CONSTRUCTION PANEL POSITIONING AND SUPPORT SYSTEM AND TOOLS
A construction panel support tool includes a suspension frame having a mounting member to mount the tool to a ceiling joist adjacent a construction panel installation site and a guide member coupled thereto. An elongate support member movably supported on the guide member is movable relative thereto between a deployed position in which a distal portion of the support member extends beneath the panel installation site, and a standby position. The tool may include a locking member selectively engageable to retain the support member in a desired position, such as a deployed position, and may optionally include a biasing member selectively engageable to bias the distal portion of the support member toward the panel installation site.
The disclosure relates to building construction, and in particular to tools to assist lifting and supporting construction panels in position for installation.
BACKGROUNDIn building construction in the U.S., it is conventional to install sheets of drywall and other types of construction panels (such as plywood, paneling, other forms of wall sheeting, and so forth) to ceiling and wall joists, However, construction panels can be large and somewhat cumbersome to position for installation. Drywall, for example, is typically composed of a layer of crushed gypsum pressed between two sheets of thick paper. A standard sheet of drywall is usually 4′ by 8′, or 4′ by 12′, in size, and generally weighs between about 50 to 110 pounds, depending on its constituent materials and dimensions. When drywall and other construction panels are installed to walls and ceilings, it is often necessary for one or more workers to hold the panel in place while others nail or screw it to the underlying joists or supports,
Construction panel lifts, which are sometimes referred to as drywall jacks in drywall-specific applications, are not satisfactory for the range of applications in which they are employed. For example, existing lifts generally include a number of articulating components and/or are complex to maneuver and operate, and in general are quite cumbersome. Further, some lifts do not significantly decrease the labor expense of positioning by hand, because many require one person to attend to the lift at all times to maintain the construction panel in a desired position, while another worker fastens the panel to the installation site. Lacking a second worker, the use of conventional construction panel lifts by a solo worker risks injury and/or inaccurate positioning or installation of a panel.
SUMMARYIllustrative embodiments of construction panel positioning tools and construction panel support tools, and construction panel positioning and support systems employing two or more of such tools, are disclosed herein. An illustrative embodiment of a construction panel positioning tool to position and support at least one edge of a construction panel relative to a panel installation site includes a ramp member and a stabilizing member coupled thereto. The ramp member includes a support platform disposed at an upper end thereof and having an upper surface to receive and support at least an edge portion of a construction panel, and a ramp section adjacent the support platform and extending downward at an angle therefrom. The ramp section is configured to slidingly engage and guide an edge of a construction panel placed thereon toward the support platform, with which it shares a common edge. The stabilizing member is configured to be temporarily secured to or otherwise engage a structural component of a building structure, such as a wall or ceiling joist, to support the ramp member in position. In some panel tool embodiments, the stabilizing member includes a vertical brace, such as to engage and/or be secured to one or more wall joists, with the ramp section projecting at an angle away from the wall joist. When installed with the support platform near ceiling joists, such embodiments may be used to position and then temporarily support an edge of a construction panel in position for installation to the ceiling joists. In some panel tool embodiments, the stabilizing member includes a horizontal brace, such as to engage and/or be secured to one or more ceiling joists,
Illustrative embodiments of a construction panel support tool to temporarily support a construction panel relative to a panel installation site includes a suspension frame and an elongate support member coupled thereto. In a first illustrative embodiment, the suspension frame includes elongate top and bottom guide members collectively configured to slidably engage all four sides of a ceiling joist, and the support member cantilevers away from the suspension frame, and includes a top surface that is spaced, with respect to a ceiling joist with which the suspension frame is engaged, to provide temporary support of a construction panel to the ceiling joist. in a second illustrative embodiment, the suspension frame includes a mounting member adapted to mount the tool on a ceiling joist, and a guide member coupled thereto, with the support member movably supported on the guide member for movement between a deployed position (in which the support member provides support of a construction panel relative to a panel installation site) and a standby position.
in use, an illustrative embodiment of a construction pen el positioning and support system, which includes one or more construction panel positioning tools and one or more construction panel support tools, may be used, such as by an individual worker to assist in maneuvering and holding construction panels in position for installation, for example to ceiling joists in order to form a ceiling. For example, one or more panel positioning tools with vertical stabilizing members may first be fastened to wall joists so the support platforms are near the ceiling joists. A construction panel, such as a sheet of drywall, may be placed with a first or forward edge on the ramp section(s) of the positioning tool(s) and slid upward so the forward edge is supported on the support platform(s) thereof. With the forward edge supported, the worker may lift the opposite edge toward the ceiling joists. A panel support tool suspended on a nearby ceiling joist may then be slid therealong so the support member extends below the construction panel, providing vertical support so the worker can then install the construction panel. The positioning tool(s) may then be removed and the support tool moved away from the installed panel. To install a second panel adjacent the first, a worker may then fasten one or more panel positioning tools with horizontal stabilizing members to the ceiling joists to which the first panel is installed, and use the ramp sections of the positioning tools in the same manner to raise and then support the forward edge of the second panel in place, lifting the opposite edge up to the ceding, and holding the panel in place by sliding a support member of a panel support tool underneath the panel.
The concepts and components listed above are clarified with reference to the accompanying drawings and detailed description below.
A construction panel positioning and support system 50, which includes one or more construction panel positioning tools (indicated generally at 10) and one or more construction panel support tools (indicated generally at 40), and example embodiments of the individual tools thereof, is shown in
in general, the positioning tool(s) 10 are each adapted to engage and/or be supported on a structural component of a building structure, such as by being removably or temporarily secured to a wail or ceiling joist, and/or a construction panel already installed thereto. Once supported in place, the positioning tools may facilitate guiding a first edge (also referred to herein as a forward edge) of a construction panel, by means of an inclined ramp section, and then temporarily supporting the panel edge on a support platform in a desired position, such as adjacent to a joist to which the panel will then be installed. The support tool(s) 40 are also each adapted to be supported on a structural component, such as by being movably suspended from, or mounted to, a ceiling joist, and may facilitate supporting a portion of a construction panel, such as a second edge of a construction panel partially supported on one or more positioning tools, by being moved along the joist into a position in which a support member engages the construction panel portion, or by moving the support member into a supporting position beneath a construction panel, depending on the configuration of the support tool. As such, the tools may be used separately, or collectively as a system.
For ease of explanation, the illustrative embodiments of the tools 10, 40 shown and described herein are adapted for use with sheets of drywall to be temporarily supported in a generally horizontal orientation adjacent ceiling joists, prior to installation thereto. However, it will be clear from the following description that the tools may be adapted for use with other types of construction panels as well as drywall sheets, any of which may be installed in a variety of orientations (such as vertical, such as for installation to wall joists, or in an angled orientation, such as for installation to joists or other structural beams or supports forming curved or angled walls or ceilings), without departing from the scope of the invention. As such, for example, the directional terms used in the description below are relative and are provided for the sake of clarity, and should not be considered in a limiting sense.
Also, the illustrative tool embodiments shown and discussed below are prototype embodiments fashioned from pieces of industrial steel, such as square tubing and angle steel and so forth, which have been rigidly welded together, include movable couplings in the manner illustrated, and/or are machined to have the particular characteristics explained herein, Moreover, the specific dimensions, scale, and other measurements thereof are customized for use with standard lumber sizes and construction techniques conventionally used in building construction in the U.S. For example, a wall frame is generally constructed from 2×4 beams of lumber and/or steel braces, with a series of vertical beams (studs) extending between horizontal top and bottom beams (plates). Typically, there are two top plates, one on top of the other, with a parallel series of 2×4 or 2×6 beams extending edgewise across the top plates of opposing wall frames to form the ceiling frame. However, the disclosure should be understood to encompass embodiments that may be constructed to suit other structural beam components or configurations, fabricated from other suitable materials and assembled in other manners, and/or configured to include adjustable or additional/alternative movable linkages between or among various components and parts of the particular tool.
Two illustrative embodiments of a construction panel positioning tool 10 are discussed first with reference to
A first, non-exclusive, illustrative embodiment of a construction panel positioning tool 10 is shown in
In general and somewhat functional terms, each of the positioning tool embodiments includes an elongate ramp member 12 coupled to a stabilizing member 14, which is configured to engage a structural building component to thereby support the ramp member in a predetermined position relative to an installation site on the building structure. Ramp member 12 includes a support platform 16 disposed at its upper end, and a ramp section 18 disposed adjacent the support platform 16 and configured to extend downwardly at an angle therefrom. The ramp section 18 includes a substantially planar upper surface 20 configured to slidably engage and subsequently guide a forward edge of a construction panel placed on the ramp section toward the support platform 16. The upper surface of the ramp section has an upper edge 22 in common with an upper surface 24 of the support platform 16, which is configured to receive and support at least the forward edge of the construction panel.
in more specific terms, as can be seen from
Thus, in the first embodiment 100, the top plate 108 of the crossbar 106 provides the support platform 16 of the positioning tool 10, with the upper surface 122 of the top plate forming the upper surface 18 of the support platform adapted to receive and support the forward edge of a construction panel such as a drywall sheet. The upper surface 120 of the front bar 102 provides the ramp section 18 of the tool, and the stabilizing member 14 is collectively formed from the rear bar 102, the side plate 110, and the brace member 122. More specifically, the rear surface of the side plate 110 is positioned to abut a horizontal wall joist W, for example a top plate, and be temporarily secured thereto, and the brace member 122 engages the vertical wall joist W. As mentioned above, but although not shown in this view, ceiling joists are typically supported on the top plates, so the tool 100 is generally installed in a position such that the upper surface 122 of the top plate 108 is spaced from the ceiling joist sufficiently to accommodate the thickness of a construction panel. In embodiments that include a brace member, the tool is generally centered (or otherwise positioned) relative to a stud (vertical wall joist W) so that the arms of the brace member loosely engage either side of the stud, such as to provide additional restriction of lateral movement of the tool relative to the wall frame.
in prototype embodiments represented by the first illustrative embodiment 100 of positioning tool 10, ¾″ square tubing was used for the front and rear bars, with the rear bar having an overall length in the range of about 10″ to 18″, and the front bar having an overall length in the range of about 18 to 24″. The downwardly projecting tip of the front bar, in some of the prototype embodiments, was smoothed or radiuses on its upper corner (as shown in
In
In the second embodiment 200, the rear bar 204 provides the support platform 16 of the positioning tool 10, with the upper surface 210 thereof forming the upper surface 24 of the support platform adapted to receive and support the forward edge of a construction panel such as a drywall sheet. The front bar 202 provides the ramp member 12, with the upper surface 206 of the front bar 202 providing the ramp section 18 of the tool. The stabilizing member 14 is in the form of the brace 212.
In prototype embodiments represented by the second illustrative embodiment 200 of positioning tool 10, ¾″ square tubing was used for the front and rear bars, with the rear bar having an overall length in the range of about 2″ to 6″, and the front bar having an overall length in the range of about 18″ to 24″. As with embodiment 100, the downwardly projecting tip of the front bar, in some of the prototype embodiments, was smoothed or radiused on the upper corner (as shown in
A first, non-exclusive, illustrative embodiment of a construction panel support tool 40 is shown in
In general and somewhat functional terms, each of the support tool embodiments includes a suspension frame 42 adapted to mount the tool on a ceiling joist C, and a support member 44 coupled thereto and disposed to extend away therefrom, such as in a plane parallel to that of the bottom surface of the ceiling joist C to which the suspension frame 42 is mounted.
More specifically, as can be seen in
The support member 44 of support tool 300 is shown to be formed from an elongate bar 320 of square steel tubing that cantilevers in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the support frame, in a plane substantially parallel to, and spaced below, the bottom surface of the ceiling joist, In particular, the spacing is sufficient to accommodate the thickness of a construction panel. Bar 320 is coupled to the suspension frame by means of a pair of bolts 322, which protrude downward from bottom wall 314, and which are fastened by nuts 324. Although not required to all embodiments, this coupling is also shown in support tool 300 to be adjustable, such as to allow a user to adjust the clearance between the top surface of the bar 320 and the bottom surface of the ceiling joist C. The clearance may be determined by user preference, thickness of the particular construction panel with which the support tool is being used, and so forth, but is generally a value greater than the thickness, but less than about twice the thickness, of a construction panel.
In prototype embodiments represented by embodiment 300 of support tool 40, a length of 1″ square tubing having an overall length in the range of about 24″ to 30″ was used for the elongate support bar. The top and bottom guide members both had an overall length in the range of about 6″ to 10″, which was suitable to prevent the suspension frame from rocking or tipping on the ceiling joist when the weight of a sheet of drywall is supported b the support bar.
In some prototypes, instead of bolts, one or both struts extend beyond the bottom guide member to either adjustably (by means of additional openings) or non-adjustably (such as by welding) couple with the support bar, In one variant, the support bar is mounted for a limited range of pivotal movement in a vertical plane on one strut, and a biasing means in the form of a tension spring positioned to bias the distal end of the bar upward, for example to urge the end of the bar against a sheet of drywall supported by the support tool.
In
As perhaps best shown in
Guide member 48 is shown in the form of a short length 410 of square steel tubing, also referred to herein as a sleeve, or sleeve portion. Guide member 48 in this embodiment is movably coupled to the mounting member in a pivotable manner: the top surface of sleeve 410 is shown to include a round tube 412 extending across its width, in which a pivot pin 414, which is supported across side plates 404, is received.
Support member 44 of support tool 400 is shown to be formed from an elongate bar 420 of square steel tubing that is movably supported on the guide member; more specifically, in support tool 400, elongate bar 420 is slidably received through the interior channel defined by sleeve 410 for translational movement along its long axis relative to the sleeve 410 between deployed and standby positions. In the illustrated embodiment, bar 420 cantilevers to either side of sleeve 410 in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the suspension frame, in a plane substantially parallel to, and spaced below, the bottom surface of the ceiling joist,
Although not required to all embodiments, support tool 400 is also shown to include a handle 422 operatively attached to the support member 44, such as to assist a user in sliding the bar into and out of a desired position Handle 422 is shown to be in the form of a short bar of square steel tubing that projects downward from the proximal end of the bar 420,
Also, although not required to all embodiments, support tool 400 is also shown to include a locking feature in the form of a thumbscrew assembly 424, shown as a threaded thumbscrew 426 and a knob 428. Thumbscrew assembly 424, or more specifically thumbscrew 426, is threadably received in a vertical orientation through the distal portion of the bar 420. As shown in
In the illustrated embodiment, thumbscrew assembly 424 in support tool 400, in addition to its function as a locking member, also functions as a biasing member that is selectively engageable to bias the distal portion of the support member toward the panel installation site, which in the illustrated embodiment is the plane of the ceiling joist to which the tool is mounted, As shown in
In prototype embodiments represented by embodiment 400 of support tool 40, a length of ¾″ square tubing having an overall length in the range of about 30″ to 36″ was used for the elongate support bar. The sleeve portion was formed from a short length (of about 3″ to 5″) of 1″ square tubing. The mounting plate was formed from a flat 1″ wide bar of steel plate in the range of about 4″ to 8″, and the side plates were formed from similar bars of steel plate having lengths in the range of about 2″ to 6″. The handle was formed from a length of ¾″ square steel tubing having a length of about 6″ and affixed to the distal end of the elongate bar at an angle.
In
In
In
In
Several configurational variations may be made to the illustrative embodiments that are considered to be within the scope of the invention. For example, although the positioning tools 10 are shown to be of rigid construction, other embodiments may employ hinged, adjustable connections, such as a selectively pivotable coupling between the stabilizing member and the ramp member, so that a single unit may be employed for installation sites that are adjacent to walls as well as those that are not adjacent to walls, for example by moving the stabilizing member between vertical and horizontal orientations. Further, although the range of angles formed between the ramp section and a horizontal plane in the prototype embodiments is about 35 to 45 degrees, an angle anywhere in the range of about 20 to 60 degrees, or beyond, would have utility in certain applications. Moreover, the inclusion of an adjustable-angle coupling may provide a positioning tool capable of providing such a range. Optionally, positioning tool components forming the ramp member and/or stabilizing member may be of adjustable length, such as by employing a telescoping configuration, so that the positioning tool may be used in a greater number of applications. For example, ceiling heights in many installations may vary quite a bit, and a positioning tool with a ramp member of adjustable length may allow the vertical distance that a construction panel must be lifted in order to place the forward edge onto a ramp section to be kept minimal. Further, some embodiments of the positioning tools may include additional components, such as braces or supporting struts, as might suitable for a heavier-duty application, and/or multiple iterations of a particular component, such as parallel ramp members, multiple stabilizing members, and so forth; whereas others may include fewer components, such as indicated above, in which some embodiments of a positioning tool does not include a support brace. In some positioning tools, the stabilizing member may instead or additionally couple to the ramp section, and/or may be configured to engage one or more structural components of a building structure in a different manner than as shown.
Moreover, as shown, the support tools 40 may include a suspension frame that either remains in place on a ceiling joist (such as shown in embodiment 400) or is slidably mounted thereon (such as shown in embodiment 300). Either configuration may be provided with a handle, such as shown on illustrated embodiment 400, or more than one handle, which may be disposed other than as shown, to facilitate movement of either the suspension frame or the support arm, as appropriate to the configuration. Further, either configuration may be provided with a support member that is rigid relative to the suspension frame, such as in illustrated embodiment 300, or movable relative to the suspension frame, such as provided by the movable coupling between the guide member and the mounting member shown on illustrated embodiment 400. As shown in embodiment 400, the movable coupling may allow pivotable movement of the guide member in a vertical plane, but other embodiments may instead (or additionally) provide pivotable movement in a horizontal plane, such as to allow a the guide member and/or the support arm received in the guide member to be horizontally swung into a desired position. Further, the support member of illustrated embodiment 400 is shown to be slidably mounted for translational movement in the long axis of the support member, but other manners of mounting are possible, such as a pivotable mount. Either configuration may be provided with a locking feature such as that provided in the second embodiment, or otherwise, in any suitable form. Further, such as to allow the locking surface of the thumbscrew assembly to be engaged with the mounting plate in more positions of the support member, the support tool may be provided with several locking members, or a movable locking member (such as one that may be threaded through the support member in a range of positions). Although embodiment 400 features a thumbscrew assemble that functions as both a locking member and a biasing member, other embodiments may include separate components to provide locking and/or features, or several components that operate together to provide either or both features. A locking surface of a locking member may take any configuration, such as featuring a flat plate, which may be more suitable to engage a target surface other than the surface of a mounting plate.
Although the present invention has been shown and described with reference to the foregoing operational principles and Illustrated examples and embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in form arid detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variances that fall within the scope of the appended claims.
Claims
1. A construction panel support tool to support a construction panel relative to a panel installation site, the support tool comprising:
- a suspension frame that includes a mounting member adapted to mount the tool to a ceiling joist adjacent a panel installation site, and a guide member coupled to the mounting member;
- an elongate support member movably supported on h guide member and configured, when the tool is mounted on a ceiling joist, to be movable relative to the guide member between a deployed position in which the distal portion of the support member extends beneath the panel installation site and a standby position in which it does not.
2. The panel support tool of claim 1, wherein the mounting member includes a mounting plate adapted to be secured to a surface of the ceiling joist.
3. The panel support tool of claim 1, further including a locking member selectively engageable to retain the support member in a desired position relative to the guide member.
4. The panel support tool of claim 3, wherein the locking member is disposed on the proximal portion of the support member.
5. The panel support tool of claim 4, wherein the locking member is adapted to selectively engage the mounting member when the support member is in a deployed position.
6. The panel support tool of claim 3, wherein the locking member includes a thumbscrew threaded vertically through the distal portion of the support member, with the distal end thereof having a locking surface configured to be urged against a corresponding target surface to thereby form a lock.
7. The panel support tool of claim 6, wherein when the lock member is not engaged, the thumb screw is movable along the length of the distal portion of the support member.
8. The panel support tool of claim 3, wherein the guide member is pivotably mounted to the mounting member to provide a range of pivotal movement of the guide member about a pivot axis that is perpendicular to a long axis of the support member and parallel to the plane of the bottom surface of the ceiling joist.
9. The panel support tool of claim 8, further including a biasing member selectively engageable to bias the distal portion of the support member toward the plane of the ceiling joist to which the tool is mounted.
10. The panel support tool of claim 1, wherein the support member is coupled to the guide member to extend, when the tool is mounted on a ceiling joist, in a plane substantially parallel to, and spaced beneath, that of the bottom surface of the ceiling joist.
11. The panel support tool of claim 10, wherein the guide member includes a sleeve portion that defines a channel through which the support member is slidably received, such that the support member is configured for translational movement relative to the sleeve portion between the deployed and standby positions.
12. The panel support tool of claim 11, wherein the sleeve portion is rigidly mounted to the mounting member.
13. The panel support tool of claim 11, wherein the sleeve portion is pivotably mounted to the mounting member to provide a range of pivotal movement of the sleeve portion, and the support member slidably received therethrough, about a pivot axis that is perpendicular to a long axis of the support member and parallel to the plane of the bottom surface of the ceiling joist.
14. The panel support tool of claim 13, further including a biasing member selectively engageable to bias the distal portion of the support member toward the plane of the bottom surface of the ceiling joist to which the tool is mounted.
15. The panel support tool of claim 1, further including a handle operatively attached to the support member.
16. The panel support tool of claim 15, wherein the handle is disposed on the proximal portion of the support member.
17. A construction panel support tool to support a construction panel relative to a panel installation site, the support tool comprising:
- a suspension frame having a mounting plate adapted to be secured to a ceiling joist adjacent the panel installation site;
- a guide member pivotably coupled to the suspension frame;
- an elongate support member slidably mounted to the guide member and extending, when the tool is mounted on a ceiling joist, in a plane substantially parallel to, and spaced beneath, that of the bottom surface of the ceiling joist;
- wherein, when the tool is mounted on a ceiling joist, the support member is configured for movement along its long axis, relative to the guide member, between a deployed position in which the distal portion of the support member extends beneath the panel installation site and a standby position in which it does not; and
- wherein, when the tool is mounted on a ceiling joist, the pivotal coupling of the guide member provides a range of pivotal movement of the support member in the vertical plane in which its long axis lies.
18. The panel support tool of claim 17, further including a thumbscrew disposed on a proximal portion of the support member and having a locking surface configured to be selectively engage and be urged against the mounting plate when the support member is in a deployed position, to thereby retain the support member in the deployed position.
19. The panel support tool of claim 18, wherein the thumbscrew is configured, when the locking surface is urged against the mounting plate, to correspondingly bias the distal portion of the support member toward the plane of a ceiling joist to which the tool is mounted.
20. A construction panel support system to position and temporarily support a construction panel relative to a panel installation site, the panel support system comprising:
- one or more construction panel positioning tools, each positioning tool further including: a ramp member having a support platform at an upper end thereof configured to receive and support a portion of a construction panel and a ramp section adjacent the support platform and sharing a common edge therewith, the ramp section including a substantially planar upper surface configured to slidingly engage and guide a portion of a construction panel placed thereon toward the support platform; and a stabilizing member coupled to the ramp member, the stabilizing member being configured to engage a structural component of a building structure to support the ramp member in a predetermined position relative to the installation site; and
- one or more construction panel support tools, each support tool further including: a suspension frame adapted to mount the support tool on a ceiling joist adjacent a panel installation site; and an elongate support member movably supported on the suspension frame and configured, when the tool is mounted on a ceiling joist, to be moved relative to the suspension frame member between a deployed position in which the distal portion of the support member extends beneath the panel installation site and a standby position in which it does not.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 26, 2011
Publication Date: Sep 6, 2012
Inventor: William Matthews (Alsea, OR)
Application Number: 13/094,653
International Classification: E04G 21/16 (20060101);