AU2003204049A1 - An accessory for hand tools - Google Patents

Description

PATENTS ACT 1990 (AS AMENDED) COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR OFFICE USE Short Title: Int. CI: Application Number: Lodged: Complete Specification-Lodged: Accepted: Lapsed: Published: Priority IP Australia Documents were received on: 0 6 MAY 2003 Batch No: Related Art: Name of Applicant: Address of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for Service: TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT Christopher John McPherson 126 Burraneer Bay Road CRONULLA NSW 2230 Christopher John McPherson ANDERSON-TAYLOR ASSOCIATES, Registered Patent Attorneys of 10 Harrison Avenue BONNET BAY N.S.W. 2226 Complete Specification for the invention entitled: AN ACCESSORY FOR HAND TOOLS The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: -1- This invention relates to work tools. More particularly it discloses an accessory for large hand tools such as nail guns or the like.

On job sites where large or heavy hand tools are required the stowage of such devices when not in use is a problem. Nail guns for example are too heavy and cumbersome to be carried around on the person when not being used and elevated work places such as roof structures do not provide safe level areas for parking the tool.

It is therefore an object of this invention to ameliorate the aforementioned disadvantage and accordingly a tool hanger is disclosed for facilitating temporary stowage on a work site of a hand tool such as a nail gun or the like, said hanger including a base for attachment at or adjacent an end face of thereof and an angled bar which when said hanger is installed in a position of use forms a U shaped recess which opens away from said end face along a side of said tool and which is dimensioned to hook over a standard building structure member such as a roof rafter or the like whereby said tool is suspended in a stable orientation at or below the level of said member.

Preferably said base is formed with apertures to correspond with the positions of existing assembly bolts of said tool.

It is further preferred that a free end portion of said bar -2extends from the location of the U shaped recess along said side of the tool.

The currently preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the attached drawings in which:figure 1 is a schematic perspective view a nail gun when fitted with a tool hanger according to this invention, and figure 2 is a perspective view of the nail gun of figure 1 from the opposite side.

The gun is of typical construction and may basically comprise chambers 1 and 2 which respectively house a gas cylinder and a supply of nails (not shown) which are fed to the head 3.

There is a handle 4 and trigger 5 to fire the nails into place after the head is positioned on the work. As the construction and purpose of such tool is well known its operation will not be further described. It is however a relatively large, heavy and cumbersome item which although useful when repetitive nailing is required is nevertheless difficult to stow when not in use. While it is known to provide a belt clip 6 at the base of tha handle the size and bulk of the tool make it uncomfortable to carry in this way.

The clip can also become dislodged from the wearer's belt as he moves around. On elevated sites this poses a safety risk for persons working below.

-3- In accordance with this invention a tool hanger 7 is provided which preferably but not essentally is manufactured separately for attachment to the gun. The hanger may comprise a base plate 7A which with this embodiment is shaped to conform to the side profile of the ventilation end grid 8 of the gun housing. Preferably the plate 7A is formed with holes to receive the existing mounting bolts 9 for said grid. It therefore can be easily installed by the user as a low cost after market item without additional fittings being required.

The remainder of the hanger comprises an angled bar 7B which extends out from the side and then turns at 90 to run parallel to the tool housing at 7C. A recess 10 is thereby defined between the bar 7C and the side of gun which may be of the order of 55 mm in width to hook over most exposed structural members on a building site such as roof rafters.

When so placed the bulk of the gun and thus its centre of gravity would hang well below the level of the supporting member to reduce the chance of accidental displacement. It is also important that the bar 7B not extend so far out from the tool housing as to interfere with the normal handling of the gun. Preferably the bar may also be shaped to function as an additional handle when aligning the gun against a workpiece., It will thus be appreciated that this invention at least in the form of the embodiment disclosed provides a novel and improved form of tool hanger for a nail gun or similar device. Clearly however the example described is only the currently preferred form of the invention and a wide variety -4of modifications may be made which would be apparent to a person skilled in the art. For example the shape and configuration of the base plate may be changed according to the type of tool to which the hanger is fitted. Also, while the current embodiment is preferably formed from mild steel or aluminium other suitably strong materials such as plastic may be used within the scope of the invention.

Claims (7)

1. 2. The tool hanger as claimd in claim 1 wherein the orientation of the tool when suspended is such that the centre of gravity of said tool is below the level of said structural member.
2. 3. The tool hanger as claimed in claim 2 wherein said base is shaped for attachment using existing fittings on said tool.
3. 4. The tool hanger as claimed in claim 3 wherein the base is formed with apertures which correspond with positions of existing assembly bolts of said tool. The tool hanger as claimed in claim 4 wherein the base is shaped to conform to a side profile of an end grid of said tool. -6- I
4. 6. The tool hanger as claimed in claim 5 wherein said hanger when in a position of use on said tool includes an angled bar which extends out from the side of said tool and then turns at 90 to run parallel to the tool housing whereby the U shaped recess is defined between said bar and the side of said tool.
5. 7. The tool hanger as claimed in claim 6 wherein a free end portion of the bar extends from the location of the U shaped recess along the side of the tool.
6. 8. The tool hanger as claimed in claim 7 wherein said hanger is shaped to also function as an additional handle when aligning the tool against a workpiece.
7. 9. A tool hanger substantially as described herein with reference to the drawings. A hand held nail gun when fitted with the tool hanger as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9. Dated this 5th day of May, 2003 Christopher John McPherson By His Patent Attorney MICHAEL ANDERSON-TAYLOR