Measuring instrument
OwnerJeffrey M. Sykeninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The disclosed measuring instrument includes a pair of members arranged together to form a right-angled L and the members having indicia providing linear scales useful in measuring areas in architectural plans and the like. The members are separable at the joint that forms the corner of the L and are further capable of re-connection to each other in end-to-end relationship so as to provide an elongated straight edge. The junction of the members at the corner of the L includes a pivot about which one member may be moved through a 180.degree. range to form an inverted L. In a modification, at least one of the members includes a wing element along one edge and rockable about a separable pivot on an axis parallel to that one edge.
Claims11
A measuring instrument, comprising:
- first and second elongated, substantially similar members, each having a generally flat bottom surface, opposite ends and side edges, and each side bearing measuring indicia, said members being arranged in a first mode in the form of a right-angled L with one end of the first member meeting one end of the second member, with the opposite ends of the members free, and with the top and bottom surfaces respectively coplanar, pivot means on an axis normal to the plane of the top surfaces and interconnecting the meeting ends of the members, detent means at said meeting ends for retaining the right-angled relationship of the members, said detent means being releasable in response to manual force to enable pivoting of one member relative to the other through 180.degree. to a second mode in the form of a right-angled inverted L, and the detent means being effect in the second mode for retaining inverted right-angled relationship of the members in which the pivot means is separable to enable third-mode use of the members in coplanar, end-to-end, straight-line fashion with the free ends of the members meeting at a junction, and snap-fit means respectively on said free ends, cooperate to provide a releasable connection at said junction;
- wherein, in the third mode of use of the members the reoriented top and bottom surfaces of the members are coplanar.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.