Abstract:
The present invention discloses a device and method that allows the installation of construction materials, such as drywall, by a single person. The device comprises an extension (or hoist) section coupled at one end to a support which can receive and support a piece of drywall during installation. The extension section is further coupled to a base portion at the end opposite to the support. The base portion includes a pivot feature that serves to lift the drywall once it has been positioned on the support. The extension is adjustable to install drywall on a stud wall at various heights. Advantageously, the device is lightweight, easily transportable and easy to use. The device&#39;s convenient design enables its utilization immediately upon reaching a construction site.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
   The present invention relates to a device for holding and positioning construction materials. More specifically, the present invention relates to a device that is suitable for holding and positioning construction materials, such as drywall. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Drywall (also commonly referred to as or wallboard or sheetrock) is commonly installed on studs to form the basis for finished interior walls of residential and commercial buildings. While drywall is produced in many sizes, the typical sizes for installation are in sheets four feet wide and eight or twelve feet in length. 
   Standard pieces or sheets of drywall are heavy and difficult to install by one person alone. Accordingly, at least two people are commonly needed to hold and install these drywall sheets. In construction, time is of the essence as it relates to profitability. Use of multiple people reduces efficiency and, therefore, adds to the cost of construction. 
   A particular problem associated with drywall or wallboard installation relates to hanging the drywall on upper portions of a stud wall. It is particularly difficult to hold drywall at elevated positions on the stud wall for installation. It is also difficult to hold the drywall so that it remains properly aligned with the stud wall, the ceiling, etc. before being secured in place. 
   A variety of installation devices exhibiting different levels of complexity are known in the art. For example, the following patents and patent applications describe lifters that generally resemble the letter “T”, with the drywall or other construction material placed at the top and hoisted into position either through a cranking mechanism, screwing device, spring or telescopic means that are arranged on the vertical portion of the device: U.S. Pat. No. 3,930,645 (Anderson); U.S. Pat. No. 4,120,484 (Zimmer); U.S. Pat. No. 4,695,028 (Hunter); U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,844 (Molloy); U.S. Pat. No. 4,928,916 (Molloy); U.S. Pat. No. 5,129,774 (Balseiro et al); U.S. Pat. No. 5,979,854 (Lundgren et al); U.S. Pat. No. 6,082,945 (Jeffries et al); U.S. Pat. No. 6,508,448 (Stewart); U.S. Pat. No. 6,663,084 (Butler); International Patent Application No. PCT/AU95/00382 (WO 96/01353); and UK Patent Application GB 2,260,559. These devices, while useful for their intended purpose, can be bulky and in many cases do not lend themselves to use by a single person. 
   The following patents describe lifting or positioning devices that rely on the use of a foot to hoist construction materials a few inches from ground level: U.S. Pat. No. 2,692,753 (Masterson); U.S. Pat. No. 2,989,286 (Gillespie); U.S. Pat. No. 3,268,209 (Humbyrd); U.S. Pat. No. 4,712,771 (Donnelly et al); U.S. Pat. No. 5,501,561 (Wulff); U.S. Pat. No. 5,814,842 (Muldoon et al); and U.S. Pat. No. 6,497,399 (Nelson). While suitable for certain types of construction projects, these devices do not permit materials to be positioned at the higher reaches of a wall. 
   Some of the more complicated devices for lifting drywall and other construction materials are represented by the following patents: U.S. Pat. No. 3,828,942 (Young); U.S. Pat. No. 4,339,219 (Lay); U.S. Pat. No. 4,375,934 (Elliott); U.S. Pat. No. 4,600,348 (Pettit); U.S. Pat. No. 5,640,826 (Hurilla); U.S. Pat. No. 6,010,299 (Jesswein); U.S. Pat. No. 6,176,063 (Warin); U.S. Pat. No. 6,244,810 (Reyes); and U.S. Pat. No. 6,527,492 (Kerns, III et al). In many cases, these devices require assembly before use. In addition, these devices can be bulky and heavy, including such features as tripods and scaffolding. They are consequently better suited for use in commercial construction projects than in home renovations, for example. 
   An example of a more current lifting device is described in United States Patent Application Publication Number US 2001/0029715 A1 (Bradley et al). This publication describes a drywall installation apparatus that includes a support for holding the drywall to be installed, an extension to adjust the length of the drywall installation apparatus, and a base to which a lifting mechanism may be coupled to raise the drywall installation apparatus holding the drywall into a desired position for installation on a stud wall. The drywall installation apparatus includes an alignment member to assist in orienting the piece of drywall to be installed on the stud wall. This alignment member (or “stud guide”) is U-shaped and serves to maintain the drywall installation apparatus in a desired position when a sheet of drywall is being raised or lowered relative to a stud wall. This installation apparatus, while suitable for certain types of walls, such as the stud walls having metal brackets that are favored in many parts of North America, is less convenient for use on other types of wall surfaces. 
   There is a need, therefore, for a device for holding and positioning construction materials that is simple to use and lightweight, yet sturdy enough to support the weight charge of most construction materials. There is a further need to provide an installation device and method that will allow a single person to hold and install a construction material on a wall, such as drywall, particularly at upper reaches of the wall. 
   The present invention seeks to meet these needs. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to an adjustable support device for holding drywall or gypsum wallboard in place as it is being installed at ceiling level. The device includes an extension section comprising an elongate tubular member and a shaft member telescopically disposed in the elongate tubular member. The extension section is coupled at one end to a support which can receive and hold a piece of drywall during installation. The extension section is further coupled to a base portion at the end opposite to the support. The base includes a pivot feature that serves to lift the drywall once it has been positioned on the support. The extension is adjustable to install drywall on a stud wall at various heights. 
   Advantageously, this device is lightweight, easy to transport and does not require assembly once on site. It may thus be used immediately upon reaching a construction site, saving on construction time and therefore money. The simplicity of the design should appeal not only to experts in the construction field, but also to novices who engage in home renovation and repair, for example. 
   Moreover, the device is secure and allows a sheet of drywall to be readily installed by a single person. 
   The device has the following characteristics:
         It can stand alone without support;   It is balanced towards the front in order to permit a vertical lift along a wall;   It is suitable for lifting or hoisting a variety of construction materials, including gypsum drywall, rigid insulation panels, decorative wall panels, as well as any other flat material that is to be positioned onto a wall;   It possesses a useful charge of approximately 500 lbs;   It lifts construction materials through the use of single, light foot pressure performed in an effortless manner by the end user;   It adjusts easily to the desired height; and   It is very resistant.
 
The device may be made of iron, steel or any other metallic alloy that has the capacity to support the weight of construction materials.
       

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
     An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the device of the present invention showing it in use, supporting a drywall panel so that it may be attached by nails, screws and the like to a stud wall. 
       FIG. 2  is another perspective view of the device illustrating its features. 
       FIG. 3  is a lateral view of the device shown in  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 4  is a lateral view of the device shown in  FIG. 2 , illustrating the foot pivot when in use. 
       FIG. 5  is a rear sectional view of the pivot or pedal portion of the device taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 3 . 
       FIG. 6  is a lateral sectional view of the pivot or pedal portion of the device taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 2 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIG. 1  shows the principal features of a particular embodiment of the device of the present invention. The device  10  includes an adjustable extension section  12  allowing the installation of drywall on a stud wall at various heights. It is coupled at one end to a support  30  which can receive and hold a piece of drywall  100  during installation, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The extension section  12  is further coupled to a base portion  50  at the end opposite to the support. The base portion  50  includes a pivot feature  55  that serves to lift the drywall once it has been positioned on the support. 
   Turning now to  FIG. 2 , beginning from the top of the device one can see the features of the support  30  in greater detail. The support  30  includes a horizontally projecting support bearing flange  34  and a vertically projecting pusher flange  32  for pushing against the back face of the construction material. As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the horizontally projecting support bearing flange  34  is located at an approximately right angle relative to the vertically projecting pusher flange  32 . Advantageously, the support bearing flange&#39;s flat shape and extended length prevent breakage of the construction material that is to be lifted. 
   Still in  FIG. 2 , the extension section  12  comprises an elongate tubular member  14  and a shaft member  16  telescopically disposed in the elongate tubular member  14 . The shaft member  16  must be capable of ready movement within the tubular member  14 , so that the device may be manually adjusted to the desired height. As illustrated here, the shaft member  16  includes orifices  18  that allow the extension section  12  of the device to be secured at a variety of different heights through the use of a locking mechanism  20  which engages with a chosen orifice  18  when this orifice is aligned with a corresponding orifice  19  (shown in shadow in  FIG. 4 ) in the elongate tubular member  14 . The orifices shown here are circular in shape but may assume any convenient geometry for engagement with a chosen locking mechanism: square, hexagonal, octagonal, etc. 
   As shown at the bottom of  FIG. 2 , the base portion  50  includes a pivot feature  55  that serves to lift the drywall once it has been placed on the support for positioning against a wall. The design of the base portion  50 , while simple, allows for the simultaneous support of the drywall when placed on the device  10  and for an end user to lift the drywall through the use of one foot placed on the pivot feature  55 . As may be appreciated from the illustration, the base portion  50  includes a support plaque  74  oriented at an approximate right angle relative to the pivot feature. This support plaque  74  is flat and extends a few inches on either side of the pivot feature  55 . Underneath the pivot feature  55  an elevation element  70  is disposed at a distance that is approximately ⅓ rd  the distance from the extension section  12  and approximately ⅔ rd  the distance from the proximal end  57  of the pivot feature  55 . The elevation element  70  is shown as a rectangular block but may assume a variety of different configurations. Its purpose is to keep the pivot feature  55  at a slight elevation until the end user is ready to place his or her foot on the pivot feature to lift the drywall to the desired height and position. The pivot feature  55  includes two elongate side members  58  disposed at an approximately right angle relative to an upper member  56  suitable to support the end user&#39;s foot when the device is in use. The elongate members  58  have a basic rectangular geometry but are tapered as they reach the proximal end  57  of the pivot feature  55 . The pivot feature  55  further includes a curved portion  60  which engages with the extension section  12  of the device and serves to secure in place. As illustrated in the figures, a spring  65  or other retention means may be included on the device so as to join the outer surfaces of the curved portion  60  and the elongate tubular member  14  of the extension section  12 , in order to prevent the extension section  12  from rocking about. 
   As may be seen more particularly in  FIG. 4 , the extension section  12  has two orifices at its base through which fastening means  63  may be inserted and positioned against side plates  62  located at the distal ends of the two elongate members  58 . These fastening means  63  serve to lock the elongate tubular member  14  in place, preventing its lateral motion when the device  10  is in use. 
     FIGS. 3 and 4  illustrate the device  10  of the present invention from a lateral perspective.  FIG. 3  shows the device at rest while  FIG. 4  reveals the device when in use. 
   The details of the base portion  50  of the device are illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 6 .  FIG. 5  is a rear sectional view of the base portion  50  taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 3 , while  FIG. 6  is a lateral sectional view of the same element taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 2 . As may be seen from these figures, the bottom end of the elongate tubular member  14  is curved and rests within a cavity carved in a metal block  80 . As better shown in  FIG. 6 , this cavity is also curved, allowing the elongate tubular member  14  to rock back and forth, but not laterally since the fastening means  63  prevent any sideways motion. In order to restrict this back and forth rocking, a spring  65  or other retention means may be included on the device so as to join the outer surfaces of the curved portion  60  and the elongate tubular member  14  of the extension section  12 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , the ends of the spring may be attached to the curved portion  60  and the elongate tubular member  14  via rings  66 , or any other suitable means. 
   A method for using the device  10  is shown in  FIG. 4 . To use the device, the end user first adjusts the extension section  12  of the device to the desired height by manually pulling the shaft member  16  within the tubular member  14 , and then securing the extension section  12  by inserting a locking mechanism  20  (which can be a pin, screw, or the like) through the orifice  19  in the elongate tubular member  14  which has been aligned with a chosen orifice  18 . Next, the user places the construction material on the support  30  of the device, and then positions the device with its load close to where the construction material is to be installed. With the device in position, the end user simply places one foot near the proximal end  57  of the pivot feature  55  of the base portion  50  and pushes downward. This causes the construction material to be elevated approximately 1-3 inches. The device will maintain and support the drywall at the chosen position and height, enabling the end user to attach it to the wall by permanent means. 
   EXAMPLE 1 
   Description of the Features of One Particular Embodiment, Including Approximate Dimensions 
   In one particular embodiment, the height of the support in the device can be adjusted from a height of approximately 42″ to a height of approximately 60″. As will be appreciated by those of skill in the art, the extension section may be manufactured so that it can accommodate a variety of convenient height positions. 
   The support  30  is made of iron. The horizontally projecting support bearing flange  34  has the following dimensions: 3″×8″×¼″. The vertically projecting pusher flange  32  for pushing against the front face of the construction material has the following dimensions: 1″×8″×⅛″. 
   The extension section  12  is made of iron or steel components that are capable of supporting the weight of conventional drywall panels or other construction materials. Any metallic alloy may be selected, as long as it is sturdy enough to support the load of construction materials. The elongate tubular member  14  is 42″ in length and has a diameter of ¾″. The shaft member  16  telescopically disposed in the elongate tubular member  14  is 32″ in length and has a diameter of ⅝″. The shaft member  16  includes orifices  18  that are ¼″ in size and are spaced apart at a distance of ⅛″. The locking mechanism  20  which engages with a chosen orifice  18  when this orifice is aligned with a corresponding orifice  19  is circular, has a length of 1½″ and a diameter of ¼″. 
   The base portion  50  includes a support plaque  74  that has the following dimensions: 1″×8″×⅛″. Underneath the pivot feature  55 , the elevation element  70  is made of iron and has the following dimensions: 2″×2″×¾″. The pivot feature  55  itself includes two elongate side members  58  that are approximately 16″ in length and ½″ in width disposed at an approximately right angle relative to an upper member  56  that is also approximately 16″ in length and 2″ in width. The elongate side members  58  and the upper member  56  are made of iron and have a thickness of approximately 3/16″. Together, the elongate side members  58  and the upper member  56 , which comprise the lever portion of the pivot feature  55 , create a “U”-type bar. The pivot feature  55  further includes a curved portion  60  which engages with the extension section  12  of the device and serves to secure into place. The curved portion  60  is made of iron and has the following dimensions: 8″×2″×¼″. With reference to  FIG. 4 , it will be recalled that the extension section  12  has two orifices at its base through which fastening means  63  may be inserted and positioned against side plates  62  located at the distal ends of the two elongate members  58 . These fastening means  63  are approximately ⅜″×2½″, while the side plates have the following dimensions: 2″×3″×¼″. 
   Although the present invention has been described by way of particular embodiments and examples thereof, it should be noted that it will be apparent to persons skilled in the art that modifications may be applied to the present particular embodiment without departing from the scope of the present invention.