Adjustable guide line holder

The adjustable guide line holder is a mason's guide line holder, including a housing having an adjustable longitudinal width for secure reception within a brick pocket of a gable. The housing includes outer and inner portions respectively having first and second sets of top, bottom and side walls. The inner portion is received within the outer portion such that the first and second side walls are longitudinally opposed with respect to one another, with the inner and outer portions being adjustably slidable with respect to one another such that the housing has an adjustable longitudinal width. A vertical support is received within the inner portion and extends between the top and bottom walls thereof. A cross member is mounted to the vertical support, such that one end of a masonry guide line may be secured to the cross member.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to brick masonry, and particularly to an adjustable mason's guide line holder for adjustably securing and suspending a mason's guide line in the construction of a bricked-in gable under a roof.

2. Description of the Related Art

Many houses require the construction of a bricked-in gable under the roof. In constructing such gables, it is common practice to use a guide line suspended above the bricks that are being mortared into place under the gable. By following the guide line, the brick mason is assured that the stacked bricks and mortar remain even and level as the stack is built up even with the guide line suspended under the gable. Clamping devices for holding and suspension of the guide line are known, with such devices typically being referred to as mason's guide line holders. In a typical mason's guide line holder, a pair of clamps suitable for holding a suspended line are attached to opposite ends of the gable face boards under the roof. Such devices, though, require the mason to constantly un-fasten and move the clamps, and then re-set and re-fasten the pair of clamps as the stack of bricks becomes taller.

Thus, an adjustable guide line holder addressing the aforementioned problems is desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The adjustable guide line holder is a mason's guide line holder, including a housing having an adjustable longitudinal width for secure reception within a brick pocket of a gable. The housing includes an inner portion and an outer portion, with the outer portion having a first set of top and bottom walls and a first sidewall, and with the inner portion having a second set of top and bottom walls and a second sidewall. The inner portion is at least partially received within the outer portion such that the first and second sidewalls are longitudinally opposed with respect to one another. The inner and outer portions are adjustably slidable with respect to one another such that the housing has an adjustable longitudinal width. A vertical support is received within the inner portion of the housing and extends between the top and bottom walls thereof. A cross member is mounted to the vertical support, such that one end of a masonry guide line may be secured to the cross member.

In use, a pair of the adjustable guide line holders are secured within the brick pockets of opposed sides of the gable. Each end of the masonry guide line is secured about a respective cross member to extend across the open gable, serving as a masonry guide for brick laying therein. Each of the adjustable guide line holders is adjusted to have a longitudinal width matching, or slightly greater than, the width of the brick pocket to ensure secure frictional engagement with the walls of the gable which define the brick pocket.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As best shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, a pair of the adjustable guide line holders10are secured within the brick pockets BP of opposed sides of a gable G. Each end of a masonry guide line12is secured to a respective one of the adjustable guide line holders to serve as a masonry guide for brick laying therein. As will be described in greater detail below, each of the adjustable guide line holders10is adjustable along its longitudinal width such that the longitudinal width thereof matches, or is slightly greater than by approximately ⅛ of an inch, for example, the width of the brick pocket BP to ensure secure frictional engagement with the walls W of the gable G which define the brick pocket BP.

In constructing a bricked gable, as shown inFIG. 1, the pair of the adjustable guide line holders10are used to suspend the masonry guide line12above the bricks B that are being mortared into place under the gable G. By following the masonry guide line12, the brick mason is assured that the stacked bricks and mortar remain even and level as the stack is built up even with the guide line12suspended under the gable G. As shown, the mason may make temporary marking lines L along the front side of the gable G to show the desired level for guide line positioning as the wall of bricks B is built. In the example ofFIG. 1, the top layer of bricks is only partially complete, for illustrative purposes. Once this row of bricks B has been completed, the mason may remove the adjustable guide line holders10from their present positions and finish laying bricks in this row within the brick pockets in the spaces formerly occupied by the adjustable guide line holders. The adjustable guide line holders may then be re-positioned on the new top row of bricks B, within the brick pockets BP, for laying of the next row of bricks B.

As shown inFIGS. 2 and 3, each adjustable guide line holder10includes a housing14, forming a substantially rectangular frame having an adjustable longitudinal width. The housing14includes an outer portion16and an inner portion18. Outer portion16has a first set of top and bottom walls19,20, respectively, and a first sidewall22, forming a substantially U-shaped frame. Similarly, inner portion18has a second set of top and bottom walls28,30, respectively, and a second sidewall32, also forming a substantially U-shaped frame. As shown inFIG. 2, the inner portion18is at least partially received within the outer portion16such that the first and second sidewalls22,32, respectively, are longitudinally opposed with respect to one another. The outer and inner portions16,18are adjustably slidable with respect to one another such that the housing14has an adjustable longitudinal width. As shown inFIG. 3, upper and lower recesses or grooves54,56may be formed in the inner faces of the upper, or top, and lower, or bottom, walls19,20of outer portion16, allowing the upper, or top, and lower, or bottom, walls28,30of inner portion18to be slidably received therein.

As shown inFIG. 2, the longitudinal width of the housing14is adjusted such that it matches, or is slightly greater than by approximately ⅛ of an inch, for example, the width of the brick pocket BP to ensure secure frictional engagement of sidewalls22,32with the walls W of the gable G which define the brick pocket BP. The outer and inner portions16,18of housing14may be constructed of any suitable material, such as wood, a metal material or the like, providing secure frictional engagement with the walls W defining brick pocket BP.

As best shown inFIG. 3, a vertical support40is received within the inner portion18of the housing14and extends between the top and bottom walls28,30. The vertical support40has a channel44defined therethrough, with apertures36,38being respectively formed through top and bottom walls28,30so as to communicate with channel44. As shown, slots24,26are respectively formed through top and bottom walls19,20of the outer portion16, each extending longitudinally, such that when inner portion18is received within outer portion16, the apertures36,38are aligned within the respective slots24,26. Once the apertures36,38are aligned with slots24,26, a threaded bolt46or the like may be inserted through passage44and secured with a wing nut52or the like to secure the outer portion16to the inner portion18. Washers48,50may be provided to ensure firm securement about slots26,24. When wing nut52is loosened, the opposed ends of threaded bolt46may slide within longitudinally-extending slots24,26to adjust the longitudinal width of housing14. Once a desired width is achieved, the wing nut52may be tightened to fix the housing14at the desired width.

A cross member42is mounted to the vertical support40, as shown, such that one end of masonry guide line12may be secured to the cross member42, by tying the line thereabout or the like. As shown inFIGS. 2 and 3, a groove34is formed in the external face of sidewall32for receiving the guide line12and securing the guide line12at the desired height. Once a layer of bricks B is completed, the adjustable guide line holders10are removed, and the ends of the guide line12may be looped again about the respective cross members42to shorten the overall length of the line12. It should be understood that the ends of the guide line12may be secured about the vertical support40and/or to the cross member42by any suitable method, and the overall length of guide line12may also be adjusted by any suitable method such that the guide line12is held taut between the pair of adjustable guide line holders10. Additionally, although cross member42is shown as having a substantially V-shaped contour, it should be understood that cross member42may have any desired contouring or relative dimensions.

It should be understood that housing14may be manufactured in any desired size or with any desired overall contouring, and that which is shown in theFIGS. 1-3is shown for exemplary purposes only. For use with gables having conventional measurements, the outer portion16of housing14may, for example, have a height of approximately 2¼ inches, with the top and bottom walls each having a longitudinal width of approximately 5¾ inches and a lateral width of approximately 3¾ inches. It should be understood that these dimensions are provided only as an example, and that the adjustable guide line holder10may have any suitable relative dimensions, as can depend on the particular use or application, and should not be construed in a limiting sense.

In the alternative embodiment ofFIG. 4, the adjustable guide line holder100is similar to adjustable guide line holder10, including a housing114which forms a substantially rectangular frame having an adjustable longitudinal width. Similar to the previous embodiment, the housing114includes an outer portion116and an inner portion118. Outer portion116has a first set of top and bottom walls119,120, respectively, and a first sidewall122, forming a substantially U-shaped frame. Similarly, inner portion118has a second set of top and bottom walls128,130, respectively, and a second sidewall132, also forming a substantially U-shaped frame.

Similar to the previous embodiment, the inner portion118is at least partially received within the outer portion116such that the first and second sidewalls122,132, respectively, are longitudinally opposed with respect to one another. The outer and inner portions116,118are adjustably slidable with respect to one another such that the housing114has an adjustable longitudinal width. However, in the alternative embodiment ofFIG. 4, upper and lower recesses or grooves154,156are preferably formed in the outer faces of the upper, or top, and lower, or bottom, walls128,130of inner portion118, allowing the upper, or top, and lower, or bottom, walls119,120of outer portion116to be slidably received therein.

In use, similar to that of the previous embodiment, the longitudinal width of the housing114is adjusted such that it matches, or is slightly greater than by approximately ⅛ of an inch, for example, the width of the brick pocket BP to ensure secure frictional engagement of sidewalls122,132with the walls W of the gable G which define the brick pocket BP. The outer and inner portions116,118of housing114may be constructed of any suitable material, such as wood, a metal material or the like, providing secure frictional engagement with the walls W defining brick pocket BP.

In the embodiment ofFIG. 4, the vertical support40is replaced by an interior supporting member140, received within the inner portion118of the housing114and extending between the top and bottom walls128,130. The interior supporting member140has a channel144defined therethrough, similar to channel44of the previous embodiment. As shown inFIG. 4, slots124,126are respectively formed through top and bottom walls119,120of the outer portion116, each extending longitudinally, such that when inner portion118is received within outer portion116, the channel144is aligned within the respective slots124,126. Once the channel144is aligned with slots124,126, a threaded bolt146or the like may be inserted through passage or channel144and secured with a wing nut152or the like to secure the outer portion116to the inner portion118. When wing nut152is loosened, the opposed ends of threaded bolt146may slide within longitudinally-extending slots124,126to adjust the longitudinal width of housing114. Once a desired width is achieved, the wing nut152may be tightened to fix the housing114at the desired width.

As shown inFIG. 4, the cross member42of the previous embodiment is replaced by a threaded screw142or the like, received within a threaded recess150, formed through the side of interior supporting member140. Washer148may be provided to ensure firm and even releasable securement thereof. In use, one end of masonry guide line12may be secured by pinching or trapping the end of line12between the screw142and washer148or the wall of interior supporting member140. To release or adjust the end of guide line12, the user simply loosens screw142. Similar to the previous embodiment, a groove134is formed in the external face of sidewall132for receiving the guide line12and securing the guide line12at the desired height. Once a layer of bricks B is completed, the adjustable guide line holders100are removed, and the ends of the guide line12may be secured again by the respective screws142to shorten the overall length of the line12. It should be understood that the ends of the guide line12may be secured to the interior supporting member140by any suitable method, and the overall length of guide line12may also be adjusted by any suitable method such that the guide line12is held taut between the pair of adjustable guide line holders100.