Abstract:
A single tool is provided to score the surface of aluminum or vinyl siding regardless of profile. The tool comprises an extensible measuring rail at the end of which is attached a scoring knife attached, the rail and knife being extensible from a siding guide which interlocks solely with the edge of the siding material. The measuring rail is spaced above the guide for spacing the rail and scoring blade above the surface of the siding material, thus avoiding undesirable damage to the surface as it is engaged in the tool and as the tool is drawn down the edge of the siding during scoring. The scoring knife is pivotable on the measuring rail so as to contact with the siding surface when under control of the installer and regardless of the siding profile. Further the knife is reversible for use by both right and left-handed installers.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to apparatus and method for measuring and scoring of materials, more particularly to scoring aluminum and vinyl siding. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A myriad of tools are available for the purpose of measuring and scoring different materials. The variety of designs results from the unique properties or requirements of the material to be scored. 
     Conventional siding materials used to clad the exterior walls of residential and commercial buildings are usually made of extruded aluminum or vinyl and are available in a number of standard profiles. Typically, the profiles mimic that of clapboard siding. Rather than siding by overlapping board by board, as clapboard is installed, the siding is extruded in strips or panels that mimic one or more pieces of board on one strip. The width of the “boards” on the extruded siding, their shape and the way in which they appear to overlap dictates the profile of the siding. There are a number of different profiles available, some of which are standard double 4″, standard double 5″ or 4.5″ and Dutch lap or cove. 
     The strips are installed on the supporting structure in an interlocking manner, starting at the bottom of the wall, by nailing across the length of a nailing strip at the top of the extruded strip, through holes formed in the nailing strip. Each upper adjacent strip is interlocked to the one below, usually by interlocking a U-shaped catch at the bottom of the upper strip with a flange below the nailing strip of the lower piece of siding. In this manner the nailing strip is hidden from view, creating a continuous clapboard appearance. 
     As structural walls vary in height and openings may be placed at unique positions in the walls, the uppermost strip will have to be cut longitudinally to fit below the eave of the roof, and other strips cut above door openings and above and below window openings. While vertical cuts are easily made into the siding strips using metal snips, longitudinal cuts present greater challenges. 
     Longitudinal cuts in aluminum siding strips are generally made by first measuring and marking the strip with a pencil and then scoring the siding with a utility knife. Aluminum siding can then be bent back and forth along the score line until it snaps. Most utility knives have relatively thin blades, often designed to be snapped off at regular intervals in order to keep the blade sharp. These blades are flimsey, which makes it difficult to apply enough pressure to the knife to score without wandering over the surface of the siding material. This is especially true if the siding is to be cut on the sloping portion of the siding profile. This requires skill and steadiness of hand when using an unsupported utility knife. 
     A prior art scoring tool that utilizes a plastic plate specific for the profile of siding is known. It is essential to have a different plate for each profile of siding used as the plate utilizes the unique features of the siding profile, such as the horizontal shoulders, as a support and guide. A thumb screw with a scoring tip is screwed into one of a plurality of holes bored through the plate, to correspond with the desired measurement of the score line on the siding. Pressure is applied to the plate and the thumbscrew as it is moved along the surface of the siding, guided by the bottom edge of the siding and the horizontal shoulders of the profile. It is essential that the scoring tip be aligned in the direction of the score at all times or it will wander and not cut. 
     It is also essential that pressure be applied downward and laterally to keep the plate aligned along the edge and shoulder, as the scoring tool does not interlock with the siding in any way. Further, any small pieces of debris on the surface of the siding will be dragged below the plate and result in scratching, which is especially visible on aluminum siding. 
     Alternatively, both aluminum and vinyl siding can be cut along the marked line using tin snips, aviation snips or a circular saw, either hand held or mounted. Hand held metal snips are difficult to use when making longitudinal cuts, especially the full length of the siding strip, as the installer has little room for his hand between the cut pieces and the cut material is stiff. Offset handles have improved this situation, however, cutting the amount of siding required to top all four walls of a structure as well as openings for windows and doors requires very strong hands. 
     The use of a circular saw requires a more complex set-up on the job-site as the siding strip must be supported by a solid structure in order to run it the full length of the strip along the scribed line. If the saw is mounted, the installer must be able to support and pass the siding strip through the saw blade. 
     Clearly there is a need for a simple reliable scoring tool that requires little job-site setup, is easily used by an installer, requires little effort to maintain alignment and will not damage the surface of the siding during use. Ideally a single tool would be used for all available siding profiles 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A tool for accurately scoring siding material is provided comprising a measuring rail, to which a scoring blade is pivotally mounted at its distal end, which is extensible from a hounding mounted on a guide for engaging the end of the U-shaped catch at the bottom edge of a siding strip. The scoring tool is slidable along the edge of the siding material once it is interlocked with the U-shaped catch at the bottom edge of the material. The measuring rail housing is mounted on the guide so as to create a unique alignment block which spaces the measuring rail and scoring knife above the surface of the siding material, preventing damage to the surface of the siding material. Means are provided for locking the measuring rail at an extended position. 
     Preferably, the housing is mounted pivotally to the guide to create extra space for engaging siding with different profile heights and allow the scoring knife blade to be pivoted to contact the siding surface at any position on the siding profile. The scoring tool guide can be interlocked with the siding material from either end of the U-shaped channel in the guide, the channel sized to allow limited rotation of the U-shaped catch at the edge of the siding material. 
     Preferably the scoring knife comprises a blade portion and a handle portion, the blade being carbide tipped, such as used for cutting plastic laminate and can be pivotably and reversibly mounted on the end of the measuring rail for use by either right handed or left handed installers. 
     A method of scoring siding material at a desired measurement is described comprising the steps of 
     providing a scoring tool comprising a measuring rail to which a scoring blade is pivotally mounted and which is extensible from a guide which engages the end of a U-shaped catch at the bottom edge of siding material and is slidable thereon, the guide spacing the measuring rail above the surface of the siding material; 
     extending the measuring rail to the desired measurement; 
     interlocking the guide with the U-shaped catch at the bottom edge of the siding material 
     rotating the scoring knife to position the scoring blade in contact with the siding material; and 
     drawing the scoring tool along the siding material while applying pressure to the scoring knife. 
     Thus, a single scoring tool is provided that can be used on any profile of siding material as the scoring tool interlocks and co-operates solely with the edge of the siding material. The surface of the siding material is protected from damage by the tool as the measuring rail is spaced above the surface of the material and the scoring knife is pivotable to a non-actuated position wherein the blade is away from the material surface. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side view of one profile of conventional siding attached to a supporting structure, showing a U-shaped catch at the bottom of a siding strip interlocked with a flange extending outward and downward formed below the nailing strip of a lower siding strip; 
     FIG. 2 is a schematic of a wall clad in siding material, illustrating the need for longitudinal cutting of siding strips at the tops of walls and under and over openings in the structure; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the scoring tool of the present invention showing a partial piece of siding interlocked in the housing guide; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the housing of the scoring tool showing the orientation of the slot; 
     FIG. 5 is a side view of the scoring tool of the present invention with a piece of siding material interlocked in the housing guide; 
     FIG. 6 is a side view of the end of the measuring rail showing the pivotal attachment of the scoring knife; 
     FIG. 7 a  is a perspective view of the scoring knife of the present invention showing the knife blade in an actuated position relative to a higher point on the siding profile; and 
     FIG. 7 b  is a perspective view of the scoring knife of the present invention showing the knife blade in an actuated position relative to a lower point on the siding profile. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Conventional siding material  1 , such as double cove siding as shown in FIG. 1, comprises a nailing strip  2 , a flange member  3 , upper  4  and lower  5  declinations being somewhat planar and extending downwardly and slightly outwardly from the nailing strip  2 , upper  6  and lower  7  shoulders extending inwardly and substantially horizontally from the lower edges of the upper  3  and lower  4  declinations and a U-shaped catch  8  formed at the lower shoulder  7 . The shape and degree of slope on the declinations  4 , 5 , the angle of the horizontal shoulders  6 , 7  and the depth of the declinations  4 , 5  are variable depending upon the desired appearance or profile of the siding. 
     With reference again to FIG. 1, a first strip  9  of siding material  1  is secured by nails  10  to the lower edge of the supporting wall  11  through holes in the nailing strip  2 . A second strip  12  of siding material  1  is interlocked to the first attached piece of siding  9  by snapping its U-shaped catch  8  over the downwardly extending flange  3  of the first siding strip  9 . The second siding strip  12  is then nailed  10  to the supporting structure  11  and the process repeated over and over until the entire wall surface is covered. 
     As shown in FIG. 2, a wall&#39;s height  20  is clad with siding strips of a specific height  21 . The height of the final piece of siding material  22  must be cut, shortening it to fit the top of the wall. Similarly, if there is an opening in the wall  23 , the siding must be cut to fit above and below the opening to maintain a continuous clapboard appearance. Further, it is clear that the siding may require cutting across any portion of its profile, on the sloped declinations, at the apex of the shoulder, or on the flattened portions near the nailing strips. 
     Having reference to FIGS. 3-5, a scoring tool  30  to make longitudinal cuts in aluminum and vinyl siding material  1 , is provided. The scoring tool  30  comprises a housing  31  having a slot  32  and a siding guide  33  co-operating to form an alignment block  34 , a slidably extending rigid measuring rail  35 , and a scoring knife  36 . 
     Having reference to FIGS.  3 , 4 , the housing  31  comprises a rectangular block  40  having a top surface  41 , a bottom surface  42 , a front side  43 , a back side  44  and identical left and right sides  45 , 46 . A rectangular slot  32 , sized to allow the measuring rail  35  to pass therethrough, is disposed centrally through the housing  31 , extending from the front side  43  through to the back side  44 . 
     The measuring rail  35  comprises a rigid rectangular member inscribed in distance increments, preferably both metric and imperial. The measuring rail  35  is slidable within the rectangular slot  32  in the housing  31  and when positioned in the housing  31  extends parallel to the housing axis. 
     A thumb screw  47 , inserted through a threaded hole  48  in the top surface  41  of the housing  31 , extends into the slot  32  and when screwed into the hole  48  applies pressure to the measuring rail  35  prevent it from sliding further into or out of the slot  32 . This allows a fixed measurement to be set. 
     Having reference to FIG. 5, the siding guide  33  has a main body  50  formed with a U-shaped channel  51  along a front edge. The U-shaped channel  51  is formed as an outward extension from the base  53  of the main body  50 , extending outward, upward and then back inwards again towards the front edge of the main body  52  of the guide  33 . A space  54  is formed between the channel  51  and the front edge of the guide  52 , sufficient in size to accommodate the base of the U-shaped catch  8  at the bottom of the siding strip  1 . The space  54  does not permit the siding catch  8  to leave the channel  51  unless the guide  33  is slid longitudinally off the end of the siding strip  1 . The U-shaped channel  51  is of sufficient space to allow some rotation of the siding material  1  within the channel  51 , which aids in positioning the siding  1  within the guide  33 . The channel  51  in the guide  33  thus co-operates with the U-shaped catch  8  at the bottom of the siding strip  1  to maintain secure alignment of the guide  33  with the edge of the siding material  1 . 
     The housing  31  is mounted to the top surface  41  of the siding guide  33  in such as way as to have the measuring rail  35  extend perpendicular to the axis of the siding guide  33  and the siding material  1 . The housing slot  32  is spaced sufficiently above the siding material  1  so as to allow room to interlock the siding material  1  in the guide  33  without contacting the scoring knife  36 . Further, the measuring rail  35  is also spaced above the siding  1  so that when the scoring tool  36  is drawn along the edge of the siding  1 , only the blade  37  of the, scoring knife  36  in the actuated position contacts the surface of the siding  1 . In this way the surface is protected from scratching. 
     Optionally, the housing  31  can be mounted pivotally to the siding guide  33  at a pivot point  38 , located adjacent the back side  44  of the housing  31 . If mounted pivotally, the housing  31  can be pivoted upward relative to the guide  33  and create even more space between the measuring rail  35  and the knife blade  37  and the siding surface  1 . Thus siding of different profile heights can easily be interlocked in the guide  33  while avoiding contact with the measuring rail  35  or the scoring blade  37 . 
     Further, the housing  31  can be laterally supported by pieces of angle material  39 , attached to the top surface of the guide  33 , on either side  45 , 46  of the housing  31 . These angled supports  39  limit lateral movement of the housing  31  relative to the guide alignment block  34  as lateral pressure is applied to the scoring tool  30  to draw it down the edge of the siding material  1 . 
     As shown in FIG. 6, the scoring knife  36  having a blade  37  and a handle  56  is mounted pivotally at a first end  57  of the measuring rail  35 . The knife blade  37  is spaced from the end of the measuring rail  35  so as to be at a “zero” increment position relative to the increments on the rail  35 . This allows accurate measurements to be made with the measuring rail  35 . Pivotally attached, the knife  36  can be rotated in an arcuate path from a non-actuated position wherein the blade  37  is rotated upward away from the surface to be scored, to an actuated position, shown in FIGS. 7 a ,  7   b , wherein the blade  37  is rotated downward onto the surface to be scored. The handle  56 , allows the user to apply pressure to the blade  37 , allows the blade to be lowered to deeper positions on the siding material&#39;s profile and provides a means to draw the scoring tool  30  along the surface of the siding  1 . 
     Preferably, the scoring knife  36  has a stiff, carbide tipped blade  37  such as used to cut plastic laminate or arborite. 
     Preferably, the scoring knife  36  is mounted to the measuring rail  35  using a threaded bolt  58  welded to the end of the measuring rail  35 . Washers  59  sandwich the scoring knife  37  and a removable nut  60  secures the scoring knife  36  to be mounted on the measuring rail  35 , The bolt and nut allow the knife  36  to be mounted reversibly for use by either left handed or right handed installers. 
     IN USE 
     After determining where the siding material  1  is to be scored, the thumbscrew  47  in the top of the housing  31  is loosened and the measuring rail  35  adjusted to the desired increment. The thumbscrew  47  is then tightened to prevent any further movement of the measuring rail  35  within the housing  31 . The scoring knife  36  is pivoted so that the blade  37  is in the non-actuated position to prevent contact with the siding material  1  as it is engaged with the siding guide  33  of the alignment block  34 . 
     The siding material  1  is interlocked in the guide  33  by sliding the U-shaped catch  8  at the bottom edge of the siding into the U-shaped channel  51  in the siding guide  33 , starting at the edge of the siding material  1 . 
     If the siding material  1  is to be scored its full length, the scoring knife  36  is immediately pivoted to the actuated position and the installer draws the scoring blade  37  towards the opposite end of the siding strip  1  using the knife handle  56 . The U-shaped catch  8  and channel  51  co-operate to hold the guide and knife in precise alignment with the desired scoring position. If only a portion of the siding material  1  is to be cut longitudinally, the installer slides the scoring tool  30  to the desired spot on the siding  1 , pivots the knife blade  37  to the actuated position and scores the material  1  as described above. He then pivots the knife blade  37  back to the non-actuated position and slides the scoring tool  30  off the edge of the siding material  1 . Perpendicular cuts from the edge of the siding material  1  to the scored line are then be made using handheld tin snips and the cut portion of the siding strip  1  removed.