Level with illuminated bubble vials
OwnerHarold Zimmermaninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An illuminated level includes a main frame providing parallel spaced-apart flat plane working surfaces connected together by a flat main frame web. The web is provided with three main frame sight ports extending therethrough. A bubble vial is positioned across each of the main frame sight ports. First and second side plates are positioned, one on either side of the web. Mounted on one of these side plates in adjacent relation to the web are six light emitting diodes, each positioned in adjacent relationship to an end portion of one of the three bubbles vials. A switch and a battery are also mounted to this side plate as are appropriate electrical conductors. The electrical conductors couple the light emitting diodes, the battery and the switch to cause energization of the light emitting diodes when the switch is actuated.
Claims4
A retrofit assembly for converting an unlighted level to an illuminated level, the unlighted level including:
- an elongate main frame provided with two parallel, spaced-apart longitudinally extending flat, plane working surfaces and a web extending between said working surfaces generally in parallel relation to the longitudinal axes of the working surfaces and at right angles to the plane of the working surfaces, said web being provided with a plurality of frame sight ports therethrough;
- a plurality of bubble vials each positioned in the main frame across and slightly beyond one of the frame sight ports to have a permanent fixed angular relationship with respect to the plane of the main frame working surfaces, and
- first and second side plates positioned in parallel relation to each other to cover at least a substantial portion of the main frame web, with one of said side plates being positioned on each side of the main frame, said side plates each being provided with a plurality of side plate sight ports in visual alignment with each of the main frame sight ports, and
- fastening means to removably position the first side plate to the main frame;
- said retrofit assembly including:
- (a) a retrofit side plate of configuration and character to effectively replace said first side plate when said first side plate has been removed, said retrofit side plate having a plurality of side plate sight ports therethrough positioned to be in visual alignment with the main frame sight ports;
- (b) a plurality of light emitting diodes each mounted on a side of the retrofit side plate adjacent the main frame web to have position to emit light on end portions of said bubble vials, each such diode being in spaced, adjacent relation to and outside of a bubble vial;
- (c) a switch mounted to the retrofit side plate in position to be activated by an operator;
- (d) battery means mounted to a side of the retrofit side plate adjacent the web;
- and
- (e) electrical conductors mounted to a side of the retrofit side plate adjacent the web, said conductors coupling the light emitting diodes, the battery means and the switch to cause energization of the light emitting diodes when the switch is actuated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.