...that on Dec. 15, 1836, the Patent Office was completely destroyed by fire? Lost were some 7,000 models, 9,000 drawings, and 230 books plus all records of patent applications and grants.
Make the Most of Our Site
See this month's Top Inventors and Most Cited Patents.
Stay on top of the latest innovations by subscribing to an RSS feed.
Registered users: Manage your profile.
| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8109005 | Dual-globe level The dual-globe level comprises at least one indicator located on a body. The body defines front and rear faces, a pair of opposing ends, and at least one longitudinal surface. The at least one indicator comprises an inner vessel located within an outer vessel, and m... | 02/07/2012 |
| 7937847 | Precision level device This invention, precision level device, provides the leveling of the subjects. An improved precision level device comprises a transparent body including an aperture, a cap, a lower horizontal and upper horizontal walls of the transparent body, the first verti... | 05/10/2011 |
| 7299557 | Tilt sensor A tilt sensor has a source for optical radiation, a pattern support having an optically effective pattern for the passage of the optical radiation generated by the source, a tilt-sensitive unit downstream of the pattern support in the direction of propagation of the... | 11/27/2007 |
| 7263778 | High contrast spirit-level vial A spirit-level vial comprising a transparent vessel containing a globule of a first liquid suspended in a medium comprising a second liquid, wherein said transparent vessel is essentially completely filled by said medium, and wherein said globule is capable of movin... | 09/04/2007 |
| 7249777 | Camber tube level A level on a wheelchair allows the cambered rear wheels to be easily adjusted to eliminate toe-in/toe-out. The level comprises a ball encased in a curved track. The curve track is formed in a clear housing that mounts to the underside of a wheelchair camber tube or ... | 07/31/2007 |
| 7243435 | Level device and method of calibrating a level vial The level device includes a level body having a pair of orthogonal reference surfaces. A vial carrier on the level body holds the level vial such that it can be calibrated with respect to the reference surfaces by rotation about a pair of orthogonal axes, each of th... | 07/17/2007 |
| 7228637 | Impact-absorbing end caps for levels An impact-absorbing end cap for an instrument such as a level is provided that is secured to an end of the level and has an outer portion and an intermediate portion. The intermediate portion is positioned between the outer portion and the body of the level and is s... | 06/12/2007 |
| 7150106 | Method of using a level A water or spirit level is composed of an elongated body, preferably of metal, at least one bubble mounted in the elongated body, and end caps, preferably of plastics material, at the end faces of the elongated body, wherein at least one outer surface of the elongat... | 12/19/2006 |
| 7150107 | Structure and method for holding and protecting vials in levels A level and a method of forming such a level are disclosed. The level comprises a body having a measuring surface and a recess, a vial positioned in the recess at an angular relationship to the measuring surface, and a ring member enclosing the vial within the reces... | 12/19/2006 |
| 7117608 | Spirit level A spirit level comprising a body having a level face for setting a surface, at least one bubble vial mounted in the body, the bubble vial having a longitudinal axis generally perpendicular to the level face, and an optical transfer element fixed to the body which tr... | 10/10/2006 |
| 7086167 | Overmolded vial for use with a level A vial for use in a level and a method of forming such a vial are disclosed. The vial includes a cylinder having an inner surface defining a cavity, and a material molded around the cylinder. The vial preferably includes at least one marker ring positioned between t... | 08/08/2006 |
| 7073270 | Impact-absorbing end caps for levels An impact-absorbing level is disclosed. The level comprises a body including a level face for measuring a surface, a vial mounted in the body at a predetermined angular relationship to the level face, and a first end cap fixed with respect to the first end, the firs... | 07/11/2006 |
| 7024781 | Vial illumination feature for a tool such as a level A vial illumination feature for a tool, such as a level, is configured so as to emit light toward a vial when the tool is used in a darkened environment. The vial extends across an opening or a space defined by the tool, and one or more vial retainer members engage ... | 04/11/2006 |
| 6990742 | Wave level A level having a frame with an edge rail and a web extending from the edge rail at right angles. A web opening is provided in the web. A capsule assembly is mounted on the web at the web opening. The capsule assembly has a transparent capsule having a liquid therein... | 01/31/2006 |
| 6912793 | Vial and method of making same A vial having an outer wall which is straight and cylindrical and a curved inner cavity. The inner cavity is curved in a substantially uniform arc. The apex of the curved cavity is closer to the cylindrical outer wall of the vial than the ends of the inner cavity. T... | 07/05/2005 |
| 6735880 | Vial and method of making same A vial having an outer wall which is straight and cylindrical and a curved inner cavity. The inner cavity is curved in substantially uniform arc. The apex of the curved cavity is closer to the cylindrical outer wall of the vial than the ends of the inner cavity. The... | 05/18/2004 |
| 6655036 | Aid apparatus for level surveying instrument An aid apparatus for level surveying instrument comprises a housing having a receiving chamber therein, two channels at opposite ends of the receiving chamber respectively, a window at one side of the receiving chamber, and a socket opening at the side wa... | 12/02/2003 |
| 6148530 | Level with snap action vial holder A spirit level having a sub-assembly on the body. The sub-assembly has a vial holder having two spaced pockets. A curved vial having two ends received in the pockets and resilient ribs having a curve matched to the vial and engaging the vial to hold the v... | 11/21/2000 |
| 6073356 | Inclinometer An inclinometer comprising a housing having transparent front plate and flat bottom, a gravitated rotational protractor having angle graduation printed on the front panel, a pendulum swing needle and protractor rotation locking device. By controlling the ... | 06/13/2000 |
| 6073354 | Plumb laser beam generator with floating telescope An instrument for use in alignment, plumb and leveling functions includes a laser diode projecting a beam through a liquid contained in a vessel. Floating in the liquid is a compensator float which includes telescope optics so as to diminish the angle of ... | 06/13/2000 |
| 6057916 | Automatic inclination corrector and inclination sensor using an automatic inclination corrector An automatic inclination corrector and an inclination sensor using the automatic inclination corrector free from the temperature, for optical instruments. A transparent container 3 seals silicon oil C having a free liquid surface C1. A collimation lens 2 ... | 05/02/2000 |
| 6026581 | Pocket level with optional magnet A pocket level provided with magnet includes a housing having a sight opening formed therein. A liquid level indicator, in the form of a bubble vial having a pair of closed end walls, is slidably received within the open end portion of the housing and is ... | 02/22/2000 |
| 5794355 | Rotationally actuated position sensor A position sensor comprises two curved surfaces concentrically aligned to form a container which is filled with a viscous fluid and a bubble of a lighter-weight fluid and placed between a radiation source and a radiation detector. The bubble changes posit... | 08/18/1998 |
| 5749152 | Spirit level vial construction A spirit level vial construction provides various refinements in the structure and method of manufacture of vials used for the containment of fluid and adapted to be installed in spirit levels. The construction is particularly adapted to use with spherica... | 05/12/1998 |
| 5731761 | Inclination sensor An inclination sensor is disclosed. The sensor includes two temperature controlled inclination devices that are mounted orthogonal to each other. The inclination devices include an oven, a resistive element attached to the oven, an inclination transducer ... | 03/24/1998 |
| 5709034 | Spirit level A spirit level including a body portion having at least one open, hollow end, the body portion having at least one aperture formed on a face thereof, and a clamp insertable into the at least one hollow end, the clamp including at least one vial mounting p... | 01/20/1998 |
| 5669258 | Tube bender angle indicator A tube bender angle indicator is attached to the handle of a manual tube bender and has a frame to which angle indicia are applied which define an apex through which a pointer is pivotally connected to the frame. A bubble level vial is secured to the poin... | 09/23/1997 |
| 5651186 | Liquid level vial and method for making the vial A vial for a builder's level includes a body with an interior wall and a body cavity containing a bubble. A marker ring is exposed in the cavity. In the improvement, the ring is embedded in the body and the interior wall and the ring have surfaces machine... | 07/29/1997 |
| 5513001 | Tilt angle automatic compensator in all directions A tilt angle automatic compensator used for a device requiring verticality or horizontality is disclosed. The automatic compensator comprises a container 4 where a transparent liquid to form free liquid surface 1 is sealed, a light projection system for p... | 04/30/1996 |
| 5476258 | Golf ball position marker with slope indicator A golf ball position marker has a thin, circular body that is sufficiently transparent to permit viewing 1) of a body-defined, disc-shaped, oil-filled chamber, 2) of body-carried indicia located adjacent the chamber, and 3) of a steel ball that is movably... | 12/19/1995 |
| 5463817 | Picture frame leveling device A leveling device is provided that has a hollow thin rectangular housing and is constructed of transparent plastic. The housing holds two different types of fluids, such as oil and water, or a mix of air and fluid. The two immiscible fluids allow the devi... | 11/07/1995 |
| 5444382 | Position and orientation locator/monitor The present invention provides a locator/monitor capable of locating a boring tool and monitoring the progress of the tool for control purposes. The locator/monitor may be used in expedited locating methodology and straightforward calibration techniques o... | 08/22/1995 |
| 5425179 | Optical sensor for measuring inclination angles A device utilized for accurately measuring inclination angles independent of roll position using optical methods, whereby an amplitude of reflected (or refracted) light rays from a surface of a gravity-leveled liquid are detected by a photo-detector. The ... | 06/20/1995 |
| 5416977 | Pitch sensor system A very small pitch sensor which accurately measures angular rotation about he pitch axis while being substantially insensitive to angular rotations about the roll or yaw axes. The pitch sensor comprises a spherical cavity that is fluid filled. The fluid fi... | 05/23/1995 |
| 5392112 | Inclination angle metering apparatus An inclination angle metering apparatus is arranged such that a beam from a light source is split into two beams by a half-mirror provided in a light path between the light source and the surface of a liquid. One beam is reflected by the liquid surface fa... | 02/21/1995 |
| 5381604 | Angle measurement device employing angle sensor and electronics integrally formed on a printed circuit board An integral angle measurement device employs a printed circuit board having electronic components mounted on the front surface thereof and having a pair of sensor plates etched into the back surface thereof. Containment of the sensor fluid adjacent the se... | 01/17/1995 |
| 5371951 | Two-axis inclinometer A two-axis inclinometer having an inclination-sensitive ray-deflecting device is described, via which a geometrical figure having at least one angle is projected onto a linear array. In addition to providing high resolution, a large measurement range is a... | 12/13/1994 |
| 5279040 | Fluid-based acceleration and tilt sensor A sensor (10) for measurement of acceleration and/or tilt of a movable object, particularly a motor vehicle, features an interior space (12) partially filled with fluid (15). Within that space, at least two heatable, temperature-sensitive electrical circu... | 01/18/1994 |
| 5269066 | Carpenters level and square An improved hand tool comprising a generally L-shaped frame having two legs each formed with a pair of channels spaced apart by a central ridge, and having panels of transparent material, such as tempered glass or plastic, mounted in the channels with a q... | 12/14/1993 |
| 5233984 | Implantable multi-axis position and activity sensor A multi-axis, multi-purpose sensor for use with implantable medical devices, and for simultaneously detecting the patient's posture and activity level. The sensor includes a hermetically sealed, fluid-tight, bio-compatible housing. The housing is formed o... | 08/10/1993 |