C-clamps with integral bubble levels

A C-clamp with integral bubble levels comprising a C-clamp which has a horizontal portion with two generally parallel vertical portions extending perpendicularly from the ends of the horizontal portion. The first vertical portion is formed with a threaded circular aperture with the axis of which is parallel with the horizontal portion. The second of the vertical portions is provided with a planar surface perpendicular to the axis of the aperture. A rod with exterior threads extends through the aperture and is rotatably coupled thereto whereby rotation of the rod will effect its axial movement. The end of the rod between the vertical portions is provided with a planar surface parallel with the planar surface of the first vertical portion. A planar surface is formed on the horizontal portion on the side thereof remote from the vertical portions. A bubble level is removedly secured to the planar surface.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to C-clamps with integral bubble levels and 
more particularly pertains to leveling pipes secured to C-clamps. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
The use of C-clamps and bubble levels is known in the prior art. More 
specifically, C-clamps and bubble levels heretofore devised and utilized 
for the purpose of clamping and leveling pipes are known to consist 
basically of familiar, expected, and obvious structural configurations, 
notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art 
which has been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and 
requirements. 
By way of example, the prior art discloses in U.S. Pat. No. 4,066,232 to 
Hermeyer a clamp-on level holder. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,274,208 to Yakkal discloses a precision bending level. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,394,799 to Moree discloses a conduit bending plane 
indicator. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,589,213 to Woodward discloses a conduit bending level. 
U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,407 to Parker discloses a level for use in bending 
conduit. 
In this respect, the C-clamps with integral bubble levels according to the 
present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and 
designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily 
developed for the purpose of to level pipes secured to C-clamps. 
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for 
new and improved C-clamps with integral bubble levels which can be used 
for leveling pipes secured to C-clamps. In this regard, the present 
invention substantially fulfills this need. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of 
C-clamps and bubble levels now present in the prior art, the present 
invention provides an improved C-clamps with integral bubble levels. As 
such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be 
described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved 
C-clamps with integral bubble levels and method which has all the 
advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages. 
To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a new and 
improved C-clamp with integral bubble levels comprising, in combination, a 
C-clamp having a horizontal portion with two generally parallel vertical 
portions extending perpendicularly from the ends of the horizontal 
portion, the first vertical portion being formed with a threaded circular 
aperture with the axis of which being parallel with the horizontal 
portion, the second of the vertical portions being provided with a planar 
surface perpendicular to the axis of the aperture; a rod with exterior 
threads extending through the aperture and rotatably coupled thereto 
whereby rotation of the rod will effect its axial movement, the end of the 
rod between the vertical portions being provided with a planar surface 
parallel with the planar surface of the first vertical portion; a planar 
surface formed on the horizontal portion on the side thereof remote from 
the vertical portions; and a bubble level, the bubble level being formed 
of a transparent elongated cylinder with downwardly extending legs along 
the length thereof and a recessed horizontal planar surface positionable 
on the planar surface of the horizontal portion with the legs straddling 
the horizontal portion in gripping relationship therewith, the bubble 
level also including a fluid within the cylinder sufficient to allow a 
bubble to be formed therein, the cylinder also being provided with 
parallel rings adjacent to the center thereof whereby when the planar 
surfaces of the vertical components are gripping a pipe with the 
horizontal portion and cylinder in an intended horizontal orientation, the 
bubble will be at the center of the cylinder between the markings. 
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features 
of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that 
follows may be better understood and in order that the present 
contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, 
additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter 
and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention 
in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its 
application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the 
components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the 
drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being 
practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood 
that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose 
of descriptions and should not be regarded as limiting. 
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon 
which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the 
designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the 
several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, 
that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions 
insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present 
invention. 
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent 
and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the 
scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar 
with patent of legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a 
cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of 
the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention 
of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to 
be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide new and 
improved C-clamps with integral bubble levels which have all the 
advantages of the prior art C-clamps and bubble levels and none of the 
disadvantages. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide new and improved 
C-clamps with integral bubble levels which may be easily and efficiently 
manufactured and marketed. 
It is further object of the present invention to provide new and improved 
C-clamps with integral bubble levels which are of durable and reliable 
constructions. 
An even further object of the present invention is to provide new and 
improved C-clamps with integral bubble levels which are susceptible of a 
low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which 
accordingly are then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming 
public, thereby making such C-clamps with integral bubble levels 
economically available to the buying public. 
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide new and 
improved C-clamps with integral bubble levels which provide in the 
apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, 
while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally 
associated therewith. 
Still another object of the present invention is to level pipes secured to 
C-clamps. 
Lastly, it is an object of the present invention to provide new and 
improved C-clamp with integral bubble levels comprising a C-clamp having a 
horizontal portion with two generally parallel vertical portions extending 
perpendicularly from the ends of the horizontal portion, the first 
vertical portion being formed with a threaded circular aperture with the 
axis of which being parallel with the horizontal portion, the second of 
the vertical portions being provided with a planar surface perpendicular 
to the axis of the aperture; a rod with exterior threads extending through 
the aperture and rotatably coupled thereto whereby rotation of the rod 
will effect its axial movement, the end of the rod between the vertical 
portions being provided with a planar surface parallel with the planar 
surface of the first vertical portion; a planar surface formed on the 
horizontal portion on the side thereof remote from the vertical portions; 
a bubble level. 
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various 
features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with 
particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this 
disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating 
advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should 
be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there 
is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. 1 thereof, 
the preferred embodiment of the new and improved C-clamps with integral 
bubble levels embodying the principles and concepts of the present 
invention and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be 
described. 
Specifically, the present invention, the new and improved C-clamps with 
integral bubble levels, is comprised of a plurality of component elements. 
In their simplest terms, such elements include the C-clamp, the rod, a 
planar surface on the horizontal portion of the C-clamp, and a bubble 
level coupled thereto. Such component elements are specifically configured 
individually and correlated one with respect to the other in order to 
attain the proper intended objective. 
More specifically, the C-clamp 12 is generally conventional in that it has 
a horizontal portion 14 and two generally parallel vertical portions 16 
and 18 extending at right angles from the ends of the horizontal portions. 
The first of the vertical portions is formed with a threaded circular 
aperture 20 therethrough. The axis of such aperture is parallel with the 
horizontal portion of the C-clamp. The other or second of the vertical 
portions is provided with a planar surface 22. Such planar surface is 
perpendicular to the axis of the aperture. 
The next component of the invention is a rod 26. The rod is provided with 
external threads 28. The rod is positioned through the aperture and with 
its threads in operative coupling with the threads of the first vertical 
portion of the C-clamp. In this manner, rotation of the rod will effect 
its axial movement due to the relationships of the threads therebetween. 
The end of the rod 30 between the vertical portions of the C-clamp is 
provided with a planar surface 32. Such planar surface is on a block 
rotatably supported by a cylindrical enlargement 34 at the end of the rod 
received within a complementary shaped recess 36 in the end of the block 
remote from its planar surface. Such planar surface is parallel with the 
planar surface of the first vertical plane. 
An additional planar surface 40 is formed on the horizontal portion of the 
C-clamp. Such planar surface on the horizontal portion is on the side 
thereof remote from the vertical portions. 
The last component of the invention is a bubble level 44. The bubble level 
is formed of a transparent elongated cylinder 46. Such cylinder has a 
curved upper surface 48 with downwardly extending legs 50. The legs are 
parallel with each other. Between the legs is a recessed horizontal 
surface 52 of the cylinder. This allows the positioning of the planar 
surface of the cylinder on the planar surface of the horizontal portion 
with the legs of the cylinder straddling the horizontal portion of the 
C-clamp. Such straddling effects a gripping relationship between the 
cylinder and the C-clamp. A more secure coupling therebetween is, in an 
alternate embodiment of the invention, effected through the use of a thin 
layer of adhesive between the two surfaces. 
Located within the cylinder is a fluid 56. The fluid within the cylinder is 
of sufficient quantity to fill the cylinder except for a small air bubble 
58. The cylinder is also provided with a plurality of parallel markings 60 
equally spaced outwardly from the center of the cylinder. In this manner, 
when the planar surfaces of the vertical components are gripping a pipe or 
other object and when the horizontal portion of the C-clamp and cylinder 
are in the intended horizontal orientation, then the bubble will be 
located at the center of the cylinder between the markings and a proper 
leveling of the pipe coupled by the C-clamp will be effected. 
Plumbers, pipe fitters, electricians, welders, and other professional 
artisans frequently need to make offset bends in piping, conduits, and 
tubing while performing their job. It is important that the bends are as 
nearly perfect as possible. Bending machines used to produce these bends 
are either mechanical/hydraulic or electric/hydraulic machines. To set the 
pipe or conduit in the bending machine properly, the artisan needs a tool 
that will clamp it in place and, at the same time, assure that the pipe is 
level. This is where the present invention comes to play. 
The present invention is a combination C-clamp and bubble level that is 
used to set pipe, tubing, or conduit in a bending machine prior to 
bending. The C-clamp is a one inch swivel foot C-clamp. Mounted 
horizontally on its top is a vial bubble level that is 11/2 inches long. 
Thus, it can be seen that, to make a perfect offset bend, the artisan 
clamps the present invention on to the pipe to be bent, sets the pipe in 
the bending machine while checking the bubble vial to assure the pipe is 
level, and then performs the bend. 
As to the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same 
should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further 
discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided. 
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the 
optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to 
include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of 
operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to 
one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those 
illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are 
intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the 
principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and 
changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired 
to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and 
described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may 
be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.