Tool for leveling and aligning suspended ceiling rails

1 . An apparatus for attaching an alignment string to a wall angle during an installation of a suspended ceiling, the apparatus comprising:

a right-angle bracket formed of a first plate and a second plate attached along an edge, the first plate having a first outer surface and a first inner surface and the second plate having a second outer surface and a second inner surface;

at least one magnet embedded in the first outer surface, permitting the first outer surface to be selectively magnetically attached to a wall angle of a suspended ceiling installation;

a first handle extending between the first inner surface and the second inner surface on a first end of the apparatus; and

a second handle extending between the first inner surface and the second inner surface on a second end of the apparatus,

wherein the first handle and the second handle are configured for holding a tube of alignment string positioned between the first inner surface and the second inner surface.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first plate and the second plate are configured with a centerline notch to serve as alignment marks on the apparatus.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a slit at a bottom edge of the second plate to serve to hold an end of an alignment string being stretched across a room for a guide to alignment components used in the suspended ceiling installation.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein two magnets are embedded in the first outer surface of the first plate.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one magnet comprises a Neodymium magnet.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first plate and the second plate are made of a rigid plastic material.

7 . A method of installing suspended ceiling panels using the apparatus of claim 1 , the method comprising:

attaching metal wall brackets at a predetermined height on walls of a room; and

using the apparatus as a quick connect/disconnect mechanism for an alignment string used in the suspended ceiling panel installation.

8 . A quick connect/disconnect tool, comprising:

an L-shaped bracket having a top bracket component and a back bracket component, the top bracket component having a top outer surface and a top inner surface, and the back bracket component having a back outer surface and a back inner surface;

at least one magnet on the top outer surface of the top bracket component, to permit the L-shaped bracket to be selectively attached magnetically to a metal surface;

a first handle extending between the top inner surface and the back inner surface on a first end of the L-shaped bracket; and

a second handle extending between the top inner surface and the back inner surface on a second end of the L-shaped bracket,

wherein the first handle and the second handle are configured for holding a tube of alignment string positioned between the top inner surface and the back inner surface.

9 . The quick connect/disconnect tool of claim 8 , wherein the at least one magnet is affixed to the top bracket component as embedded in a cavity in the top outer surface.

10 . The quick connect/disconnect tool of claim 8 , wherein the at least one magnet comprises at least two magnets.

11 . The quick connect/disconnect tool of claim 8 , wherein the at least one magnet comprises a Neodymium magnet.

12 . The quick connect/disconnect tool of claim 8 , wherein the L-shaped bracket is made of rigid plastic.

13 . The quick connect/disconnect tool of claim 8 , wherein a bottom edge of the back bracket component includes a slit into which an end of a string can be inserted and rigidly held, the quick connect/disconnect tool thereby serving as a quick connect/disconnect tool for temporarily attaching an alignment string to the metal surface.

14 . The quick connect/disconnect tool of claim 8 , wherein the tool is approximately 2 inches long and less than 1 inch wide.

15 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured such that, when the first outer surface is magnetically attached to the wall angle, the first outer surface and the second outer surface are in direct contact with the wall angle.

16 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first plate comprises a first notch in a middle thereof and the second plate comprises a second notch in a middle thereof.

17 . The quick connect/disconnect tool of claim 8 , wherein the top bracket component comprises a first notch in a middle thereof and the second bracket component comprises a second notch in a middle thereof.