Patent ID: 7213377

Claim:
A method of spacing and bracing a first framing component with respect to a second framing component by employing a spacing and bracing device, wherein said spacing and bracing device comprises an elongate spacing member forming a U-shaped channel comprising a top web and two side webs depending approximately orthogonally from said top web such that the width of the channel is approximately equal to the thickness of the first framing component, and wherein the spacing and bracing device further comprises a pivot tongue extending from one end of the top web and a free tongue extending from the other end of said top web, and wherein said pivot tongue comprises a first hinge and a pivotable connection, and wherein said free tongue comprises an attachment means, said method comprising the steps of a. affixing the spacing and bracing device upon the first framing component by placing an edge of the first framing component into the channel; b. engaging the pivotable connection means to produce a pivot point between the pivot tongue and the first framing component; c. positioning the first and second framing components into their approximate final positions relative to each other; d. bending the upper web at the first hinge by raising the free tongue away from the first framing component until the side webs clear the first framing component; e. rotating the device about the pivot point until the side webs point toward the second framing component; f. lowering the free tongue to the second framing component; g. adjusting the final positions of the first and second framing components relative to one another so that their sides are snug against the ends of the spacing member; h. attaching the free tongue to the second framing component by engaging the attachment means; and, i. securing the pivot tongue to the first framing component by tightening the pivotable connection.