Locating device for use with drywall

A locator pin device is provided for locating a utility box behind a covering member such as drywall. The device removeably attaches to a utility box and, when attached, positions a locator pin or pins in an outward direction from the utility box. The locator pin or pins have a long shaft and tip that protrude partially or completely through the covering member when the covering member is placed over the utility box. A template may then be used to mark the location of the utility box so that an access opening may be cut in the covering member. The device allows exact location of a utility box behind a covering member.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates in general to a locating device for use with 
a covering member, such as drywall or a construction panel and, more 
specifically, to a means for locating the position of a utility box 
located behind such covering member. The utility box includes utility 
structures such as an electrical outlet box, cable TV outlet box, light 
socket, junction box, computer cable service box, telephone jack box and 
the like. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
A variety of devices are known for locating the exact position of utility 
boxes disposed behind a covering member. The purpose of determining the 
location of the utility box is to identify where, relative to the utility 
box, an access opening is to be formed in the covering member. In this 
manner, when the covering member is positioned and installed over the 
utility box, access thereto is provided through an opening in the covering 
member. In the case of an electrical utility box, a precisely defined 
access opening permits installation of an electrical switch or outlet 
after the construction panel has been installed. In the case of other 
utility structures, an access opening permits installation of computer and 
TV cables, telephone jacks and the like in a functionally similar manner. 
In connection with such a general method, the variety of prior art devices 
are designed to improve the ability for locating an access opening, for 
example, see U.S. Pat. No. 2,775,812 to Mohr; U.S. Pat. No. 3,888,013 to 
Benoit, U.S. Pat. No. 4,059,905 to Wieting; U.S. Pat. No. 4,202,388 to 
Wieting; U.S. Pat. No. 5,040,304 to Jackson; U.S. Pat. No. 5,129,297 to 
Bussi; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,172,483 to Yocono, Sr. et. al. While each of 
these prior art devices permits location of a utility box behind a 
covering member, they each suffer from significant shortcomings and 
drawbacks. 
In particular, prior art structures require attachment to the utility box 
by positioning pins into the box face plate mounting holes. However, due 
to variations in design and mounting hole spacing among utility boxes 
these devices are less than satisfactory. This method of attaching the 
locator device to the utility box is cumbersome, time consuming and can 
result in an insecure attachment. Similarly, locator devices that slide to 
accommodate variable pin length are expensive to manufacture and 
cumbersome to use. 
U.S. Pat. No. 2,775,812 discloses a single pin structure that is clipped to 
a utility box. The single clip pin structure, even if two separate clip 
pins are used, is less stable and more cumbersome than the present 
invention. 
Thus, there is a clear need in the construction art for a method and device 
for locating utility boxes without the accompanying shortcomings and 
drawbacks of the prior art methods and devices. Accordingly, it is a 
primary object of the present invention to provide a method and device for 
locating the exact position of utility structures behind a covering 
member, in a way that overcomes the shortcomings and drawbacks of prior 
art methods and devices. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such device in 
the form of a locator pin device that can be quickly and easily attached 
to and removed from the utility box. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide for a template 
that can be used with such device to guide a cutting tool to cut an access 
opening in the covering member. This will allow access to the utility box 
with the covering member in place and the opportunity to remove the device 
from the utility box. 
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent as 
hereinafter described in the summary, detailed description and the claims. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention comprises a locator pin device for locating a utility 
box. The device comprises a locator pin support arm and an attachment 
means for removeably attaching the support arm to the utility box. The 
support arm is provided with one or more locator pins, so that when the 
device is attached to the utility box the locator pin or pins point in a 
direction away from the utility box. The support arm may be of any length 
and the locator pin or pins may be placed at any point or points on the 
support arm. Each locator pin is of a construction capable of penetrating 
a covering member such as drywall or paneling. When the covering member is 
placed in position over the utility box, the locator pin or pins will 
pierce the covering member and mark the location of the utility box. A 
template marked with holes to match the position of the locator pin or 
pins can then be placed over the pin or pins for the purpose of guiding a 
cutting tool or tracing a line to guide a cutting tool. This will permit 
an opening in the covering member to be made that allows access to the 
utility box and provides the operator with the ability to remove the 
device with the covering member in place. The covering member can then be 
secured around the utility box. 
The attachment means removeably secures the support arm to the utility box. 
In the preferred embodiment, the attachment means is an attachment arm 
connected to the support arm. The ends of the attachment arm are curved to 
removeably clip on to the outside of the utility box. Other embodiments of 
the invention consist of an attachment arm that contains ends that 
removeably clip to the inside of the utility box or an attachment arm that 
contains a clamp at each of its ends that removeably attaches to the sides 
of the utility box. The attachment arm may be of any length, so a device 
may be made to fit utility boxes of varying dimensions. The support arm 
may also be curved at one or both ends to provide an additional attachment 
means to the utility box and to provide protection against slippage of the 
device that may occur when the covering member is placed into position. 
Curved support arm ends are particularly advantageous when the locator pin 
device is used in conjunction with a plastic utility box. 
In the most preferred embodiment of the device, two locator pins are used 
and are positioned near each end of the support arm, or immediately prior 
to the curve, if any, at the ends of the support arm. The template is 
provided with openings that match the distance and aperture of the two 
locator pins. The template may be any shape so that it matches the 
dimensions of the particular utility box. The template may also be 
designed to accommodate a plunge drywall router so that drywall can be 
routed around the template without having to mark or remove the covering 
member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
With reference to the drawings, shown in FIGS. 1a-b is a locator pin device 
1 having an attachment arm 2 and a locator pin support arm 3. The 
attachment arm 2 is approximately 6.0 centimeters in length and 1.4 
centimeters in width, although it may be of differing length to permit its 
use with different types of utility boxes (not shown), and of any width 
not greater than the width of the utility box 5. The support arm 3 is 
approximately 9.6 centimeters in length and 1.4 centimeters in width, 
although it may be of differing lengths to permit its use with different 
types of utility boxes (not shown), and of any width not greater than the 
length of the utility box. The attachment arm 2 and support arm 3 are 
preferably constructed of steel, iron, strong plastic or a similar sturdy 
material. 
Secured near the opposite ends of the support arm 3 are a pair of locator 
pins 4. The locator pins 4 are welded, riveted or otherwise secured to the 
support arm 3, although if a threaded locator pin (not shown) is used it 
may be screwed into the support arm 3. Each locator pin 4 extends 
approximately 2.5 centimeters beyond the support arm 3, although it may be 
of differing length so long as it can partially or completely pierce the 
particular covering member to be used. The support arm 3 preferably 
contains two curved ends 6 and 7 that fit over the ends of a utility box 5 
as shown in FIG. 2 and help to removeably secure the device 1 to the 
utility box 5 and to prevent its slippage once secure. It should be noted 
that the curved ends 6 and 7 are not essential to the present invention 
and instead the support arm 3 may be formed with straight ends (FIGS. 
5a-b). The curved ends 6 and 7 are preferred when the present invention is 
used with a utility box 5 constructed of a plastic material. 
The attachment arm 2 contains two curved clamping ends 8 and 9 that 
principally secure the device in a removable condition to the outside of 
the utility box 5, as shown in FIG. 2. 
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the utility box 5 is secured to a wooden stud 
13. Once the utility box 5 has been installed, the device 1 is attached to 
the utility box 5, and a covering member 14 is placed over the device 1 so 
that the locator pins 4 completely pierce the covering member 14. 
As shown in FIG. 4, a template 15 is provided to guide a cutting tool (not 
shown) or to trace the outline of the utility box 5 on the covering member 
14. The template 15 is constructed of a piece of metal, plastic or other 
rigid material. The template 15 is provided with openings 18 and 19, which 
are sized to accommodate the locator pins 4. 
Although the invention has been described with respect to a preferred 
embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that it is not to be so 
limited, since changes and modifications can be made therein which are 
within the full intended scope of this invention as defined by the 
appended claims. For example, it is anticipated that any size and any 
number of locator pins 4 may be used and that the locator pins need not be 
designed to completely penetrate the covering member 14, but may instead 
be used to score such member on the interior side to identify where it 
should be cut. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, an 
alternative template (not shown) is used that is of a thickness sufficient 
to cover the ends of the locator pins 4. In this way, the template 15 may 
be used as a guide for a plunge router (not shown) or other cutting 
device. 
It is also anticipated that the clamping ends 8 and 9 of the attachment arm 
2 could comprise clamps (not shown) that clamp onto the inside of the 
utility box 5, or could comprise clips (not shown) that attach to the 
sides of the utility box. It is also anticipated that the support arm 3 
not have curved ends as mentioned above.