HORIZONTAL PORTION OF A FRAME IN A STUD WALL AND INSTALLATION TOOL THEREFOR

Abstract

A horizontal portion of a frame, as a door header, of a predetermined length for installation between two adjacent studs of a stud wall spaced from one another. An installation tool, releasably mounted on a respective stud via a magnetic attachment, supports a respective end of the horizontal portion adjacent the metallic stud during attachment of the horizontal portion to the stud. A kit formed of at least one horizontal portion and at least one installation tool is also provided.

Claims

1. A tool for the installation of a horizontal portion of a frame between two adjacent vertical metallic studs, the tool comprising: a main wall defining an outer surface and an inner surface thereof, a first longitudinal end of the main wall including a support surface for supporting a longitudinal end of the horizontal portion thereon; first and second side walls being parallel to one another and depending from the main wall away from the inner surface, the main wall and the first and second side walls forming an open channel for removably receiving one of the two adjacent studs therein, the support surface extending at least partially between the first and second side walls; an attachment member mounted on the inner surface of the main wall for releasably securing the tool to the one of the two adjacent studs, said attachment member includes a magnet, said magnet keeping said main wall with said support surface spaced from the one of the two adjacent studs when the tool is secured thereto, said magnet being adjacent one of the first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end of the main wall opposite the first longitudinal end; and a handle member mounted on and extending from the outer surface of the main wall, the handle member being adjacent the other one the first and second longitudinal ends opposite the magnet, wherein the handle member provides for a lever arm to allow release of the magnet and the tool from the one of the two adjacent studs.

2. The tool of claim 1, wherein each of said first and second side walls extends beyond the outer surface and beyond the support surface to form a respective lateral guide.

3. The tool of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and second side walls includes a mark imprinted thereon and being levelled with the support surface for indication thereof.

4. The tool of claim 1, wherein said magnet and the handle member are adjacent the first and second longitudinal ends of the main wall, respectively.

5. A kit comprising: a horizontal portion of a frame defining an opening in a stud wall; and at least one tool for the installation of the horizontal portion as claimed in claim 1 between the two adjacent vertical studs of the stud wall.

6. The kit of claim 5, including two of said at least one tool for supporting a respective end of the horizontal portion when releasably secured to a respective one of said two adjacent vertical studs.

7. The kit of claim 5, wherein the stud wall has the two adjacent vertical metallic studs spaced from one another by a predetermined distance and each having a stud width, the horizontal portion comprising an elongate body including at least a wooden bottom wall secured to first and second wooden end walls opposite to one another, the elongate body having a body length generally equal to the predetermined distance and a body width generally equal to the stud width, the first and second end walls being securable to the two adjacent studs.

8. The kit of claim 7, wherein the body width being one of the notional 2×6, 2×4 or 2×3 stud widths.

9. The kit of claim 8, wherein said elongate body includes a wooden lateral wall generally perpendicular to the bottom wall and extending between the first and second end walls, said lateral wall being secured to the bottom wall and to the first and second end walls and defining a body height, the body height being one of the notional 2×6, 2×4 or 2×3 stud widths.

10. The kit of claim 9, wherein said elongate body includes first and second wooden lateral walls generally perpendicular to the bottom wall and extending between the first and second end walls, said first and second lateral wall being secured to the bottom wall on opposite sides thereof and to the first and second end walls and defining a body height, the body height being one of the notional 2×6, 2×4 or 2×3 stud widths.

11. The kit of claim 7, wherein said body length is one of 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36 and 38 inches.

12. The kit of claim 9, wherein the body height is different than the body width.

13. The kit of claim 10, wherein the body height is different than the body width.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the description in association with the following Figures, in which similar references used in different Figures denote similar components, wherein:

[0034] FIG. 1 is a partially broken schematic top perspective view of a horizontal portion of a frame supported by two installation tools in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, showing the horizontal portion held in position between adjacent metallic vertical studs by respective installation tools releasably mounted on the respective studs;

[0035] FIG. 2 is a partially broken enlarged view taken along line 2 of FIG. 1, showing the tool positioned on the metallic vertical stud and supporting a longitudinal end of the horizontal portion of the frame;

[0036] FIG. 3 is a front top perspective view of the installation tool of FIG. 2, showing the magnetic attaching member for momentarily supporting the tool on the metallic vertical stud;

[0037] FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of the horizontal portion positioned adjacent a vertical stud;

[0038] FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 1, showing the horizontal portion rotated sideways to now extend between two smaller size metallic vertical studs; and

[0039] FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 1, showing the horizontal portion extending between two wooden vertical studs of a frame and supported by two installation tools in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0040] With reference to the annexed drawings the preferred embodiment of the present invention will be herein described for indicative purpose and by no means as of limitation.

[0041] Referring now to FIGS. 1, to 3, therein is shown, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a horizontal portion 40 of a frame 30 in abutment with two adjacent vertical studs 12 of a stud wall 10 and supported by two tools 60 for the installation of the horizontal portion 40 with the vertical studs 12. Referring more specifically to FIG. 1, although not entirely illustrated, the stud wall 10 is a typical rough wall structure including a plurality of spaced apart vertical studs 12, usually metallic studs in commercial and condominium buildings (as depicted in FIGS. 1-4) and wooden in residential constructions (as depicted in FIG. 5), and only two adjacent ones of the vertical studs 12 are shown in FIG. 1 in stippled lines. All vertical studs 12 of a same stud wall 10 have a common stud width, namely 5.5 inches, 3.5 inches or 2.5 inches, from the typical notional 2×6, 2×4 or 2×3 studs used in building walls. Typically, the opening defined by the frame 30 is generally between two adjacent vertical studs 12 of the stud wall 10 spaced from one another by a predetermined distance (such as commonly used 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36 or 38 inch wide doors, for examples, or any other dimension for a window opening and the like) and the body length L of the elongate body 42 of the horizontal portion 40 is generally equal to that predetermined distance.

[0042] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the vertical studs are typical 2×4 (inches) studs 12, such that the horizontal portion 40 as a typical body width W generally equal to the stud width of about 3.5 inches, and a height H generally sufficient to be rigid, stiff and resistant enough to have a door, window or the like attached thereto.

[0043] More specifically shown in FIG. 2, a longitudinal end of the horizontal portion 40 (shown in stippled lines), such as a doorway header (or window header, window sill or the like), of the frame 30 is supported by the installation tool 60 removably secured to the metallic vertical stud 12 (shown in dotted lines), a portion of which is also part of the frame 30.

[0044] The installation tool 60 typically includes a main wall 62 defining an outer surface 62o and an inner surface 62i thereof, and a support surface 64. First and second side walls 66, typically parallel to one another, depend, generally perpendicularly, from the main wall 62 away from the inner surface 62i. The main wall 62 and the two side walls 66 typically form an open channel for typically tightly receiving the adjacent metallic stud 12 therein. The support surface 64, typically adjacent a first longitudinal end 63′ of the tool 60, extends at least partially, and preferably entirely between the two side walls 66, to abuttingly receives a longitudinal end of the elongate body 42 thereon. The two side walls 66 typically extend beyond the support surface 64 to form lateral guides 68 or ears and hold the supported end of the horizontal portion 30 there between and in alignment with the vertical stud 12. An attachment member 70, such as magnets in this case for use with metallic studs 12, are mounted on one of the main wall 62 (as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4) and the side walls 66 to releasably and firmly secure the tool 60 to the metallic stud 12. In order to allow a practical installation of the tool 60 before the horizontal portion 40 is positioned thereon, a mark 72 imprinted (etched, engraved, printed or the like) on at least one, but preferably both side walls 66 is provided to indicate thereon the position of the support surface 64. This mark 72 is provided to easily position the tool 60 of the vertical stud 12 when using a laser alignment device (not shown) or the like to set the level of the horizontal portion at the predetermined height along the stud 12. A handle member 74 is also provided for easy handling of the installation tool 60.

[0045] Although the support surface 64 might seem to be too narrow to support the horizontal portion 30, and typically the bottom wall 44 thereof, the fact that the main wall 62 is typically spaced from the stud 12 due to the size of the magnets 70 (better seen in FIG. 3) helps in providing for an adequate support.

[0046] In addition, the illustrated tool 10 typically has the magnet(s) 70 adjacent one of the first longitudinal end 63′ and a second longitudinal end 63″ of the main wall 62 opposite the first longitudinal end 63′, and preferably adjacent the first longitudinal end 63′. The handle member 74 is mounted on and extends from the outer surface 62o of the main wall 62, typically adjacent the other one the first 63′ and second 63″ longitudinal ends opposite the magnet(s) 70, and preferably adjacent the second longitudinal end 63″. In such configuration, the relative longitudinal positioning on the main wall 62 of the handle member 74 relative to the magnet(s) 70 provides for a lever arm (schematically indicated as distance D in FIG. 3) to a pulling force P applied on the handle member 74 by a user to help release the magnet(s) 70 from the metallic stud 12.

[0047] The fact that the handle member 74 is also preferably longitudinally opposite the magnet(s) 70 and the support surface 64 allows for the above-mentioned lever arm to ease in the positioning of the tool 60 on the vertical stud 12 with the support surface 64 in alignment with a laser projection (not shown) on the metallic vertical stud 12 projected by a positioning indicator (not shown) such as a laser alignment device or the like.

[0048] The horizontal portion 40 is typically formed of an elongate body 42 that includes at least a bottom wall 44 and first and second end walls 46. Typically, in order to structurally reinforced the rigidity of the body 42, at least a first, but preferably first and second lateral walls 48 extend between the two end walls 46 and are secured thereto, and to the bottom wall 44. The elongate body 42 has a body length L generally equal to the predetermined distance between the two vertical studs 12 it is mounted on, and a body width W generally equal to the stud width. Once the horizontal portion 40 is properly positioned, at the required height, the two end walls 46 are secured to the two adjacent metallic studs 12, using a securing means (not shown), such as screws, nails or the like, typically coming from the inside of the metallic studs 12. Although other materials can be considered by one skilled in the art, the different walls 44, 46, 48 of the elongate body 42 are typically made out of wooden material such as conventional pieces of plywood (wood veneer) material, which could eventually be treated against fungus, moisture and/or even fire.

[0049] In the embodiment of the horizontal portion shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the body width W is generally 3.5 in and the two lateral walls 48 typically have a height H of generally 2.5 in. This configuration allows for a same horizontal portion 40 to be used with conventional 2×4 vertical studs 12, as illustrated, and with conventional 2×3 vertical studs, when rotated ninety degrees(90°) about a longitudinal axis of the elongate body 42, in which one of the two lateral walls 48 becomes a new bottom wall. In fact, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the elongate body 42 of FIG. 1 has been rotated 90° sideways to fit with and between two adjacent 2×3 metallic vertical studs 12′ of the stud wall 10′ and defining the frame 30′, with the new width W′ and height H′ corresponding to the height H and width W of FIG. 1, respectively. In this configuration, the same tools 60 can be used, even though they are slightly too wide, and releasably secured to the respective metallic stud 12′ via their magnets 70.

[0050] Referring to FIG. 5, there is shown the embodiment 40 of the horizontal portion of the frame 30″ supported by two similar tools 60″ releasably secured to the respective conventional 2×4 wooden studs 12″, via their attachment members (such as clamps, screw or the like—not shown).

[0051] In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, there is also provided a kit 100, 100″ including at least one horizontal portion 40 of a frame 30, 30′, 30″ defining an opening in a stud wall 10, 10′, 10″, as described hereinabove, and at least one, but preferably two tools 60, 60″ for the installation of the horizontal portion 40 between two adjacent vertical studs of the stud wall 10, 10′, 10″. Typically, the horizontal portion 40 is supported at both longitudinal ends thereof adjacent the two studs 12, 12′, 12″ by the two tools 60, 60″, at the required height. Then the horizontal portion 40 is then secured to the two studs 12, 12′, 12″ before the tools 60, 60″ are removed therefrom.

[0052] Although the present invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the disclosure has been made by way of example only and that the present invention is not limited to the features of the embodiments described and illustrated herein, but includes all variations and modifications within the scope of the invention as hereinabove described and hereinafter claimed.