Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention pertains to devices and methods for marking and cutting paving blocks, bricks and similar masonry construction materials. In particular, the invention addresses a problem in construction of horizontal masonry surfaces surrounding swimming pools. Such areas are most typically referred to as pool “decks” and are most typically formed of poured imperious materials such as concrete, or of preformed masonry pieces set in mortar or similar hardenable adhesives. 
   Many modern swimming pools, whirlpools, wadding pools, and similar constructions such as emersion saunas are designed in many various arbitrary shapes having rounded vertical walls without straight sides or hard corners. Forming decks surrounding these pool designs using conventional masonry pieces that are primarily square or rectangular in shape requires sculpting each masonry piece that intersects the curved pool vertical wall. In just constructions, it is common to finish the masonry deck with a narrow border at the deck edge, adjacent the pool edge and walls. This still requires that each masonry piece at the outside edge of the border be sculpted to match the pool edge outline—although offset from the edge. In the past, each masonry piece adjacent the border was individually hand cut to fit this outline—a time and talent intensive job. Often, using prior methods, consecutive masonry pieces are not perfectly cut to match each other resulting in a jagged and unsightly border line. What is needed is a simple and efficient device and method of marking and cutting horizontally multiple placed masonry pieces along a line following a curved or straight vertical wall edge. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is a masonry marking device with a primary function and enablement of generating a continuous curved line on masonry pieces laid adjacent curved pool walls. The line is formed parallel to the pool wall to enable easy continuous cutting of multiple masonry pieces by following the marked line with a cutting device such as a powered circular saw. The present inventive device includes multiple guide wheels mounted, with vertical axes, on a frame and configured to follow complex curves of the vertical walls of a rounded shaped swimming pool and the like. The frame connects the guide wheels to multiple support wheels to enable the support wheels to roll on a generally horizontal deck surface adjacent and above the vertical pool walls. The guide wheels and support wheels are mounted and configured to ensure that the frame may be easily maintained, by a user, in a constant perpendicular orientation with respect to the vertical wall. A marker, such as a pencil or construction marker is mounted on the frame between the support wheels and guide wheels to enable the marker to be applied to the deck surface adjacent the edge of the pool wall. The support wheels are mounted on the frame and oriented to allow rotation of the frame about a vertical axis with a minimum of transverse slip of the wheels. One or more secondary stabilizing wheels are located between the support wheels and the guide wheels. A handle is connected to the frame to allow the frame to be manually moved along the vertical wall. The frame includes a mechanism to adjust the relative location of the mark. 
   In operation, the frame is moved along a deck area surrounding a pool wall, as a user applies force to the handle to ensure the guide wheels remain in contact with the wall, to cause the marker to draw a line on the deck parallel to the vertical wall. 
   Preferably, the frame includes a conventional bubble sight level mounted to be monitored by a user and configured to indicate proper vertical positioning of the guide wheels and the marking device. To accommodate irregularities in the horizontal surface, the marking device is spring mounted in an angled “trailing arm” configuration. 
   The present invention is intended to be used prior to cutting the masonry pieces so marked. The masonry pieces may then be removed from the deck area in preparation for forming a replacement deck border portion. This may consist of new masonry pieces. Other uses of the inventive device are contemplated. Additional novel aspects and benefits of the invention will be discerned from the following description of particular embodiments and the accompanying figures. 

   
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustration of a preferred embodiment of the invention on a typical working surface. 
       FIG. 2  is a side view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an alternative configuration of the invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  3  regard a preferred embodiment of the invention. The following discussion regards all these figures. The inventive device includes a rigid frame  10  that functions to support, connect, and orient the operational elements. The construction of the frame shown is one of many alternatives, and the particular construction and elements used in the frame are not critical so long as the frame provides effectively the same support, connectivity and orientation of the operational elements. 
   In this construction, the frame  10  consists primarily of a simple elongated steel main frame element. At one end of the frame  10  are secured two support wheels  12 . The support wheels  12  are rigidly mounted to the frame  10 , with their axes of rotation mutually parallel. The support wheels  12  are mounted via a first steel support bracket  14  that is welded to the frame  10 , although the particular device for mounting the support wheels  14  to the frame  10  is not critical. 
   At an end of the frame  10  opposite the support wheels  12 , the frame includes a vertical offset in the form of a U-shaped neck portion  16 . The details of the neck portion are provided below. At the lower, offset, end  15  of the neck portion  16  are mounted two guide wheels  20 . The guide wheels  20  are mounted via a second steel support bracket  22  welded to the frame  10 . Here too, the particular construction of the device used to mount the guide wheels  20  to the frame  10  is not critical. Two guide wheels are provided to enable a user to more easily maintain proper orientation of the frame  10  in use. 
   Between the support wheels  12  and the guide wheels  20 , two secondary support wheels  32  are mounted to the frame  10  via a welded steel third support bracket  34 . The secondary wheels  32  are oriented with their axes of rotation mutually parallel, and also parallel to the axes of the support wheels  12 . The secondary wheels  32  are preferably smaller in diameter than the support wheels  12 , but are mounted lower on the frame  10  such that the respective contact areas of all the wheels fall on a single common plane. 
   Between the secondary wheels  32  and the guide wheels  20 , a handle  40  extends perpendicularly out and upward from the frame  10 . The handle  40  terminates in a grip  41  configured for comfortable handling by a user. The grip  41  must be located at a height to allow operation by a standing user, preferably at a height dimension HD located 24 to 36 inches above the bottom of the support wheels  12  (from the contact plane). The handle  40  and grip  41  provide a means for manually directing and moving the frame  10 . Various alternative geometries and constructions of the handle  40  are contemplated and other variations are possible without deviating from the essential function and operation of the handle and invention. 
   Between the handle  40  and the secondary wheels  32  is mounted a marker  42  that extends generally downward from the frame  10 . The location of the marker between the support wheels and the guide wheels is important to enable forming path lines close to a pool edge. The marker  42  extends preferably slightly transversely from the frame  10 , inclined in a direction opposite the anticipated and selected relative direction of travel of the device. The marker  42  is mounted to the frame via a spring  43  or similar mechanisms for biasing the marker  42  downward against a horizontal working surface on the contact plane. The spring  43  assists in maintaining marker contact on uneven surfaces. The marker  42  may be any of a variety of devices including a “lead” construction pencil, a chalk, or an ink marker or other marker appropriate for hard and rough surfaces such as brick and other masonry. 
   The relative location of the marker  42  and the support wheels  12  and secondary wheels  32  is important. It is greatly desired to be capable of marking a deck area very close to the edge  101 , to prepare to form borders of only a few inches width for example. The marker  42  must be located, for such use, within a few inches, horizontally, from the guide wheels  20 . At the same time, it is common to have gaps in the masonry pieces previously laid adjacent the edge  101  (those to be cut and at least partially removed). These gaps make impossible smooth support and operation of the support wheels  12  and secondary wheels  32  adjacent the edge  101 . To satisfy these constraints, all wheels supported on the horizontal surface must be outside the marker—more distant from the edge and guide wheels  20 . 
   In typical operation of the invention, the support wheels  12  and secondary wheels  32  rest on, and are supported on, a horizontal deck area formed of masonry pieces  100  surrounding the edge  101  of a swimming pool. The frame  10  is oriented to position the guide wheels  20  evenly against the vertical wall  99  of the pool with the frame  10  generally perpendicular to the edge  101  and wall  99 . The marker  42  contacts and is biased against the deck area. The relative spacing of the marker  42  from the guide wheels  20  determines the path of the marker  42  and the resulting line mark  90  produced on the masonry pieces. 
   To scribe or mark a line for cutting of the masonry pieces on the deck area, the user grasps the handle  40  and moves the frame parallel to the pool edge  101 . As the frame  10  moves, the marker  42  travels a continuous path parallel to, and evenly spaced from, the pool edge  101 . To maintain the frame  10  perpendicular to the curve of the pool edge  101 , and therefore the guide  20  wheels even on the pool wall  99 , the user must provide transverse forces to the handle  40  as well. 
   Although the support wheels  12  and secondary wheels  32  establish the angle of the frame  10  with respect to the horizontal, a bubble level  50  is preferably provided mounted on an upper surface of the frame  10 , within view of a user in normal operation position. The bubble level  50  should indicate normal level when the support wheels  12  and secondary wheels  32  are properly contacting the horizontal surface (which may, or might not be, horizontal). This is a benefit due to the close distancing of the support wheels  12  and secondary wheels  32 , and their greater distance from the guide wheels, which may induce unbalancing. 
   In operation of the inventive device around a curved pool wall  99 , the frame must rotate about a vertical axis. At any curve of the pool wall, this results in the support wheels following a curved path. This curved path may have a varying radius of curvature. Due to the fixed orientation of the support wheels&#39; axes, this movement of the wheels requires relative transverse slipping of the wheels on the contact surface. The amount of support wheel slip is dependent on, at least, the distance between the support wheels  12  and the guide wheels  20 , and the distance and angle between the axes of rotation of the support wheels and the guide wheels&#39; centerline  55 . To enable smooth operation of the marker, without intermittent jumping of the support wheels  12 , this wheel slip must be minimized. For with reason, the wheel space dimension WD 1  between each support wheel axis of rotation and the guide wheel centerline  55  should be no more than six inches. Preferably, the support wheels are located symmetrically on both sides of the centerline  55 . Similarly, the secondary wheels  32  have a wheel interspacing dimension WD 2  of no more than six inches, and are located preferably symmetrically about the centerline  55 . The centerline  55  is defined as the horizontal line perpendicular to a line passing through the vertical axes of both guide wheels  20  and equally spaced between the two guide wheels. Hence, the centerline  55  will be perpendicular to the pool wall when the guide wheels are both properly in contact with the vertical wall  99 . 
   Also to limit intermittent jumping of the wheels during slip, the wheels size, both diameter and width, should not be large. Preferably, the support wheel diameter is in the range of four to eight inches. Smaller support wheels are not effective in providing a stable support for the frame on the uneven surface of spaced masonry. Larger support wheels induce potentially undesirable large slip forces due to larger contact surface area, and also the inherently larger clearance spacing of larger wheels. The width dimension WW of the support wheels  12  should be no greater than two inches. The diameter of the secondary wheels  32  may be smaller as they are not relied on for stability of the frame. The secondary wheels  32  preferably have a diameter in the range of two to three inches. The guide wheels  20  preferably have an outside diameter of about two to three inches, with a six inch inter-wheel spacing. 
   For the same reason as above, the support wheels  12  should not be formed of materials that stick or have a high friction coefficient that would increase slip forces. Hard solid or pneumatic rubber or hard plastic wheel materials are suggested. An acceptable secondary wheel  32  and guide wheel  20  may be provided by conventional wheels used on “in-line” recreational skates. 
   The frame neck portion  16  is provided to accommodate the inevitable overhanging masonry pieces at the edge  101 . When setting relatively large masonry, to completely cover the deck area, it is necessary to set pieces overhanging the pool edge  101  as seen in  FIG. 2 . The frame neck portion is configured to extend past the maximum overhang dimension of most conventional masonry, and then return to provide support for the guide wheels  20 . Consequently, the neck portion  16  has a generally horizontal upper portion  17  and lower portion  15  separated by an intervening vertical gap. The vertical gap dimension GD, between the two portions of the neck, is preferably in the range of five to six inches to provide sufficient clearance and ensure contact on an uninterrupted portion of the pool vertical wall  99 . The effective horizontal depth dimension ND of the neck portion, from the inside of the vertical neck portion  16 , parallel to the centerline  55 , to the distal most surface of the guide wheels  20  should be in the range of six to twelve inches to accommodate typical masonry. 
   It is desirable to provide for adjustment of the horizontal dimension between the marker  42  and the guide wheels  20 . This dimension determines the relative location of the path line  90  with respect to the edge  101 . For this purpose, the frame  10  includes a slide collar  60  with a threaded locking bolt  62 . The frame is formed of two pieces, the offset neck portion  16  separable from the remainder and joined by insertion into the slide collar  60 . The offset neck  16  may be partially slid in or out of the slide collar  60  until the desired marker dimension is reached, and the locking bolt  62  then tightened to lock onto the offset neck  16 . Most preferably, the marker  42  has a horizontal location dimension MD, parallel the centerline  55 , from the most distal surface of the guide wheels  20  (touching the wall  99 ) toward the support wheels  12 , in the range of one to twenty inches to enable marking path lines accommodating the most desired border constructions. The marker location dimension MD should be adjustable at least over a range of three to twelve inches to accommodate the most typical border designs. 
   Alternatively, adjustment of the marker  42  may be provided by other constructions, including multiple mounting points, a frame mounted slidable base, or other means for adjusting the marker location relative to the frame  10 . In these alternative configurations, the slide collar  60  and alteration of the frame and placement of the guide wheels  20  is unnecessary. 
   The above described adjustment using the slide collar  60  also alters the overall length of the frame  10  and its horizontal frame length dimension FL, between the guide wheels  20  and support wheels  12  ( FIG. 3 ). 
   The lower, distal, end  44  of the marker  42  should be coincident with or close to the guide wheel centerline  55 —preferably within two inches of the centerline  55 . If the marker is located too far from the centerline  55 , rotation of the frame  10  as it is moved along a curved wall will result in the marker  42  deviating from the desired path. 
   In alternative configurations, only one secondary wheel may alternatively be used while maintaining the relative geometries defined above. The stability of the frame will suffer somewhat, but function similarly. 
     FIG. 4  illustrates an alternative embodiment incorporating “caster” style support wheels. In the figure, each of the two support wheels  12  are connected to the frame  10  by a device providing rotation about a vertical wheel axis. A slight horizontal offset of the wheel  12  from this vertical axis is preferred to provide the typical characteristics of a caster wheel as is conventionally used on furniture such as office chairs. The rotation of the support wheels  12  about a vertical axis allows smooth travel of the frame when the guide wheels ( 20 —see  FIG. 1 ) traverse rounded walls as discussed above. The secondary wheels  32  should be uncastered to ensure stable travel and a smooth scribed line  90 . Due to their castering, the support wheels  12  in this configuration may be smaller in size than previously described, with a preferred outside diameter in the range of two to three inches. 
   The location and spacing of both the support wheels  12  and the secondary wheels  32  are as discussed previously. As the support wheels&#39;  12  horizontal axes of rotation are not fixed, the wheel location should be measured as the perpendicular distance from the guide wheel centerline  55 . In the figure, the wheels are mounted to the frame  10  via a rigid platform  11  that is integral to the frame (the platform obscures viewing the second support wheel which is located and positioned in like manner symmetrically with respect to the platform and centerline  55 ). The secondary wheels  32  are mounted via rigid brackets  33 . The platform  11  provides a convenient structure to attach the handle  40 . This placement is also beneficial to movement and control of the support wheels  12 . Although not shown in this figure, use of a level as discussed above is beneficial for the same purposes. 
   The preceding discussion is provided for example only. Other variations of the claimed inventive concepts will be obvious to those skilled in the art. For example, a conventional powered circular saw may be mounted on the frame in the place of the marker, with the same relative geometry, to allow immediate cutting along the path line to enable removal of the cut masonry without marking. Adaptation or incorporation of known alternative devices and materials, present and future is also contemplated. The intended scope of the invention is defined by the following claims.

Technology Category: b