IMPROVED LEVEL AND ANGLE INDICATOR
Year: 1871

page_text: "AN
LETTERS PATENT to John Wilde and Henry Sinclair, both of
Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, for the Invention of
IMPROVED LEVEL AND ANGLE INDICATOR."
Sealed the 1st March 1872, and dated the 16th September 1871.
J.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Wilde and
Henry Sinclair at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 16th September 1871.
WC, JOHN WILDE and HENRY SINCLAIR, both of Liverpool, in the
County of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "AN IMPROVED LEVEL AND ANGLE INDICATOR," to be as follows:-
-
A level and angle indicator constructed according to our Invention
consists of a frame the under side or base of which has a perfectly true
or level surface. In this frame is mounted or fixed a circular dial or
index plate, marked with 360 degrees, and suspended in the centre of
this dial plate is an indicator finger or pointer, fitted with a counterpoise

page_text: The
or balance weight. The front may be covered over with glass or other-
wise, and the finger or pointer is hung with delicate centres.
degrees may be marked on a circular ring fitted in the frame, with the
degrees marked on its edge, and having glass on both sides, the indicating
finger being suspended in the centre of the glass. In the under side or
base of the frame we attach a sight tube, which may be soldered or
otherwise attached to the base, or the base may have a hole bored or
drilled through it, which will serve the purpose of a sight tube.
The application of the instrument is as follows:-If upon the base
being placed upon any article to be levelled the indicator hand is per-
pendicular, and points say at zero, it shows that the surface of the
article is perfectly plain or level. If however the indicator finger
points to the right or left it shows how many degrees of angle the
article is out of the plain, the counterpoise on the indicator finger
insuring perfect truth of action in any position.
The instrument is also applicable for plumbing, only in this instance
the indicator finger will point to 90 degrees. It is also applicable for
levelling ceilings and such like purposes. In this instance the indicator
finger will stand at 180 degrees. Again it is applicable for laying
drain and water pipes, as a certain incline of the road being known, and
it being desired to lay the pipes parallel with the surface, and it also
being desired to give the pipes the same fall as the road, the pipes can
be laid to the correct angle by the use of this level. It is also
applicable to many similar purposes, as will be readily understood.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, 2
filed by the said John Wilde and Henry Sinclair in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 15th March 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOHN
WILDE and HENRY SINCLAIR, both of Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
3

page_text: fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said John Wilde and Henry Sinclair
Her special licence that we, the said John Wilde and Henry Sin-
clair, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
we, the said John Wilde and Henry Sinclair, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain, and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED
LEVEL AND ANGLE INDICATOR," upon the condition (amongst others) that
we, the said John Wilde and Henry Sinclair, our executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under our, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to
be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
:
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said John Wilde and Henry Sinclair
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
A level and angle indicator constructed according to our Invention
consists of a frame, the under side or base of which has a perfectly true
or level surface. In this frame is mounted or fixed a circular dial or
index plate, marked with 360 degrees, and suspended in the centre of
this dial plate is an indicator finger or pointer, fitted with a counterpoise
or balance weight. The front may be covered over with glass or other-
wise, and the finger or pointer is hung with delicate centres. The
degrees may be marked on a circular ring fitted in the frame, with the.
degrees marked on its edge, and having glass on both sides, the indicating
finger being suspended in the centre of the glass. In the under side or
base of the frame we attach a sight tube, or the base may have a
hole bored or drilled through it, which will serve the purpose of a sight
tube.
The beforegoing being the nature of our Invention, we will now proceed
to describe more in detail how the same may be carried out into practical
effect, and for that purpose we have hereunto annexed a Sheet of

page_text: used to denote similar parts throughout the various views.
Figure 1 illustrates a plan of a case or frame fitted with a level and
angle indicator, according to our Invention. Figure 2 is a sectional end
view of the same.
Figure 3 shows the case or frame closed...
Figure 4 is an outside view of the base of the level and angle indicator
showing sight hole.
A, case or frame; B, hinged cover; C, dial plate marked with 360
degrees; D, finger or pointer fitted with E counterpoise or balance
weight. The finger D and counterpoise E are hung at the centre F, on
a pin G, and fitted with a knife edge and spangle washers H. The pin
G is passed through the back of the frame A, as shown at Figure 2.
K, glass or transparent plate; L, base; M, sight hole through base; N,
small hole to take the sight through; O, cross wire at other end of sight
hole, to act as sight.
The application of the instrument is as follows:-The base L being
placed upon any article to be levelled, the indicator finger D will show
whether the article is level, or indicate how many degrees out of truth
the article is, that is, if the indicator finger D points say at zero, it shows
that the surface of the article is perfectly plain or level. If, however,
the indicator finger points to the right or the left, it shows how many
degrees of angle the article is out of the plain, the counterpoise E on
the indicator finger insuring perfect truth of action, as the finger is hung
with a knife edge and delicate spangle centres H, so that in whatever
position the instrument is placed it will indicate accordingly. In using
the sight tube M it acts as a simple form of theodolite, there being a
sight hole N at one end and a horizontal wire O at the other end, by which
the level can be continued to any distance that the eye will carry.
The instrument is applicable for plumbing purposes; also for levelling
ceilings and such like purposes; for laying drain and water pipes, as a
certain incline of the road been known, and it being requisite to lay the
pipe parallel with and having the same fall as the surface of the road,
the pipes can be laid to the correct angle by the use of this level; it is
also applicable for giving the roll and pitch of vessels at sea, and for
trimming them when taking in cargo.

page_text: Having now described the nature and object of this our Invention, we
would have it understood that we do not limit ourselves to the exact
shape or form of the article as shown in the Drawings, as it will be
readily understood by any one acquainted with the manufacture that the
same may be considerably varied without departing from our Invention,
but what we claim as secured to us by Letters Patent as aforesaid is,
a level and angle indicator made and constructed substantially in the
manner and for the purposes herein-before described and set forth.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Wilde and Henry Sinclair,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twelfth day of
March, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-two.
5 Witness,
FREDERICK J. CHEESBROUGH,
of 15, Water Street,
Liverpool.
JOHN
(L.S.) WILDE,
HENRY (L.S.) SINCLAIR.