Geometrical instruments – Straight-line light ray type – Alignment device
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-19
2001-08-28
Gibson, Randy W. (Department: 2859)
Geometrical instruments
Straight-line light ray type
Alignment device
C033S276000, C033S282000, C033S285000, C033SDIG002
Reexamination Certificate
active
06279239
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention pertains generally to a device and a method for sizing odd shaped sections of drywall for placement on ceilings and walls, and more specifically, it is directed to a compact laser sighting device to aid in sizing odd shaped sections of drywall.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The art of fitting and measuring drywall pieces being installed in commercial and residential construction projects has not changed much in many years. Typically, a large set square and a stick have been employed. Working on ceilings is extremely difficult and generally two or more persons must work as a team.
In finishing ceilings and walls of ballrooms, dining rooms, etc., certain difficulties may be encountered. For example, when a designer or an architect designates that a circular recessed or drop-down section be fitted into the ceiling, to house a chandelier or the like it is a challenge to accurately fit drywall sheet sections against the perimeter of a circular recess or drop-down section perimeter.
Ultimately, the person installing the drywall, i.e. a drywaller, will make a rough estimation as to distance between points along the circular recessed or drop-down section and a nearby drywall sheet and from these the drywaller will be able to approximately size a drywall sheet to be fitted against a portion of the perimeter of the drop-down or recessed ceiling section. Even after installation of the new piece of drywall, often there is a significant gap along the perimeter section, which must be filled in with further pieces of drywall and mortar-mix. As a result, significant time is wasted fixing and finishing the installed drywall ceiling edges.
At the corners of the ceiling, a designer or an architect may designate that the corners be angled, such that the ceiling will resemble a pentagon, hexagon, or a triangular alcove. Sizing drywall sheets, to fill in these ceiling perimeter sections have been, to date, time consuming and messy.
To size drywall for such alcoves, it is required to section the ceiling of the alcove off into parts, into imaginary right angled triangles and rectangles. The imaginary triangles will have a right angled base along an edge of a previously mounted piece of drywall which is perpendicular to an apex in the alcove. The object is to find the length of the base and the height of the imaginary right angled triangle. Using the existing method, a long, and relatively narrow “working” triangular piece of drywall, preferably having a right angled corner, is used to determine the imaginary right angled triangle's end point on its base, at its right angle corner. By slidably pressing the working triangular piece of drywall's base against the edge of the previously mounted piece of drywall, while the apex of the triangular piece of drywall is horizontal, and aimed at the apex of the alcove, the end point of the base of the imaginary triangle, at its right angled corner, may be determined.
The problem with the above mentioned method is that various lengths of the long, and relatively narrow, “working” triangular pieces of drywall are required. As such, each time an approximate length is created, drywall material is wasted. In addition, error will generally occur when eyeballing the narrow triangle's apex which is being attempted to be inline with the alcove's apex.
Once the drywaller thinks he has lined up the “working” triangle's right angled edge with the apex in the alcove, the drywaller will mark the corresponding point along the edge of the previously mounted piece of drywall. The determination of this point will aid determining the base length and height of the imaginary right angled triangle, and a drywall section may be sized and cut to fill in a portion of the unfinished ceilings alcove area.
Unfortunately again, with the above mentioned approximation method, there are usually significant gaps along the edges of the ceiling to be filled in with further pieces of drywall and mortar-mix, in the alcove, because the base length and the height of the imaginary triangle was inaccurately determined. As a result, significant time is wasted fixing and finishing the installed drywall ceiling edges. A more accurate method of finding the base length and height of the imaginary triangle would alleviate much of the need for fixing and finishing the drywall ceiling edges.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a device and a method to use the device which overcomes disadvantages of the prior art.
It is a related object to provide a tool to enable a worker to accurately size a ceiling or wall section of drywall, to eliminate time consuming mortar mix patch work.
It is a further related object that the tool, which assists in finding the points of contact for fitting and sizing drywall, is either pocket sized or holster sized.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a device and method to aid in the sizing of drywall needed to fit against non-rectangular sections of walls or ceilings with greater ease and less error, in less time.
Accordingly, the invention provides a sighting device comprising:
(a) a housing; and
(b) at least one laser module;
wherein the housing comprises a longitudinally elongated base member and a longitudinally elongated column member, said base member and column member being joined longitudinally to one another at right angles to one another, thereby defining a rail, each of said base member and column member having
i) opposing parallel and substantially flat longitudinal faces and
ii) an edge surface extending between the longitudinal faces; and
the housing has at least one chamber, with each chamber housing a laser module; and
wherein each chamber has an aperture to communicate laser light out of a surface of the housing.
In one embodiment, the sighting device has an electrical supply means associated therewith a trigger circuit board connected to the electrical supply means, a laser diode electrically connected to the trigger circuit board, an on-off switch for controlling supply of electricity between the electrical supply means and the laser diode.
In another embodiment, the sighting device has at least one aperture located at an axial end of the elongated housing.
In a further embodiment, the sighting device has at least one aperture located to project through an elongated surface of the housing, perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the housing.
In yet another embodiment, the aperture of an axial projecting laser module is about half way into the base member and about half way into the column member.
In another embodiment, a cross-section of the housing, transverse to the longitudinal direction, is in the shape of a “T.” or an “L”.
In yet another embodiment, the chamber for each laser module permits the laser module to project its laser beam perpendicular to the surface through which it projects.
In another embodiment, the sighting device has a means for selectively activating the laser modules.
In a further embodiment, a transparent overlay having cross-hairs is placed between the laser diode and the aperture.
In yet another embodiment, indicia extend continuously around the sighting device, perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the sighting device, in the vicinity of a laser mounted perpendicularly to an axially oriented laser.
In another embodiment, indicia extend discontinuously around the sighting device, perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the sighting device, in the vicinity of a laser mounted perpendicularly to an axially oriented laser.
In another embodiment, the sighting device has a lens held at the aperture to the chamber.
The invention also provides a method for determining placement and size of a new drywall section in a gap adjacent to a previously installed drywall section, said method comprising:
a) placing a longitudinal edge of a sighting device against a first position on an edge of the previously installed drywall section;
b) projecting a laser beam from within a housing of the sighting device across t
Dinsmore & Shohl
Gibson Randy W.
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