Batten setter

A batten setter for laying batten strips on a surface at a predetermined distance from each other which comprises a first end portion and a second end portion, said first and second end portions being connected together by at least one adjustable frame member so that the distance between said first and second end portions can be varied depending upon the desired distance between adjacent batten strips, each of said end portions including first and second spaced apart, spring-biased, guide frames which are adapted to be held in said spaced apart, spring-biased position by one of said batten strips.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Field of the Invention 
The present invention is directed to a Batten Setter for laying batten 
strips on a surface at a predetermined distance from each other. More 
particularly, the present invention is directed to the laying of any type 
of strips, for example, batten strips or fur strips on any type of surface 
where it is desired to provide a uniform distance between said strips 
which are used as a subsurface for attaching wallboard, tile, e.g., 
montray tile, spanish tile, shingle tile, and the like thereto. 
When it is desired to apply certain types of shingle to a house or like 
structure, it is necessary to provide batten strips uniformly along the 
surface of the roof in order to produce a suitable surface to which the 
tile can be attached. Obviously, in order to provide the necessary 
uniformity in the laying of this tile, it is necessary that the distance 
between adjacent batten strips be accurately determined so that the 
application of the tile to the batten strips, for example, the nailing of 
the tile to the batten strips, can be readily effected. Similarly, when 
furring out a wall for the subsequent application of wallboard, paneling, 
and the like, it is also necessary to provide furring strips along the 
wall at predetermined distances from each other. In the past, when either 
applying furring strips along a wall or batten strips extending 
longitudinally along the length of the roof of a house, it was necessary 
for the application of each furring strip or each batten strip to the 
desired surface, to accurately measure the distance between the first 
batten strip or fur strip and all subsequently laid batten strips or fur 
strips. Thus, for example, when applying batten strips to the surface of a 
roof, the first row of batten strips was nailed along the longitudinal 
edge of the roof and all subsequent rows of batten strips could not be 
laid without first measuring the desired distance between the first batten 
strip and all subsequent batten strips and making sure that this distance 
would remain constant as each row of batten strips was nailed along the 
longitudinal length of the roof. Thus, the presently used methods for 
laying batten strips to a roof require that continual measurements be made 
in order to ensure a uniform distance between adjacent batten strips. 
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a batten 
setter for laying batten strips on a surface, for example a roof, at a 
predetermined distance from each other without the necessity of making a 
plurality of measurements. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a batten setting 
device which makes it relatively easy to maintain a substantially uniform 
distance between adjacent batten strips. 
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a batten setter 
in combination with a nailing device, wherein after the batten strips are 
positioned along the desired surface, a nailer can be used to fix the 
batten strips to said surface. 
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a device 
which is also effective in uniformly applying strips to a surface, such as 
for example attaching furring strips to a wall to be furred out, with an 
equal spacing provided between adjacent fur strips. 
Other objects and further scope of applicability of the present invention 
will become apparent form the detailed description given hereinafter. 
However, it should be understood that the detailed description and 
specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the 
invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes 
and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become 
apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description. 
Pursuant to the present invention, a device is provided for attaching 
batten strips or fur strips to a surface which comprises an expandable 
frame member which enables an operator to lay batten strips or furring 
strips at a predetermined distance from each other along a desired 
surface. The batten setter comprises a first end portion and a second end 
portion, said first and second end portions being connected together by at 
least one adjustable frame member so that the distance between said first 
and second end portions can be varied depending on the desired distance 
between adjacent batten strips or fur strips, each of said end portions 
including first and second spaced apart, spring-biased guide frames which 
are adapted to be held in said spaced apart spring-biased position by one 
of said batten strips.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention will now be described in greater detail with 
reference to FIG. 1 of the present invention wherein numeral 1 indicates 
the batten setter of the present invention. In attaching batten strips 
along the longitudinal length of the roof of a dwelling, the first batten 
strip is attached to the edge of the roofing by hand and extends along the 
longitudinal edge of the roof from one end of the dwelling to the other. 
At this point the batten setter of the present invention comes into play. 
First of all, the desired distance which is to be utilized between 
adjacent batten strips is selected and the telescopic arms 3 and 4 are 
manipulated relative to each other to position the device for establishing 
the desired distance between adjacent batten strips. Then the set screw 10 
is tightened to hold the telescopic arms 3 and 4 in position. To 
facilitate the establishment of various distances between adjacent batten 
strips, a measuring scale can be provided on the telescopic arms. With the 
batten strip 2 secured to the surface 23, the horizontal frame members 6 
and 7 are placed around the batten strip 2 and held in position by the 
spring-bias of said horizontal frame members 6 and 7. Frame member 7 is 
attached to a sleeve 5 and is provided with an end plate 18 which is in 
sliding engagement with the batten strip 2' (see FIG. 2). Alternatively, 
the end plate 18 can be provided with a roller 8 (see FIG. 7) which even 
further facilitates the operation of the batten setter, particularly when 
the batten strips are warped or out of alignment. In a similar manner, the 
horizontal frame member 6 is attached to the telescopic member 3 or 4 and 
is provided with roller means 8 for slideable engagement with the batten 
strips 2' (see FIG. 2). The horizontal frame members 6 and 7 are provided 
with their respective spring-bias as a result of a spring 15 which is 
adapted to be compressed between members 13 and 14 by adjusting the screw 
member 16. Members 13 and 14 are fixed to the sleeve member 5 and the 
telescopic member 3 or 4, respectively. The spring member 15 is also 
mounted on element 17 which is a rod member attached to the telescopic 
member 3 or 4. 
With the horizontal members 6 and 7 being held against the batten strip 2 
by the spring bias of the spring 15, batten strip 2' can be held in its 
desired position at the other end of the batten setter by a similar 
arrangement of structural elements. Thus, by using the first batten strip 
2 as a guide, the second batten strip 2' can be readily positioned in a 
desired spacing from the batten strip 2 and readily nailed into position. 
Thus, it is not necessary to continually measure the distance between 
adjacent batten strips since this distance has already been predetermined 
by the adjustment of the telescopic members 3 and 4. As previously stated, 
roller means 8 facilitate the movement of the batten setter along the 
batten strips 2 and 2'. To further facilitate the movement of the batten 
setter along the surface 23, additional roller means 9 are attached to the 
frame of the batten setter for engagement with the surface 23. The batten 
setter can also be provided with a brace member 11 which adds over all 
stability to the device. The brace member 11 can advantageously be 
provided with a handle means 12. 
To facilitate the nailing of the batten strips to the surface 23 the batten 
setter can be advantageously provided with an automatic nailer 22, which, 
as shown in FIG. 3, can be attached to the batten setter by connecting arm 
19 which is pivotly connected to the batten setter by pin means 20. At the 
other end of the connecting arm 19 is attachment means 21 which is 
utilized to attach the connecting arm to the nailer 22. 
Although the automatic nailer 22, as shown in FIG. 3, is connected to 
member 3 or 4, advantageously, it can be pivotally connected directly to 
member 3 or 4 or to any other portion of the frame of the device by a 
clamp 24. In the preferred method of mounting the nailer, as shown in FIG. 
4, the clamp-type holder 24 is pivotally connected to the frame member 3, 
on either side of the device by bolt 25, washer 26, spacer 27 and nut 29. 
A hole 28 is provided in the frame member 3 to facilitate the attachment. 
The nailer 22 is placed into the clamp 24 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 from 
where it can be turned in any direction to facilitate the nailing of the 
batten strip. Advantageously the opening of the clamp member 24 is biased 
to a size smaller than the base of the nailer so that when the nailer is 
inserted into the clamp, it is held firmly therein. 
The batten setter of the present invention provides a device which is very 
effective in attaching batten strips to a surface, for example the roof of 
a dwelling, while providing a substantially equal distance between 
adjacent batten strips, in a relatively short period of time. The device 
of the present invention represents a substantial improvement in the 
present method and in fact achieves a more uniformly dimensioned result. 
The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be 
varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure 
from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as 
would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included 
within the scope of the following claims.