Gauge for determining angle of sloped ground and method of using same

Abstract

A gauge for determining the angle of sloped ground includes a panel, having a transparent window located in it, which can be held by a user so that the sloped ground can be viewed through the window. The panel has a spatial reference associated with it which allows the panel to be oriented properly with respect to the horizontal or vertical. Inscribed on the window are a positioning indicia and a plurality of lines which radiate outwardly from the positioning indicia at specific angles with respect to the horizontal. In use the panel is held such that the positioning indicia is located on the slope. The user can then determine which one of the lines overlies the slope. The angle associated with that line is the angle of the slope.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]This invention relates to a gauge for determining the angle of sloped ground, and in particular for determining this angle with a hand-held gauge.[0002]When a construction project creates a sloped section of ground the permissible angle of the slope relative to the horizontal or vertical is established by one or more standards in order to prevent cave-in. However, unless a surveyor is on site it is difficult to determine whether the angle of the slope falls within the applicable standard. Where the sloped sides are steep, the problem of determining the angles of the sloped sides is even more difficult because a person cannot stand on the sloped side walls without fear of causing a cave-in. In many types of excavation it is even dangerous to stand at the bottom of the excavation.[0003]Inclinometers can be used to measure excavation slopes but they have inherent problems. Inclinometers will only measure the angle of a small portion of a slope. However,...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0004]The subject invention provides a hand-held gauge for determining the angle of sloped ground. The gauge comprises a panel having a transparent window through which the user can view the sloped surface. The panel includes a spatial reference which allows the gauge to be properly oriented relative to the horizontal or vertical. The window has a positioning indicia inscribed on it and a plurality of lines radiate outwardly from the p

Problems solved by technology

However, unless a surveyor is on site it is difficult to determine whether the angle of the slope falls within the applicable standard.

Where the sloped sides are steep, the problem of determining the angles of the sloped sides is even more difficult because a person cannot stand on the sloped side walls without fear of causing a cave-in.

In many types of excavation it is even dangerous to stand at the bottom of the excavation.

Inclinometers can be used to measure excavation slopes but they have inherent problems.

However, ground slopes by their nature are uneven.

Images