Abstract:
Embodiments of the invention include an apparatus and a method for alignment of substructures during the construction of a structure. An embodiment of the apparatus includes an adjustable device for selective attachment to a substructure of an unfinished structure whereby the device acts as a stationary point on which to attach a string for alignment of additional sub-structures. An embodiment of the method includes use of the adjustable device in constructing a structure.

Description:
FIELD 
       [0001]    This disclosure relates to the field of alignment devices. More particularly, this disclosure relates to apparatus for aiding in the construction of a structure by facilitating the alignment of sub-structures during construction. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Construction technology has evolved for thousands of years and has become scientifically advanced with the use of computing technology and the use of advanced materials to build new structures. However, certain aspects of constructing structures have remained relatively unchanged over the years. For example, the structural integrity of a structure depends in large part on whether various sub-structures have been attached together in a desired manner. The ability to attach sub-structures with precision requires a reliance on basic geometric principles such as the use of straight lines. 
         [0003]    A number of devices have been used to help a person building a structure to keep a part of the structure aligned in a straight line. One example is the use of string attached at one or both ends substantially along the part of a structure to be constructed in a straight line. Such strings are often attached to sticks anchored in the ground or along the structure being built. Strings are also attached to other devices designed for fitting over specifically sized sub-structures at a corner or end of the structure being built. However, these devices for attaching string to structures lack a combination of flexibility of use on a variety of sub-structures, integrity to remain substantially in place without physically impacting the underlying structure being built, and accuracy to better ensure proper alignment of sub-structures during construction. 
         [0004]    What is needed, therefore, is an alignment device that may be used on a variety of different sized sub-structures at various locations along a structure being built for gaining an accurate alignment of sub-structures during construction but having minimal, if any, physical impact on the underlying structure. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    The above and other needs are met by embodiments of an apparatus for aligning substructures to facilitate the construction of a structure. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes an elongate bar including a proximal end and a distal end; a movable member including a first portion and a second portion, the movable member being movable along the bar between the proximal end and the distal end of the bar; an end member adjacent the bar, the end member including a first extension and a second extension, the first extension including a groove for attaching a string to the apparatus, the second extension including a groove for positioning a string substantially adjacent to any substructure that the apparatus may be placed on, the second extension being located substantially opposite the second portion of the movable member; and an obstruction located near the distal end of the bar for preventing the movable member from moving off of the bar. 
         [0006]    In a preferred embodiment, the first extension of the apparatus includes a plurality of grooves for attaching a string to the apparatus. The cross-sectional structure of the bar preferably is in the form of a polygonal shape. In another preferred embodiment, the apparatus is made from metal or a metal alloy. Optionally, the movable member is angled toward the proximal end of the bar. 
         [0007]    A related embodiment includes an apparatus for aligning substructures to facilitate the construction of a structure in which the apparatus includes an elongate bar including a proximal end and a distal end wherein the cross-sectional structure of the bar includes a polygonal shape; a movable member including a first portion and a second portion, the movable member being movable along the bar between the proximal end and the distal end of the bar wherein the movable member is movable by sliding motion along the bar; an end member adjacent the bar, the end member including a first extension and a second extension, the first extension including a groove for attaching a string to the apparatus, the second extension including a groove for positioning a string substantially adjacent to any substructure that the apparatus may be placed on, the second extension being located substantially opposite the second portion of the movable member; and an obstruction located near the distal end of the bar for preventing the movable member from moving off of the bar. Preferably, the first extension of the apparatus includes a plurality of grooves for attaching a string to the apparatus. The cross-sectional structure of the bar preferably is in the form of a polygonal shape. The apparatus is preferably made from metal or a metal alloy. Optionally, the movable member is angled toward the proximal end of the bar. 
         [0008]    In another aspect, embodiments of the invention provide a method for aligning substructures to facilitate the construction of a structure using a alignment apparatus, the alignment apparatus including an elongate bar including a proximal end and a distal end; a movable member including a first portion and a second portion, the movable member being movable along the bar between the proximal end and the distal end of the bar; an end member adjacent the bar, the end member including a first extension and a second extension, the first extension including a groove for attaching a string to the apparatus, the second extension including a groove for positioning a string substantially adjacent to any substructure that the apparatus may be placed on, the second extension being located substantially opposite the second portion of the movable member; and an obstruction located near the distal end of the bar for preventing the movable member from moving off of the bar. The method includes the steps of (a) placing the alignment apparatus on a substructure such that the second portion of the movable member and the second extension of the end member are located on opposite sides of the substructure; (b) wrapping a string around the first extension of the end member such that the string is inserted into the groove located along the first extension; (c) wrapping the string under the bar along the groove in the second extension; and (d) pulling the remaining string from the groove in the second extension under the bar in order to set a desired alignment guideline along an unfinished structure. 
         [0009]    In a related embodiment, step (a) further includes the step of moving the movable member closer to the proximal end of the alignment apparatus until both the second portion of the movable member and the second extension of the end member are in contact with the sub-structure. 
         [0010]    On advantage of various embodiments of the invention is that the apparatus may be attached at various locations along a structure that is under construction. It is not necessary that the apparatus be attached on a corner of the structure. 
         [0011]    Another advantage of various embodiments of the invention is that the apparatus may fit a broad range of structures that are sized considerably different from one another. This is made possible by moving the movable member to fit various sized substructures. 
         [0012]    Yet another advantage of various embodiments of the invention is that the apparatus has little or no impact on a substructure it is placed on. More specifically, there is no need to insert any part of the apparatus into a substructure in order for the apparatus to hold steady during use. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]    Further features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood by reference to the following detailed description, appended claims, and accompanying figures, wherein elements are not to scale so as to more clearly show the details, wherein like reference numbers indicate like elements throughout the several views, and wherein: 
           [0014]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of an apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the disclosure for aligning substructures to facilitate the construction of a structure; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  shows a side view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1 , with a movable member component thereof located in a first position; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  shows a side view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1 , with the movable member located in a second position; 
           [0017]      FIG. 4A  shows a close up view of a proximal end of the apparatus of  FIG. 1  that includes a plurality of grooves along a first extension; 
           [0018]      FIG. 4B  shows a close up view of a proximal end of the apparatus of  FIG. 1  that includes a single groove along a first extension; 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  shows a side view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1  having a string attached to a first extension of the apparatus; 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  shows an end view showing a distal end of the apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0021]      FIG. 7  shows a close up side view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0022]      FIG. 8  shows a side view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1  attached to a substructure with a string attached to a first extension of the apparatus; 
           [0023]      FIG. 9  shows a perspective view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1  attached to a substructure with a string attached to a first extension of the apparatus; 
           [0024]      FIG. 10  shows a close up side view of an apparatus similar to the apparatus of  FIG. 1  with the exception that the apparatus shown in  FIG. 10  includes a movable member that is oriented substantially orthogonal to the bar of the apparatus; 
           [0025]      FIG. 11  shows a perspective view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1  attached to a brick that includes multiple apertures. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0026]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of an embodiment of an apparatus  10  for aligning sub-structures during the construction of a structure. The apparatus  10  includes an elongate bar  12  including a proximal end  14  and a distal end  16 , a movable member  18  movable along the bar  12  between the proximal end  14  and the distal end  16 , and an end member  20  located along the proximal end  14  of the bar  12 . The apparatus  10  is preferably made of metal or a metal alloy such as aluminum, stainless steel, steel, or iron. However, the apparatus may be made from polymeric materials such as, for example, polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Also, the apparatus  10  may be made of wood. In some embodiments, some parts of the apparatus may be made of a first material (e.g., metal) and other parts made of a second material (e.g., wood). 
         [0027]    The movable member  18  includes a first portion  22  movably mounted along the bar  12  and a second portion  24  extending beyond the bar  12 . For example, the movable member  18  may be provided as a bar  21  including an aperture  23  through which the bar  12  extends as shown in  FIG. 1 . The end member  20  includes a first extension  26  and a second extension  28 . The first extension  26  includes at least one groove  30  for attaching a string to the apparatus  10 , and the second extension  28  includes a groove  32  for position an attached string substantially adjacent to any substructure that the apparatus  10  may be placed on. The first extension  26  preferably includes a plurality of grooves  31  as shown close up in  FIG. 4A . The second extension  28  is located substantially opposite the second portion  24  such that these parts may straddle a sub-structure. The embodiment shown in  FIG. 1  further includes a stop or obstruction  34  located near the distal end  16  of the bar  12  for preventing the movable member  18  from moving off of the bar  12 . 
         [0028]      FIG. 2  shows a first side  36  view of the apparatus  10  with the movable member  18  in a first position  38 , and  FIG. 3  shows a second side  40  view of the apparatus  10  with the movable member  18  in a second position  42 . The movable member  18  is preferably slidable along the bar  12  as shown in  FIGS. 2-3 . In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , the second extension  28  of the movable member  18  is angled at an angle θ toward the proximal end  14  of the bar. Angle θ preferably ranges from about 65 degrees to about 85 degrees and more preferably ranges from about 77 degrees to about 83 degrees. In a related embodiment shown in  FIG. 10 , the movable member  18  is not angled; rather, a movable member  19  is provided that is substantially orthogonal to the bar  12 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 4B  shows a close-up view of the proximal end  14  of the bar  12  including the first extension  26  with the groove  30 . The first extension  26  is preferably oriented substantially perpendicular to the bar  12  as shown in  FIG. 4 . Similarly, the second extension  28  is also preferably oriented substantially perpendicular to the bar  12  as shown in  FIGS. 2-3 . Additionally, the first extension  26  and the second extension  28  are preferably oriented approximately 180 degrees from each other.  FIG. 5  shows a view of the first side  36  of apparatus  10  in which a string has been attached to the groove  30  of the first extension  26  and has been wound through the groove  32  located along the second extension  28 . 
         [0030]      FIG. 6  shows an end view of the distal end  16  of the bar  12 . The embodiment shown in  FIG. 6  includes the bar  12  having a rectangular cross section. However, in other embodiments, the cross section of the bar  12  may be another polygon such as, for example, a square, a hexagon, or an octagon. The cross section of the bar  12  may also be in the shape of a circle, an oval, or a combination of curved and straight edges. 
         [0031]      FIG. 7  shows a close up view of the distal end  16  of the bar  12  along the second side  40  of the apparatus  10 .  FIG. 7  reveals obstruction  34 . The obstruction  34  shown in the embodiment in  FIG. 7  was formed by creating an indentation  44  along the second side  40  of the apparatus  10 , thereby slightly raising a periphery  46  around the indentation  44 , whereby the raised periphery  46  acts as the obstruction  34 . In other embodiments, obstruction  34  may include, for example, a projection attached at the distal end  16  of the bar  12 . In yet another embodiment, the obstruction  34  may be built into the structure of the bar  12  such that the thickness of the bar  12  increases toward the distal end  16 , thereby preventing the movable member  18  from falling off of the bar  12 . 
         [0032]      FIG. 8  shows the apparatus  10  along a first substructure  48  such that the second side  40  of the apparatus  10  is facing a person viewing the figure. The movable member  18  has been moved toward the proximal end  14  of the bar  12  such that both the second portion  24  of the movable member  18  and the second extension  28  of the end member  20  substantially are in contact with and straddle the first substructure  48 . A string  50  has been attached to the groove  30  along the first extension  26  and the string  50  has been placed through groove  32  along the second extension  28  such that the string  50  appears to exit the page toward a person viewing the figure. By pulling the string  50  in a direction normal to the page, the proximal end  14  of the bar  12  slightly rotates in the direction of the pulled string  50 , locking the apparatus  10  along the first substructure  48 . The string  50  can then be tied off or attached to another device so that the string  50  may be used to align other substructures as such substructures are added next to the first substructure  48 .  FIG. 9  shows a perspective view of the apparatus  10  after the string  50  has been pulled and the apparatus  10  has been locked into position. 
         [0033]    The apparatus  10  and other related embodiments may be used to help align substructures such as brick, stone, cement block, wood, and virtually any type of building substructure that requires proper alignment with other substructures. For example, if a brick wall is being constructed, the apparatus  10  may be placed on a brick that has already been attached to the structure, and a string can be attached to the apparatus and vectored in such a way as to help align and lay the remaining bricks in a particular row to form the wall. The apparatus  10  and other related embodiments may also be used, for example, at the top of a vertical beam of wood that has been attached to a structure. A string can be attached to the apparatus  10  and vectored in such a way as to help align the attachment of other beams of wood to the structure. The term “string” as used in concert with the apparatus  10  is defined broadly herein and includes, but is not limited to, cord, elongate fibers, wire, twine, thread, tape, or any similar material, natural or synthetic. 
         [0034]    The length of the bar  12  preferably ranges from about 2 centimeters to about 40 centimeters, and more preferably ranges from about 20 centimeters to about 25 centimeters. However, depending on the size of the substructure and/or the available work space around a structure, the desired bar  12  length may vary considerably. For example, in some situations, it may desirable for the bar  12  to be considerably shorter if an immovable object is close or adjacent to a substructure that the apparatus is to be attached to. In the example shown in  FIG. 11 , if the bar  12  were to extend beyond the width of a substructure  52  (shown as a common brick with multiple apertures  54 ), it would collide with a wall  56 , thereby preventing the second extension  28  from engaging substantially adjacent to the substructure  52 .  FIG. 11  also demonstrates how the apparatus  10  may be attached along various features of a substructure such as the apertures  54 . 
         [0035]    The invention described herein also includes a method for aligning substructures to facilitate the construction of a structure using alignment apparatus  10  or a related embodiment of apparatus  10 . One embodiment of such method includes a step of placing the alignment apparatus on a substructure such that the second portion  24  of the movable member  18  and the second extension  28  of the end member  20  are located on opposing surfaces of the substructure (i.e., they straddle the substructure or a portion of the substructure). The method also includes a step of wrapping a string around the first extension  26  of the end member  20  such that the string is inserted into the groove  30  located along the first extension  26 . The method further includes a step of wrapping the string under the bar  12  along the groove  32  in the second extension  28 . The method also includes a step of pulling the remaining string from the groove  32  in the second extension  28  under the bar  12  in order to set a desired alignment guideline of string along an unfinished structure. In a related embodiment, the method further includes the step of moving the movable member  18  closer to the proximal end  14  of the apparatus  10  until both the second portion  24  of the movable member  18  and the second extension  28  of the end member  20  are in contact with the substructure. 
         [0036]    The foregoing description of preferred embodiments for this invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiments are chosen and described in an effort to provide the best illustrations of the principles of the invention and its practical application, and to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally, and equitably entitled.