초록 ▼

A level assembly for a wading rod used to measure current flow velocity of a wadable body of water, such as a stream or a river. The level assembly includes a level body that is attached to the hexagonal or depth rod of the wading rod at a desired position using a fastener. The level body has a leve

A level assembly for a wading rod used to measure current flow velocity of a wadable body of water, such as a stream or a river. The level assembly includes a level body that is attached to the hexagonal or depth rod of the wading rod at a desired position using a fastener. The level body has a level indicator to determine whether the wading rod is plumb. An alignment bar is attached to the level body and positioned parallel to a wading tagline to aid in maintaining a perpendicular orientation of the wading rod. The level assembly can be repositioned by loosening the fastener, sliding it up or down the depth rod, and re-tightening the fastener at another desired position. The level assembly is used to maintain a level and perpendicular orientation of the top setting wading rod to the tagline, enabling more accurate flow velocity measurements.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A level assembly, for a wading rod used to measure current flow velocity and having a current meter sliding support assembly, to indicate whether the wading rod is perpendicular to the current flow of a wadable body of water being measured, the level assembly comprising: an a

What is claimed is: 1. A level assembly, for a wading rod used to measure current flow velocity and having a current meter sliding support assembly, to indicate whether the wading rod is perpendicular to the current flow of a wadable body of water being measured, the level assembly comprising: an adjustable level body attached to the wading rod at an initial desired position, the level body being repositionable by sliding it up or down the wading rod to another desired position; a level indicator connected to the level body to indicate whether the wading rod is perpendicular to the current flow; and an alignment bar removably attached to the level body and positioned parallel to a width of the body of water to align the sliding support assembly parallel to the current flow of the body of water being measured. 2. The level assembly of claim 1, wherein the level body comprises an opening on a front of the level body to receive the level indicator. 3. The level assembly of claim 2, further comprising means for securing the level indicator within the opening. 4. The level assembly of claim 1, wherein the level indicator comprises a circular bullseye bubble level. 5. The level assembly of claim 1, wherein a tagline is used to measure the width of the body of water being measured; and the level body comprises a groove on a back of the level body opposite the level indicator to receive the alignment bar, and the alignment bar, when positioned in the groove with the level body attached to the wading rod, is positioned parallel to the tagline and perpendicular to the current flow. 6. The level assembly of claim 1, wherein the wading rod comprises a depth rod used to determine the depth of the body of water being measured and an adjacent, adjustable current meter positioning rod; the level body comprises a first end having a groove and a through hole on a side of the level body near the first end; and the level body attaches to the wading rod by inserting the depth rod through the through hole with the groove of the level body receiving the current meter positioning rod. 7. The level assembly of claim 6, wherein the level body comprises a second end, opposite the first end, with a catch to receive the alignment bar while in transit. 8. The level assembly of claim 6, further comprising means for attaching the level body to the wading rod at the desired position. 9. The level assembly of claim 8, wherein the means for attaching the level body to the wading rod comprises: an upper hole on a top of the level body extending to the through hole that receives the depth rod of the wading rod; and a screw that is inserted through the upper hole and tightened against the depth rod to hold the level body in place, wherein the level body is repositioned at a different desired position by loosening the screw, sliding the level body up or down the depth rod to the different desired position, and retightening the screw. 10. The level assembly of claim 6, wherein the level body is constructed of a nonconductive material and operates as a spacer between the depth rod and the current meter positioning rod to prevent electrical shorting of the wading rod. 11. The level assembly of claim 1, wherein the level body and the alignment bar are constructed of plastic and injection molded. 12. A wading rod for measuring current flow velocity of a body of water, comprising: a base; a depth rod attached to the base and having gradations for indicating depth of the body of water; a current meter positioning rod adjacent to the depth rod; a current meter sliding support assembly attached to a lower end of the current meter positioning rod; a handle attached to a top of the depth rod and receiving a top of the current meter positioning rod; an adjustable level body attached to the depth rod at an initial desired position, the level body being repositionable by sliding it up or down the depth rod to another desired position; a level indicator connected to the level body to indicate whether the wading rod is perpendicular to the current flow; and an alignment bar removably attached to the level body and positioned parallel to a width of the body of water to align the current meter sliding support assembly parallel to the current flow of the body of water being measured. 13. A method of positioning a wading rod perpendicular to the current flow of a body of water being measured, the wading rod having a depth rod and a current meter sliding support assembly attached to a current meter positioning rod, the method comprising: attaching an adjustable level body with a level indicator to the depth rod at an initial viewing position and securing the adjustable level body to the depth rod using a fastener; attaching an alignment bar to the level body and positioning the alignment bar parallel to a width of the body of water to align the current meter sliding support assembly parallel to the current flow of the body of water being measured; moving the wading rod until the level indicator indicates the wading rod is level and rotating the wading rod until the alignment bar is parallel to the width of the body of water to correctly orient the wading rod for current flow velocity measurement; and repositioning the level body to facilitate current flow velocity measurement by loosening the fastener, sliding the level body up or down the depth rod to another viewing position, and retightening the fastener.