US3924331A

US3924331A - Marking template

Info

Publication number: US3924331A
Application number: US530715A
Authority: US
Inventors: Richard H Goosen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1974-12-09
Filing date: 1974-12-09
Publication date: 1975-12-09
Anticipated expiration: 1992-12-09

Abstract

A marking template is provided including four locating pins projecting from four corner portions of a rear face of a rectangular plate for engagement in the inside of four corners of an electrical outlet box and including four marking pins projecting forwardly from the forward face of the plate and having sharply pointed ends for making marking indentations in the rear face of a wall covering sheet pressed thereagainst. The plate has an open central portion for clearance of electrical devices and, in one embodiment, the marking and locating pins are adjustably mounted in slots of the plate for accommodating outlet boxes of different sizes.

Description

United States Patent 1191 Goosen MARKING TEMPLATE [76] Inventor: Richard H. Goosen, 1705 Lake Ave., R.R, No. l, Holton, Mich. 49425 22 Filed: Dec. 9, 1974 21 Appl. No.: 530,715

[52] US. Cl 30/366; 33/DIG. 10

[51] Int. Cl. B26F l/24 [58] Field of Search 30/558, 361, 366, 368; 33/DIG. 10; 29/271 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,775,812 l/l957 Mohr 33/DIG. [0

2,887,776 5/1959 Eisner 30/366 X 3,745,664 7/l973 Altseimer 33/DlG. l0

ent sizes.

[ Dec. 9, 1975 Primary Examiner-Al Lawrence Smith Assistant Examiner.l. C. Peters Attorney, Agent, or FirmBrezina & Lund [57] ABSTRACT A marking template is provided including four locating pins projecting from four corner portions of a rear face of a rectangular plate for engagement in the inside of four corners of an electrical outlet box and including four marking pins projecting forwardly from the forward face of the plate and having sharply pointed ends for making marking indentations in the rear face of a wall covering sheet pressed thereagainst. The plate has ah open central portion for clearance of electrical devices and, in one embodiment, the marking and locating pins are adjustably mounted in slots of the plate for accommodating outlet boxes of differ- 5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures US. Patent Dec. 9 1975 3,924,331

MARKING TEMPLATE This invention relates to marking templates and more particularly to marking templates which facilitate accurate cutting of rigid wall covering sheets for access to electrical outlet boxes. The templates are readily used and are simple and economically manufacturable.

BACKGROUND OF THE PRIOR ART In installing rigid sheets of wall covering material such as wallboard, sheetrock, drywall, panelling and the like it is frequently necessary to provide openings for access to electrical devices such as switches or outlets mounted in electrical outlet boxes. The location of the position of the required opening has been difficult and time-consuming, requiring measurement of the position of the outlet box from fixed points on the wall, recording of the measurement, measuring on the sheet of wall covering material, and laying out and inscribing marking lines on the sheet for cutting.

Because of the number of steps involved, mistakes are frequently made and if the opening is inaccurately cut, even with an error on the order of l2 inch or less, the sheet may be ruined.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention was evolved with the general object of overcoming the problems previously encountered in connection with cutting of holes in wall covering sheets for access to electrical outlet boxes.

In accordance with this invention, locating means project from the rearward face of a plate for engagement with an electrical outlet box to accurately position the plate on the box, and marking means project from the forward face of the plate and are arranged to make a mark on the rearward face of a wall covering sheet pressed thereagainst. In use, the device can simply be mounted on the outlet box, the wall covering sheet can be placed in the desired location and pressed against the marking means of the device, after which an opening may be cut in the sheet according to the marking made on the rear face thereof.

According to a specific feature, the plate is generally rectangular and the marking means comprise four marking pin means projecting forwardly in parallel relation from four comer portions of the plate, the markings mdde by the pins defining the rectangular area to be cut out of the wall covering sheet. Preferably, the pin means has sharply pointed ends for making marking indentations on the rearward face of the sheet pressed thereagainst.

According to another important specific feature, the locating means comprise four locating pins arranged to engage inside four comer portions of the outlet box. Such locating means are highly advantageous in that they can be used even with electrical devices such as switches or outlets already installed in the outlet box, there being clearance between such devices and the corner portions of the box.

According to another feature, the plate has an open central portion for clearing electrical devices mounted in the box and the plate is also formed to provide recesses in the rearward face thereof for clearing the heads of screws used for mounting the electrical devices in a box.

In one embodiment, the marking and locating means are fixed according to the size of an electrical outlet 2 box to be used. This embodiment is particularly advantageous for use by electrical contractors, for example, using one standard type of box.

In another embodiment, the marking and locating means are adjustably mounted, preferably be means engaged in four slots extending angularly from four corner portions of the plate toward a central portion of the area defined by the plate.

This invention contemplates other objects, features and advantages which will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a marking template constructed in accordance with the invention, shown mounted on an electrical outlet box;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along line II-II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of a different embodiment of marking template according to the invention; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along line IVIV of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Reference numeral 10 generally designates a marking template constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention, shown mounted on an electrical outlet box 11. The template 10 comprises a plate 12 having forward and

rearward faces

13 and 14. Locating means project rearwardly from the rearward face 13 of the plate 12 for engagement with the outlet box 11 to accurately position the plate 12 relative thereto. Preferably, such locating means comprise four pins 15-18 projecting rearwardly in parallel relation from four corner portions of the plate 12 and engageable in the inside of four corner portions of the outlet box 11. It will be understood that electrical devices such as switches or outlets are normally positioned in an outlet box mounted in a wall and it is found that there are clearance spaces between such devices in the four inside corner portions of the box, into which the pins 15-18 may readily extend.

Marking means extend forwardly from the forward face 14 of the plate 12 for making marks on the rearward face of a wall cove ring sheet pressed thereagainst. Preferably, such marking means comprise four pins 19-22 projecting forwardly in parallel relation from the forward face 14 of the plate 12, pins 19-22 having sharply pointed ends as illustrated, for making marking indentations in the rear face of a wall covering sheet pressed thereagainst.

The plate 12 preferably has a central opening 24 for clearance with respect to electrical devices mounted in the outlet box 11 and intermediate portions 25 and 26 at the upper and lower ends of the plate 12 may be deformed outwardly as illustrated to define recesses for clearance of the heads of screws used for mounting electrical devices in the box 11.

In operation, the device 10 is simply inserted into an outlet box mounted on a wall, engaging the pins 15-18 in the insides of the four comers of the box. Then a wall covering sheet is held in the position into which it is to be mounted and is pressed rearwardly to cause the pointed ends of the pins 19-22 to make marking indentations in the rear face of the sheet. An opening may then be readily cut in the sheet at the proper location,

as by drilling holes as determined by the indentations made by the pins 19-22 and then sawing with a sabre saw or the like.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, the locating pins l8 and marking pins 19-22 are rigidly mounted on the plate 12 as by using a drive fit. This type of construction is satisfactory for most applications in which one standard type of outlet box is used and is especially advantageous for electrical contractors, for example, who may make it a practice to install only one standard type of box. However, it is desirable to have one device which can accommodate different sizes of outlet boxes and in FIGS. 3 and 4, reference numeral 28 generally designates a marking template constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention and which is adjustable to accommodate different sizes of outlet boxes.

In the device 28, a plate 29 is provided, similar to the plate 12 and having a central opening 30 for clearance of electrical devices, with

intermediate portions

31 and 32 at the upper and lower ends being deformed forwardly to provide recesses for clearance of the heads of electrical device mounting screws. Four marking pins 33-36 are provided which are mounted on plates 37-40 having slots therein with screws 4144 extending therethrough to mount the plates 37-40 on the plate 29 with the shank portions of such screws serving as locating pins. As shown in FIG. 4, screw 4d has a head portion 45 on the outside of the plate 37 and a shank portion 46 extending through a slot 47 in the plate 37 and thence through a slot 48 in the plate 29 with a nut 49 being threaded on the shank portion 46 of the screw 41. With the nut 49 loosened, the shank portion 46 can be moved in the slot 48 to the position required for engagement in a corner portion of an outlet box of the size to be used and the plate 37 may be moved inwardly or outwardly or swung as desired to properly locate the marking pin 33, after which the nut 49 may be tightened to fixthe positions of the marking pin 33 and the shank portion 46, serving as a locating pin. The slot 48 and similar slots in the other comer portions of the plate 29 preferably extend inwardly toward a central portion of the area defined by the plate 29.

It will be understood that modification and variations may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts of this invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device for facilitating accurate cutting of openings in rigid wall covering sheets for access to a conventional electrical outlet box, a plate having rearward and forward faces, locating means projecting from said rearward face for engagement with said outlet box to accurately position said plate on said box, and marking means projecting from said forward face and arranged to make the mark on the rearward face of a wall covering sheet pressed thereagainst, said plate being generally rectangular, said marking means comprising four rigid marking pins and means for securely fastening said marking pins to said plate to project forwardly in parallel relation from four corner portions of said forward face of said plate, said rigid marking pins having sharply pointed ends in a plane parallel to said plate for making marking indentations on the rearward face of a wall covering sheet pressed thereagainst, and said locating means comprising four generally cylindrical rigid locating pins and means for securely fastening said marking pins to said plate to project rearwardly in parallel relation from said rearward face of said plate, said locating pins being arranged to engage inside four corner portions of said outlet box.

2. In a device as defined in claim 1, said plate having four slots in said four corner portions thereof each extending angularly inwardly toward a central portion of the area defined by said plate, and means mounted for adjustable movement in said slots for adjustably securing said marking pin means in relation to said slots.

3. In a device as defined in claim 1, said plate being generally rectangular and having four slots in four corner portions thereof each extending angularly inwardly toward a central portion of the area defined by said plate, and means mounted for adjustable movement in said slots or for adjustably securing said locating pin means in relation to said slots.

4. In a device as defined in claim 1, said plate having an open central portion for clearing electrical devices mounted in said outlet box.

5. In a device as defined in claim 4, wherein said outlet box includes holes for receiving mounting screws for electrical devices, said plate being formed to provide recesses in said rearward face for clearing the heads of mounting screws in said holes.