GB2565568A

GB2565568A - Architrave positioning tool

Info

Publication number: GB2565568A
Application number: GB1713159.0A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard Massey Matthew
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2017-08-16
Filing date: 2017-08-16
Publication date: 2019-02-20
Anticipated expiration: 2037-08-16
Also published as: WO2019034830A1; GB2565568B; GB201713159D0

Abstract

An architrave positioning tool 10 comprising a central body portion 12 having two planar inner jamb-abutment faces 16 which are mutually perpendicular to one another, 5 and a shoulder element 14 which projects from a perimeter of the central body portion 16 adjacent to the two inner jamb-abutment faces 16. The shoulder element 14 defines a planar front jamb-abutment surface 20 which is mutually perpendicular to the two inner jamb-abutment faces 16. In use, an outer edge 18 of the shoulder element 14 defines an architrave position when the two inner jamb-abutment faces 16 are abuttably engaged 10 with adjacent inner surfaces of a door or window jamb and the front jamb-abutment surface 20 is abuttably engaged with a front surface of the door or window jamb. An architrave positioning system is also provided, which includes a number of the tools each of which has a different depth such that different margins can be marked or drawn for architraves.

Description

Architrave Positioning Tool

The present invention relates to an architrave positioning tool particularly but not necessarily exclusively for demarcation of a position of an architrave around the perimeter of door or window frames. The invention further relates to an architrave positioning system comprising a plurality of different said tools.

An architrave is a type of moulding which generally frames a door or window frame. Usually, the architrave is positioned with a small margin between an inner edge of the frame, usually of the order of a few millimetres, which gives a neat finished aesthetic.

Currently, the margin is set by using an adjustable combination square, which is a tool having a straight-edged element, called a blade, mounted to a handle which extends at right angles to the blade.

Setting the combination square takes time, since the depth of the blade must be adjusted. The handle also acts to block part of the blade, and as such, the combination square must be flipped over during use in order to mark both the horizontal and vertical positions for the architrave. Often this process requires two hands, making it difficult for the user, typically a carpenter, to mark the position for the architrave along the edge of the blade.

The present invention seeks to provide a tool which overcomes the difficulties of using a combination square to mark an architrave position around a door or window frame.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an architrave positioning tool comprising: a central body portion having two planar inner jamb-abutment faces which are mutually perpendicular to one another; and a shoulder element which projects from a perimeter of the central body portion adjacent to the two inner jamb-abutment faces, the shoulder element defining a planar front jamb-abutment surface which is mutually perpendicular to the two inner jamb-abutment faces; an outer edge of the shoulder element defining an architrave position when the two inner jamb-abutment faces are abuttably engaged with adjacent inner surfaces of a door or window jamb and the front jamb-abutment surface is abuttably engaged with a front surface of the door or window jamb.

A combination square is a cumbersome tool for marking the position of architrave in the corner of a door or window frame. The blade of the combination square defines a single elongate straight edge, and therefore the combination square must be turned in-use in order to mark around a comer of the door or window frame. The provision of an architrave positioning tool having jamb-abutment faces and surfaces which abuttably engage with the corner of the door or window frame ensures that the marking of the architrave position on the door or window frame can be completed much more quickly, by holding the tool in the correct, pre-calibrated position.

Preferably, a perimeter of the shoulder element may have a shape which is identical to a perimeter of the central body portion.

From a manufacturing perspective, it is advantageous to minimise the complexity of the shape of the tool, and as such, cutting the shoulder element to shape relative to the central body portion will reduce the manufacturing cost of the tool.

In one embodiment, the central body portion may be formed having four side surfaces in a rectangular configuration, each two adjacent side surfaces forming a pair of the said planar inner jamb-abutment faces.

A rectangular shape provides the least complex shape of tool to manufacture whilst each corner of the tool is able to abuttably engage with the door frame. As such, the user can use whichever corner of the tool and still create the same marking position.

Optionally, the shoulder element may project from the entire perimeter of the central body portion.

If the shoulder element extends around the entire perimeter, then the tool can viably be used in any orientation, increasing the overall utility thereof.

A shoulder-proximate major surface of the central body portion may be planar and parallel to the front jamb-abutment surface. Optionally, the shoulder-proximate major surface may include a gripping portion, which may be formed as an indentation in the shoulder-proximate major surface. Preferably, the shoulder element may be flush with the shoulder-proximate major surface.

The surface of the tool which is proximate the shoulder is most readily able to be held by a user, and therefore the shaping of said surface is formed so as to be readily gripable. Preferably, the user should be able to contact the shoulder-proximate major surface with a gentle force, and thus maintain the tool in position.

A shoulder-distal major surface of the central body portion may be planar and parallel to the front jamb-abutment surface.

A planar opposite surface, that is, having no projections thereon, limits the potential for the tool accidentally damaging the inner surface of the door frame in use.

In one embodiment, the central body portion may include two further planar inner jambabutment faces which are mutually perpendicular to one another and which project in an opposite direction to the two said planar inner jamb-abutment faces relative to the shoulder element, the shoulder element defining a further planar front jamb-abutment surface which is mutually perpendicular to the two further inner jamb-abutment faces. Preferably, a depth of the said planar front jamb-abutment surface may be different to a depth of the said further front jamb-abutment surface.

The versatility of the tool may be increased by providing different shoulder surface depths, allowing a single tool to be used to mark different margins for architraves. This can reduce the cost to the end-user, since they will not need separate tools for this.

Preferably, the shoulder element may have a thickness of less than or equal to 2mm.

Limiting the thickness of the shoulder element to no more than 2mm allows the shoulder element to be slid underneath a door or window which has already been hingeably mounted to the door or window frame to which architrave is to be installed. This allows the tool to be used without removing the door or window.

Preferably, the central body portion may have a thickness of less than or equal to 4mm, and/or the tool may have an area of 100mm by 75mm.

The dimensions of the tool are such that it is designed to be readily stored in a wallet, allowing a user to carry to tool around as required without needing a dedicated storage box.

Preferably, tool may be formed from a plastics material.

It is noted that, although a wooden tool could be manufactured, any warping, expansion or contraction of the wood will deform the inner jamb-abutment faces or the front jambabutment surface, whilst a metal tool may result in sharp edges which could cause harm to the user. A durable plastics material is therefore preferred.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided an architrave positioning system comprising a plurality of architrave positioning tools in accordance with the first aspect of the invention, wherein a depth of the front jamb-abutment surface of each architrave positioning tool is different.

Preferably, the depth of the plurality of architrave positioning tools may be selected from: 5mm; 7mm; and 9mm.

The provision of tools of different shoulder depths allows for a user to have a readilyaccessible set of pre-defined architrave positioning margins to be created, merely by selection of the appropriate tool for the project.

The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a top plan view of one embodiment of an architrave positioning tool in accordance with the first aspect of the invention;

Figure 2 shows a side view of the architrave positioning tool of Figure 1;

Figure 3 shows a front perspective view of the architrave positioning tool of Figure 1;

Figure 4 shows a perspective representation of the architrave positioning tool of Figure 1 in abuttable engagement with two side of a door or window jamb;

Figure 5 shows a perspective representation of a user marking an architrave position following the positioning of the architrave positioning tool in Figure 4; and

Figure 6 shows a perspective representation of the resultant mark following removal of the architrave positioning tool from abuttable engagement with the door or window jamb.

Referring to Figures 1 to 3, there is shown an architrave positioning tool, indicated globally at 10, and which is used to define and mark a consistent spacing around a door or window frame for mounting an architrave.

The architrave positioning tool 10 comprises a central body portion 12 and a shoulder element 14 which extends from the central body portion 12, thereby defining a shoulder or lip. In the present embodiment, the architrave positioning tool 10 is formed so as to have a rectangular profile, and therefore the central body portion 12 has four planar side faces 16 adjacent to the shoulder element 14. The shoulder element 14 here extends around the entire perimeter of the central body portion 12, projecting outwardly from each of the side faces 16 thereof.

Preferably, the area of the architrave positioning tool 10 is 100 millimetres by 75 millimetres, and is therefore sized to be accommodated within a wallet of standard dimensions. Alternatively, the architrave positioning tool 10 could be sized in accordance with ISO/IEC 7810 ID-1 standard, that is, to match or substantially match the area of a credit or debit card.

The central body portion 12 preferably has a thickness of less than or equal to 4mm, with a thickness of the shoulder element 14 being preferably less than or equal to 2mm.

An outer edge 18 of the shoulder element 14 is also planar, acting as a demarcation edge of the architrave positioning tool 10, with respect to a respective side face 16 of the central body portion 14. A shoulder surface 20 of the shoulder element 14 is also planar, and is perpendicular to both the outer edge 18 of the shoulder element 14 and to the planes of the side faces 16. That two adjacent side faces 16 and the shoulder surface 20 are mutually perpendicular to one another enables the architrave positioning tool 10 to be used to quickly mark a position for the architrave.

The shoulder surface 20 may have a uniform depth around the entire perimeter of the central body portion 14, or alternatively, a plurality of different shoulder surfaces of differing depths may be formed. Where a rectangular central body portion 14 is provided, for example, the shoulder surface adjacent two neighbouring side faces 16 may have a first depth, and then the shoulder surface adjacent the opposite two neighbouring side faces 16 may have a second depth, allowing the architrave positioning tool 10 to be used to mark different architrave positions.

A shoulder-distal major surface 22 of the central body portion 12 is defined between the four side faces 16, and is here provided as a planar surface which is parallel to the shoulder surface 20.

A shoulder-proximal major surface 24 of the central body portion 12 is defined between the outer edges 18 of the shoulder element 14, and is opposite, and preferably planar and parallel to, the shoulder-distal major surface 22. Preferably, the shoulder-proximal major surface 24 includes a gripping portion, which may be formed as an indentation thereon, and is adapted for a user to grip the architrave positioning tool 10. The shoulder-proximal major surface 24 may also be flush with the shoulder element 14.

The architrave positioning tool 10 is preferably formed from a rigid plastics material, such as polystyrene, polytetrafluoroethylene, polypropylene, or polyethylene terephthalate.

The projection of the shoulder element 14 relative to the central body portion 12 can alternatively be described as a void 26 which is formed in the body of the architrave positioning tool 10. The architrave positioning tool 10 may preferably be formed by cutting this void 26 in a solid block of material, to thereby define the shoulder element 14. Alternatively, the architrave positioning tool 10 could be formed by connecting upper and lower body portions of different dimensions together, which would also result in the formation of a shoulder element 14.

The architrave positioning tool 10 is illustrated in-use in Figure 4 to 6. The architrave positioning tool 10 is introduced by a user 28 to an internal corner of a doorjamb 30 of a door frame 32 such that two neighbouring side faces 16 of the central body portion 12 abuttably engage with the inner faces 34 of the doorjamb 30. As such, the in-use side faces 16 can be considered to act as inner jamb-abutment faces, in that they contact the inner faces 34 of the doorjamb 30. It will be appreciated that the tool could be just as easily used in the context of a window frame, or other architectural features requiring an architrave.

The term door jamb 30 is used to refer to the inner faces 34 of a door frame 32, including both the horizontal and vertical components of the door frame 32. It will be appreciated that the architrave positioning tool 10 is suitable for use in any context in which an architrave is to be mounted, and that the side faces 16 need not necessarily contact the doorjamb 30 directly. For instance, a veneer or similar layer may be present on the doorjamb 30 or door frame 32.

The shape of the architrave positioning tool 10 is such that the shoulder surface 20 rests naturally in abuttable engagement with a front surface 36 of the doorjamb 30 and/or door frame 32. As such, the in-use shoulder surface 20 can be considered to act as a front jamb-abutment surface of the architrave positioning tool 10.

The overhang of the shoulder element 14 across the front surface 36 of the doorjamb 30 positions the outer edge 18 thereof in a suitable position for a marking device, such as a pencil 38, as can be seen in Figure 5, to mark a position for an edge of the architrave to be installed. As can be seen, the shaping of the architrave positioning tool 10 is such that it can be readily held in place by the user 28 by applying a gentle force in the direction of the door frame 34. This can be performed with only one hand, the user’s 28 other hand being free to use the pencil 38 to mark the architrave position.

As the inner jamb-abutment faces and the front jamb-abutment surface respectively engage with the mutually perpendicular inner faces 34 and front surface 36 of the door jamb 30, there is no user-introduced error in the positioning of the architrave positioning tool 10. This is in contrast with a combination square, which must be adjusted by the user and then repositioned in order to mark the front surface 36 of the doorjamb 30 twice, in the vertical and horizontal directions.

The markings 40 produced by the user 28 following use of the architrave positioning tool 10 are shown in Figure 6. It is clear that the architrave positioning tool 10 can be positioned against one inner face 34 only in order to mark the length or breath of the doorjamb 34 respectively.

Using such an architrave positioning tool 10, the user 28 can rapidly mark the correct position for an architrave with respect to a door frame 34, since the depth of the shoulder surface 20 automatically defines the spacing from an edge of the doorjambs 30 thereof when marking the position.

It is preferably that each architrave positioning tool 10 has a single shoulder surface 20 having a uniform depth, so that different depths are not accidentally marked onto the door frame 34. As such, it may be advantageous to provide an architrave positioning system in which a plurality of architrave positioning tools is provided, each having a different uniform depth. Shoulder surfaces having depths of 5mm, 7mm, and 9mm would make a set of architrave positioning tools having the most common architrave positions, and would therefore be useful in the majority of contexts.

Whilst the shoulder element 14 is illustrated in the above embodiment as being flush with the shoulder-proximal major surface 24 of the central body portion 12. It will be apparent to the skilled person, however, that the shoulder element could be more centrally located in the thickness of the architrave positioning tool, such that the central body portion projects from both of the major surfaces thereof. This would allow both sides of the architrave positioning tool to be used for demarcation, and indeed, the depths of the shoulder surface on each side could be different.

Whilst a rectangular architrave positioning tool may be the simplest tool to manufacture whilst maintaining the necessary mutually perpendicular inner jamb-abutment faces and the front jamb-abutment surface, it will be appreciated that only one comer of the architrave positioning tool is required to achieve this end. It may therefore be possible to provide an architrave positioning tool in the shape of a right-angled triangle, or an architrave positioning tool having a non-uniform shape, for example having a handle portion which is opposite to the right-angled comer.

Similarly, whilst it is most straightforward that the shoulder element has an identical shape but differently dimensionality to the central body portion, this is not a strict requirement, provided that the relative shapes are such that the inner jamb-abutment faces and front jamb-abutment surface are all mutually perpendicular to one another so as to match-fit with an inner corner of a doorjamb.

It is also noted that the shoulder element is described as being a continuously-extending perimeter shoulder. It will be apparent that the invention could still work if a discontinuous shoulder element were provided, albeit one in which the discontinuous edges were aligned and formed a nominal straight edge for making the architrave position.

It is therefore possible to provide an architrave positioning tool which can be used in a much more efficient manner than a combination square, being formed so as to be abuttably engagable with the inner and front surfaces of a door or window jamb and/or frame simultaneously, with a shoulder element provided which defines a marking edge which a user can user to mark a readily calibrated and accurate architrave edge position relative to the edge of the door or window frame.

The words ‘comprises/comprising’ and the words ‘having/including’ when used herein with reference to the present invention are used to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof.

It is appreciated that certain features of the invention, which are, for clarity, described in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable sub-combination.

The embodiments described above are provided by way of examples only, and various other modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the field without departing from the scope of the invention as defined herein.

Claims

1. An architrave positioning tool comprising:

a central body portion having two planar inner jamb-abutment faces which are mutually perpendicular to one another; and a shoulder element which projects from a perimeter of the central body portion adjacent to the two inner jamb-abutment faces, the shoulder element defining a planar front jamb-abutment surface which is mutually perpendicular to the two inner jamb-abutment faces;

an outer edge of the shoulder element defining an architrave position when the two inner jamb-abutment faces are abuttably engaged with adjacent inner surfaces of a door or window jamb and the front jamb-abutment surface is abuttably engaged with a front surface of the door or window jamb.

2. An architrave positioning tool as claimed in claim 1, wherein a perimeter of the shoulder element has a shape which is identical to a perimeter of the central body portion.

3. An architrave positioning tool as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the central body portion is formed having four side surfaces in a rectangular configuration, each two adjacent side surfaces forming a pair of the said planar inner jamb-abutment faces.

4. An architrave positioning tool as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the shoulder element projects from the entire perimeter of the central body portion.

5. An architrave positioning tool as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein a shoulder-proximate major surface of the central body portion is planar and parallel to the front jamb-abutment surface.

6. An architrave positioning tool as claimed in claim 5, wherein the shoulderproximate major surface includes a gripping portion.

7. An architrave positioning tool as claimed in claim 6, wherein the gripping portion is formed as an indentation in the shoulder-proximate major surface.

8. An architrave positioning tool as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the shoulder element is flush with the shoulder-proximate major surface.

9. An architrave positioning tool as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein a shoulder-distal major surface of the central body portion is planar and parallel to the front jamb-abutment surface.

10. An architrave positioning tool as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the central body portion includes two further planar inner jamb-abutment faces which are mutually perpendicular to one another and which project in an opposite direction to the two said planar inner jamb-abutment faces relative to the shoulder element, the shoulder element defining a further planar front jamb-abutment surface which is mutually perpendicular to the two further inner jamb-abutment faces.

11. An architrave positioning tool as claimed in claim 10, wherein a depth of the said planar front jamb-abutment surface is different to a depth of the said further front jamb-abutment surface.

12. An architrave positioning tool as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the shoulder element has a thickness of less than or equal to 2mm.

13. An architrave positioning tool as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the central body portion has a thickness of less than or equal to 4mm.

14. An architrave positioning tool as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the tool has an area of 100mm by 75mm.

15. An architrave positioning tool as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the tool is formed from a plastics material.

16. An architrave positioning system comprising a plurality of architrave positioning tools as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein a depth of the front jambabutment surface of each architrave positioning tool is different.

17. An architrave positioning system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the depth of the plurality of architrave positioning tools is selected from: 5mm; 7mm; and 9mm.