Apparatus for locating the outline of an accessory in dry wall or a decorative panel

A tool for locating an accessory with respect to a vertical wall stud so that an opening can be cut in a panel or sheet of dry wall to accommodate the accessory before the panel is attached to the wall. The method includes tacking a vertical arm to a wall stud adjacent the side edge and either the top or bottom edge of a previously mounted wall panel, and connecting to the vertical arm a horizontal arm with a template located according to the position of the accessory, such as an electrical outlet.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention is related to tools for locating an accessory such as an 
electrical receptacle with respect to a vertical wall stud so that an 
opening can be formed in a wall panel to accommodate the receptacle prior 
to the installation of the panel on the wall. 
A problem with installing panels or drywall sheets is that frequently the 
plumbing, electrical and other fixtures have already been installed with 
outlets extending beyond the wall supporting structure. An opening must be 
formed in the panel to accommodate such fixtures before the panel is 
installed. One approach is to measure the height of the fixture with 
respect to a reference point, and to measure the horizontal distance of 
the fixture with respect to an adjacent panel, and then to accurately form 
an outline of the receptacle on the panel so that a hole can be formed to 
accommodate the receptacle. 
One problem with measuring the location for such an opening is that 
sometimes the user will make an inaccurate measurement or in some cases 
have difficulty working with numbers so that the hole cut in the panel 
does not match up with the location of the accessory. 
Some fixtures are known in the prior art for locating such receptacles 
without measuring. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,672,064 which issued June 
27, l972 to Johnny C. Elkins, shows an "Indexing Means For Wall Panel 
Openings." Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,678,588 which issued to Raymond O. 
Isola, issued July 25, l972, shows a "Wall Outlet Box Locater". 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The broad purpose of the present invention is to provide a lightweight, 
easily mounted tool for locating an electrical accessory or plumbing 
accessory in a wall. 
The preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a vertical, 
channel-shaped aluminum arm having openings at its opposite ends so that 
the arm can be tacked on the stud to which the panel is to be attached. A 
horizontal, channel-shaped arm has a collar at one end which embraces the 
vertical arm. A thumb screw provides means for locking the horizontal arm 
on the vertical arm at a height accommodating the height of the accessory 
above the floor. A template is slideably mounted on the horizontal arm, 
and a thumb screw means provide means for locking the template at a 
position accommodating the horizontal distance from the vertical arm to 
the accessory. 
Several templates are disclosed for accommodating various plumbing and 
electrical fixtures. 
Still further objects and advantages of the invention will become readily 
apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains upon 
reference to the following detailed description.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring to the drawings, FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a preferred tool 10 
comprising an upper vertical channel-shaped arm 12 and a lower arm 14 
which forms a lower extension of the upper arm. The upper arm can be used 
independently when there is a shorter distance from floor 18 of the room 
in which the panel is being installed while the extension is used for an 
accessory located at a greater height. 
The upper arm has its upper end slightly offset as illustrated at 20 with 
foot 22 having opening 24 for receiving tack 26. 
The lower end of the vertical arm also has an offset portion 28 with foot 
30 having opening 32 for receiving tack 34. The tacks are employed for 
attaching arm 12 in a vertical position on a wooden stud, such as at 36, 
illustrated in FIG. 1. It is to be noted that the cross section of lower 
arm 14 is slightly smaller than the cross section of the upper arm so that 
the upper end of the lower arm can be nested in the upper arm. The lower 
arm has opening means 40 aligned with opening means 42 for receiving pin 
44 for locking the two arms together. 
The lower end of the lower arm also has an offset foot 45 with a 
tack-receiving opening 45A. 
A channel-shaped, elongated collar 46 is slideably mounted on upper arm 12. 
A shorter collar 48 is attached by rivet means 50 to the longer collar. 
Thumb screw 52 is mounted on the two collars to engage upper arm 12 to 
lock the collar in an adjusted position on the upper arm. 
Channel-shaped, aluminum, horizontal arm 54 has one end attached to collar 
48. 
Template 60 is slideably mounted on the horizontal arm. Template 60 is 
selected from a group of templates to accommodate the particular accessory 
that is to be received through an opening in the panel. Each of the 
templates has a channel-shaped member 62 slideably mounted on horizontal 
arm 54. Thumb screw 64 is mounted on the channel-shaped member to provide 
means for locking the template to the arm in an adjusted horizontal 
position. In this case, template 60 has a contour 66 adapted to engage 
shoulder 68 of tub 70, as illustrated in FIG. 1. 
In use, the upper and lower arms are connected together and tacked on stud 
36 adjacent neighboring panel 72 to locate the position of the new panel, 
illustrated in phantom at 74 being installed edge-to-edge with panel 72. 
The horizontal arm with template 60 is then adjusted until edge 66 of the 
template engages tub 70. Thumb screws 52 and 64 are then tightened to lock 
the horizontal arm in position. The entire locked assembly is then removed 
from the stud and located on the new panel so that the user can mark panel 
74 with the outline of the opening that is to be cut to accommodate the 
shoulder. The opening is formed and the panel installed in the usual 
manner. 
FIG. 3 illustrates another template 80 which can be mounted on horizontal 
arm 54, using collar 82 and thumb screw 84. In this case template 80 has a 
rectangular opening 86 to define the outline of an electrical receptacle 
box. 
FIG. 6 illustrates still another template 90 for defining the location of a 
hot and cold water shower nozzle. In this case, template 90 has collar 92 
slideably mounted on horizontal arm 54 with thumb screw 94 for locking the 
template on the arm. The template has a main plate-like body with openings 
96 and 98 for receiving the hot and cold water faucets. A second template 
102 has an arm 104 and thumb screw means 106 for locking template 102 in 
an adjusted vertical position beneath openings 96 and 98. Template 102 has 
an opening 108. 
FIG. 4 illustrates another template 110 also having a collar 112 slideably 
mounted on horizontal arm 54 with thumb screw 114 for locking the template 
in an adjusted horizontal position. In this case the template has a pair 
of curved arms 116 and 118 connected by pivot means 120 and 122 so that 
the template can be opened to receive a drain pipe and closed to define 
the opening 124 necessary to trace the drain pipe opening. 
FIG. 5 shows still another template 130 having collar 132 slideably mounted 
on horizontal arm 54 and thumb screw 134 for locking the template in an 
adjusted horizontal positon on arm 54. In this case, the template 
comprises a right angle member 136 having a vertical arm and a horizontal 
arm. A second right angle member 138 has a horizontal arm slideably 
received in foot 139 carried on the lower end of the vertical arm of 
member 136. The upper end of the vertical arm of member 138 has a collar 
142 and thumb screw 144 arranged in such a manner that the distance 
illustrated at "A" can be either increased or reduced to accommodate 
various size electrical receptacles. 
Other forms of templates can be made so that they can be slideably mounted 
on the horizontal arm to accommodate the contour of other forms of wall 
fixtures.