Abstract:
A tool for inscribing markings onto a medium includes a body with a mounting hole, and at least one slit extending in a line that intersects the mounting hole toward an outer edge of the body, and a number of drawing holes in a face of the body, each hole a different predetermined distance from the mounting hole. The body may have at least one marking line spaced from the at least one slit to allow for subdivision of a shape such as a circle inscribed using the tool, by using at least one of the at least one slit, edges of the tool, and the at least one marking line.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/160,071, filed May 12, 2015, and to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/160,066, filed May 12, 2015. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    In the quilting/home craft industry, there is a need to be able to mark circles of many sizes onto various surfaces such as paper and fabric with ease. Specialty rulers and shapes are available, but most are limited to either whole or half-inch increments. Non-standard size circles are typically not supported. Many of the marking tools used, e.g.: chalk, washout markers, specialty pens and pencils are too large (both in shaft width and point end size) to fit into traditional drafting compasses, even with specialty adaptors. To be able to find a center of a shape (circles and squares for example) and accurately divide and section these shapes—while accommodating a variety of marking devices—requires several tools to accomplish the one task. Further, compasses and other marking tools require calculations and additional items such as straightedges and the like, making easy marking difficult. 
       SUMMARY OF DISCLOSURE 
       [0003]    The Circleliner™ marking template tool is a highly functional, flexible, transparent and non-breakable plastic template that acts like both a compass and a straightedge for divisions of half, quarter, eighths and sixteenths. It accommodates a wide variety of marking tools with ease. 90 circle sizes are available to choose from, all at ⅛″ increments—accommodating most every circle size needed up to a 11½″ outside diameter—offering both even and odd sizes. It also perfectly aligns concentric circles. 
         [0004]    In one embodiment, a tool for inscribing markings onto a medium includes a circular body, the circular body having a mounting hole in a center of the circular body, and at least one slit extending in a line that intersects the center toward an outer edge of the circular body, and a number of drawing holes in a face of the circular body, each drawing hole a different predetermined distance from the mounting hole 
         [0005]    In another embodiment, a tool for inscribing lines onto a medium includes a wedge-shaped body, the wedge-shaped body encompassing a predetermined arc and having a mounting hole and at least one slit extending from the mounting hole toward an outer edge of the circular body. The wedge-shaped body may further include a number of markings at predetermined angles from an edge of the wedge-shaped body to facilitate even division of a shape into segments according to the markings. The number of markings may include a printed lines on a face of the wedge-shaped body, each of the printed lines at a predetermined angle from an edge of the wedge-shaped body, configured such that the tool may be used to divide a shape into equal segments using the one or more of edges of the wedge-shaped body, the printed lines, and the slit. 
         [0006]    In another embodiment, method of inscribing circles and dividing circles into equal segments includes attaching a marking tool to a material using a mounting hole, and inscribing a circle using one of a number of radius holes in the marking tool, the number of radius holes in a face of the marking tool, each radius hole having a different predetermined distance from the mounting hole. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a top view of a marking template tool according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a mounting for the marking template tool of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an embodiment of mounting apparatus for embodiments of the marking template tool. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a top view of an embodiment of the present disclosure in use. 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present disclosure in use. 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a view of a pattern drawn using an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a close-up view of slits for compass point marking according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0014]      FIGS. 8A and 8B  are views of marked compass points ( FIG. 8A ) and use thereof with a tool ( FIG. 8B ) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a mounting embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0016]      FIG. 10  is a top view of a tool for creating segments in multiples of three, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0017]      FIG. 11  is a top view of a tool for creating segments in multiples of five, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0018]      FIGS. 12A-12G  show a tool in use to segment a shape into  12  segments. 
           [0019]      FIG. 13A-13F  shown a tool in use to segment a shape into  10  segments. 
           [0020]      FIG. 14  is a view of an extender according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0021]    The Circleliner™ marking template tool  100  is shown in  FIG. 1 . The marking template tool  100  is used in one embodiment for drawing circles and lines on flat surfaces where a pin can be driven into or through the surface, including but not limited to paper, plastic, wood and fabric. Tool  100  is in one embodiment an 11¾″ diameter circle cut from a thin, flexible and translucent plastic. In it are cut 77—radius holes  102  (in one embodiment 7/64″, in another embodiment ⅛″, although it should be understood that holes size may be different without departing from the scope of the disclosure) and 8 slits  104  (in one embodiment 1/16″ wide, although it should be understood that slit size may be different, and that more or fewer slits could also be used without departing from the scope of the disclosure) radiating from a center point  106 . Between the slits are 13 circular cutouts  108 , measuring from ⅜″ to 1⅞″ increasing in ⅛ inch increments. (See  FIG. 1 ). Each radius hole  102  is marked with a circle diameter legend, indicating that a circle of that diameter may be drawn using the particular radius hole. For example, to draw a circle with a diameter of 5″, the radius hole  102   5  is selected, a marking implement is inserted in the radius hole  102   5 , and a circle is drawn, as described further below, having a diameter of 5″. While 77 radius holes with circle diameter options from 2″ to 11½″ in ⅛″ increments are shown, it should be understood that with a different diameter marking template tool  100 , additional or fewer radius holes could be provided, and the radius holes could have different separations, to provide for any number of different size circles, depending upon a desired template, all without departing from the scope of the disclosure. 
         [0022]    The marking template tool  100  is attached to a surface of a material in one embodiment by using a thumbtack  202  and a thumbtack cap  204  (see  FIG. 2 ). The thumbtack  202  is placed point upward beneath the material at the center of a circle to be marked, and is pushed through the material, exposing the thumbtack  202  point. The marking template tool  100  is affixed with the centering hole  106  placed on top of the tack  202  point. The tool  100  is then secured by pushing the cap  204  onto the thumbtack  202  point. ( FIG. 2 ). In the case of a surface such as wood, or a surface that is too thick for the thumbtack  202  to extend fully through the material, the thumbtack  202  may be mounted from the top, through the centering hole  106  in the tool  100 , through the design center, and be pushed into the material far enough to hold the tool  100  in place on the material from above. 
         [0023]    In one embodiment, the radius holes  102  are aligned with respect to the centering hole  106  such that the furthest portion of each radius hole  102  from the centering hole is at the radius of the circle associated with that hole  102 . That is, to mark a circle with a diameter of 5″ with a marking implement having a marking point smaller than the diameter of the radius hole  102  associated with the desired circle diameter, 
         [0024]    Slits  104  in one embodiment have a guide line  105  along a side. The guide lines  105  align with the specific angles along the circle. In this embodiment, each guide line  105  is 45 degrees separated from each adjacent guide line  105 . With a marking implement that is narrower than the width of the slit  104 , marking on the side of the slot  104  that has the guide mark  105  provides consistent spacing between adjacent guide marks. The slits  104  in one embodiment extend from near the center opening  106  to near the exterior edge  110  of the marking template tool  100 . Each slit in one embodiment is not continuous, but has small sections  112  that assist in providing stability and strength to the marking template  100 . It should be understood that the slits  104  could be continuous, or could have more or fewer sections  112  without departing from the scope of the disclosure. 
         [0025]    Marking template tool  100  further has, in one embodiment, secondary marking lines  114  between slits  104 , the secondary marking lines  114  also extending radially from at or near the center opening  106 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , secondary marking lines  114  are positioned at a midpoint angle between slits  104 . That is, with slits  104  separated by 45 degrees, secondary marking lines  114  are positioned at 22.5 degrees from each slit  104 , with the secondary marking lines  114  therefore also separated by 45 degrees. The secondary marking lines  114  in one embodiment divide the circular cutouts  108  in half radially, Each circular cutout also has a circle dividing line  116  that extends perpendicular to the secondary marking line  114  of each circular cutout  108 . This allows each circular cutout  108  to be aligned for concentric marking of its circle about the center of a set of concentric circles by aligning the secondary marking line  114  and the circle dividing line  116  with marked radius lines drawn using slits  104 . 
         [0026]    Slits  104  are used in one embodiment to divide drawn circles, or other shapes, into equal sections. With 8 radial slits  104  positioned at 45 degree angles around the marking template tool  100 , a shape may be easily divided into halves, quarters, or eighths without anything other than the slits. This is accomplished in one embodiment by marking along the guide line  105  of two slits (opposite for dividing the circle into halves), four slits (at 90 degree angles for dividing the circle into quarters), or eight slits (for dividing the circle into eights). The secondary marking lines  114  are used in one embodiment to further divide a circle or other shape into smaller increments that the slits  104  alone allow. By rotating the marking template tool  100  about the center opening  106  to align the secondary marking lines with already drawn lines, the shape can be further divided into sixteenths, by marking the eight slits  104  after rotation of the tool to align the secondary marking lines with the already drawn dividing lines. It should be understood that while eight secondary marking lines  114  are shown, additional secondary lines could be marked on marking template tool  100  to further increase the number of divisions into which a shape could be divided, without departing from the scope of the disclosure. 
         [0027]    Similarly, a protractor portion or protractor separately rotatable from the marking template tool  100 , may be attached at the center opening  106  for relative rotation between the marking template tool  100  and the protractor portion or protractor could be employed, wherein the marking template tool  100  has fewer slits  104 , and divisions may be drawn using even a single slit  104  by aligning, for example, an edge of the protractor portion with a drawn line and using the slit  104  at a specific angle from the edge of the protractor to draw another line. This configuration allows a user to choose the division size depending upon the granularity of the markings on the protractor or protractor portion. However, such a configuration requires a user to make a determination, as opposed to following a template for marking divisions. 
         [0028]    Small circular cutouts  108  are provided in marking template tool  100 . The circular cutouts are circles that have a diameter smaller than the circles that may be drawn with the radius circles, and in one embodiment are provided in ⅛″ increments from 1⅞″ to ⅜″. Although ⅛″ increments are shown, it should be understood that different increments, and a different number of circular cutouts  108  could be provided without departing from the scope of the disclosure. 
         [0029]    A perspective view of a thumbtack  202 , cap  204 , and backer plate  300  are shown in  FIG. 3 . Backer plate  300  is in one embodiment a rubber disc, such as neoprene. It may be used when a material to be marked is in a position such that no hard backing or support is present. Such a situation includes a piece of material such as fabric that is stretched between two supports, or on a long arm sewing or quilting machine, or the like. In combination with a pin, the backing disc  300  provides a support for the marking template tool on a piece of material. The process of use of the backing disc  300  is discussed further below with respect to  FIG. 9 . 
       Drawing Circles 
       [0030]    In operation, once attached to a material to be marked, the marking template tool  100  can be used to draw and divide circles ranging from 2″ to 11½″ in ⅛″ increments, using one of the 77 pre-drilled radius holes  102  in the surface of the marking template tool  100  and a marking implement or drawing tool with an end point up to ⅛″ thick, and to draw smaller circles using the circular cutouts  108 . Drawing circles using the radius holes  102  is done by placing the tip of the marking implement  400  (e.g., pen, pencil, chalk pencil) into the radius hole  102  that corresponds to the size of the circle to be drawn, and then spinning the marking template tool  100  a full rotation (360°) while applying downward pressure on the drawing tool tip. (See  FIGS. 4-6 ).  FIG. 6  shows an example of concentric circles  602  marked on a material  606  using radius holes  102  and a marking implement such as implement  400 , and subdivided by marked dividing lines  604  marked using slits  104  and a marking implement such as implement  400 . 
         [0031]    The  13  circular cutouts  108  on the tool  100  can be used to draw smaller circles from ⅜″ to 1⅞″ with no spinning of the tool  100  required. A secondary marking line  114  bifurcates each of the cutouts  108 , and the secondary marking lines  114  and the circle dividing lines  116  form four compass point lines at each of the circular cutouts  108 , and can be used to center the circle to be marked. (See  FIGS. 7-8 ). 
         [0032]    While a specific number of pre-drilled radius holes are disclosed, and a specific increment between concentric circles to be formed with the pre-drilled radius holes, are disclosed, it should be understood that greater or fewer holes and different increments may be used without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Further, a greater or fewer number of circular cutouts, and cutouts of different sizes, as well as a tool of a different overall diameter, may also be used without departing from the scope of the disclosure. 
         [0033]    Further, an extension  1400  is contemplated (See  FIG. 14 ) in which additional circle sizes are enabled, using a substantially rectangular (described but could be a different shape), flexible, translucent plastic extension having radius holes  1402 , a slit  1404  with guide line  1405 , and a centering hole  1406 . The centering hole  1406  may be attached to a material with the thumbtack  202  and cap  204  or backing disk  300  and pin  902  as described herein, and circles of any diameter up to the limits of plastic extension may be marked. 
       Drawing Lines 
       [0034]    The slits  104  are also used in one embodiment to divide pre-drawn circles into halves, quarters, eighths or sixteenths with ease. The slits  104  can also be used to pre-mark centered compass points to which the smaller 13 circular cutouts  108  can be aligned, centered and drawn. 
         [0035]    The TriLiner™ marking template tool  1000  and PentaLiner™ marking template tool  1100  are shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , respectively, and are highly functional, flexible, transparent and non-breakable plastic templates of similar material as that of marking template tool  100 . The tools  110  and  1200  can easily divide any shape with an outside dimension of 11½ or less. The tool  1000  is designed to divide shapes (e.g., circles, but other shapes may be accommodated) into 3, 6, 9, 12 or 18 segments. The tool  1100  is designed to divide any shape into 5, 10 or 15 segments. Each tool is in one embodiment color coded for each segment division, making both teaching others how to use the tools  1000  and  1100 , and using the tools  1000  and  1100 , straightforward and much less prone to error than a traditional protractor. 
         [0036]    The tools  1000  and  1100  are especially useful with pre-drawn circles, such as those described above and drawn with the marking template tool  100   
         [0037]    The tools  1000  and  1100  are used for dividing shapes into odd-numbered increments, e.g., thirds, fifths, ninths. They are capable of use, in one embodiment, on flat surfaces that a pin or thumbtack such as thumbtack  200  can be driven into or through, including but not limited to paper, plastic, wood and fabric. The tools  1000  and  1100  are made out of thin, flexible and translucent plastic, upon which are printed numbered and color-coded segment dividing lines  1002  and  1102  respectively. The marking template tool  1000  is wedge shaped with an arc of 120°. The marking template tool  1100  is wedge shaped with an arc of 144°. 
         [0038]    For tool  1000 , one 1/16″ wide slit  1004  radiates from a center point  1006  toward the outer edge  1010  of the tool  1000 , bisecting the wedge. At a base  1011  of the wedge is a centering hole  1006  used for centering the tool  1000  over the shape to be divided. For tool  1100 , one 1/16″ wide slit  1104  radiates from a center point  1106  toward the outer edge  1110  of the tool  1100 , bisecting the wedge. At a base  1111  of the wedge is a centering hole  1106  used for centering the tool  1100  over the shape to be divided. As with the slits  104  described above, the slits  1004  and  1104  are also in one embodiment provided with guide lines  1005  and  1105  and small sections  1012  and  1112  that assist in providing stability and strength to the tools  1000  and  1100 . Further, it should be understood that slit size may be different, that more or fewer slits could also be used, that the slits  1004  and  1104  could be continuous, or could have more sections  1012  or  1112  without departing from the scope of the disclosure. 
         [0039]    Color-coded (using colored dots), printed lines  1014  and  1114  radiate from each of the center points  1006  and  1106  of the tools  1000  and  1100 , respectively. Tool  1000  has four lines  1014  at arcs of 20°, 30°, 40° and 60° from edge  1015 , with the arc at 60° also identified as guide line  1005 . Tool  1100  has three lines  1114  at arcs of 24°, 36° and 72° from edge  1115 , with the arc at 72° also identified as guide line  1105 . By rotating the tools  1000  and  1100  around the centering point  1006  or  1106 , and drawing lines along the edges  1015 ,  1115  and slits  1004 ,  1104  of the tools  1000 ,  1100 , shapes can be divided into 3, 6, 9, 12 and 18 segments using the tool  1000 ; and 5, 10 and 15 segments using the tool  1100 . Color-coding indicates when to use the slit  1004  or  1104  in addition to the edges  1015 ,  1115  of the tools  1000 ,  1100  to draw dividing lines. Some increments in the tool  1000  do not use the slit  1104 , but instead use only outer edge  1015  or outer edge  1017  to segment the shapes, as is described in greater detail below. 
         [0040]    While a specific number of pre-cut slits  1004 ,  1104  are disclosed, and a specific increment between dividing lines  1014 ,  1114  to be drawn with the slits are disclosed, it should be understood that greater or fewer slits and different increments may be used without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Further, a greater or fewer number of slits, as well as a tool of a different overall diameter, may also be used without departing from the scope of the disclosure. 
         [0041]    It should further be understood that while tools are described with the ability to divide shapes into segments in factors of three and five herein, additional tools may be employed to divide shapes into other factors without departing from the scope of the disclosure. 
       Using the tools  1000  and  1100   
       [0042]    The tool ( 1000  or  1100 ) is attached to a flat surface by using a thumbtack and a thumbtack cap. The thumbtack is placed point upward beneath the material at the center of the circle to be marked and pushed through the material, exposing the thumbtack point. The Tools are affixed with the centering hole placed on top of the tack point. It is then secured by pushing the cap onto the thumbtack point as described above with reference to  FIG. 2 or 9 . 
         [0043]      FIG. 10  also shows dots marking the 6 ths , 9 ths , 12 ths , and 18 ths  marking options for tool  1000 . In one embodiment, the dots are color coded. For illustration purposes, the 6 th  dots are identified as  1020 , the 9 th  dots are identified as  1022 , the 12 th  dots are identified as  1024 , and the 18 th  dots are identified as  1026 . 
         [0044]      FIG. 11  also shows dots marking the 5 ths , 10 ths , and 15 ths  marking options for tool  1100 . In one embodiment, the dots are color coded. For illustration purposes the 5 th  dots are identified as  1120 , the 10 th  dots are identified as  1122 , and the 15 th  dots are identified as  1124 . 
         [0045]    The edges and slits of the tools  1000 ,  1100  can be used to divide circles into segments. As an illustration,  FIGS. 12A-12G  show dividing into 12 ths . For drawing with the tool  1000 , the tool  1000  is initially positioned with its edge  1015  (containing the Tool name—“TriLiner”) where the first division line is to be drawn. Lines are then drawn on the surface of the material along both edges  1015 ,  1017  of the tool  1000 , and as indicated by the color-coding, along the lined edge (guide line  1005 ) of the slit  1004 . ( FIG. 12A ). The tool  1000  is rotated before drawing the next set of segment lines. The  1000  is rotated clockwise to position a printed segment line on the tool  1000  directly over the top of a previously drawn segment line ( FIG. 12B ). If the shape is being divided into 12 ths  or 18 ths , then the printed line  1014  with the number “12” or “18” is the one that is positioned over a previously drawn line. These lines also have color-coded dots  1024 ,  1026 , respectively, as shown in  FIG. 10 . Once the tool  1000  is positioned, the edges  1015 ,  1017  are used as guides to draw the next set of dividing lines ( FIG. 14C ). 
         [0046]      FIGS. 12D-12G  show completion of the segmentation into 12 ths . The slit  1004  is used to accelerate dividing the shape into the desired number of segments for some but not all of the segment numbers. The slit  1004  offers an additional “edge” to draw segment dividing lines. To indicate when to use the slit  1004 , colored dots on the surface of the tool  1000  are positioned along the edge of the slit. If a colored dot on the slit  1004  matches the colored dot on the segment line  1014  being used to divide the shape, then the slit  1004  can also be used to draw another segment line on the surface to be marked, increasing the number of lines that can be drawn with each tool  1000  rotation. If the slit  1004  does not have a colored dot that matches the colored dot on the printed segment dividing line  1014 , then the slit  1014  is not used. 
         [0047]    Using the edges  1015 ,  1017  and slit  1004 , the tool  1000  is rotated and lines are drawn as described above until all of the desired lines are drawn on the surface to be marked. 
         [0048]    For dividing into 3 rds , markings are made at edges  1015  and  1017 , and the tool  1000  is rotated to align a marking originally along edge  1015  with edge  1017 , whereupon another marking may be made, resulting in a division of the shape into thirds. For 6ths, markings are made at the edges  1015  and  1017 , and the slit  1004 , and the tool  1000  is rotated to align edge  1017  with the marking originally made at edge  1015 , whereupon additional markings can be made. The tool is rotated again in a similar fashion to complete the markings. For dividing into  18 ths, markings are made at edges  1015  and  1017  and slit  1004 ; the tool  1000  is rotated until the 18 ths  line overlays the line originally drawn at edge  1015  and markings are made at the edges  1015 ,  1017 , and at slit  1004 ; the tool  1000  is rotated until the 18 ths  line overlays the next line originally drawn at edge  1015  and markings are made at the edges  1015 ,  1017 , and at slit  1004 ; the tool may then be rotated further to align edge  1017  with the last edge marked at original edge  1015 , and the process repeated until all  18 ths are marked. 
         [0049]      FIGS. 13A-13F  illustrate use of tool  1100  to divide a circle into 10 segments. The tool is connected to the material with the tack  202  and cap  204  as described above, and markings are made along edges  1115 ,  1117 , and slit  1104  ( FIG. 13A ). The tool  1100  is rotated ( FIG. 13B ) to align the 10 th  line with the line originally drawn at edge  1115  and markings are made at edges  1115 ,  1117 , and slit  1104  ( FIG. 13C ). As half of the required markings are made, the tool  1100  is rotated so that the edge  1117  aligns with the last marking made at edge  1115  ( FIG. 13D ). Markings are made at the slit  1104  and edge  1117  ( FIG. 13E ). Repeat rotation to align the 10 th  line with the last marking made at edge  1115 , mark edge  1117  and slit  1104  ( FIG. 13F ) to complete divisions of  10 . 
         [0050]    For dividing into 5 ths , attach tool  1110 ; mark at edges  1115 ,  1117 , and slit  1104 ; rotate to align edge  1117  with marking originally at edge  1115 ; and mark edge  1115  and slit  1104  to complete. For dividing into 15 ths , attach tool  1100 ; mark at edges  1115 ,  1117 , and slit  1104 ; rotate to align  15   th  marking line  1114  with marked line originally from edge  1115 ; mark edges  1115 ,  1117 , and slit  1104 ; repeat rotation and marking; rotate until edge  1117  aligns with last marking at edge  1115 ; mark slit  1104  and edge  1115 ; rotate until 15 th  line overlays last marking at edge  1115 ; mark edge  1117  and slit  1104 ; repeat to complete. 
       Attaching the Tools to a Mid or Longarm 
       [0051]    In the fabric surface design industry, the tool  100  can also be attached to a fabric surface of a fabric, such as fabric  900  shown in  FIG. 9 , while the fabric is affixed to a frame (known as a longarm or midarm) by using a corsage pin  902  and the backing disk  300  (in one embodiment a 2″ diameter X 1/16″ thick rubber disk). With the tool  100  placed on the surface to be marked, and centered over the circle to be marked, the corsage pin  902  is pushed through the centering hole of tool  100  and through the surface of the material  900 . The backing disk  300  is held directly beneath the spot where the pin  902  will come through the surface of the material  900  and the corsage pin  902  is pushed through the backing disk  300  until the disk  300  is snugged up to the lower surface of the fabric  900 . The backing disk  300  allows the tool  100  to rotate with precision, while providing a backing support therefor. 
         [0052]    Although the present disclosure has been made with reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the scope of the disclosure.