Lapboard siding installation tool

Info

Publication number: 20200299975
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 17, 2020
Publication Date: Sep 24, 2020
Inventor: Richard John Grenon (Warwick, RI)
Application Number: 16/821,077

Abstract

A tool to facilitate the installation of lapboard siding on a structure that clamps to the last installed lapboard siding by urging the clamping channel back leg between the last installed lapboard siding and the next to last installed lapboard siding with the horizontal base shelf urged against the bottom edge of the last installed lapboard siding. A reveal slide with reveal board shelf adjusts vertically to create an accurate space between the last installed lapboard siding and the next installed lapboard siding commonly referred to as “Reveal”. A fastener locator adjusts vertically to locate fasteners above the reveal area of the lapboard siding.

Description

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is in the field of lapboard siding installation and specifically relates to using an apparatus to install the lapboard siding that provides a vertical space between the bottom of a last installed row of the lapboard siding and the bottom of a next installed row of the lapboard siding. This space is commonly referred to as the “Reveal” of the lapboard siding.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Installing lapboard siding on a structure such as a house but not limited to the structure such as the house is commonly achieved by a user nailing a shelf board to the last installed row of the lapboard siding positioned to create a reveal and support the next installed row of the lapboard siding. There are apparatus that functions to support and precisely position the lapboard siding during installation. Without the aid of such apparatus the procedure for the installation of the lapboard siding requires much careful measuring, leveling, marking and monitoring to assure that the rows of the lapboard siding are properly and uniformly positioned relative to the rest. Not only is the procedure time and labor inefficient, but it also provides abundant opportunities for human error. What is needed is an apparatus that has the ability to achieve the reveal in 1/16 inch increments; have the ability to achieve the reveal in 1 inch increments for the most common reveal e. g., 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 inches respectively and should not be specific to one type or thickness of the lapboard siding to be installed but have the ability to install shingles, shakes and elongated type of the lapboard siding e. g., clapboards, fiber-cement board and wood-fiber board etc. in a plurality of thicknesses; have the ability to locate fasteners on the last installed lapboard siding to be above the bottom edge of the next installed lapboard siding and have the ability to give the user an option of using or not using the shelf board when installing the elongated type of the lapboard siding e. g., clapboards, fiber-cement board and wood-fiberboard etc. While there is several known apparatus to assist in the installation of the lapboard siding, the following patents are cited as exemplary U.S. prior art.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,213,346 B1 issued May 8, 2007 to Catherine A. Gregory

U.S. Pat. No. 7,134,253 B2 issued Nov. 14, 2006 to Jonathan Edwards

U.S. Pat. No. 8,656,603 B1 issued Feb. 25, 2014 to David Rush

The apparatus and methods disclosed herein may provide functionality not provided by previous apparatus, or may remedy deficiencies exhibited by previous apparatus.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprising an improved lapboard siding installation apparatus. The apparatus enables a user to install shingles, shakes and elongated types of the lapboard siding e. g., clapboards, fiber-cement board and wood-fiber board etc. on a structure such as a house but not limited to the structure such as the house or the lapboard siding types and thicknesses to accurately and efficiently measure in 1/16 inch and 1 inch increments a space between a last installed lapboard siding and a next installed lapboard siding that is commonly referred to as the “Reveal” of the lapboard siding. In addition to accurately measuring the reveal between the edges of the lapboard siding the present invention also supports the lapboard siding wherein a reveal shelf board supports the next installed lapboard siding while it is being installed. This support provides assistance to an installation user and enables the installation user to more accurately and efficiently install the lapboard siding on the structure such as the house but not limited to the structure such as the house without the assistance of a second user.

Provided are a plurality of embodiments of the invention comprising but not limited to a main body channel comprising a front vertical leg, a horizontal base shelf and a back vertical leg; a reveal slide; a fastener locator; a reveal board shelf and a fastener locator shelf. To reversibly attach the main body channel to the last installed lapboard siding urge the clamping channel back leg between the last installed lapboard siding and the next to last installed lapboard siding with the horizontal base shelf urged against the bottom edge of the last installed lapboard siding. Rotate a clamping knob comprising a threaded stud clockwise to clamp the last installed lapboard siding between a clamping pad and the back vertical leg of the main body channel. The lapboard siding thickness capacity has a plurality of dimensions between the clamping pad and the back vertical leg of the main body channel.

Provided is the main body channel having a plurality of reveal openings in the front vertical leg providing a plurality of reveal dimensions in 1 inch increments; a reveal measuring device that is fastened to the front of the front vertical leg providing a plurality of reveal dimensions in 1/16 inch increments and a main body channel front slot in the front of the front vertical leg of the main body channel and a main body channel back slot in the back of the main body channel front vertical leg to receive a reveal slide.

Provided is the reveal slide that has an aperture that enables the reveal slide to enter into the main body channel front vertical leg front slot and the main body channel front vertical leg back slot wherein the reveal slide has vertical linear movement on the main body channel enabling a reveal indicator on the reveal slide to align with the reveal measuring device marking that represents the lapboard siding reveal required. A shelf bolt assembled with the reveal board shelf and a reveal board shelf locking screw is used in two locations on the reveal slide. A lower location is used when the required reveal shelf board is needed to install the shingle and the shake types of the lapboard siding and an alternate upper location is used when the option not to use the reveal shelf board is chosen to install the elongated types of the lapboard siding e. g., clapboards, fiber-cement board and wood-fiber board etc.

Also provided is the fastener locator that has linear vertical motion and is secured to the reveal slide with a fastener locator locking bolt after required location of the fastener locator has been established. The fastener locator shelf is threaded into the fastener locator and provides support for the fastener locator shelf board. The fastener locator shelf board locates the fasteners above the reveal of the next installed lapboard siding, concealing the fasteners when the lapboard siding above the next installed lapboard siding is installed. The fastener locator also has an alternative to using the fastener locator shelf board wherein fastener locator semicircle openings in the fastener locator enable the use of a string, a wire or a bungee cord etc. that will enable the user to place the shingles or the shakes across the entire span between the fastener locators of the present invention enabling the string, the wire or the bungee cord etc. to contain the shingle or the shake types of the lapboard siding on the reveal shelf board prior to fastening which also applies when using the fastener locator shelf board.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings together with the descriptions serve to illustrate the preferred embodiments of the invention and should not be construed as limiting the present invention, but are intended to be exemplary.

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of main and sub components of the tool of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a left side view of the tool of the present invention attached to a structure such as a house but not limited to the structure such as the house;

FIG. 3 is a right side view of the tool of the present invention attached to the structure such as the house but not limited to the structure such as the house;

FIG. 4 is a perspective of the tool of the present invention attached to the structure such as the house but not limited to the structure such as the house illustrating the shingles installed with a 4 inch reveal using a reveal shelf board, a reveal bolt, a fastener locator and a fastener locator board; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective of the tool of the present invention attached to the structure such as the house but not limited to the structure such as the house illustrating an elongated type of the lapboard siding e. g., clapboards, fiber-cement board and wood-fiber board etc. installed with a 4 inch reveal using the reveal shelf board, the reveal bolt, the fastener locator and the fastener locator board.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention will now be described with reference to the attached drawing figures. It should be understood that the drawings are meant to be merely illustrative, and are not necessarily drawn to exact scale.

Referring now to FIG. 1 an exploded view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprising main components and sub components. The main components comprising a reveal slide 48, a main body channel 12 comprising a front vertical leg, a horizontal base shelf and a back vertical leg. The sub components comprising all other numbered components in FIG. 1. To assemble main components and sub components of the present invention, rotate a clamping knob 18 comprising a threaded stud that threads into a clamping knob opening 16 of the main body channel 12 and continues beyond the back of the front vertical leg of the main body channel 12 into a clamping pad 40 with the clamping pad 40 reversibly attached to the threaded stud of the clamping knob 18 wherein a front roll pin 44 is inserted into a front roll pin opening 20 of the threaded stud and a back roll pin 42 is inserted into a back roll pin opening 22 of the threaded stud. The clamping pad 40 comprising a counter bored partial depth opening to receive the back roll pin 42. Assemble the reveal slide 48 with the main body channel 12 wherein the reveal slide 48 is inserted into a main body channel front slot 24 and a main body channel back slot 46 wherein the reveal slide 48 has vertical linear motion on the main body channel 12 and is secured at the required measurement for the lapboard siding reveal on a reveal measuring device 14 with a reveal bolt 58 rotated clockwise into a reveal bolt opening 56 of the reveal slide 48 and into the main body channel 12 following opening that relates to the required reveal space, four inch reveal opening 26, or five inch reveal opening 28, or six inch reveal opening 30, or seven inch reveal opening 32, or eight inch reveal opening 34, or nine inch reveal opening 36, or ten inch reveal opening 38. A reveal indicator 54 will align at four, five, six, seven, eight, nine or ten inches respectively with the reveal measuring device 14. For dimensions in one sixteenth inch increments from one sixteenth to fifteen sixteenth inch's respectively that are between four, five, six, seven, eight, nine and ten inches respectively of the main body channel reveal openings 26 through 38 use the reveal bolt 58 in a reveal bolt alternate opening 64 to secure reveal measurement required on the reveal measuring device 14. A shelf bolt 60 is rotated clockwise into a shelf bolt lower opening 62 of the reveal slide 48 and continues beyond the back of the reveal slide 48 into a reveal board shelf 70 wherein a reveal board shelf locking screw 72 is threaded into the back of the reveal board shelf 70. The shelf bolt lower opening 62 of the reveal slide 48 is used when the user is using a reveal shelf board 94 to install the shingle, the shake and the elongated type of the lapboard siding e. g., clapboards, fiber-cement board and wood-fiber board etc. A shelf bolt upper opening 52 of the reveal slide 48 is used when the user is not using the reveal shelf board 94 to install the elongated type of the lapboard siding e. g., clapboards, fiber-cement board and wood-fiber board etc. A retainer bolt 68 enters through a retainer opening 66 in retainer 74 and is threaded into a retainer bolt opening 50 of the reveal slide 48 adjustments for various thicknesses of elongated type of the lapboard siding e. g., clapboards, fiber-cement board and wood-fiber board etc. are made when not using the reveal shelf board 94 by rotating the retainer 74 on the retainer bolt 68 before securing the retainer 74 to the reveal slide 48.

Referring now to FIG. 2 a left side view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention illustrating the horizontal base shelf of the main body channel 12 urged against the bottom of the last installed lapboard siding 98 and clamped between the front of the back vertical clamping leg of the main body channel 12 and the back of the clamping pad 40 by rotating clockwise the clamping knob 18. Also illustrated is the retainer 74 urged against the face of the reveal shelf board 94 with the back of reveal shelf board 94 urged against the last installed lapboard siding 98.

Referring now to FIG. 3 a right side view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention illustrating the horizontal base shelf of the main body channel 12 urged against the bottom of the last installed lapboard siding 98. Also illustrated is the retainer 74 urged against the face of the reveal shelf board 94 with the back of the reveal shelf board 94 urged against the last installed lapboard siding 98.

Referring now to FIG. 4 a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention illustrating the shingle type of the lapboard siding being installed with the main body channel 12 attached to the last installed lapboard siding 98. A reveal indicator 54 is aligned with the 4″ marking on the reveal measuring device 14. The retainer 74 is attached to the reveal slide 48 by the retainer bolt 68 wherein the retainer 74 is urged against the reveal shelf board 94. A fastener locator 76 comprising a plurality of semicircle openings 86 is illustrated in conjunction with a fastener locator shelf board 92.

Referring now to FIG. 5 a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention illustrating the elongated type of the lapboard siding being installed e. g., clapboards, fiber-cement board and wood-fiber board etc. with the main body channel 12 attached to the last installed lapboard siding 98. The reveal indicator 54 is aligned with the 4″ marking on the reveal measuring device 14. The retainer 74 is attached to the reveal slide 48 by the retainer bolt 68 wherein the retainer 74 is urged against the reveal shelf board 94. A fastener locator 76 comprising a plurality of semicircle openings 86 is illustrated in conjunction with the fastener locator shelf board 92.

While the foregoing written description of the invention enables one of ordinary skill to make and use what is considered presently to be the best mode thereof, those of ordinary skill will understand and appreciate the existence of variations, combinations and equivalents of the specific embodiment, method, and examples herein. The invention should therefore not be limited by the above described embodiment, method, and examples, but by all embodiments and methods within the scope and spirit of the invention.

REFERENCE NUMERALS IN THE DRAWINGS

10 Tool of the present invention 12 Main body channel 14 Reveal measuring device 16 Clamping knob opening 18 Clamping knob 20 Front roll pin opening 22 Back roll pin opening 24 Main body channel front slot 26 Four inch reveal opening 28 Five inch reveal opening 30 Six inch reveal opening 32 Seven inch reveal opening 34 Eight inch reveal opening 36 Nine inch reveal opening 38 Ten inch reveal opening 40 Clamping pad 42 Back roll pin 44 Front roll pin 46 Main body channel back slot 48 Reveal slide 50 Retainer bolt opening 52 Shelf bolt upper opening 54 Reveal indicator 56 Reveal bolt opening 58 Reveal bolt 60 Shelf bolt 62 Shelf bolt lower opening 64 Reveal bolt alternate opening 66 Retainer opening 68 Retainer bolt 70 Reveal board shelf 72 Reveal board shelf locking screw 74 Retainer 76 Fastener locator 78 Fastener locator elongated opening 80 Fastener locator locking bolt 82 Fastener locator shelf 84 Fastener locator spacer 86 Fastener locator semicircle 88 Fastener locator shelf opening opening 90 Fastener locator locking bolt 92 Fastener locator shelf board opening 94 Reveal shelf board 96 Next installed lapboard siding 98 Last installed lapboard siding 100 Next to last installed lapboard siding 102 Lapboard siding 104 Wall sheathing

Claims

1. A tool to facilitate the installation of siding on a structure comprising:

A main body channel.

2. The tool of claim 1 wherein a main body channel comprising a top; a bottom; a front; a back; a left side and a right side comprising a front vertical leg and a back vertical leg that are parallel to each other and perpendicular to a horizontal base wherein the front vertical leg is coupled to the horizontal base at the bottom of the front vertical leg and at the front of the horizontal base and the back vertical leg is coupled at the bottom of the back vertical leg and the back of the horizontal base creating open space above the horizontal base between the front vertical leg and the back vertical leg.

3. The tool of claim 2 wherein the front vertical leg comprising a front and a back and the back vertical leg comprising a front and a back wherein the front vertical leg has greater length from the top to the bottom than the back vertical leg from the top to the bottom and the front vertical leg has greater width from the left side to the right side than the back vertical leg from the left side to the right side.

4. The tool of claim 3 wherein the back vertical leg comprising a beveled edge at the top front of the back vertical leg.

5. The tool of claim 2 wherein a reveal measuring device comprising a plurality of measurement indicator markings is fastened to the front of the front vertical leg.

6. The tool of claim 2 wherein there is a plurality of reveal openings in the front vertical leg.

7. The tool of claim 2 wherein there is a front slot on the front of the front vertical leg and a back slot on the back of the front vertical leg.

8. The tool of claim 1 wherein a clamping knob with circular clockwise and counterclockwise motion comprising a threaded stud that traverses on a horizontal trajectory when the clamping knob is rotated clockwise or counterclockwise.

9. The tool of claim 8 wherein the clamping knob when rotated clockwise traverses into the front of the front vertical leg threaded opening and continues beyond the back of the front vertical leg into a clamping pad with the clamping pad reversibly attached to the threaded stud of the clamping knob wherein a front roll pin is inserted into a front roll pin opening of the threaded stud and a back roll pin is inserted into a back roll pin opening of the threaded stud wherein the back roll pin is inserted into a partial depth opening of the clamping pad.

10. A tool to facilitate the installation of siding on a structure comprising:

A reveal slide.

11. The tool of claim 10 wherein a reveal slide comprising a top; a bottom; a front; a back; a left side and a right side.

12. The tool of claim 11 wherein the reveal slide comprising an elongated aperture to contain and facilitate vertical linear motion of the reveal slide along the main body channel.

13. The tool of claim 11 wherein a reveal bolt when rotated clockwise traverses into a front threaded opening of the reveal slide and into a selected reveal opening of the plurality of reveal openings of the front vertical leg.

14. The tool of claim 11 wherein a shelf bolt when rotated clockwise traverses into a front threaded opening of the reveal slide and continues into a back threaded opening on the same trajectory as the front threaded opening and beyond the back of the reveal slide and threads into a reveal board shelf.

15. The tool of claim 14 wherein the shelf bolt and the reveal board shelf have an alternate front threaded location and an alternate back threaded location on the reveal slide wherein when the shelf bolt is rotated clockwise into the shelf bolt alternate front threaded opening of the reveal slide and continues into the alternate back threaded opening on the same trajectory as the front threaded opening and beyond the back of the reveal slide and threads into a reveal board shelf.

16. The tool of claim 10 wherein a retainer comprising a top; a bottom; a left side; a right side; a front; a back and an opening wherein a retainer bolt when rotated clockwise will traverse through the opening of the retainer and into a threaded opening of the reveal slide.

17. A tool to facilitate the installation of siding on a structure comprising:

A fastener locator.

18. The tool of claim 17 wherein the fastener locator comprising a top; a bottom; a front; a back; a left side and a right side configured to have vertical linear motion along the reveal slide.

19. The tool of claim 18 wherein the fastener locator comprising an elongated aperture between the top and the bottom of the fastener locator.

20. The tool of claim 18 wherein the fastener locator comprising a plurality of semicircle openings.