초록 ▼

An extensible apparatus for locating attachment points includes a first end piece, a main track fixed at its proximal end to the first end piece and extending from the first end piece to its distal end, an auxiliary track extending along and extensible distally from the main track, and a auxiliary e

An extensible apparatus for locating attachment points includes a first end piece, a main track fixed at its proximal end to the first end piece and extending from the first end piece to its distal end, an auxiliary track extending along and extensible distally from the main track, and a auxiliary end piece fixed to the distal end of the auxiliary track. The first end piece has a flat rearward face for placement against a wall. The tracks extend in parallel with the flat rearward face of the first end piece. A main shuttle is slidably movable along the main track, and an auxiliary shuttle is slidably movable along the auxiliary track. Each shuttle includes a rearwardly protruding marker.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An extensible apparatus for locating attachment points, comprising: a first end piece with a flat rearward face for placement against a wall;a main track fixed at a first end to the first end piece and extending, in parallel with the flat rearward face of the first end piece, from the first end p

1. An extensible apparatus for locating attachment points, comprising: a first end piece with a flat rearward face for placement against a wall;a main track fixed at a first end to the first end piece and extending, in parallel with the flat rearward face of the first end piece, from the first end piece to a second end of the main track;an auxiliary track attached at the second end of the main track, and slidably movable along the main track between a fully extended condition of the apparatus and a collapsed condition of the apparatus;an auxiliary end piece attached at an end of the auxiliary track distal from the main track;a main shuttle slidably movable along the main track between the first and second end pieces; andan auxiliary shuttle slidably movable along the auxiliary track between the second end piece and the auxiliary end piece;wherein each shuttle includes a rearwardly protruding marker. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each shuttle includes rearwardly curved flanges at first and second lateral ends of the web for gripping outward edges of the corresponding track. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the tracks is marked with indicia of distance, and the respective shuttle includes an indexing window overlying the indicia. 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each shuttle includes an aperture formed from front to back through the marker. 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the main and auxiliary tracks includes two parallel rails that are spaced apart from each other by a medial gap, and the marker of each respective shuttle protrudes rearwardly through the medial gap of the respective track. 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the end pieces houses a level indicator. 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the level indicator is housed within an aperture formed in the end piece. 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the level indicator is rotatably adjustable within the aperture. 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the main track includes a relieved portion proximate its distal end, and the auxiliary track includes an outwardly biased catch for engaging the relieved portion of the main track to prevent extension of the auxiliary track beyond a fully extended condition of the apparatus, and to prevent collapsing the auxiliary track from the fully extended condition of the apparatus. 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the relieved portion is a through hole and the catch is operable via the through hole to permit collapsing the auxiliary track from the fully extended condition of the apparatus. 11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the catch is operable, via a button disposed at an end piece of the auxiliary track, to permit collapsing the auxiliary track from the fully extended condition of the apparatus. 12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a cuff is fixed to the distal end of the main track, and the auxiliary track is extensible from a collapsed condition where the auxiliary end piece abuts the cuff to an extended condition where a proximal end of the auxiliary track is adjacent the cuff. 13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the cuff has at its distal end a hollowed portion for receiving a neck of the auxiliary end piece. 14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the hollowed portion of the cuff is configured to receive at least one second shuttle that is held on the auxiliary track. 15. An extensible apparatus for locating attachment points, comprising: a main track that extends along a longitudinal axis from a first end to a second end;a first auxiliary track attached at the first end of the main track, and slidably movable along the main track between extended and collapsed conditions of the first auxiliary track;a second auxiliary track attached at the second end of the main track, and slidably movable along the main track between extended and collapsed conditions of the second auxiliary track;first and second auxiliary end pieces attached at ends of the respective auxiliary tracks that are distal from the main track, wherein each end piece has a flat rear face suitable for placement against a wall surface;a main shuttle slidably movable along a front face of the main track between the first and second ends thereof; andan auxiliary shuttle slidably movable along a front face of one of the first or second auxiliary tracks between the respective auxiliary end piece and the respective end of the main track;wherein each shuttle includes a rearwardly protruding marker that has an aperture formed from front to back therethrough, and the extended conditions of the first and second auxiliary tracks together provide a fully extended condition of the apparatus. 16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein at least one of the tracks is marked with indicia of distance, and the respective shuttle includes an indexing window overlying the indicia. 17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein each of the main and auxiliary tracks includes two parallel rails that are spaced apart from each other by a medial gap, and the marker of each respective shuttle protrudes rearwardly through the medial gap of the respective track. 18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein at least one of the end pieces houses a level indicator. 19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein at least one of the auxiliary tracks includes a catch for engaging the main track to prevent extension of the auxiliary track beyond its extended condition, and to prevent collapsing the auxiliary track from its extended condition to its collapsed condition. 20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the catch is operable, via a button disposed at an end piece of the auxiliary track, to permit collapsing the auxiliary track from its fully extended condition.