Patent ID: 8469427

Claim:
A drop ceiling tile installation tool comprising: a pole having a first end and a second end; a connector coupled to said first end of said pole, said connector having a lower section pivotally coupled to an upper section; a plurality of support arms coupled to and extending outwardly from said connector, said support arms including a pair of upper support arms and a pair of lower support arms; a pair of hooks, each hook being coupled to and extending from a distal end of an associated one of said lower support arms relative to said connector whereby said hooks are configured for receiving and supporting an edge of a ceiling tile; and a pair of tile support panels, each said tile support panel being coupled to a distal end of an associated one of said upper support arms relative to said connector whereby said tile support panels are configured for supporting a bottom surface of a ceiling tile when the edge of the ceiling tile is received by said pair of hooks; a locking pin coupled to said connector, said connector engaging said lower section and said upper section whereby said upper section is held in a static position relative to said lower section; a slot positioned in and extending through said lower section of said connector; said locking pin being positioned in and extending out of said slot; and a first notch in said upper section of said connector, said first notch being positioned to be engaged by said locking pin when said connector is in a use position whereby said pole extends rearwardly and away from said upper support arms such that said pole forms an acute angle with said lower support arms.