US2483029A - Gradeometer - Google Patents

Description

V. R. WiLL GRADEOMETER Sept. 2?, m9.

Filed July 5, 1947 O \o PERCENT 7 EGREES S 0 INVENTOR (1i c2502" R. will TTONEYS Patented Sept. 27, 1949 UNITED STATES arena GRADEOMETER Victor B. Will, Sacramento, Calif. Application July 5, 1947, Serial No. 759,045

1 Claim. 1

This invention is directed to, and it is an object to provide, a gradeometer of novel design; the device being intended primarily for use in automobiles or trucks to indicate to the operator the degree or percentage of a grade being traversed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a gradeometer including means to effect easy attachment thereof, manually and without tools, to a door or other part of a vehicle.

An additional object of this invention is to provide a gradeometer which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture on a large scale; yet in operation the device is reliable and trouble-proof; the economy of manufacture being such that an advertiser can afford to distribute the device as a free advertising medium.

A further object of this invention is to provide a gradeometer which is easy to read, practical, and convenient, and one which is exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claim.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a front elevation of the device.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional elevation of the de vice.

Fig. 3 is an end view of the device as mounted on a vehicle door for use.

Referring now more particularly to the charactors of reference on the drawings, the improved gracleometer comprises a flat, sheet metal plate, indicated at I, and including, at opposite ends, integral upstanding attachment fingers 2, which are flat but bendable to selected configuration.

Intermediate the upper and lower edges thereof, and on the back side, the plate I is formed with an enclosed arcuate channel 3 which inclines downwardly from opposite ends toward the center; 1. e. is disposed with the concave side uppermost.

The arcuate channel 3 is closed at its ends, and a free-running steel ball 4 is disposed in said channel 3 for travel therealong.

Directly in front of the arcuate channel 3, in matching relation thereto, and centrally thereof, the plate I is formed with an arcuate slot 5 whereby the position of the free-running steel ball 4 in the arouate channel 3 can be seen from in front of the device.

The plate i is scribed or imprinted on its face and above and below the arcuate slot 5 with scales, indicated at 6 and l; the scale 6 reading in degrees of grade, whereas the scale centage of grade.

When the device is in use it is attached to a part of a vehicle, such as the door, with the channel 3 extending lengthwise of the direction of travel and adjusted so that when the vehicle is on the level the steel ball 4 reads on the zero point of the scales 6 or 1.

Attachment of the device, as above, can be easily accomplished by hand, and without the necessity of tools, by merely bending the attachment fingers 2 to matchingly engage in hookedover relation with the supporting part of the vehicle. For example, in Fig. 3 the device is shown attached to a car door 8 by bending the fingers 2 over the top of such door in the manner shown at 9.

With the device thus mounted on the vehicle, the degrees or percentage of grade can be readily ascertained by merely reading the position of the free running steel ball 4 on the corresponding scale; the arcuate slot 5 being of sufficient width to permit the steel ball 4 to be seen, but of lesser Width than the diameter of such ball so that the latter cannot escape through said slot.

By reason of its simplicity the device can be manufactured very economically; it thus being an excellent medium which advertisers can afiord to purchase and distribute'free. The plate I above the gradeometer assembly provides an adequate space for the addition of advertising matter.

Though the device is very simple in its structural arrangement, it provides a practical, accurate, and foolproof means for the ascertainment of the grade which a vehicle may be traversmg.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do notform a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

A gradeometer comprising a piece of relatively thin bendable sheet metal blanked out to form a face plate and a pair of upstanding spaced apart relatively narrow attachment fingers, the face plate being provided with an arcuate slot, there being a grade scale scribed on the plate adjacent 1 reads in per- 3 4 the slot, a separate arcuate channel member affixed to the back of the plate and opening into UNITED STATES PATENTS the slot, and a, free rolling ball in the channel, Number Name Date the diameter of the ball being greater than the 466,380 Spencer Jan. 5, 1892 width of the slot. 5 1,612,843 Timmis Jan. 4, 1927 VICTOR R. WILL. 2,154,678 Hawthorne Apr. 18, 1939 2,168,885 Rickenbach et a1. Aug. 8, 1939 REFERENCES CITED 2,357,817 Foster -1 Sept. 12, 1944 The following references are of reccrd in the file of this patent: 10

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