GB2520132A

GB2520132A - Support apparatus and extendable pole accessory for supporting crown moulding or other elongated workpieces on a wall surface

Info

Publication number: GB2520132A
Application number: GB1415651.7A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stuart Kilbee
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2013-09-09
Filing date: 2014-09-04
Publication date: 2015-05-13
Anticipated expiration: 2034-09-04
Also published as: CA2826804C; GB201415651D0; GB2520132B; CA2826804A1

Abstract

The apparatus comprises a pole having opposing floor and ceiling engagement ends 52b, 52a, the pole being extendible and collapsible along a longitudinal axis, a support bracket carried on the pole and comprising a lateral support arm 14 projecting to a respective side of the pole at an intermediate location between the floor and ceiling engagement ends, a wall contact element 16 at a distal end of the arm furthest from the pole on the respective side thereof, and a locking mechanism 46 to lock the pole at a number of different lengths. There may corresponding male and female features for attaching the bracket and pole. The pole may be adjustable via first and second telescopically mated sections 42, 44. There may be a right angled member at a distal end of the support arm defining a support surface for an elongate workpiece i.e. crown moulding.

Description

SUPPORT APPARATUS AND EXTENDABLE POLE ACCESSORY FOR

SUPPORTING CROWN MOULDING OR OTHER ELONGATED WORKPIECES

ON A WALL SURFACE

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for supporting crown moulding or another similar workpiece against a wall surface during installation, and more particularly to a support bracket mountable to a side of an extendable pole assembly for use in such context.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It has been previously proposed in the prior art to address the difficulty of installing crown moulding at the corner joint between an upstanding wall and overlying ceiling without an assistant by using an elongated pole-like tool carrying one or more resilient pads thereon to brace the crown moulding up into this corner.

For example, U.S. Patent No. 7,603,817 and U.S. Patent Application IS Publication No. 201 1/0303815 both teach use of a pole on which a spring-loaded end assembly is mounted, whereby the overall length of the tool can be compressed to a small degree by forcing the top-end assembly up against the ceiling near the corner between the ceiling and the wall so as to wedge the tool into a frictionally-maintained position angling upwardly toward the corner from a greater distance outward from the wall. This position is maintained by a floor engaging member frictionally gripping the floor at the lower end of the sloped pole and a ceiling engaging pad frictionally gripping the ceiling. A second pad is carried on a same pivotally mounted body of the top-end assembly as the ceiling pad for placement of this second pad against the wall. These pads are carried on support arms that join the pads to the pivotal body, whereby the support arms cooperate with the wall and ceiling to define four sides of a box area" or encapsulating space" in which the crown moulding is received, and thus supported in a position at or closely adjacent the corner defined between the wall and ceiling.

The sloped angle wedge-type fitting of the apparatus between the floor and ceiling may result in some concern over the possibility of the floor-engaged end slipping out of place and allowing the crown moulding to fall, potentially causing damage or injury.

The prior art also includes tools for supporting crown moulding from the ground to avoid the risk of potential fall from a ladder, which is often required in order to reach high enough to manually support a piece of crown moulding at the desired point of installation.

For example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0119062 IS teaches a crown moulding tool in which two pads are again provided at a top end of a pole-shaped handle, but the pads are both directly coupled to a pivot body attached the top end of the pole, and the crown moulding is held in place with these pads. As best understood, the tool appears to be manually held in place during use, and thus doesn't provide a self-supporting solution freeing up both hands of a single user to allow moulding installation without an assistant.

Elongated tools for supporting workpieces or objects other than crown moulding have also been proposed, as outlined below, but don't appear to be suitable for bracing crown moulding during installation of same due to the shape and corner-joint location of such moulding.

U.S. Patent No. US8376341 teaches a tool with a base member configured to engage a ladder or scaffolding rung at the bottom end of a length adjustable rod, which also carries a lateral brace projecting perpendicularly from the rod at an intermediate location to attach to a point of greater height on the ladder or scaffold. A top end of the adjustable rod carries a support member for holding up the object or workpiece in question.

POT Publication No. WO 96/01353 teaches an extendable prop device for holding up construction materials. A central tube telescopically receives two smaller end-tubes in its opposing ends. One end tube is manually adjustable in its extension from the central tube, and lockable relative thereto by a cam mechanism, and the other end tube is spring biased to a position of maximum extension. End caps of frictional material are mounted on the end tubes may engaging a floor at one IS end and the piece of construction material at the other. Different heads may be substituted for one cap depending on the type of material to be supported. The device is described as useful for temporarily supporting ceiling tiles and cabinets, U.S. Patent No. D592822 discloses a lifter that is commercially available from the A. Richard Tools Company, but is designed for lifting wall-finishing panel-shaped materials such as drywall, and not crown-moulding or other corner-finishing materials.

Applicant has developed a unique solution for supporting crown moulding or the like in the approximate installation location at the corner joint between a wall and ceiling.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided an apparatus for supporting an elongated workpiece against a wall surface at a height above a floor surface from the wall surface is upstanding, the apparatus comprising: an elongated pole assembly having a floor engagement end and an opposing ceiling engagement end, the elongated pole assembly being extendable and collapsible along a longitudinal axis to increase and decrease an adjustable overall length of the pole assembly between the floor engagement end and the opposing ceiling engagement thereof; a support bracket carried on the elongated pole assembly and comprising a lateral support arm projecting laterally to a respective side of the I 5 elongated pole assembly at an intermediate location disposed between, and spaced from each of, the floor engagement end and ceiling engagement end of the elongated pole assembly; a wall contact element at a distal end of the lateral support arm furthest from the elongated pole assembly on the respective side thereof; and a locking mechanism operable to lock the adjustable length of the elongated pole assembly at any one of a plurality of different selectable lengths.

Preferably the support bracket is adjustable in position to change the intermediate location at which the lateral arm projects from the elongated pole assembly.

Preferably the support bracket is detachable from the elongated pole assembly and selectively re-attachable thereto in any a plurality of different intermediate positions thereon.

Preferably there are provided a series of first engagement features spaced apart along the longitudinal axis on one of the elongated pole assembly and the support bracket, and a second engagement feature on the other of the elongated pole assembly and the support bracket, the first and second engagement features being opposite ones of male and female features and the second engagement feature being selectively engagable with any of a plurality of the first engagement features in the series, each defining a respective one of the different intermediate positions at which the support bracket is attachable to the elongated pole assembly.

I S Preferably the series of first engagement features are female engagement features defined on the elongated pole assembly, and the second engagement feature is a male feature defined on the support bracket.

Preferably there are provided a plurality of second engagement features spaced apart along the longitudinal axis, wherein a first distance measured between any two adjacent ones of said second engagement features equals an integer multiple of a second distance by which every pair of two adjacent first engagement features in the series of said first engagement features are spaced apart from one another.

Preferably the pole assembly comprises first and second telescopically mated pole sections.

Preferably the pole assembly further comprises a contact pad attached to the first pole section at a distal end thereof opposite a proximal end of the first pole section that is telescopically engaged with the second pole section, the contact pad defining the ceiling engagement end of the pole assembly and being attached to the first pole section independently of the support bracket.

Preferably the contact pad is pivotally attached to the first pole section for pivoting of the contact pad about a transverse axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pole assembly.

Preferably the support bracket is mounted to the first pole section on side thereof corresponding to the respective side of the pole assembly to which the support arm of the support bracket extends.

Preferably the side of the first pole section on which the support IS bracket is mounted is flat.

The first pole section may be rectangular in cross-section.

Preferably the first pole section has a series of openings in the side thereof to which the support bracket is mounted and the second pole section has a ratchet mechanism mounted thereon that engages the openings in the first pole section for extension of the pole assembly in a ratcheted manner, and wherein the support bracket comprises a base member lying parallel to the first pole section and one or more protuberances each projecting laterally from the base member in a direction opposite the support arm into a respective one of the openings in the side of the first pole section to block the base member from axial movement relative to the first pole section.

Preferably there is provided at least one fastener releaseably securing the support bracket to the first pole section to prevent lateral separation of the base member of the support bracket from the side of the first pole section.

Preferably the support bracket comprises a base member lying parallel to the post assembly on the respective side thereof with the support arm projecting laterally from the base member, and at least one fastener releaseably securing the support bracket to the first pole section to prevent lateral separation of the base member of the support bracket from the respective side of the pole assembly.

Preferably the one fastener is arranged to embrace about the pole assembly.

Preferably the one fastener comprises a flexible strip arrangement connected to the support bracket and comprising mating hook and loop fastener IS elements for fastening together of the strip arrangement about the pole assembly to secure the support bracket thereto.

Preferably the strip arrangement comprises a single flexible strip fed through a hole in the base member of the support bracket and having the hook and loop fastener elements attached to the strip adjacent respective opposing ends of the strips.

The strip arrangement may be riveted to the support bracket.

Preferably the support bracket comprises a brace spanning between the base member and the support arm.

Preferably the support bracket comprises a right angle member attached to the support arm at the distal end thereof, a lateral facing leg of the right angle member carries the wall contact element and an upward facing leg of the right angle member defines a support surface for longitudinally underlying the workpiece in a supportive manner during use the apparatus.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided an accessory for an elongated pole assembly comprising telescopically mating pole sections extendable and collapsible along a longitudinal axis between a floor engagement end of the elongated pole assembly and an opposing ceiling engagement end of the elongated to increase and decrease an adjustable overall length of the pole assembly between the floor engagement end and the opposing ceiling engagement thereof so that the pole assembly can be extended into a self-supporting upright position frictionally engaging opposing floor and ceiling surfaces at the opposing ends of the pole assembly, the accessory comprising: IS a support bracket for supporting an elongated workpiece against a wall surface at a height above the floor surface when the elongated pole assembly is extended into the self-supporting position between said floor surface and the opposing ceiling surface at a position laterally outward from the wall surface, the support bracket comprising a longitudinal base member for receipt in an installed position placed against, and fastened to, a respective one of the pole sections at a respective side thereof at an intermediate location along the pole assembly so that the longitudinal base member does not reach past the ceiling engagement end of the pole assembly, and a lateral support arm projecting laterally from the base member so as to reach laterally away from the respective one of the pole sections on the respective side thereof when the base member is placed thereagainst; and at least one fastener arranged to releasably fasten support bracket to the elongated pole assembly in the installed position.

23. The accessory of claim 22 wherein at least one protuberance projects laterally from the base member in a direction opposite the support arm for receipt of the protuberance in a respective one of a series of openings in the side of the first pole section to block the base member from axial movement relative to the respective one of the pole sections.

24. The accessory of claim 23 wherein the at least one protuberance comprises a plurality of protuberances.

25. The accessory of any one of claims 22 to 24 wherein the fastener is arranged to embrace about the pole assembly.

26. The accessory of any one of claims 22 to 25 wherein the I 5 fastener comprises a flexible strip arrangement connected to the support bracket and comprising mating hook and look fastener elements for fastening together of the strip arrangement about the pole assembly to secure the support bracket thereto.

27. The accessory of claim 26 wherein the strip arrangement comprises a single flexible strip fed through a hole in the base member of the support bracket and having the hook and loop fastener elements attached to the strip adjacent respective opposing ends of the strips.

28. The accessory of claim 26 or 27 wherein the strip arrangement is riveted to the support bracket.

29. The accessory of any one of claims 22 to 28 wherein the support bracket comprises a brace spanning between the base member and the support arm.

30. The accessory of any one of claims 22 to 29 wherein the support bracket comprises a right angle member attached to the support arm at a distal end thereof opposite the base member, a lateral facing leg of the right angle member carries a wall contact element and an upward facing leg of the right angle member defines a support surface for longitudinally underlying the workpiece along the wall surface in a supportive manner during use the accessory on the pole assembly.

31. An accessory for an elongated pole assembly comprising telescopically mating pole sections extendable and collapsible along a longitudinal axis between a floor engagement end of the elongated pole assembly and an opposing ceiling engagement end of the elongated pole assembly to increase and I 5 decrease an adjustable overall length of the pole assembly between the floor engagement end and the opposing ceiling engagement thereof so that the pole assembly can be extended into a self-supporting upright position frictionally engaging opposing floor and ceiling surfaces at the opposing ends of the pole assembly, the accessory comprising: a support bracket for supporting an elongated workpiece against a wall surface at a height above the floor surface when the elongated pole assembly is extended into the self-supporting between said floor surface and the opposing ceiling surface at a position laterally outward from the wall surface, the support bracket comprising: a base for receipt in an installed position placed against, and fastened to, a respective one of the pole sections at a respective side thereof and a support arm projecting from the base member so as to reach laterally away from the respective one of the pole sections on the respective side thereof when the base member is placed thereagainst; and at least one protuberance projecting from the base in a direction opposite the support arm for receipt of the protuberance in a selected one of a series of openings spaced along the longitudinal axis in the side of the first pole section to set a location along the longitudinal axis at which the support bracket is disposed in the installed position.

32. The accessory of claim 31 wherein the at least one protuberance comprises a plurality of protuberances and a distance measured IS between any two adjacent ones of said plurality of protuberances equals an integer multiple of a second distance by which every pair of two adjacent openings in the respective pole section are spaced apart from one another along the longitudinal axis.

Preferably

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one or more exemplary embodiments of the present invention: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a support bracket of the present invention for attachment to a telescopically extendable and collapsible pole assembly to form a tool useful in supporting crown moulding during installation.

Figure 2A is a partial close-up view of the support bracket of Figure 1, illustrating a fastener thereof for use in securing the support bracket to the pole assembly.

Figure 2B is a partial close up view of the supporting bracket of Figure 1, illustrating the same fastener as Figure 2A but from a different side of the support bracket, particularly a side thereof that faces laterally away from the pole assembly of the assembled tool.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the tool assembled form the support IS bracket of Figure 1 and a telescopically extendable and collapsible pole assembly to which the support bracket is fastened.

Figure 4 is a partial close up view of the assembled tool of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a perspective view illustrating the tool of Figure 4 in use to support a length of crown moulding during installation of same.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Figure 1 shows a support bracket 10 of one embodiment the present invention designed as an accessory for a commercially available, telescopically extendable and collapsible pole assembly marked as the Quick Support R0dTM by Task Tools -Div. of Caplan Industries Inc. of Delta, British Columbia, Canada. The support bracket is used in order to convert the pole assembly into a suitable tool for supporting crown moulding or other elongated material at an elevated location at the corner joint between an upright wall and intersecting ceiling.

The support bracket features an elongated base member 12 of linearly extending vertical orientation, and a support arm 14 of linearly extending horizontal orientation fixed to and projecting perpendicularly from the base member 12 at the top end thereof. In the illustrated embodiment, each of these members is formed by a respective length of angle iron, but members of other shape and material may alternatively be employed to achieve similar result, as will be appreciated from the following further description of the structure and function of the support bracket. The base and support arm may be mitered at the corner joint between them, as shown Figure 1. A diagonal brace 15 spans obliquely between the base and support arm 12, 14 from near a distal end of the support arm that lies opposite the base to a IS distance partially down the base 12 from the joint of the base with the support arm.

The brace may be formed of a thin metal bar or strip of metal plate placed flush against coplanar faces of the angle iron base and support arm members 12, 14. In other embodiments, sufficient joint strength between the base and support arm may omit the need for a reinforcing brace between the two.

A third piece of angle iron defines a right angle support rail 16 fixed to the support arm 14 at the distal end thereof in a horizontally extending position lying perpendicularly cross-wise to the support arm 14. A horizontal leg 18 of the angle iron support rail 16 has its top surface 18a flush with a horizontal top surface 19a of the support arm 14 in place of a cut-away end portion of the horizontal leg 19 of the support arm 14 from which the vertical leg of the support arm's angle-iron structure depends. The topside ISa of the support rail's horizontal leg 18 defines a support surface atop which the crown moulding is seated during use of the support bracket in the manner described herein further below. The vertical leg 20 of the support rail 16 depends downward from the horizontal leg 18 thereof at the edge of the horizontal leg lying furthest from the base member 12 just beyond the distal end of the support arm 14. The surface 20a of this vertical leg facing laterally away from the base member forms a wall engagement element for placement against the wall on which the crown moulding is to be placed at a height spaced downward from the ceiling.

Turning back to the base member 12 of the support bracket 10, a pair of slot-shaped openings 22 are respectively cut through the leg 24 of the angle iron base 12 that lies in a vertical plane perpendicular to the length of the horizontal IS support rail 16 and to which the diagonal brace 15 is flush mounted. Each of the two slots 22 has an elongated direction lying parallel to the vertical length of the base member 12, and is located nearer a respective one of the top and bottom ends of the base member. A respective strip of flexible material 26 having two opposing free ends and passes through each slot 22, and an intermediate portion of the strip is fastened to the base through the other leg 28 of the base's angle iron shape, which lies in a vertical plane perpendicular to the slotted leg 24 of the base so as to face away from the support arm and rail 14, 16. In the illustrated embodiment, the strip of material is fastened by a rivet 30 that is engaged through the leg 28 of the base, and

IS

onward through the flexible strip 26, where it engages a flat washer 32. The flexible strip is thus sandwiched in place between the washer and the leg of the base.

An area of hook material 26a is fixed to one face of the flexible strip to extend at least a partial length of the strip from one free end thereof, and a strip of mating loop material 26b is fixed to the other face of the flexible strip to extend at least a partial length of the strip from the other free end thereof. Accordingly, one end of the strip can be placed over the other in an overlapping manner to fasten these ends of the strip together via the hook and loop fastener formed by this arrangement, whereby the flexible strip forms a closed loop or ring passing through the respective slot 22 in the base of the support bracket.

A short distance above each of the slots 22, a respective pin 34 projects perpendicularly from the leg 28 of the base to which the hook and loop fastener strips are riveted to form male protuberances that jut outward from the base to the side thereof opposite that to which the support arm 14 extends to carry the IS support rail 16. The pins 34 of the illustrated embodiment are identical and each have a generally oblong cross-section that is horizontally wider than it is vertically tall.

Turning now to Figure 3, the forgoing support bracket is shown in an installed position on a Quick Support Rod 40 to form an assembled crown moulding support tool. The commercially available Quick Support Rod is a telescopically extendable and collapsible pole assembly featuring a first upper pole section 42 having one end thereof slidably disposed within a second lower pole section 44 for telescopic extension and retraction of the upper pole section 42 through an open upper end of the lower pole section in order to increase and descrease the overall length of the assembly between opposing ends thereof that respectively engage the floor and ceiling during use of the tool of the present invention. The lower pole section 44 is of circular cross-section, while the upper pole section 42 of a hollow rectangular configuration of an outer diagonal measure that is less than the inner diameter of the lower pole section so as to fit slidably therein.

A ratchet mechanism 46 is mounted to the lower pole section at the open upper end thereof with a manual control member 46a for engagement and disengagement of a ratchet action of the mechanism. In a side of the rectangular upper pole section 42 that faces the side of the lower pole section on which the ratchet mechanism is mounted, a series of rectangular holes 48 are provided in a manner spaced apart equally from one to the next along the longitudinal axis of the linearly extending upper pole section. When the ratchet mechanism is engaged in its normal default state, the ratchet member is biased so as to automatically engage IS with one of the holes 48 in the upper pole section.

The shape of the ratchet member is such that it will resist, but not fully block, sliding of the upper pole section in the direction extending the same from the lower pole section, and on the other hand will fully prevent sliding of the upper pole section in the direction retracting the same further back into the lower pole section.

Accordingly, the user can pull upward on the upper pole section in order to draw more of the upper pole section from out of the lower pole section, and thereby increase the overall length of the pole assembly. The ratchet will retain this length via the biased default engagement of the ratchet member with one of the holes in the upper pole assembly. The automatic locking of ratchet mechanism prevents the tool from collapsing by blocking sliding of the upper pole section in the retracting direction back into the lower pole section,until such time as the user manipulates the ratchet control member out of its default position in order to disengage the ratchet and allow free sliding of the upper pole section back into the lower pole section.

At a free top end of the upper pole section 42 outside the lower pole section 44, the pole assembly features a pivot mount 50a atop which is carried a pad of resilient material 52a. The pivot mount supports the pad 52a in a manner pivotal about an axis perpendicular to the coincident axes of the linear pole sections 42, 44, whereby the pad is pivotal about a horizontal axis when the pole sections are vertically oriented. A similar pivotal pad configuration 50b, 52b is provided at the free bottom end of the lower pole section 44 opposite the open upper end of the lower pole section 44 from which the upper pole section 42 extends.

The support bracket 10 is installed on the pole assembly 40 by mating IS the pin-equipped side of the base member 12 against the hole-equipped side of the upper pole section 42 so that the two pins 34 of the support bracket engage into a respective non-adjacent pair of the holes in the side of the upper pole section 42, whereby the otherwise flat faces of these sides of the upper pole section and base member of the support bracket are placed flush against one another. The distance between the two pins 34 on the base member of the support bracket in the elongated length or height direction of the base member is an integer multiple of the equal distance between any two adjacent ones of the holes 48 in the upper pole section 42, whereby the user can install the support bracket on the pole assembly in any of a plurality of different positions along the upper pole section by engaging the pins 34 of the support bracket into a different pair of holes in the upper pole assembly. The installation of the support bracket onto the pole assembly is completed by securing bracket in place by closing the hook and loop fastener strips 26 around the upper pole section.

The engagement of the pins 34 of the support bracket into the holes of the upper pole section acts to block axial/vertical displacement between the two, and the embracing of the hook and loop fastener strips 26 around the upper pole section prevents lateral/horizontal separation between the base member of the support bracket and the upper pole section. While use of one pin would be sufficient to prevent axial displacement, use of two or more pins additionally prevents by the support bracket from tilting out of alignment with the pole assembly on a horizontal axis parallel to the pins, and thus is preferred over single-pin embodiments of the support bracket. The illustrated embodiment uses pins of rounded oblong, oval-like IS or elliptical shape to provide a notable filling of the elongated rectangular shape of the openings of the Quick Support Rod ratchet arrangement, while avoiding sharp corners that may make insertion more difficult. However, pins of other cross-sectional shape may be used.

The support bracket is installed in a position such that the support arm 14 and the support rail 16 are situated atan elevation below that of the pivot mount and pad assembly 50a, 52a at the top end of the upper pole section 42. The position of at which the support arm is installed, i.e. the pair of holes at which it is engaged to the upper pole section, is selected such that the difference in height between the top of the pad 52a and the topside of the support arm 14 and support rail 16 is sufficient to accommodate the height of the crown moulding that is to be installed using the tool.

The process of using the forgoing tool assembled from the support bracket and pole assembly begins with the pole assembly in a partially collapsed condition (i.e. an intermediate state between its fully collapsed state of minimum attainable length and its fully extended state of maximum attainable length). In this partially collapsed state, the overall length of the tool is less than the vertical height measured between a floor surface and an opposing ceiling surface. The pole assembly is manually held in a vertical upright position with the lower pad 50b situated flat against the floor surface at a distance from the wall and with the wall contact surface 20a of the support rail 26 against the surface of the wall onto which the crown moulding is to be installed.

The pole assembly is telescopically extended by the user until the top IS pad 50a is brought into flush contact with the ceiling, at which point the ratchet mechanism automatically locks the pole assembly at this length, and frictional contact of the pads with the floor and ceiling maintain the extended pole assembly in this vertical orientation standing perpendicularly upright between the floor and ceiling. During this extension of the pole assembly, the wall contact surface 20a slides up the wall, and ends up at a distance below the ceiling as determined by the selected installation position of the support bracket relative to the ceiling-engaging contact pad bOa.

The support arm and rail of the support rod and the top portion of the pole assembly reaching upward past the support bracket to the ceiling cooperate with the ceiling surface and wall surface against which the upper ceiling contact pad 50a and laterally outer wall contact surface 20a are situated in order to define a "box area" or "encapsulating space" like those described in the first two prior art references summarized in the background section of the present application.

Accordingly, one end of the crown moulding can be passed through this space so that the crown moulding sits atop the support arm and rail 14, 16 at a position adjacent to the ceiling/wall joint at which the crown moulding is to be installed. As an alternative to extending the tool into this position prior to placing the moulding on the support bracket, an end-adjacent portion of the moulding may be placed onto the support arm and rail at the position of the support bracket against the wall before extending the pole assembly upward, whereby this end portion of the moulding is raised along with the support bracket during the extension of the pole assembly. A IS second tool of the same type may then be used to raise a second end portion of the moulding up to the wall/ceiling joint, whereby both end portions of the moulding are supported by the tools so that both hands of the installer are free to make final manual adjustment of the crown moulding piece, and to fasten the same in place at such a finalized installation position.

Alternatively, a single tool of the present invention may be used to support the moulding near one end thereof, with the other end being subsequently lifted and supported manually during the final adjustment and fastening process.

However, use of two tools to support the moulding near both ends thereof may provide the most user-friendly experience and most accurate results.

As another alternative, more than two tools may be used, for example for notable lengths of moulding where one or more intermediate supports may be required between the tool-supported end portions of the moulding. Figure 5 illustrates a tool in use at an intermediate point along the wall/ceiling joint in order to provide intermediate support to a length of crown moulding 60 while an installer standing on a stepladder fine-tunes the position of the moulding within the joint and fastens the same in place with a nail gun, all without the aid of an assistant due to the support of the moulding by two or more of the tools at spaced apart positions along the length of the moulding.

While the illustrated embodiment uses rivets to hold the hook and loop fastener strips 26 in place and uses separate pins to engage the support bracket to the telescopic pole assembly, another embodiment features use of screws to I 5 perform both of these functions. In this embodiment, each fastener strip 26 still passes through a respective slot shaped opening 22, but is not held in place by a rivet. Instead, a screw is driven through the fastener strip and the pole-facing leg of the base from the side of this leg that faces away from the pole so that the head of the screw holds the fastener strip in place against this leg in order to secure the fastener strip to the base of the bracket. On the other side of this leg of the base, the shaft of the screw projects outward from this pole-facing side of the base so as to define a respective one of the pins 34 for insertion into the ratchet holes 48 that open into the upper pole section 42 of the pole assembly 40.

The support bracket may be sold alone as an add-on accessory for a Quick Support Rod or other extendabletcollapsible pole assembly. Alternatively or additionally, a complete tool kit including both the bracket and the pole assembly may be packaged or bundled together. It will be appreciated that the benefits of a support bracket that can be secured in place to the side of a extendable/collapsible pole assembly at different heights therealong may be gained regardless of the details of whether the support bracket is fully detachable, and how the bracket and pole assembly mates and fastens to the pole assembly if they are detachable from one another. Likewise, benefits of the support bracket and extendable collapsible pole can be gained regardless of whether the telescoping pole sections are locked together at the selected extended length by a ratchet mechanism like that of the Quick Support Rod, or by some other known mechanism for locking together telescopically mated members at a selected one of a plurality of different attainable lengths. However, the illustrated embodiment in which elements of the ratcheting IS mechanism double as elements of the fastening system for attaching the support bracket to the pole assembly may provide some added benefit or advantage over other embodiments.

In yet another embodiment, male-female engagement of male protuberances on one of the support bracket and the pole assembly with female openings in the other may be used as part of the attachment system between the support bracket and pole assembly regardless of whether either of the male or female features provides a secondary purpose, such as being part of a ratchet type mechanism for controlling telescopic movement of the pole sections. In such case, the male features may even be provided on the pole assembly instead of on the support bracket, provided they do not interfere with the telescopic extension and retraction of the pole assembly. While in the illustrated embodiment the upper pole section is the pole section of smaller cross-section that fits inside a lower pole section of larger cross-section, this arrangement may be reversed in other embodiments. Use of pole assemblies having more than two telescopic sections is also within the scope of the present invention, although the greater simplicity of the two section pole assembly may have benefits or advantages.

It will be appreciated that the terms horizontal and vertical are used above to denote the orientation in which the support bracket and pole assembly are illustrated, which correspond to the orientation of these elements when used in the context of a truly vertical wall disposed between truly horizontal wall and ceiling surfaces. However, it will be appreciated that such surfaces are not always completely true, and that the upright orientation of the pole assembly accordingly IS may not be 100% vertical during use. Use of pivotal contact pads at the ceiling and floor ends provides some accommodation for a substantially vertical pole orientation even where the floor or ceiling surfaces may deviate from truly parallel or truly horizontal orientations. However, embodiments lacking pivotal floor or ceiling contact or engagement elements are still contemplated within the scope of the present invention. Features other than generally flat pads may also be used at the points of the contact with the floor and ceiling, just as the particular shape and configuration of topside of the support bracket on which the crown moulding sits may depart from the illustrated configuration of a coplanar surfaces of a support arm reaching from the pole assembly and a perpendicularly rail at the distal end of this support arm.

Manual installation and repair of crown moulding can be difficult, time consuming, dangerous and often requires more than one worker. Lack of assistance in any installation, removal or repair of crown moulding can cause time delays, as well as potential fixture and structure damage. Users can also harm themselves and others if moulding is not properly installed. A safe and effective solution is needed for individuals who want to install or repair crown moulding without the help of someone else.

The Crown Moulding Support Bracket of the illustrated embodiment provides users with an easier way to install crown moulding when working alone. Briefly summarized, the illustrated embodiment includes a bracket attached to an adjustable pole braced between the floor and ceiling against a wall. It allows for the measuring, adjusting, installing, repairing and IS removing of crown moulding. The assistance of another user, or nails or screws to implement a temporary wall-mounted support are eliminated, as the bracket secures the crown moulding in place without causing damage or danger.

Professional carpenters, property restorers, DIY specialists or the everyday layman may also appreciate this time saving and handy tool.

The Crown Moulding Support Bracket can be used to aid one person in the installation, removal or repair of crown moulding. The resulting tool comprises a metal bracket (a gallows bracket with an extra perpendicular arm or rail) that can be attached to an adjustable or non-adjustable pole to be used in the fitting and fixing of crown moulding. With the assistance of two brackets, a user can easily fit and fix long lengths of crown moulding on his or her own without the aid of another user. The moulding can maneuver with ease within the devices to be marked for cutting internal or external miter joints, S eliminating the chance of falling or damaging the moulding. As described and illustrated, the support bracket may have a hook and loop fastener strip that could be woven through slits on the support bracket, which would then be attached to the pole.

The pole may be braced between the floor and the ceiling, against the wall to allow for measuring, adjusting or fixing the crown moulding without causing damage to the moulding, walls or ceiling. No nails or screws would be required to support the moulding during the process. To prevent any damage to the surfaces that come into contact with the moulding, a thin soft vinyl or fabric may cover the sharp edges of the device. The invention may measure 14" high, 10" long and 5 1/2" wide in one embodiment, although these measurements are presented as examples only.

A person may use brackets to hang a long section of moulding.

One end may be slid into place along the ceiling using the bracket. Then the other end may be lifted into place and the pole then braced between floor and ceiling. The brackets hold the moulding in place while the user secures it with a pin gun. The exact specifications, materials used, and method of use of Crown Moulding Support Bracket may of course vary.

Since various modifications can be made in my invention as herein above described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made within the spirit and scope of the claims without department from such spirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. An apparatus for supporting an elongated workpiece against a wall surface at a height above a floor surface from the wall surface is upstanding, the apparatus comprising: an elongated pole assembly having a floor engagement end and an opposing ceiling engagement end, the elongated pole assembly being extendable and collapsible along a longitudinal axis to increase and decrease an adjustable overall length of the pole assembly between the floor engagement end and the opposing ceiling engagement thereof; a support bracket carried on the elongated pole assembly and comprising a lateral support arm projecting laterally to a respective side of the elongated pole assembly at an intermediate location disposed between, and spaced from each of, the floor engagement end and ceiling engagement end of the elongated pole assembly; IS a wall contact element at a distal end of the lateral support arm furthest from the elongated pole assembly on the respective side thereof; and a locking mechanism operable to lock the adjustable length of the elongated pole assembly at any one of a plurality of different selectable lengths.
2. The apparatus of claim I wherein the support bracket is adjustable in position to change the intermediate location at which the lateral arm projects from the elongated pole assembly.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the support bracket is detachable from the elongated pole assembly and selectively re-attachable thereto in any a plurality of different intermediate positions thereon.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 comprising a series of first engagement features spaced apart along the longitudinal axis on one of the elongated pole assembly and the support bracket, and a second engagement feature on the other of the elongated pole assembly and the support bracket, the first and second engagement features being opposite ones of male and female features and the second engagement feature being selectively engagable with any of a plurality of the first engagement features in the series, each defining a respective one of the different intermediate positions at which the support bracket is attachable to the elongated pole assembly.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the series of first engagement features are female engagement features defined on the elongated pole assembly, I 5 and the second engagement feature is a male feature defined on the support bracket.
6. The apparatus of claim 4 or 5 comprising a plurality of second engagement features spaced apart along the longitudinal axis, wherein a first distance measured between any two adjacent ones of said second engagement features equals an integer multiple of a second distance by which every pair of two adjacent first engagement features in the series of said first engagement features are spaced apart from one another.
7. The apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the pole assembly comprises first and second telescopically mated pole sections.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the pole assembly further comprises a contact pad attached to the first pole section at a distal end thereof opposite a proximal end of the first pole section that is telescopically engaged with the second pole section, the contact pad defining the ceiling engagement end of the pole assembly and being attached to the first pole section independently of the support bracket.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the contact pad is pivotally attached to the first pole section for pivoting of the contact pad about a transverse axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pole assembly.
10. The apparatus of any one of claims 7 to 9 wherein the support bracket is mounted to the first pole section on side thereof corresponding to the respective side of the pole assembly to which the support arm of the support bracket IS extends.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the side of the first pole section on which the support bracket is mounted is flat.
12. The apparatus of claim 10 or 11 wherein the first pole section is rectangular in cross-section.
13. The apparatus of any one of claims 10 to 12 wherein the first pole section has a series of openings in the side thereof to which the support bracket is mounted and the second pole section has a ratchet mechanism mounted thereon that engages the openings in the first pole section for extension of the pole assembly in a ratcheted manner, and wherein the support bracket comprises a base member lying parallel to the first pole section and one or more protuberances each projecting laterally from the base member in a direction opposite the support arm into a respective one of the openings in the side of the first pole section to block the base member from axial movement relative to the first pole section.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 comprising at least one fastener releaseably securing the support bracket to the first pole section to prevent lateral separation of the base member of the support bracket from the side of the first pole section.
15. The apparatus of any one of claims Ito 12 wherein the support bracket comprises a base member lying parallel to the post assembly on the respective side thereof with the support arm projecting laterally from the base member, and at least one fastener releaseably securing the support bracket to the first pole section to prevent lateral separation of the base member of the support I 5 bracket from the respective side of the pole assembly.
16. The apparatus of claim 14 or 15 wherein the one fastener is arranged to embrace about the pole assembly.
17. The apparatus of any one of claims 14 to 16 wherein the one fastener comprises a flexible strip arrangement connected to the support bracket and comprising mating hook and loop fastener elements for fastening together of the strip arrangement about the pole assembly to secure the support bracket thereto.
18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the strip arrangement comprises a single flexible strip fed through a hole in the base member of the support bracket and having the hook and loop fastener elements attached to the strip adjacent respective opposing ends of the strips.
19. The apparatus of claim 17 or 18 wherein the strip arrangement is riveted to the support bracket.
20. The apparatus of any one of claims 13 to 19 wherein the support bracket comprises a brace spanning between the base member and the support arm.
21. The apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 20 wherein the support bracket comprises a right angle member attached to the support arm at the distal end thereof, a lateral facing leg of the right angle member carries the wall contact element and an upward facing leg of the right angle member defines a support surface for longitudinally underlying the workpiece in a supportive manner during use the apparatus.
22. An accessory for an elongated pole assembly comprising IS telescopically mating pole sections extendable and collapsible along a longitudinal axis between a floor engagement end of the elongated pole assembly and an opposing ceiling engagement end of the elongated to increase and decrease an adjustable overall length of the pole assembly between the floor engagement end and the opposing ceiling engagement thereof so that the pole assembly can be extended into a self-supporting upright position frictionally engaging opposing floor and ceiling surfaces at the opposing ends of the pole assembly, the accessory comprising: a support bracket for supporting an elongated workpiece against a wall surface at a height above the floor surface when the elongated pole assembly is extended into the self-supporting position between said floor surface and the opposing ceiling surface at a position laterally outward from the wall surface, the support bracket comprising a longitudinal base member for receipt in an installed position placed against, and fastened to, a respective one of the pole sections at a respective side thereof at an intermediate location along the pole assembly so that the longitudinal base member does not reach past the ceiling engagement end of the pole assembly, and a lateral support arm projecting laterally from the base member so as to reach laterally away from the respective one of the pole sections on the respective side thereof when the base member is placed thereagainst; and at least one fastener arranged to releasably fasten support bracket to the elongated pole assembly in the installed position.
23. The accessory of claim 22 wherein at least one protuberance IS projects laterally from the base member in a direction opposite the support arm for receipt of the protuberance in a respective one of a series of openings in the side of the first pole section to block the base member from axial movement relative to the respective one of the pole sections.
24. The accessory of claim 23 wherein the at least one protuberance comprises a plurality of protuberances.
25. The accessory of any one of claims 22 to 24 wherein the fastener is arranged to embrace about the pole assembly.
26. The accessory of any one of claims 22 to 25 wherein the fastener comprises a flexible strip arrangement connected to the support bracket and comprising mating hook and look fastener elements for fastening together of the strip arrangement about the pole assembly to secure the support bracket thereto.
27. The accessory of claim 26 wherein the strip arrangement comprises a single flexible strip fed through a hole in the base member of the support bracket and having the hook and loop fastener elements aftached to the strip adjacent respective opposing ends of the strips.
28. The accessory of claim 26 or 27 wherein the strip arrangement is riveted to the support bracket.
29. The accessory of any one of claims 22 to 28 wherein the support bracket comprises a brace spanning between the base member and the support arm.
30. The accessory of any one of claims 22 to 29 wherein the IS support bracket comprises a right angle member attached to the support arm at a distal end thereof opposite the base member, a lateral facing leg of the right angle member carries a wall contact element and an upward facing leg of the right angle member defines a support surface for longitudinally underlying the workpiece along the wall surface in a supportive manner during use the accessory on the pole assembly.
31. An accessory for an elongated pole assembly comprising telescopically mating pole sections extendable and collapsible along a longitudinal axis between a floor engagement end of the elongated pole assembly and an opposing ceiling engagement end of the elongated pole assembly to increase and decrease an adjustable overall length of the pole assembly between the floor engagement end and the opposing ceiling engagement thereof so that the pole assembly can be extended into a self-supporting upright position frictionally engaging opposing floor and ceiling surfaces at the opposing ends of the pole assembly, the accessory comprising: a support bracket for supporting an elongated workpiece against a wall surface at a height above the floor surface when the elongated pole assembly is extended into the self-supporting between said floor surface and the opposing ceiling surface at a position laterally outward from the wall surface, the support bracket comprising: a base for receipt in an installed position placed against, and fastened to, a respective one of the pole sections at a respective side thereof and a support arm projecting from the base member so as to reach laterally away from the I 5 respective one of the pole sections on the respective side thereof when the base member is placed thereagainst; and at least one protuberance projecting from the base in a direction opposite the support arm for receipt of the protuberance in a selected one of a series of openings spaced along the longitudinal axis in the side of the first pole section to set a location along the longitudinal axis at which the support bracket is disposed in the installed position.
32. The accessory of claim 31 wherein the at least one protuberance comprises a plurality of protuberances and a distance measured between any two adjacent ones of said plurality of protuberances equals an integer multiple of a second distance by which every pair of two adjacent openings in the respective pole section are spaced apart from one another along the longitudinal axis.S