Patent Publication Number: US-2010122501-A1

Title: Pictorial markings on construction materials for speed

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to apparatus and methods for improving the speed of construction and, more particularly, to apparatus and methods of marking construction materials with pictorial or graphic materials to reduce measurement time. 
     Construction materials are sold in linear and sheet form in standard sizes. The materials are cut and affixed to each other and to existing structure based upon the dimensions of the standard sized materials and the dimensions of the space being worked on. Irregular spaces require much tedious and time consuming measuring before cutting. 
     Construction with sheet construction often requires the installer to line up a large four by eight foot sheet against a frame composed of horizontal and vertical studs and to affix the sheet to the studs. The studs are usually spaced at twelve, sixteen or twenty-four inch intervals. The installer must measure and mark the chosen spacing on the sheet in order to accurately find the stud spacing once the sheet is raised to be nailed onto the frame because once the sheet is nailed to the frame the sheet completely blocks any view of the studs. The measurement and marking takes a great deal of time and energy and hence drives up labor costs. Moreover, often the measurement can be inaccurate and the placing of nails or screws misses the stud. This causes a delay—the fastening must be removed so that the hole it leaves can later be patched properly. 
     In other construction work, a plywood sheet laid as a subfloor over joists will hide the underlying structure. In this case too, accurate measuring is necessary to achieve sound construction of the sheet material to the joists, especially where fastening is required to be at close intervals, as in the laying of resilient materials over a sub-floor. 
     Linear construction materials also require measuring and cutting when framing walls, doors and windows. Precision measurement is time consuming. Measuring of piping, wiring and other conduits and constructing dropped ceilings and furring spaces are non-exhaustive examples of construction work that may present similar difficulties to the installer. 
     As can be seen, there is a need for construction material that is made or adapted to simplify accurate measuring and that is less time-consuming to work with. 
     SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     In one aspect of the present invention, there is presented construction material, comprising a construction material element having a face, the face containing markings that include a first series of numerals in ascending order at regular repeating intervals around a perimeter of the face, a second series of numerals in descending order at regular repeating intervals around the perimeter, the second series spaced apart from the first series, the markings also including a series of lines of varying length situated perpendicular to a direction of the first and second series, a series of symbols, the symbols being combinations of dots and bars wherein each dot represents an interval of one unit, and each bar represents an interval of five units. 
     In a further aspect of the invention, there is presented construction material, comprising a set of construction material elements, including at least gypsum board, each element having a face, the face containing an array of symbols including at least two rows of symbols, the symbols appearing at regular repeating intervals aligned along a line, the at least two rows being substantially parallel, the symbols being combinations of dots and bars wherein each dot represents an interval of one unit, and each bar represents an interval of five units. 
     In a still further aspect of the present invention, there is presented construction material, comprising a layer of gypsum board having a face; a thin transparent film strip on the gypsum board in adhering relation thereto, the film strip containing markings that include a first series of numerals in ascending order at regular repeating intervals around a perimeter of the film, a second series of numerals in descending order at regular repeating intervals around the perimeter, the second series spaced apart from the first series, the markings also including a series of lines of varying length situated perpendicular to a direction of the first and second series, a series of symbols positioned between the first series and the second series, the symbols being combinations of dots and bars wherein each dot represents an interval of one unit, and each bar represents an interval of five units. 
     These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, descriptions and claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a fragmentary plan view of a face of gypsum board having the markings of the present invention in accordance with one embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is a fragmentary plan view of a face of gypsum board having the markings of the present invention in accordance with a second embodiment; 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of a face of gypsum board or other construction material element and including a legend; and 
         FIG. 4  is a fragmentary perspective view of gypsum board having a thin plastic film over a perimeter of the gypsum board and with markings on the film. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
     The present invention generally provides a plurality of construction elements such as gypsum board and plywood that are pre-marked with a ruler-like set of markings and associated with numerals together with a series of symbols functioning as mathematical symbols. The mathematical symbols may be comprised of rectangular bars and circular dots. The bars may denote an interval of 5 units of length, such as inches, and the dots may denote an interval of one inch. The spacing of inch may be marked off with the symbols. In addition, each 12 inches and each 16 inches may be marked off with the symbols. As a result of the markings, it takes much less time to see where to place screws or nails attaching the gypsum board, for example, to the studs. 
     In contrast to the prior art, in which construction material may be marked off using regular Arabic numeral markings, the present invention employs a numbering system that may be pictorial or graphic. In further contrast to the prior art, in which graphic or pictorial images or symbols have only the meaning arbitrarily assigned to them, the symbols and pictorial and graphic images of the present invention are based on a known numbering system used by the Mayan inhabitants of the Americas, although not for the purposes of the present invention. In still further contrast to the prior art, wherein particular construction material elements may be marked, the present invention may involve a set of construction material elements in which all of the elements are marked in accordance with the present invention, including for example, gypsum board, plywood, piping, wood studs, cement board, metal studs and track, etc. In further contrast to the prior art, in which markings occupy a large portion of the face of a construction material as if the face of the construction material were graph paper, in the present invention, the intervals of the markings of the present invention may be set up so that they do not clutter the appearance of the face of the construction material. 
     As can be seen from  FIG. 1 , construction material  100  in accordance with the present invention may comprise a construction material element  110 , such as a piece of gypsum board  112 , plywood, studs, track, piping or cement board. Other construction material elements may include subflooring having a face. The construction material element may be made of wood, metal or any other suitable material. The face  114  may contain markings  113  that include a first series  115  of numerals  116  in ascending order at regular repeating intervals around a perimeter  118  of the face  114 , a second series  122  of numerals  116  in descending order at regular repeating intervals around the perimeter  118 , the second series  122  spaced apart from the first series  115 . 
     As seen in  FIG. 3 , the markings  113  may also include a series of lines  133  of varying length situated perpendicular to a direction of the first and second series  115 ,  122 . Moreover, face  114  may contain a legend  400  explaining the numerical meaning of the circular dots  124  and bars  126  of the symbols  200 . 
     A series of symbols  200  may also be positioned between the first series  115  and the second series  122 . The symbols  200  may be comprised of combinations of dots  124  and bars  126  wherein each dot represents an interval of one unit, and each bar represents an interval of five units. Such arrangement of symbol is known to have been used by the ancient Mayan civilization. 
     The symbols  200  may appear at regular intervals of approximately 16 inches beginning at an edge of the face as well as at the one inch point from the edge. Sixteen inches measured from the middle of one stud to the middle of the next stud, is the recognized interval in the placement of studs in the construction industry. In certain cases, such as a bearing wall, the symbols  200  may appear at regular repeating intervals of approximately 12 inches, as counted beginning from the edge. Symbols may as a rule also be placed at the one inch point from the edge  199 . In general, the construction material elements may have one, two, three or four faces or edges containing the markings. Furthermore, certain of the construction materials, such as tin studs that have two lips rather than a full fourth side, may be considered to have five faces if each lip is considered a face. 
     As can be seen from  FIG. 1 , the faces or faces of the construction material elements  110  may have no numerals within the first or second series at points along the horizontal axis where the symbols appear. For example, in  FIG. 1  no numerals appear at the 12 inch intervals or at the 16 inch intervals. 
     As seen from  FIG. 2 , construction material  100  in accordance with the present invention may also have a set of construction material elements  110  each having a face  114  that defines a horizontal axis and a vertical axis. The set may in some cases include at least gypsum board and plywood and in other cases include all construction material elements  110 . Each construction material element  110  may contain markings comprising an array  221  of symbols having a plurality of rows  222 , for example including a first and second series of symbols that appear on the face at regular repeating intervals aligned along a line. The line may typically be a horizontal line, as seen in  FIG. 2 . Each individual row or column in the array, for example the first and second series  222  of symbols  200  may be substantially parallel. The symbols may be combinations of dots and bars wherein each dot represents an interval of one unit, and each bar represents an interval of five units. As used herein, when the word “row” is used alone as opposed to used in conjunction with the word “column”, the word “row” need not be horizontal and may also encompass vertical rows, i.e. columns  222 . 
     As seen from  FIG. 2 , symbols  200  in any row or column of array  221  may be spaced at intervals of 12 inches. Symbols  200  within any row or column of array  221  may also or alternatively be spaced at intervals of 16 inches. Although not shown in  FIG. 2 , similar to  FIGS. 1 and 3 , symbols  200  may also appear at the one inch interval from the edge in each row (or column) as well as one inch from the opposite edge. For each row or column (or first or second series) of symbols  200  on face  114  there may be a further row or column of symbols  200  also appearing on the face substantially parallel to the first series or row or column. In certain embodiments, the entire rows, columns or first and second series may be spaced apart from one another (not referring to spacing within the rows or columns) approximately 12 inches of one another. 
     Whether numerals  116  and perpendicular lines  133  are present or absent, symbols  200  may appear at regular repeating intervals of approximately 16 inches and may appear at regular repeating intervals of approximately 12 inches. So for example, as seen from  FIG. 1 , the symbols may appear at the following points (as measured in inches) from a particular edge  199  of a ninety-six inch long face of gypsum board in ascending order: 1, 12, 16, 24, 32, 36, 48, 60, 64, 72, 80, 84, 95. As also seen from  FIG. 1 , the symbols may also appear in descending order at the same points along the face. The points may be marked with numerals and with perpendicular lines  133  of varying length as is typically used for rulers. However, at the points at which symbols appear, no numerals would appear and the perpendicular markings  133  may contain only a simple line  66  connecting the ascending and descending series, as seen in  FIG. 1 . 
     Regardless of whether symbols  200  are accompanied by numerals  116  as seen in  FIG. 1  or are not so accompanied as in  FIG. 2 , the face of the construction material element may contain corners  144  that are left free of markings  113 . Alternatively, corners  144  may be left free of all markings  113  except for the perpendicular lines, as seen for example in  FIG. 1 . The size of the corner  144  may vary but in certain cases may be approximately three and one half inches by approximately three and one half inches. 
     The present invention also contemplates construction material comprised of construction material elements having faces  114  that are free of markings and that may have a thin transparent plastic film strip  777  attached to the face. Film strip  777  may be coextensive with face  114  or may be over only a portion of face  114 . The thin transparent film strip  777  may be made of plastic and may attach or adhere to the gypsum board or other construction material so that the edges of the face are flush with the edges of the film strip, for example where the film is coextensive horizontally and vertically with the construction material, which may be gypsum board. In this case, marked on the film itself, rather than on the face  114  of the construction material, are any or all of the markings  113  described in relation to the other embodiments. The film  777  may attach to the gypsum board  112  through a frictional fit or may attach or adhere by other suitable attachment known to those skilled in the art, for example adhesive. The cutting and measuring of the construction process would occur with the film strip  777  attached to the gypsum board or other construction material. At some later point after construction is complete or partially complete, the film strip  777  may be removed. 
     In any embodiment, the markings  113  may be printed or impressed onto face  114  or may be placed by any other suitable means. 
     It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.