US3651581A - Method and apparatus for hanging ceilings - Google Patents

Abstract

A method of easily determining the ceiling suspension height of support wires for a hanging ceiling and apparatus including a reservoir container having a marker line thereon and a wire bending level indicator with a marker line thereon interconnected by a transfer tube, whereby the ceiling elevation can be easily set and then be transferred to any support wire point within the reach of the transfer tube.

Description

United States Patent Lehman [54] METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HANGING CEILINGS [72] inventor: Ervin Lehman, 558 East 1st N., Logan,

Utah 8432i [22] Filed: Nov.24, 1969 [21] Appl.No.: 879,046

[52] U.S. Cl ..33/209, 72/32 [51] Int. Cl ..G0lc 5/04 [58] Field of Search ..33/209; 72/32, 37

[56] A References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 909,529 1/1909 Blair ..33/209 [451 Mar. 28, 1972' 1,599,347 9/i926 Purkey ..33/209 2,664,645 1/1954 Qualman 3,417,586 12/1968 Hughes ..72/32 Primary ExaminerLeonard Forman Assistant Examiner-Dennis A. Dearing Attorney-B. Deon Criddle ABSTRACT A method of easily determining the ceiling suspension height of support wires for a hanging ceiling and apparatus including a reservoir container having a marker line thereon and a wire bending level indicator with a marker line thereon interconnected by a transfer tube, whereby the ceiling elevation can be easily set and then be transferred to any support wire point within the reach of the transfer tube.

1 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures Paiented March 28, 1972 INVENTOR: ERVIN LEHMAN ATTORNEY.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HANGING CEILINGS BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to methods of hanging suspended ceilings and apparatus used therefor.

In the past there have been many types of suspended ceilings proposed and many different methods have been developed for hanging them at a pre-selected elevation. One of the most common type of suspended ceiling has used wires hanging from overhead beams to support a pre-fabricated framework that is constructed to receive and hold ceiling tiles.

In hanging such a ceiling it has been difficult to determine the necessary lengths of the wires and to bend them such that when the framework and tiles are positioned a flat ceiling of uniform height is obtained.

It is an object of the present invention to provide amethod whereby wires for a suspended ceiling can be easily bent at a uniform elevation and to provide a preferred apparatus for practicing the method.

Principal features of the method are that an elevation point is transferred from hanging wire to hanging wire, in space, through use of a flexible, liquid filled tube and the wires are bent to conform to the set elevation.

Principal features of the apparatus include an easily visible reservoir container that is adapted to be secured to a wall or to be suspended such that a liquid level therein will be indicative of the elevation sought, a wire bending level reading indicator having a mark thereon indicative of a selected elevation, a gripping handle and a bending jig aligned'with the mark and arranged such that a user grasping the handle and a wire can have one hand free for bending the wire around the jig.

Other objects and features of the invention will become ap parent from the following detailed description and drawings.

THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention, with the reservoir container shown mounted on a wall that is shown fragmentarily and with a ceiling and overhead beam from which ceiling suspension wires are hung also shown fragmentarily; and

FIG. 2, a similar view showing a users hand supporting the wire bending level reading indicator and gripping a ceiling suspension wire that is bent around the jig portion of the unit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to the drawing;

In the illustrated preferred embodiment, the invention includes a reservoir container shown generally at 10, a wire bending level reading indicator 11 and a flexible tube 12 of any desired length interconnecting the reservoir container and indicator 1 l.

The reservoir container 10 includes a rigid backing member 13 having means whereby it can be securely attached to a wall or other solid support surface. As shown, the attachment means comprises a pair of spaced holes 14 through which nails 15 may be driven into the wall. Obviously, however, clips, wires, not shown, or other attachment means could be used. An elongate transparent bottle 16, preferably made of an unbreakable material such as plastic, is secured as by clamps 17 and 18 and screws 19 to the backing member and an easily observed marker line 20 is provided on the backing member adjacent to the lower end of the reservoir.

Bottle 16 has a filler spout 16a at the upper end thereof and a conventional non-spill, vented cap 21 closes the filler spout.

The long, flexible tube 12 has one of its ends fixed to the bottom of bottle 16 and its other end fixed to the bottom of a transparent tube 23 that is clamped to a portion 24a of a rigid member 24 forming both a handle and a jig of the wire bending level reading unit 11. As with bottle 16, a conventional, non-spill, vented cap 23a is provided for tube 23.

The handle portion of member 24 comprises a projection 24b extending outwardly from the portion of member 24 on which tube 23 is clamped and an elongate opening 24c through which a user's fingers may be inserted. While the opening 240 is large enough to allow a user's fingers to be inserted through, it is also dimensioned such that when the fingers are extended towards the transparent tube the back and upper edge of the hand will engage edges of the opening to provide support for member 24 and the flexible tube connected to transparent tube 23.

A right angle intersection is formed at the bottom of projection 24b between the projection and portion 24a to serve as a jig 24d around which suspended wires 29 are bent .to be at a desired ceilingsupport height.

The bottom of projection 24b thus serves as a guide line and, if desired, aligned markings 26 can be placed on member 24 to make the guide line more prominent.

In use, a colored and easily observed liquid is poured into bottle 16, through the filler spout l6a-and member 24 is held at a height such that the bottom 24d of projection 24!: and the markings 26 are aligned with the marker line 20. When the colored liquid has completely filled the flexible tube and is standing level with the lines 20 and 26 no further liquid is added. Thereafter tube 23 can be raised or reservoir 16 can be lowered and the liquid will flow into the reservoir for storage. The flexible tube can be coiled and the entire assembly can be easily transported or stored.

When it is desired to bend ceiling support wires, the height at which they are to be bent is first determined adjacent to a wall. The reservoir is then hung on the wall using nails 15, such that line 20 is just above the level at which the wires are to be bent. Straight wires are hung from the rafters or beams at such locations as may be necessary to support the suspended ceiling to be installed and the member 24 is moved from wire to wire and is raised along each wire until the upper level of the liquid in tube 23vis even with the mark 26 and the bottom of projection 24b. At each wire the user can extend his fingers of one hand through opening24c and with his fingers clamp the suspended wire to member 24. The user's other hand, is then free to bend the free end of the wire beneath the jig.

Colored water has been found to be very suitable for the liquid used, but it should be apparent that other liquids that will move freely within the flexible tube 22 can also be employed.

Also, after all wires within the reach of flexible tube 22 have been bent at the desired ceiling height a mark can be placed on another wall or solid support at the bottom of the jig and reservoir 10 can then be hung such that the marker line 20 will then be at the top of the bend in the wire. The wire bending level reading indicator 11 can then be moved from location to location to bend additional wires in the manner previously described.

While non-spill, vented caps 21 and 23a have been shown used on bottle 16 and tube 23, respectively, any conventional cap can be used to hold the liquid in the tube during storage and during use the caps can then be removed to allow for free movement of the liquid within the tube and to prevent formation of a vacuum in the system. The non-spill, ventable caps are preferred however, since they do not require removal and replacement as the apparatus is used.

While the present disclosure is of a presently preferred embodiment of my invention, it should be understood that the present disclosure is made by way of example and that variations are possible without departing from the scope of the hereinafter claimed subject matter, which subject matter I regard as my invention.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for use in hanging a suspended ceiling comprising a reservoir container having a marker line relative thereto; a

rigid plate member a level indicator having a marker line relative thereto;

a long flexible tube interconnecting the bottom of the container and the bottom of the level indicator;

jig means at a lower edge of said plate member providing a wire bending surface aligned with the marker line relative to the level indicator;

eluding an opening through a portion of said plate member above said jig, said opening being positioned such that fingers of a user inserted therethrough can grasp a wire to be bent around the jig means and a portion of said handle means will rest on the top and back of the hand of the user.

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Claims (1)

1. Apparatus for use in hanging a suspended ceiling comprising a reservoir container having a marker line relative thereto; a rigid plate member a level indicator having a marker line relative thereto; a long flexible tube interconnecting the bottom of the container and the bottom of the level indicator; jig means at a lower edge of said plate member providing a wire bending surface aligned with the marker line relative to the level indicator; an easily observed liquid filling the tube and the reservoir and indicator to the said marker lines when the said marker lines are adjacent to one another; means whereby the alignment of the liquid and the said marker lines can be readily remotely observed; means for temporarily securing the container to a wall; and handle means on the level indicator, said handle means including an opening through a portion of said plate member above said jig, said opening being positioned such that fingers of a user inserted therethrough can grasp a wire to be bent around the jig means and a portion of said handle means will rest on the top and back of the hand of the user.

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