Metal deforming – With cutting – By composite tool
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-08
2001-09-18
Crane, Daniel C. (Department: 3725)
Metal deforming
With cutting
By composite tool
C072S325000, C083S140000, C083S633000, C083S684000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06289709
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a sheet metal punch, and in particular to a gutter outlet punch for punching outlet holes in rain gutters.
Connection of downspouts to rain gutters has presented a number of problems that have not yet been solved.
The most usual connection has consisted of a flanged insert in a hole punched in the bottom of the rain gutter and projecting downwardly therefrom to be received in the upper end of a downspout. With such inserts it is difficult to provide a leak-proof joint between the gutter bottom and the insert. In addition, the flange of the insert at the joint presents a raised rim around the opening into the insert on which various debris such as leaves, sticks, and the like, can catch, and in any event to prevent complete drainage into the downspout so that weathering and deterioration are accelerated.
Some craftsmen have chiseled, hacksawed or otherwise cut downspout holes and have bent the material into downward tabs to facilitate alignment of the upper end of a downspout and connection thereto. However, as thus produced, the holes have been rough in outline and the tabs of rather crude formation. Because of the relative difficulty of practicing this method, it has required a rather high degree of skill to produce a reasonable workman-like result, and has consumed more installation time and labor than warranted.
Another disadvantage of all prior attempts to create effective downspout connections has been that at least some part of the connection of necessity had to be prefabricated or preformed before hanging of the gutter. At least the downspout hole was preformed. This has all too often resulted in misalignment of the downspout relative to the necessary or desired vertical position for the downspouts such as along a reentrant comer or an outside corner of a building or along or between windows, or the like and especially where some vertical line of reference can be compared with the vertical disposition of the downspout. Such misalignment has been caused by either miscalculation or tolerances and variables in the performing or prefabricating operations or in the installation of the gutter. In other words, prefabrication according to plan or according to measurements taken at the building site may be inaccurate either as taken or as executed or fail to take into consideration a subsequent change in plan or construction. Therefore unless the variation is extreme, downspout installation is generally permitted to proceed even though there is inevitable misalignment or at least noticeable deviation from true alignment.
Another problem with previous solutions for providing downspout connections has been the lack of a ratchet in the punch mechanism. Without such a ratchet, the installer must typically stand on a ladder and pull some sort of lever, causing a blade to punch a hole in the gutter. Ladders are often quite high and may be unstable, and the physical motion required to pull a lever may cause the installer to fall off the ladder.
An associated problem has been that two hands are required to operate the punch, one hand to hold the punch in place and the other to operate the handle. This prevents the installer from holding onto the ladder.
Still another problem with previous mechanisms has been that the punching blade is uncovered when the device is transported to and from the rain gutter, which may lead to the installer cutting his hands or other parts of his body on the unprotected blade.
Yet another problem of previous mechanisms has been that the installer has been required to manually remove the punched piece of metal, or slug, from the mechanism. The slugs have sharp edges, which may cause inadvertent cuts to the installer's fingers.
There is a need for a gutter outlet punch that solves the above-mentioned problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A gutter outlet punch for punching an outlet in a rain gutter, comprising:
(a) a female die;
(b) a male cutting die adapted to mate with the female die and punch a slug out of the rain gutter, the rain gutter being positioned between the male die and the female die for punching;
(c) a rod having a first end and a second end, the male cutting die being attached to the first end;
(d) a ratchet for incremental, one way movement of the male cutting die toward the rain gutter;
(e) a ratchet handle engaging the ratchet; and
(f) a ratchet release.
A principal object and advantage of the present invention is that it allows a relatively unskilled, non-craftsman operator to punch rain gutter outlets.
Another principal object and advantage of the present invention is that the device may be taken to the work site and gutter outlets may be punched after the gutter is installed, to position the downspouts precisely where they are desired.
Another principal object and advantage of the present invention is that it has a ratchet that allows the operator to punch the slug out of the rain gutter using only one hand.
Another object and advantage of the present invention is that it allows the operator to use his other hand to hold onto the ladder or rain gutter, preventing a fall.
Another object and advantage of the present invention is that the operator is not required to pull a handle while he is balanced on a ladder, reducing the likelihood of a fall.
Another object and advantage of the present invention is that it has a housing that encloses the blade when not in use, preventing inadvertent cuts to the operator's body.
Another object and advantage of the present invention is that it automatically ejects the slug after punching, so that the operator is not required to remove the sharp slug with his fingers.
REFERENCES:
patent: 65095 (1867-05-01), Lee
patent: 1571672 (1926-02-01), Jayne
patent: 1890956 (1932-12-01), Spengler
patent: 3613491 (1971-10-01), Kahmann
patent: 3821890 (1974-07-01), Dewey
patent: 3910093 (1975-10-01), Maloney, Jr.
patent: 3994055 (1976-11-01), Maloney
patent: 4433569 (1984-02-01), Santinelli
patent: 4945796 (1990-08-01), Riley
patent: 4969269 (1990-11-01), Dominguez
Brochure from Don Wolters Corporation entitled “TD” (2 pp.).
Brochure from Omni Products entitled “Now! Eliminate those costly drop-outlets” (4 pp.).
Brochure from Petit Toll entitled “The Petit Outlet Punch” (3 pp.).
Brochure from Ode Gutter Products entitled “The Ode Punch*”, (2 pp.).
Crane Daniel C.
Malco Products, Inc.
Rider Bennett Egan & Arundel
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