Patent ID: 8533880

Claim:
A layout tool having a plurality of functions comprising: an independent, separate, elongated main body component having a longitudinal axis, said main body component comprising two lateral sections and two end sections and an elongated opening extending parallel to the longitudinal axis and substantially the length of the main body component, between the end and lateral sections, the end and lateral sections completely circumscribing and enclosing the opening; an independent, separate slide block component comprising a slide base having side walls and a top wall with a top surface, a slide guide element secured to the top surface, said slide guide element being smaller in size than the slide block component and configured to be inserted, in its entirety, into the opening, the slide guide element being located between the sidewalls and having flat sides positioned directly on and extending up from the top surface of the slide base of the slide block component, and a threaded member extending through the slide guide element and the top wall; a knob having threads configured to threadably engage the threaded member, whereby when independent and separated from each other, the main body component and slide block component are each used separately for a plurality of different functions and when the slide guide element of the slide block component is inserted in its entirety into the elongated opening of the main body component and the knob is threadably engaged with the threaded member, the assembled tool is used for a plurality of other functions; and a compass pin having a shaft and a handle, a thread section extending from one side of the handle and a pin section extending from the other side of the handle, the pin section comprising threads at one end of the pin section and a point at the other end, and wherein the threaded member comprises a through channel having internal threads, whereby when the tool is in a compass mode, the thread section is threadably engaged with the internal threads of the channel and when the tool is not in the compass mode, the threads of the pin section are threadably engaged within the internal threads of the channel.