Attachments and devices for straightening, squaring and aligning support members to receive exterior finishing members

Abstract

Sized and shaped attachments made of suitable materials and having a predetermined thickness for straightening and replacing studs, joists and rafters, squaring of openings and for aligning a plurality of the studs, joists and rafters in the framing for a building to provide a planar application surface to which exterior finishing members can be affixed. The attachments have sized and spaced openings thereon operatively associated by frictional engagement with fastening members each having a slidable member thereon to enable the attachments or devices to be adjustably fastened to a given stud, joist or rafter so a plurality of such adjusted attachments or any replacement attachments can be aligned with each other to provide the planar application surface. Methods are provided to align a multiplicity of adjoining studs, joists or rafters, to square and to square and align openings with such attachments to provide the planar application surfaces.

1 . An attachment for existing studs, joists and rafter support members so any plurality of such support members can be aligned to form an application surface for exterior framing members comprising: 
 a. a sized member having a predetermined shape with a first leg having a flat outer surface, and at least one second leg having a flat inner surface connected to said first leg generally normal to said first leg, and    b. generally precisely sized openings in said second leg of each sized member spaced from each other at predetermined intervals to enable each said sized member to be adjustably connected and then securely affixed in adjusted position to an associated one of any of the plurality of existing support members.    
     
     
         2 . An attachment for existing studs, joists and rafter support members so any plurality of such support members can be aligned to form an application surface for exterior framing member comprising: 
 a. a sized member having a predetermined shape with a first leg having a flat outer surface, and at least one second leg having a flat inner surface connected to said first leg generally normal to said first leg,    b. generally precisely sized openings in said second leg of said sized member spaced from each other at predetermined intervals, and    c. fastening means each having a slidable member thereon operatively associated with at least one of the sized openings for adjustably affixing the sized member to the associated one of any of the plurality of support members, and then securely affixing the same in the adjusted position to an associated one of any of the plurality of existing support members.    
     
     
         3 . An attachment for existing studs, joists and rafter support members so any plurality of such support members can be aligned to form an application surface for exterior framing members comprising: 
 a. a sized member having a predetermined shape with a first leg having a flat outer surface, and at least one second leg having a flat inner surface connected to said first leg generally normal to said first leg,    b. generally precisely sized openings in said second leg of said sized member spaced from each other at predetermined intervals,    c. fastening means operatively associated with at least one of the generally precisely sized openings for adjustably affixing the attachment to the associated one or any of the plurality of support members, and    d. each of said openings in said second leg precisely sized to provide sufficient frictional engagement with said fastening means to initially hold the attachment to the associated one of any of the plurality of support members and then to enable the attachment to be securely fastened thereto.    
     
     
         4 . The attachment as claimed in claims  1 ,  2  or  3 , wherein along the length of the sized member where said at least one second leg is connected to said first leg, the sized member is arcuate to strengthen the attachment.  
     
     
         5 . The attachment as claimed in claims  1 ,  2  or  3  wherein the at least one second leg has an end remote from the point where the at least one second leg is connected to the first leg, and said end of the at least one second leg is folded on itself a predetermined distance to strengthen the attachment.  
     
     
         6 . The attachment as claimed in claims  1 ,  2  or  3  wherein along the length of the sized member where at least one second leg is connected to the first leg the sized member is arcuate, the at least one second leg has an end remote from the point where the second leg is connected to the first leg folded on itself, whereby said arcuate connecting point and the folding of the end of the second leg on itself increase the strength of the attachment.  
     
     
         7 . (Amended) The attachment as claimed in claims  1 ,  2  or  3  wherein the sized openings have a generally elongated shape to enable the attachment to be adjustably positioned during assembly to each associated one of said plurality of support members.  
     
     
         8 . The attachment as claimed in claims  1 ,  2  or  3  wherein the attachment has an L-shape.  
     
     
         9 . The attachment as claimed in claims  1 ,  2  or  3  wherein the attachment has a U-shape.  
     
     
         10 . The attachment as claimed in claims  1 ,  2  or  3  wherein the attachment has a T-shape.  
     
     
         11 . The attachment as claimed in claims  1 ,  2  or  3  wherein the attachment has a T-shape including, a first transverse leg and a second leg connected at a position normal to the first leg, said second leg having spaced openings thereon, and means formed on said second leg to enable the attachment to be curved for attachment into assembled position on the at least one of the plurality of support members.  
     
     
         12 . The attachment as claimed in claims  1 ,  2  or  3  wherein the sized member has a thickness in a range from 15 gauge to 30 gauge.  
     
     
         13 . The attachment as claimed in claims  1 ,  2  or  3  wherein the sized member has a thickness of about 25 gauge.  
     
     
         14 . An attachment for existing studs, joists and rafter support members so any plurality of such support members can be aligned to form an application surface for exterior framing members comprising: 
 a. a sized member having a predetermined shape with a first leg having a flat outer surface, and at least one second leg having a flat inner surface connected to said first leg generally normal to said first leg,    b. precisely sized openings in said second leg of said sized member spaced from each other at predetermined intervals, and    c. said sized member having a predetermined thickness as a function of the application for receiving the exterior finishing materials on the existing support members.    
     
     
         15 . The attachment as claimed in  claim 14  wherein the sized member has a thickness in a range from 15 gauge to 30 gauge.  
     
     
         16 . The attachment as claimed in  claim 14  wherein the sized member has a thickness of about 25 gauge.