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United States Patent Application	20060260219
Kind Code	A1
Riddle; Marlin ;   et al.	November 23, 2006

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Claims

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1. A stud framing brace for positioning and aligning wall studs during construction, comprising: a central arm having a first end and a second end; a stud-receiving member having a front plate and a side plate, wherein the side plate is permanently secured to the first end of said central arm; a stud-clamping member having a left plate, a right plate and a front plate, wherein the right plate is permanently secured to the second end of said central arm; and a means for sliding the left plate toward and away from the right plate on said stud-clamping member, such that the plates may act to create a frictional hold on a wall stud to secure said brace to the wall stud.

2. The stud framing brace according to claim 1, wherein said central arm further comprises at least one spirit level, such that said spirit level may be used in aligning the wall studs vertically so that the studs are parallel to each other.

3. The stud framing brace according to claim 1, wherein said central arm further comprises an ergonomical grip.

4. The stud framing brace according to claim 1, wherein the front plate of said stud-receiving member further comprises indicia, wherein the indicia indicates the location of the center of a wall stud when said stud-receiving member is correctly positioned over the wall stud.

5. The stud framing brace according to claim 1, wherein the front plate of said stud-clamping member further comprises indicia, wherein the indicia indicates the location of the center of a wall stud when said stud-clamping member is correctly positioned over the wall stud.

6. The stud framing brace according to claim 1, wherein said central arm further comprises a means for extending the length of said central arm, wherein said brace may be used to position and align studs at several standardized widths.

7. The stud framing brace according to claim 6, wherein said central arm further comprises indicia, whereby the indicia describes the distance between the centers of the studs when positioned in the extended brace.

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Description

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to wood framing tools. More specifically, the invention relates to hand-held jigs used to position, align and support wood studs or rafters during construction or repair of a wall, floor or roof.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] In many finished buildings, two-by-four lumber is used for framing the walls, floors and roofs. Each section of framing is formed by assembling the lumber pieces into rectangular sections and securing a series of lumber pieces called studs into the sections. The frame is then secured to the foundation or another assembled section of framing. The studs are typically positioned in a regular, parallel relation spaced approximately sixteen inches on center. Most utilities and fixtures in the building are designed to fit into and connect to these parallel, regularly spaced studs.

[0005] Various devices and methods have been used to make certain that the studs are aligned parallel and at the correct spacing. Scrap pieces of wood have been cut to the proper length and held in place at both the top and bottom of the studs, but this method is difficult to use for a person working individually. Currently, jigs with multiple regularly spaced notches may also be held against the studs while the studs are secured to the frame. However, when using these jigs, the studs must be in position in the frame first, with the jigs generally used to align the studs to the proper spacing.

[0006] For a carpenter or do-it-yourself homeowner who is working individually, it is desired that each stud may be placed one at a time and secured into the proper position without having to hold onto a jig or spacer with one hand. It is also desired that each stud may be aligned and secured quickly in succession. Thus, a stud framing brace solving the aforementioned problems is desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The stud framing brace is a tool used in aligning and supporting wall studs during the construction of a building. The brace has a central arm with a stud-receiving member attached to a first end of the arm and a stud-clamping member attached to a second end of the arm. The stud-clamping member may secure the brace to an installed stud, while a free stud may be rested against the stud-receiving member in order to position the free stud at the proper distance from the installed stud.

[0008] When the free stud is moved into place in the frame, the side and front plates of the stud-receiving member will contact the free stud. The arm may be extended to the proper standardized length, usually 16 inches, using a detent pin and regularly spaced apertures in the arm to ensure the studs are properly spaced. Indicia may be printed on the central arm to indicate the exact distance between the studs as the central arm is extended. Spirit levels disposed in the arm may be used to align the free stud vertically, ensuring that the studs are parallel to each other. The free stud may then be secured into the frame, without the stud moving off of the proper spacing or out of parallel.

[0009] These and other features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] FIG. 1 is an environmental, perspective view of a stud framing brace according to the present invention.

[0011] FIG. 2 is a top view of a stud framing brace according to the present invention.

[0012] FIG. 3 is an exploded top view of an extendible stud framing brace according to the present invention.

[0013] FIG. 4 is an exploded top view of an extendible stud framing brace with ruled markings according to the present invention.

[0014] Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] The present invention is a stud framing brace, designated generally as 10 in the figures. The stud framing brace 10 is a tool used in aligning and supporting wall studs S during the construction of a building. The brace 10 has a central arm 12 with a stud-receiving member 20 attached to a first end 14 of the arm 12 and a stud-clamping member 30 attached to a second end 16 of the arm 12. The stud-clamping member 30 may secure the brace 10 to an installed stud, while the stud-receiving member 20 allows a free stud to be rested against the brace 10.

[0016] When the free stud is moved into place in the frame, the side plate 22 and front plate 24 of the stud-receiving member 20 will contact the free stud, as shown in FIG. 1. The side plate 22 is arranged normal to the front plate 24, and is permanently secured to the front plate 24 along an entire edge. The front plate 24 may additionally include indicia 28 to indicate the location of the center of the stud S when positioned correctly, so that the proper spacing of the studs may be measured from the indicia 28.

[0017] The central arm 12 extends off the side plate 22 of the stud-receiving member 20. The arm 12 may be of a fixed length, as shown in FIG. 2, or may be composed of an outer tube 50 and an inner concentric tube 52, as shown in FIG. 3, which may be used to allow the arm 12 to be extended to the proper standardized length, usually between twelve and sixteen inches, using a detent pin 40 on the inner tube 52 and regularly spaced apertures 42 defined in the outer tube 50 to ensure the studs S are properly spaced. Indicia 70 may be printed on the inner tube 52 and the outer tube 50 to indicate to the user the distance between the studs when the detent pin 40 is secured in each of the apertures 42.

[0018] At least two spirit levels 18 are disposed in the arm 12, and may be used to align the free stud vertically, ensuring that the studs S are parallel to each other. The free stud may then be secured into the frame, without the stud moving off of the proper spacing or out of parallel. The arm 12 may additionally include an ergonomic grip 44, disposed about the periphery of the arm 12. The grip 44 allows the user to better grasp and control the brace 10 during use.

[0019] The stud-clamping member 30 includes a left plate 32, a right plate 34, and a front plate 36 that joins the left plate 32 and the right plate 34, such that the stud-clamping member 30 is adapted to receive a wall stud S. The left plate 32 includes a clamping knob 38 that operates a means for moving the left plate 32 a small distance toward the right plate 34, so as to create a frictional hold on a wall stud S that is received within the stud-clamping member 30. The front plate 36 may additionally include indicia 46 to indicate the location of the center of the stud S when positioned correctly, so that the proper spacing of the studs may be measured from the indicia 46.

[0020] It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.

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