US20030079437A1

US20030079437A1 - Quoin template

Info

Publication number: US20030079437A1
Application number: US10/233,360
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert Near
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-11-01
Filing date: 2002-09-03
Publication date: 2003-05-01
Also published as: CA2362868A1

Abstract

A quoin template made for aiding a mason in constructing quoin corners. The tool is fabricated from aluminum flat stock bent at 90 degrees with two horizontal faces of equal length comprising an upper and lower face bent at 90 degrees to form an extruded flat surface. The quoin template contains a corner brace for added strength and a handle situated at an area for proper balance. The quoin template is designed to be set on a quoin corner and aid a mason in aligning and offsetting the first course of brick on a quoin corner. The quoin template is designed to be quickly mounted and removed during the construction of quoin corners.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the masonry trade in general and in particular to the construction of quoin corners of brick units. The term “quoin corner” refers broadly to the external corners of a building and more especially to any square or rectangular materials set into the corners of a building and in effect determining the outlines of such a corner. Quoin corners on a brick veneer wall may typically consist of a corner section of a masonry wall 1-½ brick long and four courses of brick high protruding ¾″ from the existing brick wall. The quoin corner most commonly commences on the third course of brick on the wall, and is spaced horizontally with an elevation of two courses of brick.

Construction of quoin corners using masonry units such as bricks is accomplished by laying the brick on a mortar bed and using a tape measure to establish a {fraction (3)}″ offset from the existing wall. A level is used to line up and square the quoin corner. This common practice of constructing quoin corners is time consuming and somewhat tedious, due to the problems encountered of bricks having the tendency to tip due to the offset and the need to square the first course of brick on the quoin corner using a level for a guide.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The quoin template consists of a fabricated device to set on a corner of a masonry wall to aid in the construction of quoin corners of brick units. The common practice of constructing a quoin corner is laying a brick usually with a ¾″ offset from the existing wall and using a tape measure and level to obtain a consistent offset and proper alignment of the quoin corner in relationship to the existing wall. This practice is tedious and time consuming even to the skilled mason, as problems may arise with bricks tipping due to the cantilevered effect of the offset and the movement of bricks while squaring the corner. The quoin template greatly reduces these problems by providing a surface to support and align the first course of brick on the quoin corner.

It is the object of my invention to provide a useful and simple fabricated quoin template to be used in the construction of quoin corners of masonry units, which will eliminate common problems of tipped bricks and the time consuming practice of squaring the first course of brick on the quoin corner. It is further the object of my invention to provide a simply constructed readily mountable and dismountable quoin template, which can be applied within seconds and can be removed equally expeditiously. It is further the object of my invention to provide a quoin template having an extruded edge to support and square the first course of bricks in the construction of quoin corners.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a three-dimensional drawing of a [0005] masonry wall 3 comprising a quoin corner 4.
FIG. 1A is a three dimensional drawing of a [0006] masonry wall 3 comprising a quoin corner 4 with the quoin template I including a mortar bed 2 applied.
FIG. 2 is a three dimensional drawing of the outer face of the quoin template shown in FIG. 1 having a handle, corner brace, and weld beads for the purpose of attaching the handle and corner brace. [0007]
FIG. 3 is a three-dimensional drawing of the inner face of the quoin template. [0008]
FIG. 4 is a three-dimensional exploded drawing detailing the components of the quoin template. [0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the masonry trade in general and in particular to the construction of quoin corners of brick units. A quoin corner may typically consist of a corner section of a masonry wall a brick and a half long and four courses of brick high. The quoin corners may be spaced apart vertically two courses of brick high and have an offset or protrude ¾″ outward from the existing brick wall to highlight the quoin corner. Commonly laying the brick on a bed of mortar and using a tape measure or a level to establish the offset for the first course of brick construct quoin corners. A level is used to square and align the first course of brick on the quoin corner. [0010]
This common practice of constructing quoin corners is time consuming and somewhat tedious even for a skilled mason. The steps of adjusting and squaring the bricks for the proper offset may cause some bricks to settle or tip since the bricks on the first course of the quoin corner have no support on the area of the brick protruding from the existing wall. Each quoin corner must be leveled vertically to the previous quoin corner and a constant offset must be maintained to create an accurate and appealing profile on the corners of masonry walls. The present invention is very user friendly and provides a very effective, productive, and less stressful means of building quoin corners. The quoin template comprises a formed template of lightweight and anti-rust material to use as a guide to start the first course of brick on a quoin corner ensuring each quoin corner has a consistent offset in relation to the previous quoin corners. After completion of the first quoin corner the template is placed on top of the first quoin corner to be used as a guide and support for the first course of brick on the quoin corner. The quoin template may reside in this position until completion of the quoin corner and two spacer courses are constructed at which time it is easily removed and set in position for the next quoin corner. The quoin template comprises flat stock material preferable aluminum having a face bent at 90 degrees extending longitudally in two directions of equal distant with an upper and lower face bend at 90 degrees to create an extruded surface. A brace is situated at the outer corner for added strength, and a handle is positioned at an area to create proper balance for ease of handling the device. The quoin template may be fabricated to conform to various brick sizes and elevations and quoin corner offsets. These factors do not alter the design since during fabrication only the sizes are changed to accommodate various quoin corner configurations. FIG. 1 is a three dimensional view of a [0011] masonry corner 3 and 4. The corner 4 where the two walls 3 meet is a quoin corner, which is offset from wall 3 to highlight the quoin corner. FIG. 1A is a three dimensional drawing of a masonry corner 3 meeting at a quoin corner 4 with the quoin template 1 and a mortar bed 2 applied. The quoin template 1 is first held against wall 3 to set the offset and align the first course of brick on the first quoin corner 4. When the second quoin corner is ready for construction, the quoin template is set on top of the ledge of the first quoin corner. After a mortar bed 2 is applied on the brick wall 3 and the quoin template 1, the first course of the quoin corner 4 is laid to meet the outer edge of the quoin template 1 allowing the brick to be supported and accurately aligned. The quoin template may reside in this position until the quoin corner is completed. Quoin corners 4 are commonly separated with two courses of brick 3. After these spacer courses are completed the quoin template may be removed and set on the following quoin corner.
FIG. 2 is a three-dimensional drawing of the outer face of the quoin template. FIG. 3 is a three dimensional drawing of the inner face of the quoin template. FIG. 4 is a three dimensional drawing of a exploded view of the [0012] quoin template 1 having a face 2 part of a face 3 part of a face 4 part of a face 5 part of a face 6 part of a 7 bent at an 90 degree angle 8 and extending an equal distant. The handle 9 having a face 10 part of a face 11 part of a face 12 part of a face 13 part of a face 14 are bent at 90-degree angles. The brace 15 having a face 15 and 17 bent at 90 degrees. The handle 9 and brace 15 are attached to the quoin template I with welds 18.

Claims

I claim:

1. A quoin template comprised of flat stock aluminum bent at 90 degrees with faces extending horizontally of an equal dimension, and faces extending vertically of an equal dimension. The upper and lower horizontal faces are also bent at 90 degrees comprising a protruded surface to support and align offset brick on quoin corners. A corner brace is welded to outer corner for additional support and a handle is located at an area to provide proper balance for ease of handling. The device is constructed of aluminum material for it's lightweight composition and anti-rust qualities.

2. A quoin template which is configured for a more productive and accurate means of constructing quoin corners, by reducing common steps used in laying the first course of brick on each quoin corner, such as measuring the brick offset and aligning the brick.

3. A quoin template, which provides an extruded surface to support and align the first course of brick on a quoin corner ensuring each quoin corner, is offset consistently.

4. A quoin template, which is quickly mountable and removable as exspediously.