Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~ ~LZS1~7~
GlJIDE ~RACRET FOR BRICK LAYING .
Background of the Invention
I. ~ield of the Invention
..... _
The present invention relates to a guide bracket
~. for brick.laying and, more particularly, to a guide bracket
which facilitates the construction of a br.ck corner.
` O I~. Descri~tion_of the Prior Art
~ The construction of the corners in a brick
~ building is a time consuming and tedious process. In
~ constructing such a corner, it is necessary not only to
-O align the bricks on each side of the corner along a vertical
~, plumb line but it is also necessary that the bricks on each
w
z :side of the corner intersect each--.other at~a`:predetermined
~o angle, ~:typically 90. Because~: of this, it has been
1~ OO .previously::necessary:for-.brick~ corners::to be-.constructed by `-
i skilled`workmen and, even when skilled workmen are used to
N ~ : `
construct ~a corner, the:construction of a corner is a timeconsuming, and therefore expensive, operation.
< ~ ~here have,~ however, been a number of previously
t3 known guides which are designed to facilitate the
~ construc~lon of brick corner~ hese previously known
z guides, hGwever, have ~not~proven wholly successful in use
c ~: ~:
. " and, therefore, have not enjoyed~wide spread acceptance. .
: ~ ~3 one disadvantage of these previously known guides
z is that it is necessary to disassemble the guide at the end
o of each work day. Otherwise the~;previously known guides are
u known to ~disengage from the building while unattended and
. . ~
suf.fer-damage. . . :: :
~
- ~
Z58766
A still further disadvantage of many of these
¦ previously known corner guides is that such guides are
di~ficult and time consuming to install. Consequently, any
¦ increased efficiency obtained by the previously known guide
is lost due to the difficulty and time necessary to attach
3 the guide to the corner
~ A still further disadvantage of many of the
O previously known brick layer corner guides is that such
` guides cover or otherwise obscure a substantial portion of
~ the brick corner. Consequently, when such guides are used,
as is necessary to complete the joint at the corner by
O filling them with mortar along the entire corner after the
brick guide is removed. The neces~ity for filing each joint
' along the corner is, of course, a time consuming job to
15 e accomplish.
` ~ Summary of the Present Invent~on~ - -
; The present invention provides a guide assembly for
constructing brick corners which overcomes all of the above
z mentioned disadvantages of the previously known devices.
In brief, the~ guide assembly of the present
~ invention comprises a palr of guide ~rackets, each of which
y
c~ is substantially identical to the other. Each guide bracket
z includes two wall sections which intersect at a
~w predeterminèd~ angle, ~typically 90, so that the wall
w sections flatly abut against opposite exposed sides of a
z partially constructed corner. In addition, a lip is formed
o along the top edge of each wall section so that the lips are
''' '' ~ . .
o ~L2S8766
coplanar and intersect a~ the angle of the corner. These
lips are positioned on the top row of a partially
constructed corner~ Several further layers of brick are
then laid in the conventional fashion on the corner so that
O the lips are entrapped in a joint between two brick layers
~ thus rigidly attaching the guide bracket to the corner.
r~
~ Preferably7 a second guide hracket is at~ached to
the brick corner in the identical fashion but at a position
1~ .
~ spaced upwardly from the first guide bracket.
z A pair of elongated rails are detachably secured to
~ and between the guide brackets so that the rails which
i extend vertically and thus parallel to the brick corner. .
~ ~urthe~rmore, .one side of each rail is aligned with the
w :
~ corner so thatsa plumb line extending between one rail .and a
~ rail~on ~another corner can:be used for laying a line of
` ``-' `~ 3~-` brlcks.~
N After the~corner has been constructed as desired,
the guide brackets are~removed and the joints in which the .
z
0 lips were positioned are filled with mortar.
Z ~ Brief Description of the Drawin~
w
z A better understanding of the present invention
will be had upon refe~ence to the following .detailed
e description when read in conjunction with the accompanying
: i
~ drawing, wherein like- reference characters refer to like
o parts throughout the several views, and in whLch:
n FIG~ 1 is a fragmentary elevational view
~ illustrating a ~preferred embodiment of the present
invention;
.
125~766
FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a
component of the preferred embodiment of the present
invention;
FIG. 3 IS a sectional view taken substantiall~
O along line 3-3 in FIG. l; and
~e FIGr 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along
line 4-4 in ~IG. 3.
~ Detailed Descripton of A Preferred
10 ~ Embodiment of the Present Invention
,
~ With reference ~irst to FIG. 1, a brick corner 10
h is thereshown which is conventional in construction. As
such, it comprises a plurality of stacked brick layers 12
~ which are spaced apart from each other by a joint 14 whi~-h
3 is~commonly filled with mortar. In addition, the corner 10
~ ,inclùdes two~ plaDar ~sides 16 and-18 which~ nters~ect each
o other at a predetermined angle, typically 90, so that the
corner 10 extends vertically.
z Still referring to ~I~. 1, a pre~erred embodiment
z of the device for constructing the corner 10 is thereshown
and comprises a pair o~ guide brackets 20 and 20l. Since
the guide brackets 20 and 20' are substantially identical to
each other, only the bracket 20 will be described in detail,
it being understood that a like description shall also apply
to the other guide bracket 20'-
> With reference now to FIGS. 2-4, the guide bracket
o 20 includes two planar wall sections 22 and 24 whi~h are
~
,
.
3LZ~l~376~ I
generally rectangular in shape and are joined together along
abutting edges 26. ~urthermore, the plane of the wall
l sections 22 and 24 intersect each other at the angle of the
¦ corner, e.g. 90.
8 As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, an elongated lip 28
is attached to an upper edge 30 of the first wall section 22
so that the plane of-the lip 28 is perpendicu~ar to the
plane of the wall section 22. Slmilarly, an elongated lip
~ 32 is attached to an upper edge 34 of the wall section 24 so
~ that the plane of the lip 32 is substantially perpendicular
e to the plane in the wall section 24. The lips 28 and 32 are
~ coplanar with each other and the longitudinal axis of one
w lip 28 interse~ts the axis of the other lip 32 at the
~ predetermined corner angle, e.g. 90~. Furthermore, the lips
n
~ 28 and 32 protrude outwardly from~an.inner side 36 and 38 of
the:-wall sections 22 and 24,.:respectively. . ~
Referring again to FIGS.~:-2-4, a flange 40 is
secured~-~to~the:~lower~edge of the wall-section 22 so that the
0 flange 40 extends~perpendicularly outwardly from the side ~2
Z of the wall section~:~22 opposide from its side 36.
y Similarly, à ~flange 44 extends perpend,cularly outwardly
from the lower edge of a side 46 of the wall section 24
e opposite from lts~side 38. Conse9uently, the flanges 40 and
~ 44 are spaced downwardly from but are substantially parallel
O to the lips 28 and 32.
> Referring still to FIG. 2-4, a U-shaped bracket 50 .
o
is detachably secured to the flange 40 by ~asteners 52 so
~ 5 _
~ ' .
: :
~ Z~1~7~
that a cha nel S4 formed by the interlor of the bracket 50
is s~lbstantiall.~ parallel to the abutting edges 26 o~ the
wall sectisns 22 and 2~. Similar1yl a second U-shaped
bracket 56 is detachably secured to the flange 44 by
fasteners 58 so that a channel 60 formed by the interior of
the bracket 56 is substantially parallel to the corner edge
~ 26. Preferably, the fasteners 52 and 5~ extend through slots
0 in either their respective U-shaped brackets 50 and 56 or
I flanges 40 and 44 to allow so~e adjustment of the position
~` of the brackets 50 and 56.
2 With reference now to FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, in
O operation, the brick corner 10 i9 partially constructed in
~ the c~nventional fashion so that the cover 10 co~prises
z several layers 12 of brick. At that time, the guide bracket
o 20 is positioned on the corner 10 so that the lips 2~ and 32
g are positioned on -the top layer 12' (FIG.~ 3) of bricks D~
. ~ z the part.ally constructed corner and so that the sides 36
N and 38 of the wall sections 22 and 24 flatly abut against
opposite sides 16 and 18 o~ the corner 10 as best shown in
~ FIG 4.
~ Several further layers of brick are then
w
Z constructed on the corner 10 in the conventional fashion and
u,
z the second guide bracket 20' is then attached to the
I partially constructed corner, as shown ~n FIG. 1, so that
~ the guide brackets 20 and 20' are vertically spaced fro~
z each other along the corner 10. Further~ore, the lips 28
D and 32 of the guide brackets 20 and 20' are positioned
h
-6-
~ ~2~76~
¦ within the joint between two layers of brick so that the
weight of the brick securely fastens the guide brackets 20
and 20' to the partially constructed corner 10.
With reference now to FIG. 1, a first elongated
rail 60 is positioned within the channels 54 of the U-shaped
brackets 50 and the brackets 50 are tightened to the guide
` ~ bracket 20 by the fas~eners 52. In doing so, the rail 60
o extends vertically and parallel to the brick corner 10 and
I one side 62 of the rail is aligned with the corner 10.
0 Similarly, a second rail 64 is positioned within
the channel 60 of the U-shaped brackets 56 and the fasteners
58 are tightened thus securing the rail 64 to the guide
Ii~ .
brackets 20. The rail 64 extend vertically parallel to the
Z corner 10 and one side 66 of the rail 64 is substantially
~ aligned w~th the corner 10. t~
30 " : With reference now to FIGS. 1 and 3, a slide 68 is
0 slidably mounted in any conventional fashion along the side
u 62 of the rail 60 while a second slide 70 is slidably
z mounted along the side 66 o~ the other rail 640 A plumb
~ line 72 is attached to each slide 68 and 70 and each plumb
line 72 extends to a slide on a rail on a spaced corner ~not
shown) so that the plumb line 72 form a guide for laying a
D line of bricks.~ Furthermore, the plumb lines 72 cross each
w
~ other at the brick corner 10 (FIG. 1) so that the bricks on
25 ~ the corner 10 can be easily properly aligned and
constructed. In addition, although the plumb lines 72 are
0 illustrated in FIG. 1 as being spaced downwardly from the
i top of the corner, in practice, the plumb lines are
positioned along the top of the corner and form the guide
for laying a top row of bricks.
With reference now to FIG. 1, ~in order to ensure
.:
-?~
51~6
¦ that the rails 60 and 64'remain parallel to the brick corner
10 over long distances, the guide assembly o~ the present
inventlon preferably comprises a template ~ which is
generally planar and includes two edges 82 and ~4 which are
5adapted to flatly abut against opposite sîdes 16 and l~ of
, the brick corner 10. The template ~ also includes two
~ notches 86 and 8~ which slidably receive the rails 60 and
O 64, respectively, therethrough in order to maintain the
proper ,spacing between the rails 60 and 64 and the brick
~ corner 10. Furthermore, the tension from the plumb line 72
~ maintains the rails 60 and 64 snugly nested within the
-
O Receiving notches 86 an 88 and thus ensure that the spacing
~ between the rails 60 and 64 is properly maintainéd.
w
' After the brick corner and the brick''walls have
o been wholly constructed, the guide brackets 20 and 20' are
,removed from the brick corner. The guide brackets are
z constructed of a material, such as metal, to which mortar
does not adhere so that s~ch removal of the guide brackets
20 is possible. The joints 14 n which the lips 28 and 32
20 a were positioned are then filled with mortar and the
construction of the corner is completed.
Q A primary advantage of the present invention is
0
z that the guide brackets 20, once assembled to a partially
constructed corner, are securely maintained on the corner by
~ the corner itself, Consequently, additional guidelines,
z braces or the like are completely unnecessary.
O A still further advantage of the present invention
-
- 8 -
l ~2S1~7~6
I ~ ,,
is that, slnce the lips 28 and 32 are only positioned within
two joints along the corner, onl~ minor filling of the
joints is required after the yuide brackets have been
removed.
A still further advantage of the present invention
is that, since the rai~s 60 and 64 are spaced apart from,the
~ sides 16 and 18 of the corner 10 by d stance equal to the
wid~h of the flanges 40 and 44, relatively free and open
~ access to the corner is obtained during construction.
O Having described my invention, however, many
modifications thereto will become apparent to those skilled
in the art to which it pertains without deviation from the
w
spirit of the invention as defined by the scope of the
, appended claims.
15 ~ I claim:
`~2
O
z
w
n
O
:
' _g '
.
.
