# Patent

## Title
Housing for a reel of metal measuring tape

## Abstract

This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/845615, filed on Mar. 10, 1992, now abandoned.

## Background
1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to support hangers and, more particularly, to support hangers and gauges designed to temporily hold one end of a long piece of siding and to measure the overlap and the exposed siding.

2. Prior Art

In the housing industry, teams generally apply siding to a house. This allows for each member of the team to measure the proper overlap of siding and then attach the siding to the side of the home. Generally, the length of the siding prevents one person from performing the job alone. If one person could properly attach the siding, productivity would increase.

While products for permanently attaching wall panels exists, (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,580,3845, a hooking wall panel clip; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,459,790, curtain wall with cross member pins) no temporary, detachable support for attaching siding has been found. U.S. Pat. No. 4,972,647 discloses permanently attached shims to siding to improve the aesthetic appearance.

A siding application and gauge tool with a knife edge extending downwards from a top ridge for insertion behind the prior course of siding. The top ridge is of sufficient length to fit over the top edge of said prior course of siding. An overlap section extending downward from said top ridge is the exact same length as the overlap of the next course of siding. The support section contains a stop for holding the siding in an upright position. The support section, with a lip at one end, is the exact length of the exposed width of the prior course.

It is an object of this invention to increase productivity in the application of siding.

It is a further object to provide an invention which precisely measures the overlap width and the exposed width of siding.

It is another object to provide an inexpensive, long lasting tool.

It is a final object to provide an easily insertable and removable tool when applying siding.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the invention in use.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the invention inserted in the siding.

FIG. 5 shows the support section used a gauge.

The siding application and gauge tool 1 can be made of any material, however, spring steel is preferred because of the accuracy of bending and durability of the material. The tool 1 is made of one piece of material with bends. The knife edge 10 is made thin enough to slip between attached siding of any shape and exterior wall and is the full width of the tool 1. The knife edge 10 extends in a generally downward direction from the top ridge 11 through knife edge bend 19. The top ridge 11 is of length such that it slides over the top of siding. The length is shown as siding thickness width 22. The overlap section 12 extends downward from the top ridge 11 by means of a overlap bend 18. The length of overlap section 12 is denominated as overlap length 20. The support section 13 is formed by support bend 17. The exposed width 21 is the length of the support section 13. A stop 14 is provided to the support section 13 to prevent siding from sliding off the tool 1. Lip 15 extends from one end of the support section 13 by means of lip bend 16.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show the substructure. Stud 25 has sub siding 26 attached along with the siding 24 held by nails 27. Previously attached siding 24 is shown.

The method of applying siding which uses the following steps: course near one end; opposite end of first course of siding, gauge. tool. repeat steps 3 through 8 until all courses are completed.

## Claims

1. A siding application tool comprising: substantially orthogonal angle from the upper surface, said lip being substantially planar without bends or attachments; direction substantially opposite the first direction, where the overlap section includes a first side facing the first end; and second end, where the hook includes a segment hooking away from the overlap section's first side.

2. A method of applying courses of siding to a wall by using two siding application tools, each tool comprising an elongate member having a first end, a second end, an upper surface, a lip at the first end extending outwardly in a first direction at a substantially orthogonal angle from the upper surface, an overlap section at the second end extending outwardly in a second direction substantially opposite the first direction, where the overlap section includes a first side facing the first end, and a hook positioned on the overlap section away from the elongate member's second end, where the hook includes a segment hooking away from the overlap section's first side, and where each course of siding includes a first end, a second end, a bottom edge, a top edge and a front surface, the method comprising the steps of: toward the first end of the first course so that the tool's elongate member extends outwardly from the course's front surface; of the first tool; edge and toward the second end of the first course so that the tool's elongate member extends upwardly over the first course; section; to the wall; tool to the wall; adjacent the first tool; is completely affixed to the wall; and