Patent Publication Number: US-2020299975-A1

Title: Lapboard siding installation tool

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is in the field of lapboard siding installation and specifically relates to using an apparatus to install the lapboard siding that provides a vertical space between the bottom of a last installed row of the lapboard siding and the bottom of a next installed row of the lapboard siding. This space is commonly referred to as the “Reveal” of the lapboard siding. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Installing lapboard siding on a structure such as a house but not limited to the structure such as the house is commonly achieved by a user nailing a shelf board to the last installed row of the lapboard siding positioned to create a reveal and support the next installed row of the lapboard siding. There are apparatus that functions to support and precisely position the lapboard siding during installation. Without the aid of such apparatus the procedure for the installation of the lapboard siding requires much careful measuring, leveling, marking and monitoring to assure that the rows of the lapboard siding are properly and uniformly positioned relative to the rest. Not only is the procedure time and labor inefficient, but it also provides abundant opportunities for human error. What is needed is an apparatus that has the ability to achieve the reveal in 1/16 inch increments; have the ability to achieve the reveal in 1 inch increments for the most common reveal e. g., 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 inches respectively and should not be specific to one type or thickness of the lapboard siding to be installed but have the ability to install shingles, shakes and elongated type of the lapboard siding e. g., clapboards, fiber-cement board and wood-fiber board etc. in a plurality of thicknesses; have the ability to locate fasteners on the last installed lapboard siding to be above the bottom edge of the next installed lapboard siding and have the ability to give the user an option of using or not using the shelf board when installing the elongated type of the lapboard siding e. g., clapboards, fiber-cement board and wood-fiberboard etc. While there is several known apparatus to assist in the installation of the lapboard siding, the following patents are cited as exemplary U.S. prior art. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 7,213,346 B1 issued May 8, 2007 to Catherine A. Gregory 
     U.S. Pat. No. 7,134,253 B2 issued Nov. 14, 2006 to Jonathan Edwards 
     U.S. Pat. No. 8,656,603 B1 issued Feb. 25, 2014 to David Rush 
     The apparatus and methods disclosed herein may provide functionality not provided by previous apparatus, or may remedy deficiencies exhibited by previous apparatus. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention comprising an improved lapboard siding installation apparatus. The apparatus enables a user to install shingles, shakes and elongated types of the lapboard siding e. g., clapboards, fiber-cement board and wood-fiber board etc. on a structure such as a house but not limited to the structure such as the house or the lapboard siding types and thicknesses to accurately and efficiently measure in 1/16 inch and 1 inch increments a space between a last installed lapboard siding and a next installed lapboard siding that is commonly referred to as the “Reveal” of the lapboard siding. In addition to accurately measuring the reveal between the edges of the lapboard siding the present invention also supports the lapboard siding wherein a reveal shelf board supports the next installed lapboard siding while it is being installed. This support provides assistance to an installation user and enables the installation user to more accurately and efficiently install the lapboard siding on the structure such as the house but not limited to the structure such as the house without the assistance of a second user. 
     Provided are a plurality of embodiments of the invention comprising but not limited to a main body channel comprising a front vertical leg, a horizontal base shelf and a back vertical leg; a reveal slide; a fastener locator; a reveal board shelf and a fastener locator shelf. To reversibly attach the main body channel to the last installed lapboard siding urge the clamping channel back leg between the last installed lapboard siding and the next to last installed lapboard siding with the horizontal base shelf urged against the bottom edge of the last installed lapboard siding. Rotate a clamping knob comprising a threaded stud clockwise to clamp the last installed lapboard siding between a clamping pad and the back vertical leg of the main body channel. The lapboard siding thickness capacity has a plurality of dimensions between the clamping pad and the back vertical leg of the main body channel. 
     Provided is the main body channel having a plurality of reveal openings in the front vertical leg providing a plurality of reveal dimensions in 1 inch increments; a reveal measuring device that is fastened to the front of the front vertical leg providing a plurality of reveal dimensions in 1/16 inch increments and a main body channel front slot in the front of the front vertical leg of the main body channel and a main body channel back slot in the back of the main body channel front vertical leg to receive a reveal slide. 
     Provided is the reveal slide that has an aperture that enables the reveal slide to enter into the main body channel front vertical leg front slot and the main body channel front vertical leg back slot wherein the reveal slide has vertical linear movement on the main body channel enabling a reveal indicator on the reveal slide to align with the reveal measuring device marking that represents the lapboard siding reveal required. A shelf bolt assembled with the reveal board shelf and a reveal board shelf locking screw is used in two locations on the reveal slide. A lower location is used when the required reveal shelf board is needed to install the shingle and the shake types of the lapboard siding and an alternate upper location is used when the option not to use the reveal shelf board is chosen to install the elongated types of the lapboard siding e. g., clapboards, fiber-cement board and wood-fiber board etc. 
     Also provided is the fastener locator that has linear vertical motion and is secured to the reveal slide with a fastener locator locking bolt after required location of the fastener locator has been established. The fastener locator shelf is threaded into the fastener locator and provides support for the fastener locator shelf board. The fastener locator shelf board locates the fasteners above the reveal of the next installed lapboard siding, concealing the fasteners when the lapboard siding above the next installed lapboard siding is installed. The fastener locator also has an alternative to using the fastener locator shelf board wherein fastener locator semicircle openings in the fastener locator enable the use of a string, a wire or a bungee cord etc. that will enable the user to place the shingles or the shakes across the entire span between the fastener locators of the present invention enabling the string, the wire or the bungee cord etc. to contain the shingle or the shake types of the lapboard siding on the reveal shelf board prior to fastening which also applies when using the fastener locator shelf board. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings together with the descriptions serve to illustrate the preferred embodiments of the invention and should not be construed as limiting the present invention, but are intended to be exemplary. 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view of main and sub components of the tool of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a left side view of the tool of the present invention attached to a structure such as a house but not limited to the structure such as the house; 
         FIG. 3  is a right side view of the tool of the present invention attached to the structure such as the house but not limited to the structure such as the house; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective of the tool of the present invention attached to the structure such as the house but not limited to the structure such as the house illustrating the shingles installed with a 4 inch reveal using a reveal shelf board, a reveal bolt, a fastener locator and a fastener locator board; and 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective of the tool of the present invention attached to the structure such as the house but not limited to the structure such as the house illustrating an elongated type of the lapboard siding e. g., clapboards, fiber-cement board and wood-fiber board etc. installed with a 4 inch reveal using the reveal shelf board, the reveal bolt, the fastener locator and the fastener locator board. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention will now be described with reference to the attached drawing figures. It should be understood that the drawings are meant to be merely illustrative, and are not necessarily drawn to exact scale. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1  an exploded view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprising main components and sub components. The main components comprising a reveal slide  48 , a main body channel  12  comprising a front vertical leg, a horizontal base shelf and a back vertical leg. The sub components comprising all other numbered components in  FIG. 1 . To assemble main components and sub components of the present invention, rotate a clamping knob  18  comprising a threaded stud that threads into a clamping knob opening  16  of the main body channel  12  and continues beyond the back of the front vertical leg of the main body channel  12  into a clamping pad  40  with the clamping pad  40  reversibly attached to the threaded stud of the clamping knob  18  wherein a front roll pin  44  is inserted into a front roll pin opening  20  of the threaded stud and a back roll pin  42  is inserted into a back roll pin opening  22  of the threaded stud. The clamping pad  40  comprising a counter bored partial depth opening to receive the back roll pin  42 . Assemble the reveal slide  48  with the main body channel  12  wherein the reveal slide  48  is inserted into a main body channel front slot  24  and a main body channel back slot  46  wherein the reveal slide  48  has vertical linear motion on the main body channel  12  and is secured at the required measurement for the lapboard siding reveal on a reveal measuring device  14  with a reveal bolt  58  rotated clockwise into a reveal bolt opening  56  of the reveal slide  48  and into the main body channel  12  following opening that relates to the required reveal space, four inch reveal opening  26 , or five inch reveal opening  28 , or six inch reveal opening  30 , or seven inch reveal opening  32 , or eight inch reveal opening  34 , or nine inch reveal opening  36 , or ten inch reveal opening  38 . A reveal indicator  54  will align at four, five, six, seven, eight, nine or ten inches respectively with the reveal measuring device  14 . For dimensions in one sixteenth inch increments from one sixteenth to fifteen sixteenth inch&#39;s respectively that are between four, five, six, seven, eight, nine and ten inches respectively of the main body channel reveal openings  26  through  38  use the reveal bolt  58  in a reveal bolt alternate opening  64  to secure reveal measurement required on the reveal measuring device  14 . A shelf bolt  60  is rotated clockwise into a shelf bolt lower opening  62  of the reveal slide  48  and continues beyond the back of the reveal slide  48  into a reveal board shelf  70  wherein a reveal board shelf locking screw  72  is threaded into the back of the reveal board shelf  70 . The shelf bolt lower opening  62  of the reveal slide  48  is used when the user is using a reveal shelf board  94  to install the shingle, the shake and the elongated type of the lapboard siding e. g., clapboards, fiber-cement board and wood-fiber board etc. A shelf bolt upper opening  52  of the reveal slide  48  is used when the user is not using the reveal shelf board  94  to install the elongated type of the lapboard siding e. g., clapboards, fiber-cement board and wood-fiber board etc. A retainer bolt  68  enters through a retainer opening  66  in retainer  74  and is threaded into a retainer bolt opening  50  of the reveal slide  48  adjustments for various thicknesses of elongated type of the lapboard siding e. g., clapboards, fiber-cement board and wood-fiber board etc. are made when not using the reveal shelf board  94  by rotating the retainer  74  on the retainer bolt  68  before securing the retainer  74  to the reveal slide  48 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2  a left side view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention illustrating the horizontal base shelf of the main body channel  12  urged against the bottom of the last installed lapboard siding  98  and clamped between the front of the back vertical clamping leg of the main body channel  12  and the back of the clamping pad  40  by rotating clockwise the clamping knob  18 . Also illustrated is the retainer  74  urged against the face of the reveal shelf board  94  with the back of reveal shelf board  94  urged against the last installed lapboard siding  98 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3  a right side view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention illustrating the horizontal base shelf of the main body channel  12  urged against the bottom of the last installed lapboard siding  98 . Also illustrated is the retainer  74  urged against the face of the reveal shelf board  94  with the back of the reveal shelf board  94  urged against the last installed lapboard siding  98 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4  a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention illustrating the shingle type of the lapboard siding being installed with the main body channel  12  attached to the last installed lapboard siding  98 . A reveal indicator  54  is aligned with the 4″ marking on the reveal measuring device  14 . The retainer  74  is attached to the reveal slide  48  by the retainer bolt  68  wherein the retainer  74  is urged against the reveal shelf board  94 . A fastener locator  76  comprising a plurality of semicircle openings  86  is illustrated in conjunction with a fastener locator shelf board  92 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5  a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention illustrating the elongated type of the lapboard siding being installed e. g., clapboards, fiber-cement board and wood-fiber board etc. with the main body channel  12  attached to the last installed lapboard siding  98 . The reveal indicator  54  is aligned with the 4″ marking on the reveal measuring device  14 . The retainer  74  is attached to the reveal slide  48  by the retainer bolt  68  wherein the retainer  74  is urged against the reveal shelf board  94 . A fastener locator  76  comprising a plurality of semicircle openings  86  is illustrated in conjunction with the fastener locator shelf board  92 . 
     While the foregoing written description of the invention enables one of ordinary skill to make and use what is considered presently to be the best mode thereof, those of ordinary skill will understand and appreciate the existence of variations, combinations and equivalents of the specific embodiment, method, and examples herein. The invention should therefore not be limited by the above described embodiment, method, and examples, but by all embodiments and methods within the scope and spirit of the invention. 
     REFERENCE NUMERALS IN THE DRAWINGS 
       
     
       
         
           
               
               
             
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                 10 Tool of the present invention 
                 12 Main body channel 
               
               
                 14 Reveal measuring device 
                 16 Clamping knob opening 
               
               
                 18 Clamping knob 
                 20 Front roll pin opening 
               
               
                 22 Back roll pin opening 
                 24 Main body channel front slot 
               
               
                 26 Four inch reveal opening 
                 28 Five inch reveal opening 
               
               
                 30 Six inch reveal opening 
                 32 Seven inch reveal opening 
               
               
                 34 Eight inch reveal opening 
                 36 Nine inch reveal opening 
               
               
                 38 Ten inch reveal opening 
                 40 Clamping pad 
               
               
                 42 Back roll pin 
                 44 Front roll pin 
               
               
                 46 Main body channel back slot 
                 48 Reveal slide 
               
               
                 50 Retainer bolt opening 
                 52 Shelf bolt upper opening 
               
               
                 54 Reveal indicator 
                 56 Reveal bolt opening 
               
               
                 58 Reveal bolt 
                 60 Shelf bolt 
               
               
                 62 Shelf bolt lower opening 
                 64 Reveal bolt alternate opening 
               
               
                 66 Retainer opening 
                 68 Retainer bolt 
               
               
                 70 Reveal board shelf 
                 72 Reveal board shelf locking 
               
               
                   
                 screw 
               
               
                 74 Retainer 
                 76 Fastener locator 
               
               
                 78 Fastener locator elongated opening 
                 80 Fastener locator locking bolt 
               
               
                 82 Fastener locator shelf 
                 84 Fastener locator spacer 
               
               
                 86 Fastener locator semicircle 
                 88 Fastener locator shelf opening 
               
               
                 opening 
               
               
                 90 Fastener locator locking bolt 
                 92 Fastener locator shelf board 
               
               
                 opening 
               
               
                 94 Reveal shelf board 
                 96 Next installed lapboard siding 
               
               
                 98 Last installed lapboard siding 
                 100 Next to last installed lapboard 
               
               
                   
                 siding 
               
               
                 102 Lapboard siding 
                 104 Wall sheathing