Panel positioning device and associated methods

Abstract

Various embodiments of panel positioning devices are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a panel positioning device includes a vise grip handle portion with first and second arms extending therefrom. First and second plates can be attached to the first and second arms, respectively. The first plate can provide a surface upon which a panel to be attached to a wall can be rested prior to being mounted. The first plate can provide a space between a flashing and the panel to be mounted. The second plate can extend vertically substantially perpendicular to the first plate. The panel positioning device can be secured directly to the flashing.

I/we claim: 
     
         1 . A panel positioning device, comprising:
 a clamp having a first arm, a second arm, a first plate coupled to the first arm, and a second plate coupled to the second arm, wherein the first and second arms move between an open position and a closed position, and wherein the first plate extends at least substantially horizontal in the closed position and second plate extends at least substantially vertical in the close position; and   a locking mechanism operatively coupled to the clamp to releasably hold the clamp in the closed position.   
     
     
         2 . The panel positioning device of  claim 1  wherein the second plate has an extension configured to be positioned behind a vertical section of a flashing attached to a wall and the first plate has a top surface, and wherein the clamp is configured to position the top surface of the first plate at a desired elevation for a bottom surface of a panel in the closed position. 
     
     
         3 . The panel positioning device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the extension of the second plate has a beveled edge configured to slide under the vertical section of the flashing such that the extension is readily positionable between the vertical section of the flashing and a portion of a wall behind the flashing;   the device further includes an L-shaped bracket attached to the first arm, the bracket having a horizontal leg and a vertical leg, and the vertical leg of the bracket being positioned with respect to the extension of the second plate in the closed position such that the vertical leg of the bracket and the extension of the second plate clamp the vertical section of the flashing therebetween; and   the first plate is attached to the horizontal leg of the bracket.   
     
     
         4 . The panel positioning device of  claim 1 , further comprising an actuator that moves the clamp from the open position to the closed position. 
     
     
         5 . The panel positioning device of  claim 4  wherein the actuator has a plurality of levers including a first lever associated with the first arm and a second lever associated with the second arm. 
     
     
         6 . The panel positioning device of  claim 5  wherein the locking mechanism comprises a compound link and a biasing spring that work with the first and second arms to lock the first and second arms in the closed position. 
     
     
         7 . The panel positioning device of  claim 5  wherein the locking mechanism comprises a latch pivotally attached to one of the levers and a catch projecting from the other lever. 
     
     
         8 . The panel positioning device of  claim 1  wherein the fir p ate is slideably coupled with respect to the first arm to move in a horizontal plane. 
     
     
         9 . The panel positioning device of  claim 1  wherein the first plate includes a plurality of pieces including a bottom piece coupled to the first arm and a removable piece that can be attached to the bottom pieces by a fastener to adjust the thickness of the first plate. 
     
     
         10 . The panel positioning device of  claim 1  wherein the first plate has a thickness such that in the closed position a bottom surface of the first plate engages a horizontal section of a flashing and a top surface of the first plate is at a desired gap distance from the horizontal section of the flashing. 
     
     
         11 . A panel positioning device, comprising:
 an actuator having a first lever and a second lever pivotally coupled together to move between an open position and a closed position;   a first arm extending from the first lever;   a second arm extending from the second lever;   a panel support coupled to the first arm, wherein the panel support has a top surface;   a back member coupled to the second arm; and   wherein first and second arms are configured such that the back member clamps against a backside of a vertical section of a flashing in the closed position to releasably secure the panel positioning device to the flashing, and the top surface of the panel support extends horizontally at an elevation spaced apart from a horizontal section of the flashing by a gap.   
     
     
         12 . The panel positioning device of  claim 11 , further comprising a locking mechanism configured to releasably hold the first and second levers in the closed position. 
     
     
         13 . The panel positioning device of  claim 11  further includes an L-shaped bracket attached to the first arm, the bracket having a horizontal leg and a vertical leg, and the vertical leg of the bracket being positioned with respect to the back member in the closed position such that the vertical leg of the bracket and the back member clamp the vertical section of the flashing therebetween; and
 the panel support is attached to the horizontal leg of the bracket. 
 
     
     
         14 . The panel positioning device of  claim 13 , further comprising a locking mechanism configured to releasably hold the first and second levers in the closed position. 
     
     
         15 . The panel positioning device of  claim 11  wherein:
 the panel support comprises a first plate; and 
 the back member comprises an extension of a second plate, wherein a portion of the second plate is coupled to the second arm and the extension projects from the portion of the second plate attached to the second arm.