NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Spirit level

A spirit level or bubble level is an instrument designed to indicate whether a surface is level or plumb. Different types of spirit levels are used by carpenters, stone masons, bricklayers, other building trades workers, surveyors, millwrights and other metalworkers, and serious videographers. Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... An Instrument is a tool, intended for a purpose other than mechanical work, in particular a refined one. ... Look up level in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Plumb can refer to: Working as a plumber A contemporary Christian music artist. ... For other uses, see Carpenter (disambiguation). ... Stone masons have existed since the dawn of civilization, constructing some of the most long lasting ancient monuments, artifacts and cities. ... A bricklayer or mason is a tradesman who lays bricks to construct brickwork. ... Surveyor at work with a leveling instrument. ... Derived from the trade of carpentry, a millwright originally was a specialised carpenter who was trained as a carpenter and as well had working knowledge of gear ratios, driveshaft speeds, and other equations. ...

Original spirit levels had two banana-shaped curved glass vials at each viewing point and were much more complicated to use. In the 1920s, Henry Ziemann, the founder of Empire Level, invented the modern level with a single vial. These vials, common on most ordinary levels today, feature a slightly curved glass tube which is incompletely filled with a liquid, usually a yellow-colored 'spirit' (a synonym for ethanol), leaving a bubble in the tube. Ethanol is used because of its low freezing point, −114°C, which prevents it from freezing in cold weather. Most commonly, spirit levels are employed to indicate how horizontal (level) or how vertical (plumb) a surface is. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Pharmaceutical ampoule, a type of vial. ... Grain alcohol redirects here. ... Look up bubble in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Freezing point can refer to several things: For the chemistry term, see Melting point. ... In astronomy, geography, geometry and related sciences and contexts, a plane is said to be horizontal at a given point if it is locally perpendicular to the gradient of the gravity field, i. ... In astronomy, geography, geometry and related sciences and contexts, a direction passing by a given point is said to be vertical if it is locally aligned with the gradient of the gravity field, i. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with plumb line. ...

Some are also capable of indicating the level of a surface between horizontal and vertical to the nearest degree. The crudest form of the spirit level is the bull's eye level: a circular flat-bottomed device with the liquid under a slightly convex glass face which indicates the center clearly. It serves to level a surface in two perpendicular directions, while the tubular level only does so in the direction of the tube. The most sophisticated spirit levels are guaranteed accurate to five-ten-thousandth of an inch (.0005) per inch and are much easier to read because of their blue colour. This article describes the unit of angle. ... A Bulls eye level is a type of spirit level that allows for the leveling of planes in two dimensions - both the pitch and roll in nautical terms. ...

Types of level

A spirit level is also usually found on the head of combination squares. It has been suggested that Inclinometer be merged into this article or section. ... Compass with inclinometer An inclinometer or clinometer is an instrument for measuring angles of slope (or tilt), elevation or inclination of an object with respect to gravity. ... A combination square is a tool used for multiple purposes. ...

Surveyor's leveling instrument

Tilting level, dumpy level or automatic level [1] are terms used to refer to types of leveling instruments as used in surveying to measure height differences over larger distances. It consists of a spirit level in the above sense, mounted on a telescope containing cross-hairs, itself mounted on a tripod. The observer reads height values off two staffs, one 'behind' and one 'in front', to obtain the height difference between the ground points on which the staffs are resting. Starting from a point with a known (absolute) elevation, by repeating 'behind', 'front' and intermediate 'front' readings, (relative) height differences can be measured cumulatively over large distances and elevations can be calculated of intermediate points. Dumpy level in use on a construction site Leveler for use by hand A dumpy level, builders auto level, leveling instrument or automatic level is an optical instrument used in surveying and building to transfer, measure, or set horizontal levels. ... Surveyor at work with a leveling instrument. ... Look up tripod in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Elevation histogram of the surface of the Earth â€“ approximately 71% of the Earths surface is covered with water. ...

See: Spirit leveling It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Spirit level. ...

Image File history File links Water_level_1. ... Image File history File links Water_level_1. ...

Carpenter's level

A traditional carpenter's spirit level looks like a short plank of wood and often has a wide body to ensure both stability, and that the surface is being measured correctly. Embedded in the middle of the spirit level is a small window where the bubble and the tube is mounted. Two notches (or rings) designate where the bubble should be if the surface was level. Often also an indicator for a 45 degree inclination is included.

Line level

A line level is a level designed to hang on a builders string line. The body of the level incorporates small hooks to allow it to attach and hang from the string line. The body is lightweight, so as not to weigh down the string line, it is also small in size as the string line in effect becomes the body; when the level is hung in the center of the string, each leg of the string line extends the levels plane.

Engineer's precision levels

An engineer's precision level permits leveling items to a greater degree of accuracy than a plain spirit level. They are used to level the foundations, or beds of machines to ensure the machine can output workpieces to the accuracy prebuilt in the machine. Engineers spirit level Precision engineers level An engineers spirit level is generally used to level machines although they may be used to level large workpieces on machines such as planers. ...

History

The spirit level was invented by Melchisedech Thevenot (born in either 1620 or 1621; died 1692). Thevenot was an amateur scientist and patron of many scientists and mathematicians. He was wealthy and well-connected, later becoming the Royal Librarian to King Louis XIV of France. Thevenot invented the instrument some time before February 2, 1661. This date can be very accurately established from Thevenot's correspondence with scientist Christiaan Huygens. Within a year of this date the inventor circulated details of his invention to others, including Robert Hooke in London and Vincenzo Viviani in Florence. It is occasionally argued that these bubble levels did not come into widespread use until the beginning of the eighteenth century, the earliest surviving examples being from that time, but Adrien Auzout had recommended that the Académie Royale des Sciences take "levels of the Thevenot type" on its expedition to Madagascar in 1666. It is very likely that these levels were in use in France and elsewhere long before the turn of the century. MelchisÃ©dech (or MelchisÃ©dec) ThÃ©venot (ca. ... Louis XIV redirects here. ... is the 33rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1661 (MDCLXI) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 10-day slower Julian calendar). ... Christiaan Huygens (pronounced in English (IPA): ; in Dutch: ) (April 14, 1629 â€“ July 8, 1698), was a Dutch mathematician, astronomer and physicist; born in The Hague as the son of Constantijn Huygens. ... Robert Hooke, FRS (July 18, 1635 â€“ March 3, 1703) was an English polymath who played an important role in the scientific revolution, through both experimental and theoretical work. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Vincenzo Viviani. ... This article is about the city in Italy. ... Adrien Auzout ( January 28th, 1622– May 23rd, 1691) was a French astronomer. ... The French Academy of Sciences (AcadÃ©mie des sciences) is a learned society, founded in 1666 by Louis XIV at the suggestion of Jean-Baptiste Colbert, to encourage and protect the spirit of French scientific research. ...

Thevenot is often confused with his nephew, the traveler Jean de Thevenot (born 1633; died 1667). There is evidence to suggest that both Huygens and Hooke later laid claim to the invention, although only within their own countries. Jean de Thévenot (June 16, 1633 - November 28, 1667) was a French traveller in the East. ...

in the 1920s, Henry Ziemann the founder of Empire Level, invented the modern level with a single vial.

See also

Typical consumer laser line level using spirit levels for three planes and including a digital stud sensor display. ... Definition Physical geodesy is the study of the physical properties of the gravity field of the Earth, the geopotential, with a view to their application in geodesy. ... An optical theodolite, manufactured in the Soviet Union in 1958 and used for topographic surveying. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with plumb line. ... A plumb line is a reference line guided by a string or cord weighted at the end with a large weight known as a plumb bob. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Turn indicator. ...

External links

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