US3395456A - Trimming gauge - Google Patents

Description

Aug- 1968 N. M. JOHNSON TRIMMIN GAUGE Filed Ma 1966 Nomi; Johnson United States Patent M 3,395,456 TRIMMING GAUGE Norris M. Johnson, Rte. 1, Box 40, Sutherlin, Oreg. 97479 Filed May 6, 1966, Ser. No. 548,208 2 Claims. (Cl. 33-82) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A gauge for use in laying shingles for determining the desired amount of uniform overhang of shingles from the roof face board. The gauge includes a fixed locating element for placement against a previously trimmed shingle and a second locating element either fixed or adjustable for engagement with the roof face board with the gauge further including a knife guiding edge positionable in parallel, spaced relationship to the face board.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in trimming gauges, and in particular the invention concerns itself with a gauge-which may be effectively and conveniently employed to guide a cutting tool in trimming overhanging shingles on the face board of a roof.

In roof construction it is customary to lay shingles in overlapping courses on the roof face board so that the shingles project outwardly or overhang the side edge of the face board, as for example, by a nominal distance of one inch or so. As each course of shingles is laid, it is necessary for the overhanging edge to be trimmed in line with the previously laid and already trimmed course of shingles. This object is attained by the provision of a from the side edge of the face board, and since the face board side edge cannot be seen-under the overhanging shingles by a workman on the roof, difiiculties are often experienced in trimming the shingles along a straight line parallel to and equidistant from the edge of the face board.

It is, therefore, the principal object of the present invention to eliminate such difficulties and to facilitate convenient and accurate trimming of the overhanging shingles. This object is attained by the provision of a trimming gauge which may be superposed on the course of shingles to be trimmed and which is equipped with locating means cooperating with both the face board and with already trimmed shingles, so as to effectively and accurately guide a cutting tool in the performance of the trimming operation.

Inasmuch as the extent of shingle overhang on different roofs may vary, the invention provides, as one of its important features, adjustable locating means to facilitate positioning of the gauge with its cutting tool guiding edge at a selected and variable distance from the side edge of the face board, thus providing the desired amount of shingle overhang after trimming.

In another, simpler embodiment of the invention, the locating means are set or fixed, to permit trimming at a constant, given amount of overhang.

The device of the invention is simple, convenient and accurate in use, and adaptable to economical manufacture.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing the trimming gauge of the invention in position on a roof;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 2-2 in FIGURE 1;

3,395,456 Patented Aug. 6, 1968 FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional detail, taken substantially in the plane of the line 3-3 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the trimming gauge per se; and

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a modified embodiment of the gauge.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, more particularly to FIGURES 14 inclusive, the invention comprises a trimming gauge designated generally by the reference numeral 10, which may be used for guiding a cutting tool, such as a knife for example, in trimming shingles with an overhang at one side edge of a roof face board. For illustrative purposes, FIGURE 1 shows a roof face board 11 having a side edge 12, a course of shingles 13 already laid and trimmed at the edge 14 so as to overhang or project beyond the side edge 12 of the face board 11, and the next overlying course of shingles 15 with an overhanging portion 15a be trimmed in alignment with the trimmed edge 14 of the shingle course 13.

The trimming gauge 10 comprises a. flat, elongated plate 16 of suitable material such as metal, or the like, one longitudinal side edge of the plate providing a straight guiding edge 17 for a trimming tool, as for example, a knife. A first plate locating element 18, in the form of an angle bracket, is secured to the plate 16, as by welding, at one end of and in alignment with the guiding edge 17, the locating element 18 having a member projecting perpendicularly and downwardly from the plate so that it may be brought in abutment with the already trimmed edge 14 of the shingle course 13.

The plate 16 is sufliciently long to extend from the trimmed shingle course 14 over the untrimmed course 15 and onto the face board 11, where the plate 16 is provided with a second locating element 19, constituted by a downturned end member of an elongated strap 20. The strap 20 is slidably mounted in a pair of transversely aligned brackets or guides 21 secured to the top surface of the plate 16, it being apparent that by sliding the strap in the brackets, the locating element 19 may be moved laterally closer to or further away from the guiding edge 17. The locating element 19 is intended to abut the side edge 12 of the face board 11, it being noted that the corner portion of the plate 16 is recessed as indicated at 22 so that the locating element 19 may project below the plate to engage the face board.

The strap 20 together with the associiated locating element 19 may be locked in an adjusted position by suitable wing bolts 23 which are provided in the brackets 21 and are clampingly engageable with the strap.

The lateral spacing of the locating member 19 from the edge 17 and, consequently, from the locating member 18, determines the extent of overhang of the shingle when the latter is trimmed along the edge 17 of the plate, and since the element 19 is laterally adjustable with respect to the element 18, it will be understood that the gauge may be set for trimming shingles at any desired amount of overhang past the side edge 12 of the :face board. Suitable graduations 24 may be marked along the recessed edge 22 of the plate 16, such graduations corresponding to the markings of a ruler, so that by observing the position of the locating element 19 with respect to the graduations 24, the lateral spacing of the element 19 from the element 18 may be readily determined.

The inner side portion of the plate 16 may be cut away as indicated at 25 for a reduction in weight and also to facilitate handling of the tool.

When the trimming gauge is placed in use, the first course of shingles 13 is laid on the face board 11 and is trimmed along the side edge 14 at a selected distance or overhang from the side edge 12 of the face board. The gauge 10 is adjusted by locating the element 19 at the selected lateral distance from the element 18 .to correspond to the selected amount of overhang, and when the next course of shingles 15 is laid, the gauge is placed on the work as shown in FIGURE 1 so that the locating element 18 abuts the trimmed edge 14 of the shingle course 13 and the locating element 19 abuts the side edge 12 of the face board 11. In this position of the gauge, the guiding edge 17 of the plate 16 will extend across the overhanging portion 15a of the shingle course 15, which may then be trimmed by a suitable cutting tool guided by the edge 17 of the plate, in alignment with the trimmed edge 14 of the preceding shingle course 13. The procedure, of course, is repeated with each successive course of shingles as it is laid.

FIGURE illustrates a modified and a simplified embodiment of the invention which, unlike the embodiment already described, is not adjustable as to different extent of shingle overhang.

In the embodiment of FIGURE 5, the plate 30 has a guiding edge 31 with a fixed locating element 32 at one end thereof, as well as a fixed second locating element 33 which is laterally offset from the element 32 by a given distance. The operation of the embodiment of FIGURE 5 is the same as that already described in connection with the embodiment of FIGURES 1-4, although it will be appreciated that the relatively fixed locating elements 32, 33 of the embodiment of FIGURE 5 do not afford the adjustment in the extent of shingle overhang, such as is afforded by the movable locating element 19.

It may be also noted in FIGURE 5 that a further simplification of the device is possible by forming the elements 32, 33 integrally with the plate 30, which could also be done in the instance of the locating element 18 on the plate 16.

As illustrated in the drawings, both embodiments of the invention are intended for use at the left-hand side edge of the roof, it being understood that another gauge of the right-hand type would be utilized at the right-hand edge of the roofing.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A gauge for use with a cutting tool in the successive trimming of shingles at a uniform outward distance from the roof face board, said gauge comprising,

a light gauge metal plate of elongate shape for overlying facial contact with the shingle being trimmed and having a recessed edge defining an inset area at one end of said plate and a guiding edge for a cutting tool extending substantially the length of said plate and beyond said shingle and terminating at one end in communication with said inset area of said plate,

a first plate locating element in the form of an angle bracket fixedly mounted on the other end of said plate and having a depending member in juxtaposition to said cutting edge for abutment with an adjacent, previously trimmed shingle,

a second locating element carried by said plate and including a depending member inwardly offset from said guiding edge within said inset area for abutment with said roof board,

said depending member of said second locating element offset from said guiding edge a distance equal to the overhang of said previously trimmed shingle whereby said depending members will cooperate to locate said guiding edge in parallel spaced relationship to the roof face board for subsequent shingle trimming by a cutting tool.

2. The gauge as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second locating element further includes an elongated strap slidably mounted within bracket means carried by said plate, said bracket means including means for locking said strap to said plate.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 112,780 3/1871 Castle 33-82 116,805 7/1871 Castle 3382 537,870 4/1895 Thielen et al. -1 33197 738,256 9/1903 Tinklepaugh 33188 979,225 12/1910 Thompson 33-82 1,414,556 5/1922 Dresen 33-188 1,629,053 5/1927 Schrader 33-197 SAMUEL S. MATTHEWS, Primary Examiner.

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