Patent Abstract:
A guide preferably of small size preferably two and a half inches square is disclosed for establishing reveal on doors and window frames during molding installation without having to do measuring and marking. In one embodiment two square blocks making up the guide are fixedly attached to each other and a different guide is used for different molding reveals. In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the position of the two blocks relative to each other is adjustable such that one block moves along the other block only along a diagonal providing a simple single adjustment which provides the same amount of reveal on two orthogonal sides of the guide.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a guide for establishing reveal on door and window frames during molding installation. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a compact easily carried and readily usable guide which is usable simultaneously in two orthogonal directions and may be adjustably simultaneously and equally in two orthogonal directions in a single adjusting operation. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Typically the molding which covers the gap between the window or door frame and the drywall or other surfacing of the interior of a building is offset from the edge of the window or door frame by a dimension such as a quarter of an inch, an eighth of an inch, three eighths of an inch or the like. This process of installing this molding often requires multiple measurements and markings on the framing to install the molding correctly along the entire length of the window or door frame. This is a time consuming process which also places marks on the window or door framing which then must be removed in the case of staining or adequately painted over. Further, it is time consuming to measure and mark the frame in multiple locations. 
   Several attempts have been made at providing such a guide or jig for the installation of molding, but these have not been satisfactory. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 5,737,844-Brumley, No. 5,604,988-Costelloe, and No. 5,123,172-Thrun. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention provides several advantages in the installation of molding on doors and or window frames. One advantage of the present invention is that its square shape may be produced to provide molding installation without marking in two orthogonal directions, that is along the top and side of the window or door simultaneously. 
   Another advantage of the present invention is that its square shape enables it to be fabricated in a relatively small size which may be readily held within a carpenter&#39;s bag worn on the waist of the carpenter or in a pocket or other similar location of the carpenter or person doing the molding installation. 
   Another advantage of the present invention is that it is relatively economical to manufacture. 
   Another advantage of the present invention is that it is adjustable, and is adjustable by means of one adjustment structure which provides adjustment in equal amounts in both of the two orthogonal directions simultaneously, that is for use on the top and side of the door or window frame simultaneously in one adjusting operation. 
   Briefly and basically, in accordance with the present invention, a molding guide is provided which comprises a first block having the shape of a square prism having a face with four edges of a first predetermined length with rectangular sidewalls. A second block having the shape of a square prism having a face with four edges of the same predetermined length as the first block and having rectangular sidewalls. The first and second blocks are attached to one another in such a manner that a square face to a square face are juxtaposed and that the first block and the second block are offset such that each sidewall of the square block is parallel to one of the adjacent sidewalls of the second block. A diagonal can be drawn through two corners of each block with one line. Further, the offset is equal to the desired predetermined molding reveal. 
   In accordance with the present invention, the first and second blocks may be fixedly attached or they may be adjustably attached. 
   Where the blocks are adjustably attached, the first block can only move in such a way that the diagonal between the two corners of the first block remains collinear with the diagonal of the second block. 
   In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, this adjustability is provided by a channel created in the first block along the diagonal. A bolt is mounted normal to the face and on the center of the square face of the second block with the bolt passing through the channel of the first block. A fastener on the bolt releasably secures the first and second blocks relative to each other. A guide element is fixedly attached to one of the blocks. The guide element is placed off the diagonal line and protrudes normal to the face juxtaposed the other block face. A guiding groove is formed in the other of the two blocks deep enough to house the guide element and the guiding groove is formed in a line parallel to and offset from the diagonal at a position across from the guide element on the square face of the other block. 
   In this manner, by loosening the fastener on the bolt, the block may be moved along the diagonal with the same amount of offset being produced along two orthogonal sidewalls thereby providing the same amount of reveal for both orthogonal directions, such as the upper molding piece and the side molding piece of a door or window. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawings forms which are presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown. 
       FIG. 1  is a view in perspective, partially broken away illustrating the use of a guide in accordance with the present invention establishing the reveal on a door or window frame. The guide illustrated in  FIG. 1  is adjustable. 
       FIG. 2  is a plan view of the face of the guide illustrated in  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 2  shows a second adjusted position in dotted lines of the upper block. 
       FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view taken along line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 4  is an exploded view in perspective of the two blocks of  FIG. 1  showing the two blocks of the guide of  FIG. 1  separated. This figure also illustrates the guide element in one block and the guide channel in the other block. 
       FIG. 5  is a view in perspective of another embodiment of the present invention wherein the two blocks of the guide are fixed. 
       FIG. 6  is a cross section view taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 5 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring now to the drawings, wherein like numerals indicate like elements, there is shown in  FIG. 1  a guide  10  for establishing the reveal on doors and window frames during molding installation. As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , molding guide or guide  10  is applied with one of its rectangular side walls against a frame  12  of a door or window with the sidewall of another block establishing a reveal  14  of the frame  12  where the molding  16  abuts the sidewall and is applied. The frame or framing  12  is typically three quarters of an inch thick, but may be of other suitable dimensions depending upon the particular window or door frame. The reveal  14  is usually selected to be a percentage of the thickness of the window or door frame  12 . Typically where the frame is three quarters of an inch, the reveal may be one quarter of an inch, three eights of an inch or one eighth of an inch or other suitable desired reveal. The window or door frame  12  is typically secured by nailing, screwing or other fasteners to framing studs  22  and  24 . Studs  22  and  24  are shown as being partially broken away, but may be two by fours, two by sixes or other suitable framing material. Additionally, dry wall  18  is applied and secured to framing studs  22  and  24 , typically by nailing, screwing and/or gluing. Wall covering  18  may typically be dry wall, but other suitable wall covering materials may be utilized. Molding  16  covers the gap between the dry wall  18  and the window or door framing  12 . Molding  16  may be secured to both the studs  22  or  24  and with small finishing nails to frame  12 . Guide  10  may be utilized to position the molding for nailing without having to measure and/or mark the framing as to the offset or amount of reveal to be provided on frame  12 . 
   Referring now more particularly to  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  3  and  4 , the structure of guide or molding guide  10  will be described in greater detail. Guide  10  is comprised of a first block  20  having a shape of a square prism having a face  26  with four edges,  32 ,  34 ,  36  and  38  of a first predetermined length. This first predetermined length preferably may be two and one half inches, but other suitable dimensions may be utilized. First block  20  may be provided with rectangular sidewalls  42 ,  44 ,  46  and  48 . 
   A second block  30  having a shape of a square prism is provided. Second block  30  has a square face  56  and has four edges  62 ,  64 ,  66  and  68  of the same predetermined length as the first block. Since both the first and second blocks are squares, all four edge dimensions of each block are equal. Similar to the first block  20 , the second block  30  is provided with rectangular sidewalls  72 ,  74 ,  76  and  78 . 
   First block  20  second block  30  are attached, adjustably as shown in  FIGS. 1 through 4  and fixedly as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6  to be discussed hereinafter, to one another, square face  28  of block  20 , best seen in  FIG. 4  is attached or juxtaposed to square face  56  of second block  30 . Blocks  20  and  30  are attached in such a way that first block  20  and second block  30  are offset such that each sidewall of each block is parallel to one of the adjacent sidewalls of the other block. This is best illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . Further, these blocks are arranged such that a diagonal can be drawn to two corners of each block with one line. This is best illustrated for example, as may be best seen in  FIG. 2 , a diagonal can be drawn through two corners  40  and  50  of first block  20  and the same line passes through corners  60  and  70  of second block  30 . A corner is an intersection of two edges or rectangular surfaces of a block. 
   The offset between the sidewalls of edges of the first block  20  and the second block  30  is equal to the desired predetermined or selected molding reveal  14 . 
   The adjustability structure of  FIGS. 1-4  will be discussed herein below, but attention is now directed to  FIGS. 5 and 6  where the structure just described is illustrated as a guide or molding guide  110  comprised of a first block  120  fixedly mounted or attached to a second block  130  such as by glue, molding or suitable fasteners. As described with respect to the other embodiment, first block  120  has the shape of a square prism having a square face  126 . The face  126  of first block  120  is provided with four edges of equal length of a first predetermined length. These edges are labeled  132 ,  134 ,  136  and  138 . Block  120  is also provided with rectangular sidewalls with sidewalls  144  and  146  being illustrated in  FIG. 5 . Similarly, second block  130  is provided with a face  156  having four edges of equal length and of lengths equal to the lengths of the edges of the first block  120 . The structure of the fixed embodiment of  FIGS. 5 and 6  is substantially identical to that of  FIGS. 1 through 4  except that it does not include the structure for adjustability, the blocks are fixed one to the other and guides with differing offsets between first block  120  and second block  130  would be required for different selected door or window frame reveals. 
   Referring now back to the adjustable embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 4 , as best illustrated in  FIG. 2 , molding guide  10  is constructed such that blocks  20  and  30  are adjustably attached to each other such that the first block can only move in such a way that the diagonal between the two corners  40  and  50  of first block  20  remains collinear with the diagonal of block  30  running through corners  60  and  70 , or in other words on line  80  with the diagonal of second block  130  as defined by line  80  passing through corners  60  and  70  of block  30 . In other words, line  80  is the diagonal of both blocks and the diagonal of both blocks is collinear no matter how guide  10  is adjusted to provide different amounts of reveal. In this manner, the amount of reveal provided for is equal on all sides. An adjustment for a large reveal  14  is shown in block  20  in dotted lines at  20 ′ and the diagonal line  80  still passes through corners  40 ′ and  50 ′. 
   A presently preferred and particular manner of providing the adjustability to provide equal adjustment of the offset of the box which corresponds to the amount of reveal is provided by the structure illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 4 . A channel  90  is created in first block  20 . Chanel  90  is created in the first block  120  along diagonal illustrated by line  80 . A bolt or other suitable fastener  92  is mounted normal to the face  56  of second block  30 . Bolt or fastener  92  is mounted on the diagonal line  80  and the center of square face  56  of second block  30 . The bolt or fastener  92  passes through channel  90  in first block  20 . Bolt or fastener  92  may pass through second block  30  as illustrated in  FIG. 3  or may be mounted partially into second block  30  or may be mounted by suitable means to the surface of second block  30 . 
   A fastener  94 , such as a wing nut as illustrated or other suitable fastener on bolt  92  releasable secures the first and second blocks relative to each other. In other words fastener  94  may be released to adjust the position of first block  20  with respect to second block  30  to provide different amounts of reveal. When adjusting and moving on the diagonal line  80 , the amount of reveal change provided between adjacent sidewall surfaces of the first block and the second block  30  are equal. 
   In order to keep first block  20  from rotating with respect to second block  30 , a guide element  100  is attached to one of the blocks. The guide element  100  is placed off of the diagonal line  80  and protrudes normal to the face juxtaposed of the other block face. A guiding groove  102  is formed in the other of the two blocks deep enough to house guide element  100 . The guiding groove is formed in a line parallel to an offset from diagonal line  80  at a position across from guide element  100  on the square face of the other block. In this manner, by loosening wing nut or fastener  94 , first block  20  may be moved along the diagonal line  80  only, thereby adjusting the reveal by the same amount between corresponding sides of the first block  20  and the second block  30 . 
   The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 4