CONSTRUCTION LAYOUT TOOL

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority and the benefit of the filing date under 35 U.S. C. 119 to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/047,042, entitled, "CONSTRUCTION LAYOUT TOOL," filed on April 22, 2008, the contents of which are incorporated herein as if set forth in full.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention is related to the field of hand tools for use in construction projects, and in particular, to a tool for marking a layout on a piece of construction material and associated methodology for using the tool.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In construction projects, it is often necessary to make layout lines or markings on a piece of construction material such as a sheet of plywood, foam material sheet, or oriented strand board (OSB). For example, the layout lines may be used in a subsequent process to cut the construction material or to orient other construction materials or tools in relation to the marked construction material. Current processes for laying out construction materials are time consuming or cumbersome to use, and can often result in layout errors and wastage of materials. These processes are particularly problematic where it is desired to precisely mark non-square or oblique (acute or obtuse) angles in relation to an edge of the construction material.

In many cases, the layout process is facilitated by use of a chalk line. A chalk line is a line of string or cord coated with chalk. The chalk line is typically attached to the construction material at one edge of the line, e.g., by attaching a loop or hook of the chalk line to a nail or otherwise holding the end of the chalk line at the desired position. The chalk line is then carefully stretched over the construction material to the desired line length and orientation, and the opposite end of the chalk line is secured or held in place. The chalk line can then be lifted slightly from the construction material between the secured ends and allowed to snap against the construction material. The chalk coating then leaves a chalk line on the material for use in a subsequent construction process as

noted above. When employed by a skilled construction worker, this process can yield a straight line of the desired length and orientation on the construction material.

One of the most time-consuming and error prone aspects of such layout processes is executing layouts at oblique angles. It will be appreciated that angled layouts are commonly required for construction materials used in constructing roofs, floors, walls and other structural elements. A particular project may require a layout line at any angle between 0-180° in relation to an edge of a piece of construction material. To execute such angled layouts, a variety of methods may be used. For example, a construction worker may attempt to place a protractor adjacent to the first end of the chalk line and then use the markings on the protractor to orient the chalk line. However, it is difficult to maintain the protractor at the appropriate position and orientation in relation to the construction materials and to secure the first end of the chalk line at the protractor center point as is necessary to obtain accurate results. This generally requires two workers; one to manage the protractor and another to position the second end of the chalk line and snap the chalk line. Alternatively, the position of the second end may be calculated in relation to the construction material rather than determined based on an angle from the first end of the chalk line. However, this requires a calculation process and introduces additional sources of potential error as the positions of each end of the chalk line are determined independently.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a construction layout tool and associated method for use that facilitates the layout of construction materials by making a layout line or other markings with respect to substantially any desired orientation. The invention can be used to anchor a chalk line (or other string, cord or the like) and directly orient the chalk line at the desired angle in relation to the anchor point so that layout markings can be made quickly and accurately and with minimal risk of error and material wastage.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a hand tool is provided for marking a layout on a piece of construction material. The hand tool includes a substantially planar top portion for laying over the piece of construction material. The planar portion includes indicia indicative of a plurality of orientations. For example, the top portion may be formed from plastic, aluminum or other appropriate material and may be of any suitable size and configuration. The markings may indicate angles in terms of

degrees (markings for each individual degree or on a multiple degree - - e.g., 5° - - basis), markings calibrated for roof pitches or any other manner indicating angular orientations. The hand tool further includes structure for securing the tool to the piece of construction material and structure for use in detachably coupling a layout line to the tool for marking a layout on the construction material. The tool may be secured to the piece of construction material in various ways. For example, the hand tool may include a depending portion for securely butting against a side edge of the piece of construction material, a spike for digging into the piece of construction material, frictional or adhesive materials for securing the tool to the piece of material, a magnet for securing the tool to a metal material, an opening for securing the tool to the piece of material using a nail or bolt, and/or other securing structure. The layout line may be secured to the tool by way of a post or the like for receiving a loop or hook of the layout line. The post is preferably disposed in a defined relationship, e.g., a center point, in relation to the indicia. The layout tool may further include structure for enabling viewing of the markings on the construction materials so as to facilitate proper positioning of the tool in relation to the construction material. For example, an opening may be provided in the top portion or at least an area of the top portion may be formed from transparent or translucent material.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for use in marking a layout on a piece of construction material. The method involves providing a hand tool, such as described above, for use in marking a layout on a piece of construction material; securing the tool to the piece of construction material; attaching a layout line to the tool; using indicia of the layout tool to extend the layout line in a desired orientation in relation to the piece of construction material and using the layout line to make at least one mark on the piece of construction material. In this regard, the tool may be positioned in relation to the construction material such that the indicia are in defined relationship to a selected point on the construction material. For example, a post of the tool for receiving one end of the layout line may be aligned with a mark on the construction material. A guide provided in connection with the construction tool may facilitate such alignment with respect to at least one dimension. An opening, window or similar structure may facilitate alignment with respect to at least one additional dimension.

The invention thus allows for convenient and accurate layout of construction materials including markings made at desired angular orientations. In this manner, the

time required for layout is reduced, accuracy is enhanced, material wastage is avoided and overall product costs are reduced. Advantageously, the invention enhances the efficiency of a layout by permitting a single user to connect, orient, and snap chalk lines on a piece of material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the present invention and further advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings in which: Figs. 1A-1C illustrate perspective, side and front views, respectively, of a layout tool according to the present invention;

Figs. 2A-2C illustrate perspective, side and front views, respectively, of an alternative embodiment of a layout tool in accordance with the present invention;

Figs. 3A-3C illustrate top, side and front views, respectively, of a further embodiment of a layout tool in accordance with the present invention; and

Fig. 4 is a rear view of a still further embodiment of a layout tool in accordance with the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In the following description, the invention is set forth in the context of specific embodiments of a construction layout tool. While specific embodiments are described in detail for purposes of illustration, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that additional implementations are possible in accordance with the present invention. Accordingly, the following description should be understood as illustrating the principles of the invention and not by way of limitation.

Referring to Figs. 1A-1C, a construction tool 100 in accordance with the present invention is shown. The illustrated constriction tool 100 generally includes a top plate 102 and a depending plate 106. The tool 100 may be constructed of any appropriate materials such as plastic, aluminum or other metals or other materials. Moreover, although the illustrated top plate 102 and depending plate 106 are shown as being constructed from an integral web of material, the plates 102 and 106 may be formed in multiple interconnected segments and may be formed from different materials. For example, it may be desired to construct the upper plate 102, in whole or in part, from

transparent plastic and to construct the depending plate 106 from aluminum or another material that can withstand striking with a hammer or mallet.

The plates 102, 106 may be of any desired size and configuration. On the illustrated embodiment, the top plate 102 is formed in a generally semicircular configuration and includes angular markings 104 extending over an angular range of approximately 180°. This configuration is useful as it encompasses the full range of angular orientations that might normally be addressed by a construction worker and covers only as much of the surface of the piece of construction material as is needed to provide the desired angular guidance. However, it will be appreciated that other configurations are possible. For example, the upper plate 102 may be rectangular or square. In this regard, the upper face 102 may be formed from transparent plastic and may still include a semicircular (or other) array of markings 104 as shown. As a further alternative, the top plate 102 may be configured as a quarter circle and include markings extending over only a 90° range. In such a case, the plate 106 may extend both above and below the top face 102 so that the tool can be flipped over to enable marking of both acute and obtuse angles. Of course, in that case, appropriate markings may be provided on both sides of the top plate.

The illustrated plate 102 can be provided in any suitable dimensions. For example, the semicircular plate 102 may have a radius of between about 2 and 12 inches. In this regard, a smaller dimension may be more convenient for carrying in a pocket, tool belts or tool box, whereas a larger dimension may enable greater angular resolution of the layout. Other considerations in this regard relate to how much of the construction material is covered and whether the tool is intended for use in making long or short layout lines. In the illustrated embodiment, the radius of the plate 102 is about 3 inches. The depending plate 106 is useful in aligning the tool 100 to a piece of construction material. Specifically, the depending plate 106 can be butted against an edge of the construction material with the top plate 102 overlaying a top surface of the material. In this manner, the depending plate 106 is effective to align the tool 100 with respect to one dimension of the construction material, as will be discussed in more detail below. In this regard, the plate 106 preferably extends continuously or intermittently along at least a portion of the edge 105 of plate 102. The height of the plate 106 is sufficient to provide this alignment function but is preferably not so great, in relation to the thickness of expected construction materials, so as to inhibit the top plate 102 from

laying flat on the upper surface of the construction material. In this regard, the plate 106 may extend between about ¹ A inch and 2 inches from the bottom surface of the plate 102. In the illustrated embodiment, the plate 106 extends about ¹ A inch from the bottom surface of the plate 102. The illustrated tool 100 further includes a layout line anchor post 110, a spike 108 and a window or opening 112. The opening 112 allows the user to view alignment markings on the piece of construction material. The post 110 receives a loop or hook of a layout line such as a chalk line. Any appropriate structure for attaching a layout line may; be used in place of the post. For example, an opening may be provided in the plate 102 at the position of the post 110 to receive a push pin associated with a layout line, or a pin, clamp or the like may be used to engage a layout line. Alternatively, a string, cord or the like may be attached to the post 110, for example, in cases where it is desired to make only a single mark or a number of marks, rather than a line for purposes of the layout desired. The spike 108 is used to secure the tool 100 to the piece of construction material. Thus, in operation, a construction worker may make a mark such as a pencil line on a piece of construction material to indicate the position of a first end (e.g., corresponding to a long or short point) of a layout line such as a chalk line. The construction worker can then align the tool 100 with the mark on the construction material by viewing the mark through the opening 112. Next, the construction worker can tap on plate 106 with a hammer or mallet such that the spike 108 penetrates a side surface of the construction material so as to secure the tool 100 in the desired position. In this regard, it will be appreciated that the illustrated construction tool 100 is intended for use in connection with certain wood, foam, composite and other materials that may be readily penetrated by the spike 108. Alternative embodiments of the tool 100 may be used in connection with other materials.

It will be appreciated that the tool 100 is thereby fully aligned with the construction material in the desired position and orientation. In this regard, the spatial relationship of the depending plate 106, the post 110 and the markings 104 is such that, when the tool 100 is secured to the construction material, the markings 104 corresponding to a 0° configuration and 180° configuration are aligned with an edge of the construction material, and the post 110 is disposed substantially at a center point of the markings 104 on a line including the 0° and 180° markings. In the case of a chalk line, the chalk line can then be attached to the post 110 and extended a desired length across the construction

material in a desired angular orientation by using the angular markings 104. The second end of the chalk line can then be held to the upper surface of the construction material or secured to the construction material and snapped against the construction material to provide the desired layout chalk line. Figures 2A-2C show an alternative embodiment of a construction tool 200 in accordance with the present invention. The construction is generally similar to that of Figs. 1A-1C except that the layout line anchor post and spike are omitted. Instead, an opening 206 is provided in a center section 204 of the tool 200 for use as will be described below. In addition, the illustrated tool 200 includes a generally semicircular and annular window 210 for viewing alignment marks on the construction material and allowing for layout line segments within the periphery of the tool 200.

In the illustrated embodiment, a separately provided nail 208, pin, screw or the like can be inserted through the opening 206 into the construction material 202. In this manner, the nail 208 secures the tool 200 to the construction material 202 and also functions as an anchor post for attachment of a layout line. This simplifies construction of the tool 200 somewhat and avoids the need for an integral spike. For example, the embodiment of Fig. 2A-2C may be preferred for use in tight working environments where it is difficult to sink the spike into the side of the construction material or by construction workers who are bothered by an exposed spike. Figures 3A-3C show a still further embodiment of a tool 300 in accordance with the present invention. The tool 300 has a construction that is generally similar to the tool of Figs. lA-lC. In this regard, the illustrated tool 300 includes a layout line anchor post 302, as generally described above, and a spike 304 for securing the tool 300 to a piece of construction material. The illustrated spike 304 is associated with a head 306 that extends from the surface of the depending plate 308. A construction worker can tap on the head 306 using a hammer or mallet. The head 306 thus concentrates the force of such a strike on the spike 304 and reduces the potential that such strikes will damage or disfigure the plate 308.

Figure 3A also shows an example of markings 310 that may be provided on the top plate 312 of the tool 300. In this case, the markings 310 include, at an outer periphery of the tool 300, conventional degree markings on a per degree basis. Common orientation lines, such as every 15 degrees may be emphasized as shown. Any desired convention may be used for designating the angles. In the illustrated embodiment, degree

designations from 0° to 90° are used on either side of a center line 314 of the tool 300. It will be appreciated, however, that other conventions such as designation from the degrees from 0° to 180° may be employed if desired. The illustrated markings 310 are also calibrated towards an inner edge of the tool 300 for roof pitches. Any other appropriate markings for indicating useful angular orientations may be provided and different types of markings may be provided for different types of construction workers or other tool users. The illustrated tool 300 further includes an alignment mark 311 for use in aligning markings on the construction material with the post 302 and alignment line 313 for verifying alignment of the tool 300 with an edge of the construction material. Figure 4 shows a still further alternative embodiment of a construction tool 400 in accordance with the present invention. In some cases, it may be desired to secure the tool 400 to a piece of construction material without penetrating the construction material. For example, this may be useful where it is not desired to leave a hole in the construction material or where the construction material is formed from metal or other material that is not easily penetrated. Fig. 4 shows a tool 400 that can be used in such environments. In this regard, the tool 400 generally has a construction similar to that of the embodiment of Figs. 1A-1C. The illustrated depiction is a rear view showing an end on view of the top plate 402 and a full view of the building material contact surface 404 of the depending plate 406. The illustrated tool 400 includes securing surfaces 408 extending across at least a portion of the contact surface 404. The securing surfaces 408 are effective to frictionally or adhesively secure the tool 400 to the construction material. In this regard, the surfaces 408 may be provided via roughened surface areas of the surface 406 separately applied friction tape or other grit surfaces, a tacky or adhesive material, magnets or other structure for inhibiting relative motion between the surface 406 and a side of the construction material.

The foregoing description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. Furthermore, the description is not intended to limit the invention to the form disclosed herein. Consequently, variations and modifications commensurate with the above teachings, and skill and knowledge of the relevant art, are within the scope of the present invention. The embodiments described hereinabove are further intended to explain best modes known of practicing the invention and to enable others skilled in the art to utilize the invention in such or other embodiments and with various modifications required by the particular application(s) or

use(s) of the present invention. It is intended that the appended claims be construed to include alternative embodiments to the extent permitted by the prior art.