John C Christianson

US Patent:

6520103, Feb 18, 2003

Filed:

Dec 21, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/747074

Inventors:

Greg Hartlmeier - Whitefish Bay WI
John Christianson - Milwaukee WI
Douglas Drake - Milwaukee WI

Assignee:

Harken, Inc. - Pewaukee WI

International Classification:

B63H 910

US Classification:

114 97, 114 90, 114218

Abstract:

A boom vang system for sailboats has a rear facing pivotal cam cleat arm hingedly connected to a rigid tang on the sailboat mast. When the boom vang rotates off the centerline of the boat, as for instance will occur when the boat is sailing downwind and the boom and sail are blow off the centerline of the boat, the pivotal connection of the cam cleat arm, to the tang allows for the cam cleat to be urged into alignment with the sailor regardless of his position on the boat. The cam cleat arm may rotate along an arc lying in a plane substantially parallel to the boat deck. Sheeves and pulleys may be rigidly connected to the rigid tang to prevent tangling of lines.

US Patent:

7832112, Nov 16, 2010

Filed:

Nov 10, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/268278

Inventors:

John Christianson - Waukesha WI, US

Assignee:

Empire Level Mfg. Co. - Mukwonago WI

International Classification:

G01C 9/28

US Classification:

33365, 33376, 33379

Abstract:

A level including an elongate hollow frame with two sidewalls and a topwall extending therebetween, a topnotch defined by the walls which have notch-defining edges including non-vertical surfaces, and a vial within the topnotch. A vial-mounting structure includes a vial-holding member and a locking member movably secured with respect to the vial-holding member. The vial-holding member is configured for resting on the non-vertical notch-edge surfaces. The locking member includes frame-engaging portions which press upwardly against a frame inner surface to pull the vial-holding member downwardly against the non-vertical notch-edge surfaces, thereby securing the vial-holding member to the frame. A method for securing a vial-mounting structure to the level by providing the vial-mounting structure, which includes the vial-holding member, and pulling the vial-holding member downwardly against the non-vertical notch-edge surfaces by a force from inside the frame, thereby securing the vial-holding member to the frame.

US Patent:

8011109, Sep 6, 2011

Filed:

Feb 27, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/394369

Inventors:

John Christianson - Waukesha WI, US
Roger D. Stanford - Waterford WI, US

Assignee:

Empire Level Mfg. Corp. - Mukwonago WI

International Classification:

G01C 9/00

US Classification:

33451, 33379

Abstract:

A level of the type having an elongate hollow frame including two sidewalls each defining axially aligned vial openings into the frame. A vial casing is secured with respect to the frame and defines a hermetically sealed single-cavity casing interior entirely enclosing a liquid-and-bubble vial with a substantially cylindrical outer surface extending between two vial ends. The casing is formed of two opposite round face-walls and a surrounding cylindrical wall therebetween. The cylindrical wall has a pair of opposed major wall-portions of first thickness and a pair of opposed intervening wall-portions of second thickness greater than the first thickness. Each intervening wall-portion defines a recess which snugly receives a corresponding one of the vial ends. The inner surface of the surrounding wall is smooth and substantially free of light-ray-interfering structures, whereby the vial appears embedded in the surrounding wall and the face-walls provide uninterrupted full views of and about the cylindrical vial.

US Patent:

8291604, Oct 23, 2012

Filed:

Oct 27, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/913098

Inventors:

John Christianson - Waukesha WI, US
Charles D. Kim - Raleigh NC, US

Assignee:

Empire Level Mfg. Corp. - Mukwonago WI

International Classification:

G01C 9/26

US Classification:

33379, 33451, 33348

Abstract:

A level including an elongate hollow frame with two sidewalls and a topwall extending therebetween. A central vial is within a topnotch formed by removal of a topwall section and adjacent sections of sidewalls including notch-defining bottom and side edges. The frame includes an inner horizontal wall extending between the sidewalls at the notch-defining bottom edges. The central vial is supported in accurate orientation without calibration against a cental-vial reference surface formed in the inner horizontal wall parallel to the top and bottom measuring surfaces and defining a notch-bottom. An integral inner vertical wall extends between the top and bottom walls thereby reinforcing the frame along the frame length. A plumb-vial structure has a viewing-end region and an opposite-end region. The viewing-end region includes an elongate ramp sloping along a level-longitudinal axis toward the plumb vial with an inclination permitting vial viewing from shallow angles.

US Patent:

8291605, Oct 23, 2012

Filed:

Oct 27, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/913111

Inventors:

John Christianson - Waukesha WI, US
Charles D. Kim - Raleigh NC, US

Assignee:

Empire Level Mfg. Corp. - Mukwonago WI

International Classification:

G01C 9/26
B43L 7/00

US Classification:

33379, 33381, 33451

Abstract:

A level including an elongate hollow frame with two sidewalls and a topwall extending therebetween. A central vial is within a topnotch formed by removal of a topwall section and adjacent sections of sidewalls including notch-defining bottom and side edges. An integral inner vertical wall extends between the top and bottom walls thereby reinforcing the frame along the frame length. The inventive level further preferably includes an external brace reinforcing a central frame portion weakened by forming the topnotch. The external brace includes first and second plate members each against one of the sidewalls about the notch-defining bottom and side edges and each substantially spanning a respective one of the sidewalls. A fastening member extending through the sidewalls and pulling the plate members toward each other to sandwich the sidewalls therebetween, thereby reinforcing a central frame portion weakened by forming the topnotch.

US Patent:

8375591, Feb 19, 2013

Filed:

Oct 27, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/913086

Inventors:

John Christianson - Waukesha WI, US
Charles D. Kim - Raleigh NC, US

Assignee:

Empire Level Mfg. Corp. - Mukwonago WI

International Classification:

G01C 9/02

US Classification:

33379, 33451

Abstract:

A level including an elongate hollow frame with two sidewalls and a topwall extending therebetween. A topnotch is formed by removal of a topwall section and adjacent sections of sidewalls including notch-defining bottom and side edges. A central vial is within the topnotch. The frame includes an inner horizontal wall extending between the sidewalls at the notch-defining bottom edges. A central-vial reference surface is formed in the inner horizontal wall parallel to the top and bottom measuring surfaces and defining a notch-bottom. The central vial is supported against the central-vial reference surface in accurate orientation without calibration. The central vial is secured with respect to the inner horizontal wall by mechanical fasteners. The frame further preferably includes an integral inner vertical wall extending between the top and bottom walls thereby reinforcing the frame along the frame length.

US Patent:

8413342, Apr 9, 2013

Filed:

Mar 3, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/039486

Inventors:

John Christianson - Waukesha WI, US

Assignee:

Empire Level Mfg. Corp. - Mukwonago WI

International Classification:

G01C 9/00

US Classification:

33347, 33451, 33DIG 1

Abstract:

A levels of the type including an elongate hollow frame and a magnet secured to the frame having a magnet-mounting structure which includes first and second magnet-holding members positioning the magnet with respect to a bottom-wall opening. The first magnet-holding member has a first side flange; and the second magnet-holding member has a second side flange. Each side flange is positioned to extend along one of opposite frame sidewalls at an inner surface of a frame bottom wall. A locking member pulls the magnet-holding members together such that the side flanges are locked inside the level frame along the opposite sidewalls, thereby mechanically securing the magnet to the level frame.

US Patent:

20110108428, May 12, 2011

Filed:

Nov 6, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/613720

Inventors:

JOHN R. CHRISTIANSON - WAUKESHA WI, US
CHARLES DUNN KIM - RALEIGH NC, US

Assignee:

EMPIRE LEVEL MFG. CORP. - Mukwonago WI

International Classification:

C25D 11/24
C23C 28/00
C25D 11/18

US Classification:

205202, 205199

Abstract:

A method for manufacture of a substantially flat rigid measurement tool of the type formed of a substantially non-ferrous lightweight anodized metal plate with measurement markings thereon. The inventive method includes the steps of anodizing the metal plate to create a dark anodized layer, forming the flat rigid measurement tool from the anodized metal plate, and creating non-removable substantially white measurement markings by oxidizing selected mark-areas of the dark anodized surface to a depth below the anodized layer. The markings are created by application of a laser energy. The metal plate contains aluminum and the non-removable substantially white markings are formed by oxidized aluminum.