Flange leveling device

Claim 2

In a flange level for determining the position of a pair of bolt holes in a flange, the level including a body member having front and rear sides and a level indicator thereon, a pair of flange hole engaging units, and means mounting the flange hole engaging units on the body member for relative adjustment toward and away from each other to accommodate different flange hole spacings, the improvement wherein said flange hole engaging units each include a guide member having a guide passage therethrough normal to said front and rear sides of the body member and a forwardly converging cone face on its forward end around the guide passage, a plunger slidably extending through each guide passage and having a forward end portion dimensioned to pass through a flange hole and extending axially forwardly from said cone face, a toggle pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on said one end of each plunger for movement relative thereto between a first position extending generally lengthwise of the plunger for passage through a flange hole and a second position extending crosswise of the plunger in opposed relation to the cone face, each toggle having flange engaging faces shaped to diverge forwardly from the associated plunger when the toggle is in said second position, said plungers each having a rear end portion extending rearwardly from said rear side of the body member, and means yieldably urging each plunger axially relative to the associated guide member in a rearward direction to retract the toggle thereon toward the associated cone face.

Claim 3

A flange level according to claim 1 wherein said body member has elongated slot means extending therethrough defining guideways, at least one of the guide members slidably extending through said slot means for adjustment toward and away from the other guide member.

Claim 4

A flange level according to claim 2 wherein each guide member has a rearwardly facing thrust face on said forward end thereof overlying said front side of said body member along said slot means, a thrust collar surrounding the rear end portion of each plunger and movable axially relative to the plunger and guide member and having a forwardly facing thrust face overlying the rear side of the body member along said slot means, a head on the rear end portion of each plunger, said yieldable means comprising a coil spring surrounding said rear end portion of each plunger and having one end engaging the associated thrust collar and the other end positively engaging the associated plunger to yieldably press said thrust collar forwardly against the rear side of said body member while yieldably urging said plunger rearwardly toward a retracted position.

Claim 5

A flange level for determining the position of a pair of bolt holes in a flange comprising, a body member having front and rear sides and elongated guide slots extending therethrough from the front to the rear side, a pair of guide members guidably received in said guide slots for adjustment toward and from one another, each guide member having a guide passage extending therethrough normal to said front and rear sides and a forwardly converging cone face surrounding the associated guide passage and forming a rim defining a rearwardly facing thrust face overlying said front side of the body member alongside the guide slot, a plunger slidably extending through the guide passage in each guide member and having a forward end portion extending axially forwardly from the cone face on the guide member and dimensioned to pass through a flange hole, a toggle on said forward end portion of each plunger movable from a first position extending generally lengthwise of the associated plunger to a second position extending crosswise of the plunger, each plunger having a rear end portion extending rearwardly from the rear side of the body member, a thrust collar slidable on said rear end portion of each plunger and having a thrust face overlying said rear side of said body member, and a coil spring on said rear end portion of each plunger having one end engaging said thrust collar and the other end positively engaging the associated plunger for yieldably urging said thrust collar forwardly toward said body member and for yieldably urging the plunger in a rearward direction to retract the toggle toward the associated cone face, and a level indicator on said body member.

Claim 6

A flange level for determining the position of a pair of bolt holes in a flange comprising, a body member having front and rear sides and elongated guide slots extending therethrough from the front to the rear side, a pair of guide members guidably received in said guide slots for adjustment toward and from one another, each guide member having a guide passage extending therethrough normal to said front and rear sides and a forwardly converging cone face surrounding the associated guide passage and forming a rim defining a rearwardly facing thrust face overlying said front side of the body member alongside the guide slot, a plunger slidably extending through the guide passage in each guide member and having a forward end portion extending axially forwardly from the cone face on the guide member and dimensioned to pass through a flange hole, a toggle on said forward end portion of each plunger movable from a first position extending generally lengthwise of the associated plunger to a second position extending crosswise of the plunger, each plunger having a rear end portion extending rearwardly from the rear side of the body member, a thrust collar slidable on said rear end portion of each plunger and having a thrust face overlying said rear side of said body member, and a coil spring on said rear end portion of each plunger having one end engaging said thrust collar and the other end positively engaging the associated plunger for yieldably urging said thrust collar forwardly toward said body member and for yieldably urging the plunger in a rearward direction to retract the toggle toward the associated cone face, and a level indicator on said body member.

Claim 7

A flange level according to claim 4 wherein said toggle members are each pivotally mounted intermediate their ends on the associated plunger and have flange engaging faces shaped to diverge forwardly from the plunger when the toggle is in said second position.

Claim 8

A flange level according to claim 6 wherein said plungers have a slot therein for receiving said toggle members and first and second stop faces on the plungers engageable with the toggle members in said first and second positions thereof.

Claim 9

A flange level according to claim 5 including a thrust washer extending around each guide member and engaging said rear side of the body member alongside said guide slots, said thrust face on each of said thrust collars engaging the associated thrust washer adjacent the outer periphery thereof, and means on each guide member engaging said thrust washer inwardly of the portion engaged by the associated thrust collar for retaining the guide member on the body member.