GB2403925A

GB2403925A - Tool for recording the profile of a surface

Info

Publication number: GB2403925A
Application number: GB0316773A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter George Gibson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-07-18
Filing date: 2003-07-18
Publication date: 2005-01-19
Also published as: GB0316773D0

Abstract

A tool (1) for recording a profile of a surface (54, fig 5) onto a board (50, fig 5) to be located against said surface. The tool comprises retaining means (2) and a body (4). A base member (6) extends along a first axis (12) from a contact end (10) for contacting the surface. A slide member (8) includes a holding portion (28) arranged to hold a marking device (30), and is slidably mounted to the base member (6) so that the holding portion (28) can be moved towards or away from the contact end (10) of the body member (6). The retaining means (2) are arranged to secure the slide member (8) with respect to the base meter (6). The tool (1) is arranged to enable a user to use marking means (30) held in the holding means (32) to mark a board (50, fig 5) that extends substantially parallel with the first axis (12). Contact means such as a wheel (26) may be rotatably mounted in the contact end (10), and orientation means such as a spirit level may also be provided.

Description

1 2403925 1 - A Tool The present invention relates to a tool for recording

a profile of a surface onto a board to be located against said surface, particularly to a tool for recording the profile of a wall having an irregular surface.

It is often necessary in the building trade or for home DIY to locate a board such as plasterboard against an existing wall. For a neat finish to the corner joint between the wall and the board it is preferable that any gap between the board and wall is small and can therefore easily be filled.

If the surface of the wall is flat then the fitting of the board against the wall is fairly easy as little or no cutting or shaping of the board is required. However, if the surface of the wall is of an irregular shape it may be necessary to remove material from regions of an edge of to shape the board such that when located against the wall only small gaps between the wall and board remain. When removing material from the board to allow it to fit against the wall a user may use trial and error by offering the board up to the wall and gradually removing material until the board is accurately located against the wall. This process is time consuming and may not be particularly accurate, which may lead to waste of both time and of material.

A carpenter faced with this problem will often make a tool 4061alvl 17 July 2003 - 2 - from scrap wood to mark the profile of the surface of the wall to the board. The tool comprises an elongate piece of wood, which may be sharpened at one end to a point. A hole is drilled through the wood and a pencil pushed through the hole. The user then places the board against the wall and positions the point of the tool against the wall and the pencil against the board and moves the tool down the surface of the wall so that the pencil draws a line on the board corresponding to the profile of the surface of the wall. A cut can then be made along the profile line and the board located against the surface of the wall.

The above methods both suffer from the drawback that more material may be removed from the board than is required for an accurate fitting of the board against the wall. The tool may also scratch or mark the wall in an unsightly manner as it is drawn across the surface of the wall.

The present invention seeks to provide an more convenient tool.

According to the invention there is provided a tool for recording a profile of a surface onto a board to be located against said surface, the tool comprising retaining means and a body comprising a base member and a slide member, wherein: a) the base member extends along a first axis from a contact end for contacting the surface; 4061alvl 17 July 2003 3 - b) the slide member includes a holding portion arranged L to hold a marking device; c) the slide member is slidably mounted to the base member so that the holding portion can be moved towards or away from the contact end of the body member; d) the retaining means are arranged to secure the elide member with respect to the base member; and e) the tool is arranged to enable a user to use marking means held in the holding means to mark a board that extends substantially parallel with the first axis.

As an example of a typical use, a substantially rectangular board is placed adjacent to the surface of a substantially vertical wall in the location at which it is to be fitted to form a substantially vertical 90 corner with the wall. The surface of the wall is uneven so there are gaps between the closest edge of the board and the surface of the wall. A marking means is attached to the tool and held in the holding portion and the widest gap between the wall and board is identified. The tool is placed substantially parallel with the plane of the board and substantially perpendicular to the wall with the contact end of the tool in contact with the surface of the wall. The slide member is adjusted until the marking means just touches the edge of the board and the retaining means] is then engaged to secure the slide member relative to the base member. The contact end of the tool is moved along 4061alvl 17 July aGo3 - 4 the surface of the wall such that the marking means marks a line corresponding to the profile of the wall on the board. A cut is then made along the line and the shaped edge of the board is then fitted against the wall.

It should be understood that the term board is used herein to refer to any material that may be butted against an uneven surface such as a wall. For example, the tool could be used to mark tile, slate, brick, timber, plasterboard, or other material. It should also be understood that the board does not have to be substantially vertical or perpendicular to the wall. The board could be at any angle to the wall, for example the board could be a floor tile.

The use of a slide member to hold a marking means allows the distance between the marking means and the contact end of the base member to be easily altered and set. This means that the distance can be adjusted as above. By enabling such an adjustment, the minimum amount of material can be removed from the board to achieve the required fit between the surface of the wall and the board. This minimizes the amount of waste created in fitting the board to the wall.

The invention also provides a tool for recording a profile of a surface onto a board to be located against said surface, the tool comprising a body and a contact means wherein: a) the body extends along a first axis from a contact 4061alvl 17 July 2003 À 5 end; b) the contact means is rotatably mounted in the contact end of the body and is arranged to contact the surface; c) the body includes a holding portion arranged to hold a marking device; and d) the tool is arranged to enable a user to use marking means held in the holding portion to mark a board that extends substantially parallel with the first axis.

By providing a tool that includes a rotatable contact means a sliding contact with the surface is eliminated and replaced by a rolling contact. A rolling contact is typically smoother and usually provides a lower resistance to movement than a sliding contact. A rolling contact is also less likely to leave a mark on, or scratch the surface of the wall in an unsightly way. The tool is still used in the same way, but the position of the marking means with respect to the contact end cannot be adjusted, although there may be a plurality of locations within the holding portion in which the marking means can be held.

It is presently preferred that the slide member feature and the rotating contact means feature are combined in a single tool, but the invention is not so limited.

In use, to obtain an accurate profile of the surface on the board, the tool should be kept in a substantially 4061alvl 17 July 2003 - 6 constant orientation with respect to both the wall and the board. If, for instance, the angle of the tool with respect to the wall changes from substantially perpendicular to about 45 the distance between the marking means and the wall surface will change leading to an inaccurate profile being recorded on the board.

Preferably, the tool should be kept substantially horizontal when working with substantially vertical walls and boards. The tool may include means by which the user may be informed if the orientation of the tool is altered away from a predetermined orientation. Such means may be electronic, but the tool preferably includes a spirit level gauge. Such a gauge typically comprises a curved tube partially filled with a liquid to create a bubble within the tube. The tube can be marked and mounted in the tool in such a way that when the bubble in on the mark the tool is substantially perpendicular the gravitational vertical. This gauge may facilitate a user in maintaining the tool in a constant orientation with respect to the wall. The first axis of the tool is substantially parallel with the board and the tool slides over the surface of the board so the orientation with respect to the board is easier for a user to maintain. A slide surface of the tool makes contact with, and slides over, the surface of the board. This slide surface may be adapted to facilitate a user maintaining a substantially constant orientation with respect to at least one axis of the board. For example, the slide surface may comprise two spaced apart ridges that rest on the surface of the board. The user can simply keep the ridges in contact with the board to maintain a 4061alvl 17 July 2003 7 - substantially constant orientation parallel with a surface plane of the board.

The base member and/or the slide member preferably include a graduated scale so that the offset between the contact end and the marking portion can be accurately determined.

The holding portion may be adapted to hold any sort of marking device such as ball point pen, pencil, felt tip pen or other device. The device may be integral with the tool and may be designed to be permanently attached to the tool or the marking device may be removable. Preferably the holding portion comprises an aperture through which a I pen or pencil may be located and held in place. Such an aperture is cheap and easy to form and allows the user to select from a plurality of marking devices to suit the surface of the board material that is to be marked. The aperture may include a resiliently deformable inner surface arranged to resiliently deform as a marking device is inserted into the aperture such that the marking device is held within the aperture. It is presently preferred; that a rubber 'O' ring is secured within the aperture to provide a resiliently deformable inner surface.

The tool may be made from any material, but the body is preferably formed from moulded plastic and the contact means is preferably formed from a metal. This combination may result in a tool that is cheap to manufacture and that has a contact end that is resistant to deformation and wear.

4061alvl 17 July aBo3 - 8 - The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a tool according to the invention including a marking device; Figure 2 shows a view from above of the base member of the tool of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows an end view of the base member of Figure 2; Figure 4 shows the slide member of the tool of Figure 1; and Figure 5 shows the tool of Figure 1 in use.

Figure 1 shown a tool 1 for recording a profile of a surface onto a board to be located against said surface.

The tool 1 comprises retaining means 2 and body 4 comprising a base member 6 and a slide member 8. The body member has a slide surface 34 for making contact with, and sliding across, a board to me marked.

The base member 6 extends from a contact end 10 along a first axis 12. The slide member 8 is slidably mounted with the base member 6 such that the slide member 8 can slide in a direction parallel with the first axis 12. The slide member is retained within the base member by lips 14 that 4061alvl 17 July 2003 - 9 - extend inwardly from sidewalls 16 of the base member 6. - The lips 14 substantially prevent the slide member 6 from moving in a direction perpendicular to the first axis 12.

The retaining means 2 comprises a gantry 18 between the side walls 16 of the base member 6. The gantry 18 has a threaded bolt 20 passing through a major surface 22 thereof. The threaded bolt 20 may be rotated by a user rotating a head 24 of the treaded bolt 20. Rotation of the head 24 causes the threaded bolt 20 to be screwed into or 9 out of the gantry 18. The threaded bolt 20 extends through the gantry 18 so that it may contact the slide member 8. A user my rotate the threaded bolt 20 until it contacts the slide member 8 and exerts sufficient force on said slide member 8 to substantially secure it in position relative to the base member 6.

The slide member 8 includes a holding portion 28 arranged - to hold a marking means 30, in this case a pencil. The holding portion in this case includes an aperture 32 therethrough such that the pencil 30 may be held within the aperture 32 such that is may mark a board that is in 5 contact with the slide surface 34. The base member includes an elongate aperture 36 to permit the marking means 30 to pass though to make contact with a board to be marked (not shown).

The contact end 10 of the base member 6 includes contact means 26, in this case a wheel that is rotatably mounted 4061alvl 17 July 2003 - 10 to the base member 6. The wheel has an axis of rotation that is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the slide surface 34.

Figure 2 shows a view from above of the base member 6 of the tool 1 of Figure 1 and Figure 3 shows a view from behind of the base member 6 of the tool 1 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 shows a view from above of the slide member of the tool of Figure 1. These figures are labelled with reference numerals corresponding to those in Figure 1 and are included to show in greater detail a preferred embodiment of the tool 1.

Figure 5 shows the tool 1 in use. A board 50 is to be fitted against a wall 52. The wall surface 54 is uneven so material must be removed from an edge 56 of the board so that the edge 56 has a profile corresponding to the profile of the wall surface 54.

The tool 1 is positioned with the contact end 10 against the wall surface 54 and the marking device 30 just touching the edge of the board at the location of the widest gap between the edge 56 and the wall surface 54.

The tool is arranged such that the slide surface 34 is against the board 50 and the first axis 12 is substantially perpendicular to the gravitational vertical.

The tool 1 is then move along the surface of the wall in substantially the same orientation so that the marking means 30 records a profile line 58 on the board 50.

4061alvl 17 July 2003 - 11 A cut can then be made along the profile line 58 and the waste material 60 discarded.

Figure 6 shows a view from below of a different embodiment of a base member 106. The base member 106 includes two ridges 70 and 72 raised on the sliding surface that make contact with the board 50 and help a user to maintain the first axis in substantially parallel with the plane of the board.

Figure 7 shows a further embodiment of a base member 206.

This base member 206 includes spirit levels 74 mounted on the side walls 16. The spirit levels 74 comprise a curved tube 76 including a centre marking 78. The tube is partially filled with liquid so a bubble 80 remains in the tube 76. The bubble 80 naturally rises within the liquid and when the bubble 80 is located on the marker of the uppermost spirit level 74 the tool 1 is substantially perpendicular to gravitational vertical.

The invention has been described above by way of example only and it should be understood that alterations could be made in detail without departing from the scope of the invention. : .

4 061alvl 17 July 2003 - 12

Claims

Claims 1. A tool for recording a profile of a surface onto a board to be

located against said surface, the tool comprising retaining means and a body comprising a base member and a slide member, wherein: the base member extends along a first axis from a contact end for contacting the surface; the slide member includes a holding portion arranged to hold a marking device; the slide member is slidably mounted to the base member so that the holding portion can be moved towards or away from the contact end of the base member; the retaining means are arranged to secure the slide member with respect to the base member; and the tool is arranged to enable a user to use a marking device to mark a board that extends substantially parallel with said first axis.
2. A tool as claimed in Claim 1, further comprising a contact means arranged to contact the surface, wherein the contact means is rotatably mounted in the contact end of the base member.
3. A tool as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the contact means is a wheel.
4. A tool as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the contact means is formed from a metal.

4061alv2 May 2004 - 13
5. A tool as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising orientation means for indicating the orientation of the tool relative to a predetermined orientation.
6. A tool as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the orientation means includes a spirit level.
7. A tool as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the tool has a slide surface for making contact with, and for sliding over a surface of a board.
8. A tool as claimed in Claim 7, further comprising two spaced apart ridges located on the slide surface to facilitate a constant orientation of the tool parallel with a surface plane of a board.
9. A tool as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising a graduated scale located on the base member or the slide member.
10. A tool as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the base member includes an elongate aperture to permit a marking device to pass through to make contact with the board.
11. A tool as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the holding portion comprises an aperture through which a marking device can be located and held in place.

4061alv2 May 2004 - 14
12. A tool as claimed in Claim 11, wherein the aperture includes a resiliently deformable inner surface arranged to resiliently deform as a marking device is inserted into the aperture such that the marking device can be held within the aperture.
13. A tool as claimed in Claim 12, wherein the resiliently deformable inner surface is formed from a rubber 'O' ring secured within the aperture.
14. A tool as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 10, wherein a marking device is permanently attached to the slide member
15. A tool as claimed in Claim 14, wherein a marking device is integrally formed with the slide member.
16. A tool as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the base member has side walls and inwardly extending lips, for retaining the slide member, and for substantially preventing movement of the slide member in a direction perpendicular to the first axis.
17. A tool as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the retaining means comprises a gantry between the side walls of the base member.
18. A tool as claimed in Claim 17, further comprising a threaded bolt extending through the gantry, wherein the bolt can be rotated to contact the slide member and exert 4061alv2 May 2004 - 15 a force on the slide member to secure the slide member in position relative to the base member.
19. A tool as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the body is formed from moulded plastic.
20. A method of recording a profile of a surface onto a board using a tool, the tool comprising retaining means and a body comprising a base member and a slide member, wherein: the base member extends along a first axis from a contact end for contacting the surface; the slide member includes a holding portion; the slide member is slidably mounted to the base member; and wherein the method comprises the steps of: locating an edge of a board adjacent an uneven surface; using the holding portion of the tool to hold a marking device; positioning the tool against the board such that the first axis is substantially parallel with the board, and positioning the contact end of the tool against the surface at a location where the widest gap between the edge and the surface occurs; adjusting the position of the slide member along the first axis by sliding the slide member relative to the base member so that the marking device touches the edge of the board, and the contact end of the tool remains touching the surface; 4061alv2 May 2004 - 16 using the retaining means to secure the slide member in position with respect to the base member along the first axis; and moving the tool along the surface to record a profile line of the surface on the board;
21. A tool for recording a profile of a surface onto a board to be located against said surface, the tool comprising a body and a contact means wherein: the body extends along a first axis from a contact end; the contact means is rotatably mounted in the contact end of the body and is arranged to contact the surface; the body includes a holding portion arranged to hold a marking device; and the tool is arranged to enable a user to use a marking device held in the holding portion to mark a board that extends substantially parallel with the first axis.
22. A tool as claimed in Claim 21, wherein the contact means is a wheel.
23. A tool as claimed in Claim 21 or Claim 22, wherein the contact means is formed from a metal.
24. A tool as claimed in any one of Claims 21 to 23, further comprising orientation means for indicating the orientation of the tool relative to a predetermined orientation.

4061alv2 May 2004 - 17
25. A tool as claimed in Claim 24, wherein the orientation means includes a spirit level.
26. A tool as claimed in any one of Claims 21 to 25, wherein the tool has a slide surface for making contact with, and for sliding over a surface of the board.
27. A tool as claimed in Claim 26, further comprising two spaced apart ridges located on the slide surface to facilitate a constant orientation of the tool parallel with a surface plane of the board.
28. A tool as claimed in any one of Claims 21 to 28, wherein the holding portion comprises an aperture through which a marking device can be located and held in place.
29. A tool as claimed in Claim 28, wherein the aperture includes a resiliently deformable inner surface arranged to resiliently deform as a marking device is inserted into the aperture such that the marking device can be held within the aperture.
30. A tool as claimed in Claim 29, wherein the resiliently deformable inner surface is formed from a rubber 'O' ring secured within the aperture.
31. A tool as claimed in any one of Claims 21 to 27, wherein a marking device is permanently attached to the tool.

4061alv2 May 2004 - 18
32. A tool as claimed in Claim 31, wherein a marking device is integrally formed with the tool.
33. A tool as claimed in any one of Claims 21 to 32, wherein the body is formed from moulded plastic.
34. A tool substantially as herein described, with reference to, or as shown in, the accompanying drawings.
35. A method of recording a profile of a surface onto a board, the method being substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

4061alv2 May 2004