Abstract:
A clamp device is provided for defining a reference for a measurement comprising: a receiving tray defining a first reference guide and a second reference guide disposed at an acute angle to said first reference guide; a wing projecting from said receiving tray and defining a reference edge which aligns with the vertex of the angle between said first and second reference guides and is orthogonal to said first reference guide; a handle projecting from said receiving tray; a second handle pivotally connected with said first handle and having a forward portion; a clamp plate pivotally mounted to said forward portion; and a biasing member which biases the handles apart so that said pivoting clamp plate is urged toward said receiving tray.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims benefit to provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/386,714, filed 27 Sep. 2010, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    This disclosure relates generally to devices employed for measurement and methods of measurement. More particularly, this disclosure relates to devices and methods employed in the carpentry trade and related technologies for ensuring proper measurement of materials. 
         [0004]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0005]    In the carpentry and related technologies, precise and proper measurement for cutting materials is critical. Commonly, a measuring tape or measuring ruler is placed on the material. The measurement is undertaken and a mark is made on the material to indicate the cutting line. For a single craftsman to make the measurement and ensure the proper cut when very long materials are required, the measurement process can be problematic. The craftsman cannot, at the same time, be positioned at or reach the reference end of the material and the opposing portion where the measurement is to be indicated. 
         [0006]    In some instances, the obtaining of a proper measurement is further complicated by the material geometry. For example, one end of the material, such as a frame piece, may have a mitred edge oriented at 45° to the longitudinal side. For traditional techniques, whereby the measuring rule has an engagement flange for engaging the end of the material, an angularly oriented end can significantly obstruct a proper reference for the measuring end. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    A clamp device is provided for defining a reference for a measurement comprising: a receiving tray defining a first reference guide and a second reference guide disposed at an acute angle to said first reference guide; a wing projecting from said receiving tray and defining a reference edge which aligns with the vertex of the angle between said first and second reference guides and is orthogonal to said first reference guide; a handle projecting from said receiving tray; a second handle pivotally connected with said first handle and having a forward portion; a clamp plate pivotally mounted to said forward portion; and a biasing member which biases the handles apart so that said pivoting clamp plate is urged toward said receiving tray. 
         [0008]    Advantages of the the present invention include the following:
       1) Holds the tape measure and trim securely
           Tape measure never slips.   Accurately mark the cut spot on trim every time.   Measurement is always exact.   
           2) Saves Time
           Trim windows and doors in half the time.   No need to repeat inaccurately measured cuts!   
           3) Saves Money
           No need for a helper—trimming windows and doors is now a one person job.   Perfect cuts the first time, every time.   Reduces waste of expensive trim wood.   
               
 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         [0020]    The drawing, which is not necessarily drawn to scale, includes the following: 
           [0021]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a measurement clamp device according to some embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 2  is a side elevational view of the measurement clamp device of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0023]      FIG. 3  is a front elevational view of the measurement clamp device of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0024]      FIG. 3A  is a front elevational view of an alternative embodiment of a measurement clamp device of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0025]    FIG.  3 A′ is a diagram of a window frame showing a reveal formed by head, side and bottom casings; 
           [0026]      FIG. 4  is a rear elevational view of the measurement clamp device of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0027]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the measurement clamp device of  FIG. 1  viewed from a slightly different angle; 
           [0028]      FIG. 6  is a generally opposite side perspective view of the measurement clamp device of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0029]      FIG. 7  is a top plan view of the measurement clamp device of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0030]      FIG. 8  is a top perspective view of the measurement clamp device of  FIG. 1  as employed for measuring an elongated and angled piece of material for cutting purposes; and 
           [0031]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a measurement clamp device. 
       
    
    
       [0032]    In the following description of the exemplary embodiment, reference is made to the accompanying drawing, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration of an embodiment in which the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized, as structural and operational changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0033]    With reference to the drawing wherein like numerals represent like parts throughout the several Figures, a measurement clamp device is generally designated by the numeral  10 . The clamp device  10  functions to facilitate the measurement of a long piece of material, such as a framing member, by providing a fixed and reliable reference position for a tape rule which has a stop or an engagement flange at the reference position. In particular, the clamp device  10  is especially adapted for use in measuring an elongated member with an end configured at about a 45° angle. By way of example, the elongated member, e.g., element  100  in  FIG. 8 , may include a piece of trim used for finishing a window or door in a building, especially around an opening, as well as for making a picture frame or the like for a photo or a piece of artwork, although the scope of the invention is intended to include other types or kinds of elongated members either now known or later developed in the future. 
         [0034]    The clamp device  10 , which is preferably formed from plastic or other low cost materials, includes an integral receiving tray  20 . The receiving tray  20  forms a clamp bed which, in one preferred form, has a trapezoidal shape. The receiving tray  20  has an upright side reference guide  22  and an upright, angled end reference guide  24  (see  FIG. 2 ) which cooperate to define reference positions for the member to be measured. A plurality of small prongs  26  (see  FIG. 3 ) project upwardly from the clamp bed. In the preferred embodiment, the guide  24  is positioned at an angle of about 45° in relation to the front-to-back axis A of the clamp device  10 , as indicated in  FIG. 7 . See also FIGS.  6  and  8 - 9 . The scope of the invention is not intended to be limited to any particular angle, and embodiment are envisioned using other angles besides 45° within the spirit of the present invention. 
         [0035]    A protruding wing  30  projects from a side of the receiving tray  20 . The wing  30  defines a slot  32  (best shown in  FIG. 7 ) which generally aligns with the vertex of converging reference edges  22  and  24 . In some embodiments or forms of the clamp device  10 , the wing  30  may not have a slot as such, but merely a recessed portion ( FIG. 9 ) with a reference edge  36  orthogonal to the reference edge and intersecting the vertex of the reference guides  22  and  24  of the receiving tray  20 . 
         [0036]    A first handle  40  projects rearwardly from the receiving tray  20 . The handle  40  is contoured on its lower exterior to facilitate manual grasping of the handle. The handle  40  may have an open shell form which is bifurcated to form opposed sides with cross ribs and include openings at the opposed sides for receiving a pivot pin assembly generally indicated by arrow  50 . In one embodiment, the pivot pin assembly  50  includes a  10 / 32  round head screw  52  and a  10 / 32  nut  54 . 
         [0037]    A second handle  60  is also preferably bifurcated with opposed sides and includes at its rear portion  62  a contoured shape for facilitating coordinated manual grasping with the rear portion  42  of the handle  40 . The handle  60  includes a pair of transversely opposed openings which are alignable with the corresponding openings of the handle  40  so that the pivot pin or screw  52  may be inserted through the openings to permit pivotal movement of the handle  60  about the pin and relative to the handle  40  and the receiving tray  20 . 
         [0038]    The forward end of handle  60  includes a nose  66  which has a pair of opposed pins  68 . A pivoting clamp plate  70  includes a plate  72  and a pair of substantially identical transversely spaced brackets  74  which include openings  76 . The pins  68  extend into the openings  76  to pivotally mount the clamp plate  70  to the handle  60 . 
         [0039]    A torsion spring  80  (see  FIG. 3 ) disposed about the pivot pin  52  includes engagement ends which engage V-shaped seats  82  and  84  ( FIG. 4 ) formed in ribs of handles  40  and  60 . The spring  80  urges the rear portions of the clamp member apart so that, for example, in the drawing of  FIG. 1 , the member handle  60  is urged to rotate clockwise relative to the stationary handle  40 . Other spring or biasing arrangements are also possible. 
         [0040]    It should be appreciated that the pivotal connections of the handles  40  and  60  and the pivotal connection of the pivoting clamp plate  70  with the handle  60  may also be accomplished in a number of alternative ways, such as integral protruding truncated axles and detents and other pivoting arrangements. 
         [0041]    A lateral fence  90  integrally extends from a bottom of the receiving tray  20  to incorporate a reveal application as shown in  FIG. 3 , which would typically take the form of a ¼ inch reveal application, as shown by way of example in  FIG. 3A . (See also the lateral fence  90  shown in  FIGS. 1-2  and  4 - 6 .) In particular,  FIG. 3A  shows an embodiment in which the revision on the Miter aid reveal fence is reduced ¼ inch on both sides so as to form a ¼ inch lateral reveal fence  90 ′ when compared to the embodiment of the lateral fence  90  shown in  FIG. 3 . The purpose of this ¼ inch reduction is to allow the clamp device  10 ′ to be used to mark horizontal and vertical reveal lines that meet in a perpendicular fashion, when drawn on the frame on a window or door, so that the head, side and bottom casings may be measured, cut and tacked in place so as to leave a ¼ inch reveal as shown in FIG.  3 A′. As a person skilled in the art of carpentry would appreciate, the reveal is the distance between the inside of the jamb and the edge of the casing, which is typically ¼ inch, although the scope of the invention is not intended to be limited per se to any particular dimension of the reveal to be marked. 
         [0042]    With additional reference to  FIG. 8 , the clamp device  10  functions in a very efficient manner to ensure a proper measurement of an elongated member for cutting, such as the elongated member  100  which has a 45° angle at one end  110  of the material. The handles  40  and  60  are squeezed at the rearward portions to force open the clamp device  10  to allow the end of the elongated member  100  to be fully seated on the receiving tray  20 , as shown. The angled end  110  is received on the receiving tray  20  and abuts against the reference guide  24  and the elongated edge  120  abuts against guide  22 . The handles  40  and  60  are then released so that the clamp plate  72  clamps or presses against the upper surface of the elongated member  100 , thus clamping the elongated member  100  at the proper reference position with the clamp device  10 . The plurality of prongs  26  function to provide a slip-free clamped relationship with the member. 
         [0043]    The flange end of the measuring tape (not illustrated) may then be inserted into the slot  32  or the reference edge  36 , and the measuring tape may be uncoiled until the proper measurement is obtained. A mark may then be placed on the elongated member  100  to indicate the proper cutting length. It will be appreciated that the measurement of the elongated member  100  is accurately achieved by a single craftsman, even though the end of the board may have about a 45° cut. It should be appreciated that, for certain specific applications, the reference guide  24  may be disposed at various alternative angles and/or the reference guide  24  may be variably positionable at various angles according to a given application. 
       The Scope of the Invention 
       [0044]    It should be understood that, unless stated otherwise herein, any of the features, characteristics, alternatives or modifications described regarding a particular embodiment herein may also be applied, used, or incorporated with any other embodiment described herein. Also, the drawings herein are not drawn to scale. 
         [0045]    Although the invention has been described and illustrated with respect to exemplary embodiments thereof, the foregoing and various other additions and omissions may be made therein and thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.