MULTI FUNCTION T SQUARE

Abstract

A panel handling device, has a wheeled portion, having plural wheels at a bottom section thereof, and having a plurality of teeth along a section thereof, said teeth being at different heights relative to the wheeled portion, and a second handle portion, separable from the first wheeled portion, but selectively attachable there to, said handle portion having a handle at one end, and having a slot at the other end, into which slot a surface of the wheeled portion is received, and having a panel handling tray at said other end, the panel handling tray having a surface for holding a panel, and the second handle portion having a teeth holding portion, which holds a position between said first handle portion and said second handle portion by holding into the teeth.

Description

BACKGROUND

A conventional T square is designed to guide a straight line perpendicular to an edge of a sheet of material, such as drywall.

However, artisans who use such tools are required to carry a large and bulky device which is only used for limited purposes.

SUMMARY

The present application describes a multi-purpose T square which has multiple functions.

An embodiment describes a T square that folds in half and also has cutting wheels in locations that allow it to cut both sides simultaneously of a sheet of construction material, such as drywall.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a view of the T-square on a large sheet such as a sheet of drywall;

FIG. 2 shows the T-square device in a folded configurations;

FIG. 3 shows a close-up of the part that holds the T-square device in the folded configuration;

FIGS. 4A and 4B and 4C show the T-square configured in a way to cut a sheet of drywall from both sides;

FIG. 5 shows a view of the assembly of the T-square.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A T square device is described which can be used to cut panels of material, such drywall, vertically and horizontally, and which provides template holes for different kinds of cutouts in the panel. The cutting system is optimized so that the drywall can be cut from both sides.

An embodiment, shown in the figures, describes a multipurpose T-square formed of a number of folding and/or separable parts which enable the T-square to carry out a number of different functions. FIG. 1 shows the T-square 100 with its cross member 110 located on the edge of a panel 99, such as a panel of drywall. An elongated part 120 is located at a 90 degree angle from the cross member, so that when the cross member 110 is placed on the edge of the panel, the elongated part is perpendicular to that edge and thus forms a perfect square of the material.

In this embodiment, the elongated part 120 has a first folding mechanism 130 which enables its use in a number of different scenarios as described herein.

The T-square also includes a separable multifunction part 140 which enables cutting different kinds of holes into different locations in the panel. The multifunction part 140 can be locked into place with a screw locking device 145. At that point, the locked in place template 140 can be used for example to create holes 146 such as for outlet boxes; or round holes 147 for pipe passage or other. The template can be located on one side of the panel, and a score or cut made on that one side. Then, the template can be turned around to the other side of the panel and a cut made from that side; so that cutting can be carried out from both sides. The template portion 140 can have multiple different box sizes shown including the box size 146 and the smaller box eyes and a number of different hole sizes. Once the T square is set, the T square can be reversed, and then can be used to cut from both sides.

Also, the cross member can include a level 220 of the elongated portion.

The hinging part 130 enables the elongated part 120 to be folded in half, both to make it easier to carry, and also for cutting purposes as described herein. When folded in half, as shown in FIG. 2, the two opposite distal ends 150, 151 face to one another. Each of those two ends includes oppositely facing rolling cutters 200, 201 which face to one another.

The elongated portion 120 fits into a slot 300 that is located in the cross member 110. See for example FIG. 3 which shows a close-up of this slot and shows its surfaces that hold the elongated member into place at a 90 degree angle relative to the cross member. The elongated portion 120 can be moved to different locations in the slot, to set different distances, for example, all of which maintain the 90 degree angle. FIG. 1 shows the elongated part being at its maximum extension length, while FIG. 2 shows the elongated part at less than its maximum length.

When the position is moved, for example, from the position in FIG. 1 to the position shown in FIG. 2, some part 401 of the elongated portion 401 is above the cross member 110 and another part 402 of the elongated portion is below the cross member 110. This sets the distance 410 between the right angle edge 111 of the cross member 110, and the location of the cutting head 200 on the elongated portion relative to that right angle edge. This distance 410 then sets the distance of cutting.

Moreover, as shown in FIG. 4B which shows the side view of FIG. 4A from the side, the two cutting portions 200, 201 are automatically placed on opposite sides of the panel material 99. This is shown in further detail in FIG. 4C.

When folded, a hold part 210 can be tightened, which holds between the cross member 110, which holds one side 220 of the elongated member, and the front surface of the hold part 210, which holds the other side 230 of the elongated member. The screws on the hold part 210 can be tightened to press harder between the two cutters 200, 201 at the end of the elongated part to press against, respectively, the two sides of the dryall panel.

The individual parts are shown in FIG. 5. The cross member 110 has the slot 300 which receives the respective side surfaces 600, 601 of the elongated part 120. A plate 610 covers this part and holds it into place. There are also two standoffs 611612 which extend away from the mounting surface, forming a surface for acting as the hold part and receiving the folded part of the elongated part 120 when necessary.

The elongated part 120 can be moved up and down back and forth along the surface 300 to provide any desired amount of distance between the cross member (holding on an edge of the drywall panel), and the cutters. The top portion 220 is the elongated part receives one side of the part 130 and the bottom surface. This is hinged to the bottom part 230, which can hence fold relative to the top part.

In operation, the elongated part can be maintained as one elongated shape, or can be folded into a U-shape, both for easier carrying, and also to provide the two cutting surfaces facing one another so that they can be used to cut both sides of the panel at once. The cross member holds the elongated part in the surface 300, and allows the elongated member to slide up and down in the surface and to be held in place by tightening the plate 610.

The hinge 130 includes a spacing hinge 620 having holes for pins such as 621, 622 at both ends thereof. The width of the spacing hinge 620 is set such that the distances between the opposite facing cutting heads corresponds to the distance between the two sides of the panel to be cut. For example, the distance between the cutting heads might be set as ½ inch to cut both sides of a sheet of ⅝ inch drywall. The hinge pin 625 is placed between the holes 623 and the holes 621 Similarly, the alternate end includes similar hinge pins, thus enabling the hinging.

FIG. 5 also shows magnets 680 and 681 which can attract one another to hold the device in the folded direction. In addition, when folded and located on a sheet, there are levels 685 and 686 which can be used to maintain or insure the level. There is also a level 690 at the top, which can assist in determining the level and plumb of the assembly.

Similarly, the template member can be slid up and down, and locked at any desired distance. The template member has round and square holes which represent sizes of different electrical outlets and plumbing pipes.

Although only a few embodiments have been disclosed in detail above, other embodiments are possible and the inventors intend these to be encompassed within this specification. The previous description of the disclosed exemplary embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the present invention. Various modifications to these exemplary embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A tool, comprising: an elongated member;a cross member, having a slot defining surfaces which fit and hold the elongated member,where the cross member is constrained at a right angle relative to the elongated member, but allows the cross member to move to different locations on the elongated member while constraining the right angle relative to the elongated member, and to lock the cross member in place on the elongated member;said elongated member including a hinging part, which enables the elongated member to fold, and where opposite distal ends of the elongated member include cutting portions thereon, which face to one another when the cross member is folded, and where the position of the cross member on the elongated member sets a distance between an edge of a panel and the cutting heads, enabling the cutting heads to cut the panel at specified location on both opposite sides of the panel.

2. The tool as in claim 1, wherein the hinge member includes a spacing hinge connected at both ends to opposite parts of the elongated member, enabling hinging the elongated member while maintaining a distance between the two hinged parts of the elongated member.

3. The tool as in claim 1, further comprising a multi-hole template, attachable to anywhere along the elongated portion.

4. The tool as in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of levels, located on both the cross member and on the elongated portion.

5. The tool as in claim 1, further comprising a folding holding part, which holds the two parts of the elongated part in pressure relative one to the other, to place pressure against both of the cutting head.

6. The tool as in claim 1, wherein the cutting arms are rotating cutting wheels, each of which extend into the panel to cut both sides of the panel at the same location.

7. A method of using a T-square, comprising: first, using the T-square with its elongated part extended to a maximum length relative to its cross member part, to form an elongated length along the panel, where the panel for the elongated length is perpendicular to an edge of the panel, and where the cross member is held to the edge of the panel;second, folding the T-square in half, such that one side of the T-square is on one side of the panel and the other side of the T-square is on the other side of the panel, and using the T-square for using cutting surfaces on the T-square to cut both sides of the panel simultaneously.

2. The panel handling device as in claim 1, wherein the plural wheels are at different heights, thus enabling wheeling the panel handling device over uneven portions.

3. The panel handling device as in claim 2, wherein a center wheel is lower than the two outer wheels.

4. The panel handling device as in claim 1, wherein the teeth holding portion includes a point which fits between the two teeth, and holds the handle at a specified height relative to the wheeled portion by holding between the two teeth.

5. The panel handling device as in claim 4, wherein the teeth and the teeth holding portion are shaped to allow the handle to be moved upward relative to the wheeled portion, but not to allow the handle to be moved downward relative to the wheeled portion.

6. The panel handling device as in claim 4, further comprising a spring-loaded part that holds the point between the two teeth, and a pressing device, which is pressed to remove the spring-loaded device from between the two teeth.

7. The panel handling device as in claim 6, wherein the spring-loaded part is connected to the handle part.

8. The panel handling device as in claim 1, wherein the teeth are located along a surface that is substantially perpendicular to a bottom surface of the wheeled portion which holds the wheels.

9. The panel handling device as in claim 1, wherein the wheels are screwed into a bottom surface of the wheeled portion.

10. The panel handling device as in claim 1, wherein inside sections of both the wheeled portion and the handle portion are hollow forming a hollow cavity in that inside portion.