GB2397795A

GB2397795A - Alignment tool

Info

Publication number: GB2397795A
Application number: GB0302045A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stuart Dennis Mckeith; Lee Royal Robert Mckeith
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-01-29
Filing date: 2003-01-29
Publication date: 2004-08-04
Also published as: GB2412348B; GB0302045D0; WO2004068666A1; GB0515023D0; GB2412348A

Abstract

An alignment tool is disclosed for use in making a hole in a wall board to align with a pre-mounted box. The tool comprises a first part 10 receivable in the pre-mounted box 30 and having means 16 for locating it in a predetermined position relative to the box 30. A second part 12 of the tool acts as a template for cutting a hole of the correct size and shape in the board 32 to fit around the box 30. A square post (18 Fig 1) which projects from the first part through the board engages in a square hole (24 Fig 1)in the second part 12 to align the two parts relative to one another and to ensure their correct relative orientation.

Description

- 1 - 239779 Alignment Tool The present invention relates to an alignment

tool for use in making holes in a wall board to align with pre- mounted boxes.

In new buildings, instead of plastering the interior walls, it is more efficient and cost effective to fix wall boards to the walls. The term "wall board" is used herein to include a board of any composition used to cover a wall.

The most commonly used form of wall board is plaster board (also known as sheet rock), but the term is also intended to include other boards such as cement board and fibre board.

Interior walls are often constructed by securing wall boards to a stud work frame assembled from wooden or sometimes aluminium studs. They can also be constructed by securing wall boards to walls made of bricks or other building blocks with a dry wall adhesive. The electrical wiring and plumbing are carried out before the wall boards are secured in place, as this obviously simplifies the work of the electricians and plumbers. Because of this, when it comes to fitting the wall boards, it is necessary to make holes in the wall boards to align with the open boxes that are mounted by the electricians to receive electrical sockets and light switches. Similarly, holes may be required to fit the board around plumbing equipment, such as shower taps and controls.

Hitherto, such holes have had to be made by measuring and cutting out the holes before offering the wall board to the wall. This is time wasting and can also be quite inaccurate, leaving larger gaps around electrical boxes than would conform with modern building regulations.

With a view to mitigating the foregoing disadvantages the present invention provides an alignment tool for use in - 2 - making a hole in a wall board to align with a pre-mounted box, comprising a first part receivable in the pre-mounted box and having means for locating the first part in a predetermined position relative to the box, a second part to act as a template for cutting a hole of the correct size and shape in the wall board to fit around the box, and inter- engaging formations on the first and second parts capable of passing through the thickness of the wall board for aligning the two parts relative to one another and for ensuring their correct relative orientation.

Preferable, the inter-engaging formations comprise one or more posts projecting from the first part, and one or more holes in the second part to receiving the posts projecting from the first part.

Advantageously, the inter-engaging formations comprise a single post of non-circular cross section projecting from the first part and a hole of complementary share to receive the post in the second part.

If the or each post is formed with a pointed end, then the post will pierce a hole through the wall board as it is pushed into its correct position. If there is a risk of damage to the wall board then a hole can be pre-cut into the wall board but its position need not be accurate as it is only required to locate around the projecting post rather than to match the outline of the box accurately.

Conveniently, the first part is formed of a flat plate to fit over the mouth of the box and the means for locating the first part relative to the box comprise a set of feet with tapering sides which project from the rear of the plate to engage the sides of the box and act as wedges. If the feet are formed of a rubber-like material, the frictional engagement between the feet and the sides of the box is improved. - 3

The invention will now be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the two part of an alignment tool of the present invention, and Figure 2 shows a vertical section through a wall showing the alignment tool of Figure 1 in use.

The alignment tool shown in the drawings consists of two parts which are generally designated 10 and 12, respectively. The first part 10 comprises a square plate 14 fitted with four tapered rubber feet 16. A post 18 of square cross section having a pointed end 20 projects from the plate 14 and is non-rotatably secured to it by means of a screw 22, shown in Figure 2. The second part 12 is formed of a square plate 22 having a square through hole 24 for receiving the square post 18 of the first part with minimal clearance.

The alignment tool is intended to assist in cutting a hole in a wall board to fit around a pre-mounted box, such as a box for receiving an electrical power point or a light switch.

Figure 2 shown a box 30 pre-mounted on a stud 36 to which a wall board 32 is to be secured. Prior to offering the wall board to the stud work, the first part is positioned over the mouth of the box 30. The tapered rubber feet 16 grip the side walls of the box 30 and hold the first part temporarily in place.

Though tapering rubber feet are preferred because of their simplicity both in manufacture and easy of use, it would be alternatively possible to resort other means of holding the first part 10 in place against the box 30. It would, for example, be possible to use spring clips or to screw the plate 14 to the box 30 using the standard threaded - 4 - connectors 38 provided in the box 30 for mounting of electrical sockets and light switches but this would clearly be more time consuming.

After the first part 10 has been located over the mouth of the box 30, the wall board is pushed against the stud work, in the process impaling the wall board 32 on the pointed square post 18. Plaster board will be deformed around the post 18 but this is not of any consequence as the damaged section of the wall board is about to be cut away.

The plate 22 of the second part 12 is now slid over the projecting end of the post 18. The plate 22 is designed to act as a template for a hole of just the correct shape and size to fit around the box 30. Because the post 18 and the hole 24 are square, the correct orientation of the template is guaranteed.

A knife 34 is now used to cut into the wall board 32 following the outline of the plate 22. After the board has been cut around the entire periphery of the box 30, by pulling on the post 18 it is possible to extract the first part 10 through the hole that has been cut in the wall board 32 leaving a square hole that is in correct alignment with the box 30.

It will be clear that various modifications may be made to the described embodiment of the invention without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. For example, the square post 18 and square hole 24 are just one way of providing mating formations to ensure that the second part 12 aligns correctly with the first part. Also the plate 22 need not be square nor need it be the same shape as the plate 14. It can be of any shape and size to match the pre- mounted box 30.

It is also not essential for the post 18 to have a pointed end as a rough hole can be pre-cut in the wall board to line up with the post. Indeed, if a rough hole has to be pre-cut in the wall board, it may even be possible to provide a hole in the first part, the post passing through the wall board being mounted to project from the second part instead of the first.

A further possibility is to form the post 18 as part of the pre-mounted box 30. In this case, the first part of the alignment tool, constituted only by the post itself, is effectively formed as an integral part of the box 30 which can later be snapped off or unscrewed after it has been used to align the template for cutting the hole in the wall board.

Claims

1. An alignment tool for use in making a hole in a wall board to align with a pre-mounted box, comprising a first part receivable in the premounted box and having means for locating the first part in a predetermined position relative to the box, a second part to act as a template for cutting a hole of the correct size and shape in the board to fit around the box, and inter-engaging formations on the first and second parts capable of passing through the thickness of the wall board for aligning the two parts relative to one another and for ensuring their correct relative orientation.

2. An alignment tool as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inter-engaging formations comprise one or more posts projecting from the first part, and one or more holes in the second part to receiving the posts projecting from the first part.

3. An alignment tool as claimed in claim 2, wherein the inter-engaging formations comprise a single post of non- circular cross section projecting from the first part and a hole of complementary share to receive the post in the second part.

4. An alignment tool as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the or each post has a pointed end for piercing through the wall board.

5. An alignment tool as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first part is formed of a flat plate to fit over the mouth of the box and the means for locating the first part relative to the box comprise a set of feet with tapering sides which project from the rear of the plate to engage the sides of the box and act as wedges.

6. An alignment tool as claimed in claim 5, wherein the feet are formed of a rubber-like material to provide frictional engagement between the feet and the sides of the box.

7. An alignment tool as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the first part is dimensioned such that the first part may pass through a hole having the same shape as the outline of the second part.

8. An alignment tool constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.