation and the protrusion are configured such that engagement of the protrusion within the indentation maintains the end member in engagement with the end of the web against an axial force applied to the end member in a direction along the plane of the web when the retainer means is engaged within the web recess and the opening in the engagement portion of the end member.

13. A method of securing an end member to a web associated with a frame of a level, comprising the acts of:

providing a frame having a web that lies in a plane, wherein the web includes an open area adjacent an end defined by the web;

positioning an end member in engagement with the web such that an engagement portion of the end member overlaps the open area of the web, wherein the engagement portion of the end member includes a transverse opening and wherein at least a portion of the end member opening is in overlapping relationship with at least a portion of the open area of the web; and

engaging one or more retainer members with the engagement portion of the end member and with the web by positioning the one or more retainer members laterally outwardly of the web and the engagement portion of the end member, and moving the one or more retainer members laterally inwardly toward the web and the engagement portion of the end member in a direction transverse to the plane of the web such that the one or more retainer members are positioned within the transverse opening of the engagement portion of the end member and within the open area of the web, wherein the one or more retainer members, the opening in the engagement portion of the end member, and the open area of the web include mating engagement structure that is configured such that engagement of the one or more retainer members within the open area of the web and the opening in the engagement portion of the end member maintains the end member in engagement with the web against an axial force applied to the end member in a direction along the plane of the web.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the act of engaging one or more retainer members with the engagement portion of the end member is carried out by engaging a pair of retainer members together within the transverse opening of the engagement portion of the end member by lateral inward movement of the pair of retainer members toward each other in a direction transverse to the plane of the web from opposite sides of the web.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the act of engaging one or more retainer members with the engagement portion of the end member is carried out by engaging one or more protrusions on the one or more retainer members within one or more outwardly extending indentations in the open area of the web.