Articulate rafter framing jig and method of using same

Claim 1

A articulated rafter framing jig comprising: a. a rigid base for supporting a sliding plate with vertical rod firmly attached and means for locking said plate to said base, b. an elongated rigid tube to slip fitting over said vertical rod and said tube capped by means to hold an adjustment device to said tube while top of said rod contacts bottom end of said adjustment device, while allowing said tube to fully rotate about said rod, c. a tube vice for fitting loosely over said rigid tube and a means to lock said vice to said rigid tube, d. a clamp for holding rafter material by a pinning device while said clamp being fixed to said vice but allowing said clamp to swivel about said vice and also pivot with said vice about said tube and or said rod.

Claim 3

A method using a articulated jig for rafter framing comprising the steps of: a. mounting the jig on the wall top plate b. positioning said jig to accept various rafter stock c. securing hip rafter stock in said jig for alignment so that upper end of said rafter rests on and directly over the junction of common rafters with ridge members and guided thereon by means on each side of said hip and lower end of said hip being held by said jig directly over but not touching final installation position of said hip on said top plate, d. moving a vice with attached rafter clamp, up and down a pivotable support tube for holding and locking into position a slope adjustment of said hip, e. holding of said hip by said jig for checking of square positioning of said hip to said top plate and plumb line, f. adjusting said support tube with vice locked on said tube for controlling of said hip while horizontally aligning by means of said sliding plate and locking means, g. providing means for transferring of ONE measurement from said common rafter to locate for marking of seat cut line on said hip with said jig holding said hip to correct slope with bottom center of said hip just clearing said top plate corner by said ONE dimension measurement, from side of common, h. measuring of plumb line on side of said common a distance equal to that on said plumb line from said top plate surface along plumb line to top of said common for transferring to hip said one measurement for locating seat cut marking, i. marking of said hip seat cut lines and locating of upper end cheek cuts by use of commons as guides.

Claim 4

A method using a articulated jig for rafter framing comprising the steps of: a. mounting the jig on the wall top plate b. positioning said jig to accept various rafter stock c. securing hip rafter stock in said jig for alignment so that upper end of said rafter rests on and directly over the junction of common rafters with ridge members and guided thereon by means on each side of said hip and lower end of said hip being held by said jig directly over but not touching final installation position of said hip on said top plate, d. moving a vice with attached rafter clamp, up and down a pivotable support tube for holding and locking into position a slope adjustment of said hip, e. holding of said hip by said jig for checking of square positioning of said hip to said top plate and plumb line, f. adjusting said support tube with vice locked on said tube for controlling of said hip while horizontally aligning by means of said sliding plate and locking means, g. providing means for transferring of ONE measurement from said common rafter to locate for marking of seat cut line on said hip with said jig holding said hip to correct slope with bottom center of said hip just clearing said top plate corner by said ONE dimension measurement, from side of common, h. measuring of plumb line on side of said common a distance equal to that on said plumb line from said top plate surface along plumb line to top of said common for transferring to hip said one measurement for locating seat cut marking, i. marking of said hip seat cut lines and locating of upper end cheek cuts by use of commons as guides.