An Improved Spirit Level and Olinometer.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Nov., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 8th Jan., 1900- Accepted, 24th Feb., 1900
An Improved Spirit Level and Olinometer.
1, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, FU.S, M I.M.E, of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicito18, 322, High Holboin, in the County of Middlesex, G, Loid
Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both in the County of Lan-
caster, and Lower Temple Street, Burmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows.-
The object of the present invention is a new or improved spuit-level for mea-
suring angles, essentially consisting of a transparent glass tube so bent as to
have the form of a quarter of a cucle and provided with a scale of division into
degrees. The said bent tube 18, like the straight tube of an ordinary spuit level,
pai tially filled with sulphuric ether or other suitable liquid, in such mannei
that a portion of the interior space is lett fiee in order to hold the an iequued
for forming the bubble
If a spuit level having the shape of a quadiant as described is secured to a
ruler or straight edge in such manner that the tangents at the ends of the quad-
iant glass tube are, the one parallel the other perpendicular to the straight
edge, every angle formed by the latter and a horizontal line o sui face can at
once be ascertained by the air bubble and the scale of degrees, an advantage
which will prove of considerable importance for instance in laying down pipes
and the like.
The ruler or straight edge can also be used for horizontal and vertical adjust-
ment in builders and similar work,
The quadrant shaped glass tube is secured by means of its ends, which are
slightly continued in straight lines beyond the quarter of the cucle, so as to
stund at 1ight angles to each other, in suitably prepared beds in the sides of
the aperture cut out in a rule on straight edge by means of putty or in othei
convenient manner The lower surface of the tube is made to rest in a cories-
pondingly hollowed-out support the edges of which are bevelled in order to
facilitate the observation of the scale of degires on the glass tube If desned the
scale of degrees may be on the said bevelled edges instead of being indicated on
the glass tube The body of the straight edge or ruler being weakened by pre-
paring the aperture for the reception of the spirit level, a metal plate may be
provided and secured by screws on the like, in order to strengthen the said rulei.
For the purpose of protecting the spirit level from damage when the same 18
not required for use, there is provided a U-shaped double shield, made of sheet
metal or the like and adapted to be inserted and drawn out in longitudinal slots
arranged in the body of the rule on stiaight edge in such manner that the apei-
ture can thereby be efficiently covered up at both sides of the glass tube.
The indicator clip 18 displaceable upon the glass tube and serves to indicate
the exact angle of the straight edge to the horizontal, if the air bubble is made
to lie between the two arms of the clip.`

page_text: attan still greater precision, the indicator clip may be furnished
as or veniet, so that the respective angle may be correctly measured
h of a degree
inary use that degree of precision is however not required and in many
indicator clip itself may be dispensed with altogether
of the herein before described instrument the degrees of any angle
to 90 can be expeditiously ascertained, or stones, pipes, beams and the
like can be laid down or adjusted in any given angle to the horizontal
from
The improved instrument may also be used in place of the ordinary straight-
tube spuit level for horizontal or vertical adjustment
An improved Spirit Level and Canometer.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, FCS, MI M.E, of the Agency for Foi eigu
Patent Solicitors, 322, High Holboin, in the County of Middlesex, b, Loid
Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bunk Sticet, Manchester, both in the County of Lan-
caster, and Lower Temple Street, Bumingham, in the County of Warwick,
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement.-
The object of the present invention is a new or improved spirit-level for mea-
suing angles, essentially consisting of a transparent glass tube so bent as to
have the form of a quaiter of a cicle and provided with a scale divided into
degrees The said bent tube 18, like the straight tube of an ordinary spuit level,
partially filled with sulphure ether or other suitable liquid, in such manner
that a portion of the interior space is left fiee in order to hold the aur required
for forming the bubble
If a spuit level having the shape of a quadrant as described is secured to a
rule or straight edge in such manner that the tangents at the ends of the quad-
iant glass tube are, the one parallel, the other perpendicular to the straight
edge, every angle formed by the latter and a horizontal line or surface can at
once be ascertained by the an bubble and the scale of degrees, an advantage
which will prove of considerable importance for instance in laying down pipes
and the like
The ulei oi stiaight edge can also be used for horizontal and vertical adjust-
ment in builders' and similar work
In the accompanying drowing, attached to and forming part of this specifica-
tion the present invention is clearly illustrated
Figure 1, shews a straight edge provided with the improved spirit level, and
placed at an inclination of 30 degrees to the horizontal.
Figures 2 and 3 illustrate the spirit tube respectively in side elevation and
fiont view.
Figure 4 shews an indicator clip, adapted to be pushed over and moved along
the glass tube, in side view and vertical section
Figure 5 shens the new spirit level inserted into the respective portion of a
Etraight edge, on an enlarged scale as compared with Figure 1.
Figure is a vertical cross section of Figure 5.

page_text: The quadiant shaped glass tube
18 secured by means of its ends, which are
slightly continued in straight lines beyond the quarter of the cucle, so as to
stand at 1ight angles to each other, in suitably prepared beds in the sides of
the aperture c cut out in a ruler or straight edge, by means of putty or in
other convenient manner The lower sui face of the tube a 18 made to rest in a
correspondingly hollowed-out support g the edges of which are bevelled in order
to facilitate the observation of the scale of degrees on the glass tube If desired
the scale of degrees may be on the said bevelled edges instead of being indi-
cated on the glass tube a The body of the straight edge or ruler being
weakened by preparing the aperture for the reception of the spuit level, a
metal plate may be provided and secured by screws of the like, in order to
strengthen the said iulei
For the purpose of protecting the spuit level a fiom damage when the same
18 not required for use, there is provided a U-shaped double shield of made of
sheet metal or the like and adapted to be inserted and drawn out in longitudinal
slots aanged in the body of the rule or straight edge in such manner that
the aperture can thereby be efficiently covered up at both sides of the glass
tubo a
The indicator clip e is displaceable upon the glass tube a and serves to indi-
cate the exact angle of the straight edge to the horizontal, if the an bubble 18
made to lie between the two aims of the clip.
In order to attain still greater precision, the indicator clip e may be furnished
with a nonius or veinier, so that the respective angle may be conectly measured
to one-tenth of a degree.
Foi ordinary use that degree of precision is, however, not required and in many
cases the indicator clip itself may be dispensed with altogether By aid of the
herebefore described instrument the degrees of any angle from 0 to 90 degrees
can be expeditiously ascertained, or stones, pipes, beams and the like can be
laid down on adjusted in any given angle to the horizontal
The improved instrument may also be used in place of the ordinary straight-
tube spirit level for horizontal or vertical adjustment
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim 18.
A new or improved instrument for adjustment of objects in horizontal, vertical
or any given inclined position, and for measuring and indicating the degrees
of such angles of inclination, essentially consisting of a transparent glass tube
bent into the form of a quadrant of a cucle and partly filled, in the known
manner with suitable liquid so as to leave an an bubble, said bent tube being
secured to o in a rule or straight edge on the like in such manner that the
tangents at the ends of the quadiant of the encle formed by the tube, will lie
the one parallel and the other perpendicular to the duection of the ruler or
straight edge, so that any given angle of inclination of the instrument to the
horizontal may correctly and expeditiously be ascertained by the position of the
an bubble in the bent tube, the latter or the bevelled edges in which the same 18
embedded being provided with a scale of degrees, for the more precise leading
of which an indicator clip displaceable upon the glass tube and if desired
furnished with a nonus of vernier may be supplied, substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated in the accompanying diawings.
Dated this 8th day of January 1900.
WP THOMPSON & Co,
Of London, Liverpool, Manchester, and Birmingham.