Method for installing ceilings

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 and further including providing said target member with a translucent screen having an opaque reference line thereon and projecting said beam of light through said target.

Claim 4

In the method of claim 1 and further including providing said target member with a screen having a reflector and a reference line thereon and projecting said beam of light on said screen.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 wherein said supporting gridwork has main runners and cross members and further comprising the steps of: a. fixing a first row of main runners in alignment with one another in a straight line; b. fixing cross members of a predetermined length to said first row and to an adjacent runner to form a second aligned row; and c. leveling said adjacent row using said plane of light.

Claim 6

The method of claim 8 anD further including the steps of: a. aligning said first row of runners by projecting a beam of light parallel to the line desired for said row of runners; and b. fixing said runners in predetermined relationship to said beam of light.

Claim 7

In the installation of a suspended ceiling on a predetermined plane over an area having a defined outer perimeter and overhead supporting structure, said suspended ceiling having a supporting gridwork affixed to a plurality of perimeter supports fixed and aligned along said perimeter, the improvement in installing said supports comprising the steps of: a. projecting a narrow collimated beam of light parallel to said plane and sweeping said beam about an axis normal to said plane to generate a plane of light parallel to said predetermined plane; b. temporarily securing target member means successively to each of said perimeter supports said target member means having a reference means located a predetermined distance below said supports; c. successively moving each of said perimeter supports and said target means while secured on said supports to a position wherein said reference means is in alignment with said plane of light; and d. fixing each of said perimeter supports to said perimeter in said position at which said reference means of said target means is in alignment with said plane of light.

Claim 8

In the installation of a suspended ceiling on a predetermined plane over an area having a defined outer perimeter and overhead supporting structure, said suspended ceiling having a supporting gridwork affixed to a plurality of perimeter supports fixed and aligned along said perimeter, the improvement in installing said supports comprising the steps of: a. projecting a narrow collimated beam of light parallel to said plane and sweeping said beam about an axis normal to said plane to generate a plane of light parallel to said predetermined plane; b. temporarily securing target member means successively to each of said perimeter supports said target member means having a reference means located a predetermined distance below said supports; c. successively moving each of said perimeter supports and said target means while secured on said supports to a position wherein said reference means is in alignment with said plane of light; and d. fixing each of said perimeter supports to said perimeter in said position at which said reference means of said target means is in alignment with said plane of light.

Claim 9

A method for installing a suspended ceiling as defined in claim 10 and further including the steps of: e. positioning said supporting gridwork on said perimeter supports; f. temporarily fastening said supporting gridwork below said supporting structure; g. securing said target member means to said grid-work with said reference means located said predetermined distance below said gridwork; h. moving said gridwork and said target means while secured on said gridwork to a position wherein said reference means is in alignment with said plane of light; and i. permanently securing said supporting gridwork below said supporting structure at said position where said reference means is in alignment with said plane of light.

Claim 10

In the installation of a suspended ceiling on a predetermined plane over an area, said ceiling having a supporting gridwork affixed to an elongated fastening means extending downwardly from and secured to an overhead supporting structure, the improvement in establishing an affixing means at a position on said fastening means at which said gridwork is affixed to said fastening means comprising the steps of: a. projecting a narrow collimated beam of light parallel to said plane and sweeping said beam about an axis normal to said plane to generate a plane of light parallel to and a predetermined distance spaced from said predetermined plane; b. providing an intercepter means along said fastening means for intercepting said plane of light; and c. establishing said affixing means at a predetermined position on said fastening means by observing where said plane of light intercepts said interception means along said fastening means.

Claim 11

In the installation of a suspended ceiling on a predetermined plane over an area, said ceiling having a supporting gridwork affixed to an elongated fastening means extending downwardly from and secured to an overhead supporting structure, the improvement in establishing an affixing means at a position on said fastening means at which said gridwork is affixed to said fastening means comprising the steps of: a. projecting a narrow collimated beam of light parallel to said plane and sweeping said beam about an axis normal to said plane to generate a plane of light parallel to and a predetermined distance spaced from said predetermined plane; b. providing an intercepter means along said fastening means for intercepting said plane of light; and c. establishing said affixing means at a predetermined position on said fastening means by observing where said plane of light intercepts said interception means along said fastening means.

Claim 12

The method of claim 8 in which said fastening means is a wire-like member attached at one end to said supporting framework and said target member is provided with a slotted elongated tab-like extension along one side thereof wherein in step (b) said intercepter means is a target and in step (c) said target member is moved along said fastening means by positioning said extension in embracing relation with said wire-like member and wherein said affixing means is formed at said predetermined position by bending the other end of said wire-like member.

Claim 13

The method of claim 8 in which said fastening means is a wire-like member attached at one end to said supporting frame-work and the affixing means is formed at said predetermined position by bending the other end of said wire-like member.

Claim 14

The method of claim 8 in which said fastening means is a wire-like member attached at one end to said supporting member and saId affixing means is a clip member slidably secured to said wire-like means and wherein in step (b) said intercepter means is a target member provided on said wire-like member by securing said target member to said clip and in step (c) said target is moved along said fastening means by moving said clip along said fastening means whereby said clip member is established at a predetermined position on said wire-like member by observing at which position of said clip member said reference means of said target member is in alignment with said plane of light.