Level rod for grading

A device for use in grading operations for determining and visually indicating the depth of cut or fill required to establish a desired grade level in one place relative to grade level indicating means positioned in another place, the device comprising:

• an elongated rod having front, rear and side surfaces;
• an endless band extending longitudinally around said elongated rod along said front and rear surfaces, said endless band comprising a first band portion of a given color and having a first set of graduations ascending from zero at one end thereof to a first value at the other end thereof and a second band portion of a color clearly distinguishable from said given color and having a second set of graduations ascending from zero at one end thereof to a second value at the opposite end thereof, said one end of said first band portion being attached to said one end of said second band portion and said opposite end of said first band portion being attached to said opposite end of said second band portion;
• mounting means supporting said endless band on said elongated rod and accommodating circumvolutionary movement therearound;
• and
• a slide mechanism mounted for longitudinal sliding movement on said elongated rod, said slide mechanism comprising clamp means for selectively and alternatively either securing said slide mechanism to said endless band so as to prevent relative movement therebetween or releasing said slide mechanism from said endless band so as to allow relative movement therebetween, said slide mechanism while secured to said band being slidable longitudinally to establish generally horizontal alignment between said slide mechanism and said indicating means to visually indicate a length on said endless band between said zero and one of said graduations, said length corresponding to the depth of the required cut or fill.