Tools – Holder – pusher – or setter for driven-type fasteners
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-10
2001-08-14
Hail, III, Joseph J. (Department: 3723)
Tools
Holder, pusher, or setter for driven-type fasteners
C081S488000, C269S003000, C269S041000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06272951
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is concerned with the installation of hangers for the attachment of the ends of joists to a header beam.
Hangers are used in building construction for securing the ends of joists to the sides of a single beam, termed a header, with a problem being encountered in achieving joist attachment in a rapid, uniform and precise manner. Irregularities in such attachment result in a floor or roof structure being other than level and of less than optimum strength. A further problem encountered in the securing joists to a header beam is the time spent by a the worker in the positioning and subsequent attachment of a hanger, in the vertical, to the header. It is common practice to use a square or level for marking the header prior to hanger attachment. Needless to say such added effort when totaled amounts to considerable time in view of the fact that several hangers are usually attached to a single header in the construction of a typical home or frame building. Hangers incorrectly set entail further time consuming efforts.
In the prior art efforts to facilitate the attachment of hangers to headers has included the tool disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,755, in which a hanger is installed and retained during affixing of the hanger to a header using a hammer to drive hanger prongs into the header. The tool defines a slot in which the web of a U-shaped hanger is initially inserted. The tool is then manually abutted against the header and retained in place by a spring biased clamp. With the hanger and tool in place on the header a second operation involves hammering the hanger prongs in the usual fashion into the header. A degree of difficulty is encountered by reason that the user must accomplish driving hanger prongs located closely adjacent to the sides of the tool without contact with and displacement of the tool and hanger. Further, the temporary installation of the tool on a header utilizes a spring biased clamp may be susceptible to permitting displacement of the tool during hammering resulting in a mis-mounted hanger being out of the vertical. For one reason or another the tool disclosed to the extent known, appears to not have found wide acceptance.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,312,095 discloses a tool for attaching a hanger onto a header for subsequent installation of joists with the tool including an angular, upward extending rod which is adjustable to support the tool at different distances from the upper edge of the header. A hanger is slid into place within vertical slots of the tool followed by nailing of the hanger flanges to the header. A web portion of the hanger is carried within a slot in the tool main body. Securement of the hanger to a header is by nailing which is typical of hanger installation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is embodied in a tool in which a hanger may be loaded and subsequently secured to a header or other beam.
A main body of the tool is initially supportedin a secure manner on the top edge of a header. A hanger of U-shape, previously installed in the tool, is attached to the header upon a hammer blow or blows being imparted to slidably mounted impact members of the tool. Ends of the impact members drive prongs on the hanger into the header. During such driving the tool is stabilized by main body arms in place on the header as well as a handle permitting stabilizing of the tool in place against the side of the header. Accordingly the hanger is always attached in the vertical to a horizontal header and at a pre-determined elevation on the header. Use of supplementary tools for insuring vertical positioning of the hanger may be dispensed with. Multiple attachment positions of the tool handle permits tool use on floor and ceiling headers in a convenient manner and in locations where the tool is best supported from one side or the other. One or more limit stops enable installation of different lengths of hangers.
Important objectives of the present invention include the provision of a tool for momentary secure placement on a header to ensure vertical installation of a hanger carried by the tool; the provision of a tool adaptable to use in attaching hangers to headers of different widths and heights; the provision of a tool which both positions a hanger on the side of a header and permits attachment of the hanger without risk of injury or hanger displacement during the delivering of impact blows to the tool; the provision of a tool for installing hangers which greatly facilitates hanger installation to floor and ceiling headers for considerable cost savings to the contractor; the provision of a tool for installing hangers of a range of sizes to accommodate joists of unusual height; the provision of a hanger installation tool with multiple limit stops for proper positioning of a hanger on the tool.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5054755 (1991-10-01), Hawkes
patent: 5312095 (1994-05-01), Rennie
patent: 6126156 (2000-10-01), Brodeur
Givnan, Jr. James D.
Hail III Joseph J.
Thomas David B.
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