Deck spacer device and system

Abstract

A deck spacer system includes a deck in progress and a plurality of deck spacer devices, each including a device body with right and left sides, upper and lower bridges, and an axial pin; and a plurality of elongated rotatable members, each including a front spacer portion and a rear indicator portion with a visual indicator, such that each of the elongated rotatable members are independently rotatable between folded-in and folded-out configurations, such that the deck spacer device is configurable with a selected elongated rotatable member in a folded-out configuration, such that a selected front spacer portion of the selected elongated rotatable member is positionable between adjacent planks of the deck in progress, such that the selected width of the selected elongated rotatable member is visible via the visual indicator of the rear indicator portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A deck spacer system, comprising:
 a plurality of deck spacer devices;   wherein each corresponding deck spacer device in the plurality of deck spacer devices is configured to be mounted on a deck in progress between adjacent planks of the deck in progress, to ensure uniform spacing between the adjacent planks before at least one of the adjacent planks is fastened.   
     
     
         2 . The deck spacer system of  claim 1 , wherein the corresponding deck spacer device comprises:
 a plurality of elongated rotatable members, each comprising:
 a front spacer portion, which is configured with a specific width for use as a spacer, wherein the front spacer portion is configured to be positioned between the adjacent planks of the deck in progress, to ensure a uniform spacing between the adjacent planks. 
   
     
     
         3 . The deck spacer system of  claim 2 , wherein the corresponding deck spacer device comprises:
 a device body;   wherein each corresponding elongated rotatable member is rotatably connected to the device body, such that the corresponding elongated rotatable member is independently rotatable between:
 a folded-in configuration, wherein the corresponding elongated rotatable member is parallel with an elongated direction of the device body; and 
 a folded-out configuration, wherein the front spacer portion protrudes downward from the device body; 
   such that the corresponding deck spacer device is configurable with a selected elongated rotatable member in the folded-out configuration and remaining elongated rotatable members in the folded-in configuration, such that a selected front spacer portion of the selected elongated rotatable member is positionable between the adjacent planks of the deck in progress; and   such that the corresponding deck spacer device is configured to be mounted on the deck in progress between the adjacent planks, to ensure uniform spacing between the adjacent planks before at least one of the adjacent planks is fastened.   
     
     
         4 . The deck spacer system of  claim 3 , wherein each elongated rotatable member in the plurality of elongated rotatable members further comprises:
 a rear indicator portion, which is configured with a visual indicator, which indicates the specific width of the front spacer portion;   such that the rear indicator portion protrudes upward from the device body when the corresponding elongated rotatable member is in the folded-out configuration; and   such that a selected width of the selected elongated rotatable member is visible via the visual indicator of the rear indicator portion when the corresponding deck spacer device is positioned on the deck in progress with the selected front spacer portion positioned between the adjacent planks.   
     
     
         5 . The deck spacer system of  claim 4 , wherein the visual indicator comprises a symbolic marking, which is configured to indicate the selected width of the front spacer portion. 
     
     
         6 . The deck spacer system of  claim 5 , wherein the visual indicator further comprises a color marking, such that each of the elongated rotatable members is configured with a different color to aid in confirming the selected width of the selected elongated rotatable member when viewing the deck spacer system. 
     
     
         7 . The deck spacer system of  claim 3 , wherein the device body comprises:
 a) a right body side;   b) a left body side; and   c) an upper bridge, which is connected between front upper parts of the right body side and the left body side;   such that an upper part of the selected elongated rotatable member is configured to impact with the upper bridge to stop an outward rotation of the selected elongated rotatable member when the selected elongated rotatable member is in the folded-out configuration; and   such that a lower part of the selected elongated rotatable member is configured to impact with the upper bridge to stop an inward rotation of the selected elongated rotatable member when the selected elongated rotatable member is in the folded-in configuration.   
     
     
         8 . The deck spacer system of  claim 7 , wherein the device body further comprises:
 a lower bridge, which is connected between rear lower parts of the right body side and the left body side;   such that the lower part of the selected elongated rotatable member is configured to impact with the lower bridge to stop the outward rotation of the selected elongated rotatable member when the selected elongated rotatable member is in the folded-out configuration; and   such that the upper part of the selected elongated rotatable member is configured to impact with the lower bridge to stop the inward rotation of the selected elongated rotatable member when the selected elongated rotatable member is in the folded-in configuration.   
     
     
         9 . The deck spacer system of  claim 3 , wherein the device body further comprises:
 a) a right body side;   b) a left body side; and   c) an axial pin, which is connected between center portions of the right body side and the left body side;   wherein each of the elongated rotatable members comprise:
 a central aperture; 
 such that the axial pin is mounted through the central aperture; and 
 such that each of the elongated rotatable members are rotatably mounted on the axial pin. 
   
     
     
         10 . The deck spacer system of  claim 9 , wherein the axial pin is configured as a screw, which is screwed into and between the right body side and the left body side. 
     
     
         11 . The deck spacer system of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of elongated rotatable members comprises four elongated rotatable members. 
     
     
         12 . The deck spacer system of  claim 11 , wherein the four elongated rotatable members comprise:
 a) a first elongated rotatable member, which is configured with a width of ¼ inches;   b) a second elongated rotatable member, which is configured with a width of 3/16 inches;   c) a third elongated rotatable member, which is configured with a width of ⅛ inches; and   d) a fourth elongated rotatable member, which is configured with a width of 1/16 inches.   
     
     
         13 . The deck spacer system of  claim 3 , wherein the device body comprises:
 a) a right body side; and   b) a left body side;   wherein outer side surfaces of the right body side and the left body side are each convex relative to a vertical center plane, such that a width of the corresponding deck spacer device increases toward a bottom of the corresponding deck spacer device, to ensure stability of the corresponding deck spacer device when the corresponding deck spacer device is positioned on the adjacent planks.   
     
     
         14 . A deck spacer device, comprising:
 a plurality of elongated rotatable members, each comprising:
 a front spacer portion, which is configured with a specific width for use as a spacer, wherein the front spacer portion is configured to be positioned between adjacent planks of a deck in progress, to ensure a uniform spacing between the adjacent planks. 
   
     
     
         15 . The deck spacer device of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a device body;   wherein each corresponding elongated rotatable member is rotatably connected to the device body, such that the corresponding elongated rotatable member is independently rotatable between:
 a folded-in configuration, wherein the corresponding elongated rotatable member is parallel with an elongated direction of the device body; and 
 a folded-out configuration, wherein the front spacer portion protrudes downward from the device body; 
   such that the deck spacer device is configurable with a selected elongated rotatable member in the folded-out configuration and remaining elongated rotatable members in the folded-in configuration, such that a selected front spacer portion of the selected elongated rotatable member is positionable between the adjacent planks of the deck in progress; and   such that the deck spacer device is configured to be mounted on the deck in progress between the adjacent planks, to ensure uniform spacing between the adjacent planks before at least one of the adjacent planks is fastened.   
     
     
         16 . The deck spacer device of  claim 15 , wherein each elongated rotatable member in the plurality of elongated rotatable members further comprises:
 a rear indicator portion, which is configured with a visual indicator, which indicates the specific width of the front spacer portion;   such that the rear indicator portion protrudes upward from the device body when the corresponding elongated rotatable member is in the folded-out configuration; and   such that a selected width of the selected elongated rotatable member is visible via the visual indicator of the rear indicator portion when the deck spacer device is positioned on the deck with the selected front spacer portion positioned between the adjacent planks.   
     
     
         17 . The deck spacer device of  claim 16 , wherein the visual indicator comprises a symbolic marking, which is configured to indicate the selected width of the front spacer portion. 
     
     
         18 . The deck spacer device of  claim 17 , wherein the visual indicator further comprises a color marking, such that each of the elongated rotatable members is configured with a different color to aid in confirming the selected width of the selected elongated rotatable member when viewing the deck spacer device. 
     
     
         19 . The deck spacer device of  claim 15 , wherein the device body comprises:
 a) a right body side;   b) a left body side; and   c) an upper bridge, which is connected between front upper parts of the right body side and the left body side;   such that an upper part of the selected elongated rotatable member is configured to impact with the upper bridge to stop an outward rotation of the selected elongated rotatable member when the selected elongated rotatable member is in the folded-out configuration; and   such that a lower part of the selected elongated rotatable member is configured to impact with the upper bridge to stop an inward rotation of the selected elongated rotatable member when the selected elongated rotatable member is in the folded-in configuration.   
     
     
         20 . The deck spacer device of  claim 19 , wherein the device body further comprises:
 a lower bridge, which is connected between rear lower parts of the right body side and the left body side;   such that the lower part of the selected elongated rotatable member is configured to impact with the lower bridge to stop the outward rotation of the selected elongated rotatable member when the selected elongated rotatable member is in the folded-out configuration; and   such that the upper part of the selected elongated rotatable member is configured to impact with the lower bridge to stop the inward rotation of the selected elongated rotatable member when the selected elongated rotatable member is in the folded-in configuration.   
     
     
         21 . The deck spacer device of  claim 15 , wherein the device body further comprises:
 a) a right body side;   b) a left body side; and   c) an axial pin, which is connected between center portions of the right body side and the left body side;   wherein each of the elongated rotatable members comprise:
 a central aperture; 
 such that the axial pin is mounted through the central aperture; 
 such that each of the elongated rotatable members are rotatably mounted on the axial pin. 
   
     
     
         22 . The deck spacer device of  claim 21 , wherein the axial pin is configured as a screw, which is screwed into and between the right body side and the left body side. 
     
     
         23 . The deck spacer device of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of elongated rotatable members comprises four elongated rotatable members. 
     
     
         24 . The deck spacer device of  claim 23 , wherein the four elongated rotatable members comprise:
 a) a first elongated rotatable member, which is configured with a width of ¼ inches;   b) a second elongated rotatable member, which is configured with a width of 3/16 inches;   c) a third elongated rotatable member, which is configured with a width of ⅛ inches; and   d) a fourth elongated rotatable member, which is configured with a width of 1/16 inches.   
     
     
         25 . The deck spacer device of  claim 15 , wherein the device body comprises:
 a) a right body side; and   b) a left body side;   wherein outer side surfaces of the right body side and the left body side are each convex relative to a vertical center plane, such that a width of the deck spacer device increases toward a bottom of the deck spacer device, to ensure stability of the deck spacer device when the deck spacer device is positioned on the adjacent planks.