US2635343A

US2635343A - Rafter marking device

Info

Publication number: US2635343A
Application number: US161502A
Authority: US
Inventors: Hudson Charles
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1950-05-12
Filing date: 1950-05-12
Publication date: 1953-04-21
Anticipated expiration: 1970-04-21

Description

April 21, 1953 c. HUDSON 2,635,343

RAFTER MARKING DEVICE Filed May 12. 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET l INVENT OR BY WTTORNEY April 21, 1953 c. HUDSON 2,635,343

RAFTER MARKING DEVICE far-k; v Haifa/2 ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 21, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,635,343 RAFTER MARKING DEVICE Charles Hudson, South Fontana, Calif.

Application May 12, 1950, Serial No. 161,502

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a geometrical instrument and more particularly to an instrument for use in marking timber preparatory to cutting it.

The primary object of the invention is to enable a carpenter or like workman easily and quickly to mark timbers, such as roof rafters and the like at the proper angles for cutting.

Another object is to enable the workman to layout the proper angles at which valley and hip rafters are to be cut and to provide a pattern for such rafters preparatory to the cutting thereof.

Still another object is to enable the workman easily to determine the proper angle for heel cuts on all rafters, and in general to enable the workman easily and quickly to lay out the various angles on a piece of timber at which, said timber is to be out.

A further and more specfic object is to enable the instrument to be used in making either right or left hand cuts by simply reversing its position on the timber on which the angles are being laid out.

Among its features this invention embodiesan adjustable pattern by which the various angles at which rafters are to be cut may be deter-- mined, and the pattern used in guiding a marking means along the timber.

Other features include a bottom plate, a top plate of substantially the same peripheral contour as the bottom plate, a group of Windows adjacent one end of each plate, means holding saidplates in spaced parallel relation with windows therein in registry, ,a blade mounted between said plates to rotate about an axis adjacent the ends of said plates, angularly disposed straightedges along one side of said blade, and indices on said blade remote from the axis, said indices being visible through said windows and stops carried by the plates along the edges thereof remote from the straight edges on the blade for engaging a piece of timber to be marked.

\ Still-other features include means carried by the plates for holding theblade in various adjusted positions about the axis according to the readings of the indices which are visible through the windows, and spaced slots extending through the blade and said slots having straight edges which are accessible through the windows to enable a pencil or the like to be thrust through the windows and guided by the straight edge in making a mark on the timber upon which the device'is being used.

In the drawings;

- Figure l is a top plan view of a geometrical instrument embodying the features of this invention,

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the blade used in the instrument,

. Figure 3 is a longitudinalsectional view taken substantially along the line 33 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 Figure l,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary enlarged plan view of one of the scales employed in connection with the device,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary enlarged plan view of the device showing the window in the top plate through which certain indices are visible, and

substantially along the line l--! of Figure 1.

Referring tothe drawings in detail this instrue ment designated generally l0 comprises an elongated bottom plate l2 and an elongated. top plate l4 which is of the same peripheral contour as the plate I2. Carried by one longitudinal edge of the plate l2 and extending perpendicularly from said plate are a series of stop lugs l6, and carried by the adjacent edge of the top plate are spaced perpendicular lugs l8. The lugs 16 engage an edge of a timber to be marked, when the top plate I4 is uppermost, and the lugs l8 serve as stops to engage an edge of a timber to be cut when the bottom plate I2 is uppermost. It will thus be seen that the device is reversible and may be used in either position. The plates l2 and Id are held in spaced parallel relation by suitable rivets Zll which extend therethrough adjacent the marginal edges thereof as will be readily understood upon reference to the drawings. Extending through the plates adjacent one corner of instrument Ill is a pivot pin 22 by which a blade-to be more fully hereinafter described-is pivotally supported to move in an are between the plates. Formed in each plate adjacent the pivot 22 is an opening 24 of substantially triangular contour with the edge of the opening 24 remote from the pivot 22 lying sub--v stantially parallel with the longitudinal side edges of the plates. These openings 24 lie in registry and give access to certain elements of the blade as will be more fully hereinafter described Formed in the plates I 2 and M in spaced relation to the pivot 22 are registering openings 26 forming windows through which certain indices carried by the blades, to be more fully hereinafter described, are visible. As illustrated in Figure 1 l2 and I4 and opposite side walls of these open- Figure '7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken ings converge toward the edges of the plates remote from the lugs IE and I8 to form straight edges along which a marking instrument may be guided for marking rafters having what is known as the common pitch or for marking octagonal rafters. The openings 26 also serve as windows through which certain indices on the blade, to be more fully hereinafter described, are visible. Extending through the plates transversely thereof near the openings '26 are window openings 28 with the opening in one plate registering with that in the other, and these window openings lie transversely of the plates as will be readily understood upon reference to Figure ,1. These openings not only give visibility to certain indices carried by the blade, butalso render accessible by a marking instrument one straight edge of said blade. Registering substantially'tiiangular openings 30 are formed in the plates adjacent the ends thereof remote from the pivot g2, andformed in the top plate l4 adjacent the,

ends of the openings 3!] is a window opening 32 through which indices 34 carried bythe bottom plate 12 are visible. Extending outwardly from the edge of the plates carrying the lugs I 6 and I8 is an elongated lip 34 upon which indices 35 and 31. are carried. These indices lie along the edges of the openings 26 adjacent the edges of the plates 42 and- I4 carrying the lugs It and l, 8..-, .Carried' :by the lip or. flange 34 intermediate the ends thereof is a set screw 36, and a similar set screw38 is carried by a lug 40 formed on and extending outwardly from the edge of the plates 12- and ldfrorn -which the tongues or flanges 34 extend. These set

screws

36 and 38 cooperate in holding theblade of the device in various adjusted positions.

Pivotally supported on the pivot pin 22 for movement about the axis thereof and between the plates l2 and i4 is a blade designated generally 42. This blade 42 comprises a substantially rectangular body 44 which .is provided adjacent its smaller end with a suitable opening 46 for the reception of the pivot pin 22. The edge 48 of the body 44'lies adjacent the edges of the plates I2 and 14 carrying the

lugs

16 and 18, and formed on the body .4 adjacent the end thereof remote from the opening 46 is a lip or flange D havinga slot 52 extending thereto which serves as a finger grip for moving the blade between the plates 12 and I4. Formed along the edge of the body 44 remote from the edge 48 and lying in angular relation to the edge 48 is a straight edge 54, and lying adjacent said straight edge 54 at .a different angle thereto is a straight edge 56. Adjoining the end of the straight edge 56 remote from the straight edge 54 and lying in angular relation thereto is a straight edge 58 which extends substantially to the end of the body 44 remote from the pivot opening 46. An arm 60 projects from the smaller end of the body 44 in substantial alignment with the axis of the opening 46 and is provided with a straight edge 62 which lies perpendicular to the straight edge 54. Formed in the body 44 and curving about the axis of the opening 46 are spaced

concentric slots

64 and 66 through which the set

screws

36 and 38 are projected to holdthe blade in various adjusted positions between the plates l2 and I4. Spaced. slots 68 and are formed in the body 44, and when the parts are assembled with the blade between the plates I2 and I4, the

slots

68 and 10 will be accessible through the openings 26.

' Pivotally supported on a suitable pivot pin l2 .4 which extends between the plates adjacent the ends thereof remote from the pivot pin 22, and adjacent the smaller ends the openings 30 is a blade 14 carrying at its end remote from the pivot 12 a pointer Hi which moves between the plates [2 and I4 and is visible through the window 32. This pointer cooperates with the indices which are visible through the window 32 in determining the proper angles for hips and valleys. A lever arm 18 is connected to the blade 14 and projects beyond the confines of the plates I2 and I4 so that the blade 14 may be easily adjusted to the desired position with relation to the indices beneath the window 32.

In use when it is desired to lay out the proper angles for the cutting of a piece of timber, the instrument is placed on the timber with the lugs l6 lying against one edge of the timber and the set

screws

36 and 38 are loosened so as to permit the blade to move between the plates-l2 and I4. The blade is then moved to bring the

indices

80, 82 or 84 into the desired position with respect to the bottom edges of the openings .26 or 2B according to which type of rafter is to be cut, and with the parts in this position, the set screws 36 and 3B are locked, and the marks are made by using the various .straight edges carried by the blade, some of which are accessible through the openings 2G and 28, while others are accessible beyond the opposite edge of the instrument. When it is desired to lay out the angles on a piece of timber for hips and valleys, the device is placed on the timber as previously described, and the arm '13 is moved so as to adjust the plate 14 to the desired. position according to the indices visible through the Window 32 whereupon the blades 14 lying at the desired angle is accessible through the window openings 39 in the plates l2 and I4 so, that a marking instrument may be drawn along the edge of the blade to indicate onthe timber the angle at which it is to be cut. Ob-

viously if so desired the device may be turned upside down on the work in which event the lugs I 8 will engage the edge of the work, and the parts may be manipulated in identically the same manner as previously described. By theuse of this instrument the various rafter angles, as well as the miters, hips and valleys, mav be laid out on a piece of timber preparatory to cutting it,

and when the timber is placed in position the fit will be accurate. By using this device the carpenter or workman will save considerable time over the ordinary methods employed when usin a square. I

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred form of this invention, it is to be understood that minor changes inthe details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts maybe resorted to -with-' out departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

' In an instrument for use in marking a timber preparatory to cutting it, an elongated bottom plate, an elongated top plate overlying the bottom plate, said plates having substantially identical peripheral contours, a group of windows adjacent to one end of each plate and in registry, means holding said plates in spaced parallel relation, a blade of substantially triangular form pivoted to and between said plates adjacent to the ends thereof opposite from the said windows to swing about said pivot, a series of parallel and aligned slots in the end of said blade remote from said pivot, said blade having angularly disposed straight edges along one of its sides, indices on said blade remote from the point of its pivot, said indices being visible through said windows, depending and upstanding stops carried by the bottom and top plates respectively along the side edges thereof remote from the straight edge at the wider end of the blade being exposed 15 2,556,731

through certain of the windows at the opposite end of said plates.

CHARLES HUDSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 53,397 Branch Mar. 2'7, 1866 944,799 Lytle Dec. 28, 1909 1,050,969 McLeod Jan. 21, 1913 1,198,096 Armstrong Sept. 12, 1916 1,821,103 Luginbuhl Sept. 1, 1931 1,827,014 Jannell Oct. 13, 1931 Smithson June 12, 1951