GB2261287A

GB2261287A - Adjustable templates

Info

Publication number: GB2261287A
Application number: GB9213251A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Anthony James Breed
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1991-11-06
Filing date: 1992-06-23
Publication date: 1993-05-12
Anticipated expiration: 2012-06-23
Also published as: GB2261287B; GB9213251D0

Abstract

An adjustable template comprises an elongate central beam (12) formed from at least two sections (13, 14) which are relatively movable in the axial direction and are provided with fixing means (15) operable to secure the beam sections (13, 14) relative one to another, the extremities of the beam (12) being provided with a pair of coplanar profile plates (1) mounted to the respective beam ends for axial movement relative to the beam (12) and for rotation about axes perpendicular to the plane of the profile plates and to the axis of the beam. Each profile plate (1) is preferably also capable of limited movement in its plane in directions transverse to the beam axis, and each profile plate (1) advantageously has an outline which includes at least one internal right angle corner and one external right angle corner. The template may be used to mark replacement roof timbers. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN ADJUSTABLE TEMPLATES The present invention relates to templates, and is particularly concerned with an adjustable template suitable for marking roofing timbers and the like.

In the construction and repair of roofing timbers, it is often necessary to produce timbers whose ends are shaped to conform with ridge timbers, wall plates and purlins. When these timbers are to be produced on site, for example as replacements for timbers which have become unsafe due to decay, the shaping of the ends of the timbers is often problematic in that exact cutting angles and distances are difficult to measure in the enclosed spaces available.

The present invention seeks to provide an improved adjustable template to facilitate the production of inter alia replacement roofing timbers, by providing a rapid and accurate means of determining the required shaping for the timber.

According to the present invention an adjustable template comprises an elongate central beam formed from at least two sections which are relatively movable in the axial direction and are provided with fixing means operable to secure the beam sections relative one to another, the extremities of the beam being provided with a pair of coplanar profile plates mounted to the respective beam ends for axial movement relative to the beam and for rotation about axes perpendicular to the plane of the profile plates and to the axis of the beam. Each profile plate is preferably also capable of limited movement in its plane in directions transverse to the beam axis, and each profile plate advantageously has an outline which includes at least one internal right angle corner and one external right angle corner.

Preferably each profile plate has two parallel sides joined at one of their respective ends by a third side perpendicular to the parallel sides, and joined at their other respective ends by fourth and fifth sides forming a re-entrant right angle.

Each profile plate is preferably mounted to its respective beam end by means of a fastener extending through an opening formed in the beam end and through a slotted opening formed in the profile plate. Preferred arrangements for the slot in the profile plate are 'T', 'C', 'H' and 'L' formations but any other suitable configuration may be used.

Alternatively, one or both of the profile plates may be mounted to its respective beam end by means of a fastener extending through a slotted opening formed in the beam end and through a generally circular opening formed in the profile plate. By providing angular graduations round the periphery of the circular opening in the profile plate, the relative angular orientation of the profile plate and the beam axis may be measured. In a further advantageous construction, a threaded stud may be fixed to the profile plate to project perpendicularly therefrom through a slotted opening formed in the beam end. An array of lines marked on the profile plate to radiate from the base of the stud allow measurement of the relative angular orientation of the profile plate and the beam axis.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a profile plate; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a template according to the present invention; and Figure 3 shows a sectional view of an alternative arrangement of the joint between a profile plate and a beam end.

As can be seen in Figure 1, the profile plate 1 comprises a pair of parallel first and second sides 2 and 3, a third side 4 set at right angles to the first and second sides, thus defining two external right angle corners 5 and 6. The first and second sides 2 and 3 are joined at their other ends by fourth and fifth sides 7 and 8, which together form a re-entrant right angle 9. One or more of the edges of the profile plate may be marked with imperial or metric measuring indicia I. Advantageously, one face of the profile plate is marked in imperial units, while the other face is marked in metric units. The profile plate may also include markings to assist in angular measurement.

The profile plate shown in Figure 1 is formed with a mounting slot 10 in the shape of a letter 'L'. The slot may be bevelled from both sides, for reasons to be explained later.

Referring now to Figure 2, the template 11 comprises two profile plates 1 joined by a central beam 12, the central beam 12 being formed from two telescopic beam elements 13 and 14. Preferably the telescopic beam elements are of square cross-sectional shape, and are relatively fixable by means of a locking screw 15 which extends through a threaded passage in the outer of the central beam elements 14. The locking screw 15 is preferably set obliquely in a corner of the cross-section of the beam, so that the inner beam section 13 is positively located against two internal faces of the outer beam element when the locking screw is tightened.

At each end of the central beam 12, a fixing plate 16 with a 'D' shaped opening 17 is provided, the fixing plates being preferably arranged so as to be coplanar when the central beam is assembled. A profile plate 1 is attached to each of the fixing plates 16, by means of a threaded fastener having a 'D' shaped cross-section to cooperate with the 'D' shaped opening 17 in the fixing plate 16. The fastener 18 passes through the slot 10 in the profile plate, through the 'D' shaped aperture in the fixing plate 16. A threaded nut 19 engages the fastener 18 and is tightened to fix the profile plate 1 relative to the central beam 12. Washers 20 are preferably provided between the profile plate 1 and the fixing plate 16, and between the fixing plate 16 and the nut 19. The nut 19 is preferably a butterfly nut for ease of tightening by hand.As an alternative to arranging the fixing plates 16 so as to be coplanar, the thicknesses of the respective washers 20 may be adjusted so that the profile plates 1 are coplanar when the template is assembled.

While the fastener 18 and aperture 17 have been described as being of 'D' shaped cross-section, any non-circular cross-section for the fastener and aperture will be suitable, provided that it is effective in preventing rotation of the fastener when the nut is rotated to tighten the engagement between the profile plate and the central beam.

In an alternative embodiment, not illustrated, the fixing plate 16 may be elongated in the axial direction of the beam sections 13 and 14, and the opening 17 may be elongated in the axial direction of the beam to form a slot to allow axial adjustment of the point at which each respective profile plate is fixed to the beam. In such an arrangement, the fixing of the profile plates 1 to the beam is preferably achieved by a fastener whose axis extends perpendicularly to the profile plate and is fixed in relation thereto, such as a stud welded to the profile plate or a bolt passing through a circular hole in the profile plate. An array of markings extending radially relative to the fastener may then be used in conjunctionwith a reference mark on the beam axis to measure the relative angular orientation of the profile plate and the beam axis.

In use, the template 11 is offered up to the roof timbers between which a replacement timber is to be inserted, with the nuts 19 sufficiently tight to prevent relative movement between the profile plates 1 and the central beam 12. The profile plates 1 are urged into engagement with the timbers against which the replacement timber's ends will bear, and the locking screw 15 is then fully tightened to prevent axial shortening of the central beam 12.

The template is then removed from this position, care being taken to avoid any relative movement between the profile plates 1 and the central beam 12.

The template may then be laid onto the replacement timber, and by tracing the outlines of the profile plates 1 across the ends of the replacement timber, the end shaping required for the replacement timber can be easily ascertained. The replacement timber is simply cut to the required shape and offered into position for fixing.

While the central beam of the template has been shown as being composed of two sections 13 and 14, additional sections may of course be provided so that longer lengths of central beam can be assembled. Such extra lengths may be telescopically interengageable, to provide a range of assembled lengths for the central beam.

In cases where the ends of a replacement timber are required to abut against an external right angle, such as where a rafter meets a wall plate or a purl in prop meets a purlin, the re-entrant angle 9 of the profile plate is fitted to the wall plate so that the end of the replacement timber may be cut with a re-entrant right angle to form a 'birdsmouth' at the appropriate orientation in the replacement timber.

Where the replacement timber is required to abut against an internal right angle, then an external right angle corner 5 or 6 of the profile plate is offered up to the internal corner and is used to transfer the appropriate markings to the replacement timber.

If it is desired to produce a template 11 capable of lying flat on a timber for marking, i.e. with the fasteners 18 set flush in the profile plates 1, the construction shown in Figure 3 may be adopted.

In this arrangement, the fasteners 18 have conical countersunk heads 18a, and the edges 10a and 10b of the slots in the profile plates 1 are bevelled to correspond to the cone angle of the fastener head 18a. By providing two bevelled edges 10a and 10b, the profile plate 1 is made reversible for greater versatility in use.

The template may also find utility in the fitting of shelves into alcoves, by enabling the exact internal form of the alcove to be readily ascertained and the shelf material cut to the exact shape and length required.

Various other uses for the template will become apparent to those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. An adjustable template comprising an elongate central beam formed from at least two sections which are relatively movable in the axial direction and are provided with fixing means selectively operable to secure the beam sections relative one to another, the extremities of the beam being provided with a pair of coplanar profile plates mounted to the respective beam ends for axial movement relative to the beam and for rotation about axes perpendicular to the plane of the profile plates and to the axis of the beam.

2. An adjustable template according to Claim 1, wherein each profile plate is also capable of limited movement in its plane in directions transverse to the beam axis

3. An adjustable template according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein each profile plate has an outline which includes one internal right angled corner and one external right angled corner.

4. An adjustable template according to Claim 3, wherein each profile plate has two parallel sides joined at one of their respective ends by a third sid-e perpendicular to the parallel sides, and joined at their other respective ends by fourth and fifth sides forming a re-entrant right angle.

5. An adjustable template according to any preceeding Claim, wherein at least one profile plate is mounted to its respective beam end by means of a fastener extending perpendicularly to the profile plate from a fixed location thereon, the fastener passing through a slotted opening formed in the beam end.

6. An adjustable template according to Claim 5, wherein an array of lines is marked on the profile plate to radiate from the axis of the fastener to indicate the relative angular orientation of the profile plate and the beam.