Compound tools – Hammer
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-07
2001-03-27
Meislin, D. S. (Department: 3723)
Compound tools
Hammer
C007S170000, C081S023000, C227S147000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06205602
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to hand tools and, more particularly, to a hand tool used for multiple purposes such as driving nails into surfaces in locations where the nail is inaccessible to a conventional hammer as well as other purposes. Specifically, the invention relates to a device having a weighted driver and a number of attachments that can be used in various combinations and can be used to drive different-sized nails, punch center holes, and operate as a plumb bob.
2. Background Information
Nails are common fasteners utilized in diverse fashions in the construction of building structures and the manufacture of other articles. While fasteners such as screws, staples, adhesives, and the like are well suited to many applications, nails are particularly prevalent in construction and manufacturing capacities inasmuch as nails are inexpensive to produce and can be readily installed with relatively simple tools.
As is well understood in the art, nails are driven into surfaces by application of a compressive force to the head of the nail in the direction of the pointed tip. Such compressive force can be applied to the nail with a conventional hammer. Alternatively, the compressive force can be provided by compressed gases that drive a bolt against the nail head. The compressed gases can be produced either by a compressed air source or an explosive charge, both of which are well-known in the art. Still alternatively, the compressive force can be created by an electric solenoid that magnetically drives a bolt against the nail head, as is likewise known in the art. Each of the aforementioned methods of driving nails are well understood in the relevant art and are suited to driving large numbers of nails with minimal effort. Such devices are not, however, without limitations.
In the construction of building structures, nails must often be driven into corners between adjacent walls and between a wall and the floor or the ceiling. The application of nails in such areas can be difficult inasmuch as conventional hammers and power nailers are too large to gain access to these areas.
For instance, a conventional sixteen ounce claw hammer, as is generally used in the building industry, has a driving head approximately one inch in diameter. Such hammers are difficult to use in accurately tight areas. The use of conventional hammers in tight areas can result in the hammer accidentally hitting the walls, floors, or ceilings, resulting in damage to these structures.
Power nailers have had only limited success in such tight applications because power nailers are rather bulky mechanical devices that are not adapted to be used in tight areas. While power nailers utilizing explosive charges may sometimes be used in tight areas, their utility is limited to the specific application for which the particular explosive charges employed therein are suited. The need thus exists for an inexpensive device that can drive a variety of nails into tight areas such as corners.
A number of devices have attempted to overcome the problems associated with driving nails into such tight areas. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 3,979,040 to Denin discloses a weighted rod telescopingly disposed within a hollow cylinder. The weighted rod is used to apply a compressive force to the nail head for driving the nail into a surface. While the invention disclosed in Denin is effective for driving nails of a particular size, Denin does not disclose a device that can drive nails of various sizes.
Likewise, U.S. Pat. No. 4,299,021 to Williams discloses a weighted rod telescopingly disposed within a hollow cylinder. Again, the weighted rod is used to apply a compressive force to the head of a nail for driving the nail into a surface. While this invention is useful for driving nails of a specific size into a surface, the invention cannot be used to drive nails of a variety of sizes into tight areas.
Another concern with the design of a multi-purpose tool is the weight of the tool and the overall weight of the tools carried by a workman. A multi-purpose tool suited to drive only a single, or a very few number of nail sizes is of limited value to the workman inasmuch as several such tools suited to drive different size nails would be required to be carried by the workman. Each tool carried by a construction worker adds weight to the worker's workbelt. The weight of the tools requires additional effort to be expended by the workman in moving about the work site, and additionally results in enhanced instability while working on ladders, scaffoldings, and the like. It is thus desired for tools to be versatile and perform as many functions as possible, thereby reducing the overall number of tools in the workbelt and the weight of the workbelt.
A versatile tool for driving nails into tight places would preferably include a weighted driver carrying an elongated rod that is slidingly disposed within a hollow cylinder and adapted to drive a nail disposed within the cylinder. The tool would desirably have rods of different sizes having correspondingly sized cylinders for driving different sized nails. The tool would also desirably have a number of attachments that can be used in various configurations to permit the tool to operate in diverse capacities such as a plumb bob or a center punch. It is thus desired to provide a tool that can be inexpensively produced and that is capable of driving a variety of sizes of nails into tight areas such as inside corners and that is capable of performing other functions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing, an objective of the present invention is to provide a tool capable of driving nails and other fasteners of different sizes.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a tool that can drive nails and other fasteners into relatively inaccessible locations.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a tool having a driver that can accept rods of different sizes for driving fasteners of different sizes.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a tool having a rod that slides within a sleeve for driving a fastener.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a tool having a plurality of rods that are selectively attachable to a driver, each of the rods having a cooperatively-sized sleeve within which the rod slides.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a tool wherein the weighted driver is located away from the nail while the nail is being driven.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a tool that reduces the tendency of a nail to buckle when being driven into a surface.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a tool having a weighted driver that is formed with holes of two different sizes.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a tool that includes a weighted driver and a plurality of attachments that can be used in various configurations.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a tool wherein one of the configurations is a center punch.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a tool wherein one or more configuration can operate as a plumb bob.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a tool that provides two different plumb bob configurations of two different weights.
These and other objectives and advantages of the invention are obtained from the multi-purpose tool device, the general nature of which can be stated as including a weighted driver, a first rod having an impact end and an attachment end, the attachment end of the first rod being selectively connectable to the weighted driver, the impact end adapted to impact the fastener, a first sleeve formed with a first bore therein, the first rod configured to slide within the first bore, the first bore adapted to accept the fastener therein, a second rod having an impact end and an attachment end, the attachment end of the second rod being selectively connectable to the weighted driver, the impact end adapted
Meislin D. S.
Sand & Sebolt
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