AU2013100262A4 - Star picket driver - Google Patents

Abstract

A star picket driver for driving star pickets into a surface, such as the ground, including a body having an open end and a closed end, wherein the open end is 5 capable of receiving an end of a star picket, and the closed end forms a striking surface. The star picket driver also includes at least one handle extending substantially laterally from a side of the body. The handle is able to be gripped by a hand of an operator such that the hand is spaced at a safe distance from the body, or at least the striking surface, of the device. In use, the body of the 10 driver is placed over an end of a star picket. The operator holds the star picket driver by the handle and uses a hammer to apply a downward force to the striking surface. This force is transferred to the star picket which drives it into the ground. 40-- 42 ;1

Description

P/00/012 Regulation 3.2 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 ORIGINAL COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INNOVATION PATENT Invention Title: "STAR PICKET DRIVER" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: 1 TITLE STAR PICKET DRIVER FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a post driving device. More particularly, 5 the invention relates, but is not limited to, a driver for driving star pickets or timber pickets into a surface such as the ground, especially for building, construction and fencing applications. BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION Star pickets or timber pickets are commonly used to erect permanent or 10 temporary fences and barriers, or to support temporary signs. They are also used for supporting construction and building formwork, forming building profiles and various other construction applications. During installation, a force must be applied to the top of the star picket to drive it into the ground. Such force is typically applied manually with the use of a sledge hammer, lump hammer or the 15 like. The star picket is usually held in place by hand and the sledge hammer or similar tool is used to strike the top of the star picket, thereby forcing the star picket into the surface. Serious injuries can result if an operator misses the top of the star picket and instead strikes his or her hand with the hammer. 20 Various post driving devices have been produced to reduce the safety risks associated with the use of star pickets. Such devices typically include a metal tube that is open on one end and has handles on either side. This type of post driving device is typically grasped by the handles, lifted above the star picket and forcibly bought down against the top of the star picket. Whilst 25 generally effective, such devices are large, bulky and heavy. Further, repeated use of these post driving devices can lead to injury or strain to the wrists, hands and even the back of the operator. Star pickets can also be driven into the ground with mechanical, pneumatic, or hydraulic post drivers. 30 Throughout the specification, the term "star picket" shall be used to 2 include fence posts, T-posts, Y-posts, star posts, and timber pickets or stakes. Similarly, the term "hammer" shall be used to include any hand tool capable of striking or pounding a hard surface such as a sledge hammer or a lump hammer. NB: The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should 5 not be taken as, an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that the prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia or elsewhere. OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to overcome, or at least alleviate, one or more of the above described disadvantages of the prior art, and/or to 10 provide the consumer with a safe and useful commercial choice. It is a preferred object of the present invention to provide a safer star picket driver that is relatively lightweight, yet robust; and is easy to use. It is a still further preferred object to provide a star picket driver that is safe to use. 15 Other preferred objects will become apparent from the following description. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In one form, although not necessarily the only or broadest form, the invention resides in a star picket driver including: 20 a body having an open end and a closed end; the open end being capable of receiving an end of a star picket; the closed end forming a striking surface; and at least one handle extending substantially laterally from a side of the body; 25 wherein the handle is able to be gripped by a hand of an operator such that the hand is spaced at a safe distance from the body, or at least the striking surface, of the device. Preferably, the body is formed of metal or a tough plastics-material enclosing a metal liner.

3 In one form, the entire inner surface of the body is provided with the metal liner. In an alternate form, only a portion of the inner surface of the body is provided with the metal liner. 5 Preferably, the striking surface of the closed end of the body is a head. It is preferred that the head projects outwardly over the body in order to provide a larger striking area for the operator. Preferably, the head is integrally formed with the body. In an alternate form, the head may be a separate component which is 10 welded, or otherwise attached, to the closed end of the body. Preferably, the handle is releasably attached to the body. In alternate forms, the handle may be fixed to the body or attached to the body by a hinge. Preferably, the handle is flexible. 15 In alternate forms, the handle may be semi-flexible or rigid. Preferably, the body is substantially cylindrical, square, pentagonal, hexagonal, or octagonal in external shape, and hollow internally. In another form, the invention resides in a method of driving a star picket into a surface including the steps of: 20 receiving an end of a star picket into the open end of the star picket driver as hereinbefore described; gripping the handle with one hand, spaced apart from the body of the star picket driver; and hitting the striking surface of the star picket driver one or more times with 25 a hammer gripped in a second hand. Preferably, the handle is able to be gripped at least 50 to 80 millimeters from the body to provide a safe distance from the striking surface. Further preferred features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description.

4 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Preferred embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the accompany drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a side view of a star picket driver according to an embodiment of 5 the present invention positioned above a star picket; FIG. 2 is a side view of the star picket driver of FIG.1 positioned on the star picket and being struck by a hammer; FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 are bottom perspective views of the star picket driver shown in FIG. I and FIG. 2, showing different handle arrangements; and 10 FIG. 5 is a cut away view of a star picket driver according to another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Elements of the invention are illustrated in schematic outline form in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are necessary to understand 15 the embodiments of the present invention, but so as not to obscure the disclosure with excessive detail that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in light of the present description. In this patent specification, adjectives such as first and second, left and right, front and back, top and bottom, etc., are used solely to define one element 20 from another element without necessarily requiring a specific relative position or sequence that is described by the adjectives. Words such as "comprises" or "includes" are not used to define an exclusive set of elements. Rather, such words merely define a minimum set of elements included in a particular embodiment of the present invention. 25 Referring initially to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, there is shown a side view of a star picket driver 10 according to the present invention. The body 20 of the driver 10 has an opening 22 at one end for placing the driver 10 over an end 52 of a star picket 50. In one embodiment, the body 20 is formed of metal and is substantially cylindrical in shape and hollow internally 24. Persons skilled in the 30 art would appreciate that the body 20 may be any suitable shape and may be 5 formed from any suitable material, such as a tough plastics-material enclosing a metal liner (to provide additional strength). The opposite end of the body 20 is closed which forms a striking surface 30 for a hammer 60, such as a sledge hammer or lump hammer. In one 5 embodiment, the striking surface 30 is a head 32 which has a rim 34 projecting outwardly over the body 20, thus providing a larger striking area for the operator. In the driver shown in FIG. 1 to 5, the head 32 is integrally formed with the body 20; however the head 32 may also be formed as a separate piece and welded, or otherwise attached, to the body 20. 10 Attached to, and extending substantially laterally from, the body 20 is a handle 40. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, 2, 4 and 5, the handle 40 is attached to the body 20 by a hinge 42 so that the handle 40 is moveable between an operable position 44 in which the handle 40 extends laterally from the body 20 at approximately 90 degrees, and a storage position 46 in which the 15 handle 40 folds down to lie substantially parallel to the body 20. The hinge 42 also includes a stop (not shown) or other mechanism to ensure the handle 40 does not bend more than approximately 90 degrees with respect to the body 20. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 3, the handle 40 may be releasably attached to the body 20 by a screw and thread attachment means 48. 20 The handle 40 may also be attached to the body 20 by various other means including bayonet couplings, clamps or clips. The handle 40 could also be permanently fixed to the body 20, for example by welding. In yet another alternative embodiment, the driver 10 may include an elongate member (not shown) extending substantially laterally from the body 20 for mounting the 25 handle 40. As shown in FIG. 3, the handle 40 may be formed from a flexible material, such as a garden hose or similar tubular structure. The use of a flexible material allows the operator to control the position of the driver 10 relative to the star picket 50 and also minimises the shock and vibratory forces to the operator's 30 hand when the head 32 of the driver 10 is struck by a hammer 60. In an alternative embodiment, the handle 40 may be formed from a rigid material such as metal or wood.

6 Importantly, the handle 40 is of a suitable length to allow the operator to grip it to hold the driver 10 in place whilst keeping his or her hand a safe distance away from the head 32 of the driver 10. This helps to prevent injury in the event that the operator misses the head 32 of the driver 10 when using the hammer 5 60. Preferably, the body 20 is formed of metal. However, as shown in FIG. 5, the body 20 may be formed of a tough plastics-material 26 enclosing a metal liner 28. The purpose of the metal liner 28 is to reinforce the body 20 so it can withstand numerous hammer 60 strikes. The metal liner 28 may be provided 10 over a portion of the inner surface of the body 20, as shown in FIG. 5, or over the entire inner surface of the body 20. In use, the body 20 of the driver 10 is placed over an end 52 of the star picket 50 until the end 52 of the star picket 50 abuts the inner face of the striking surface 30. The operator then holds the driver 10 by the handle 40 and uses a 15 hammer 60 to apply a downward force to the striking surface 30 on the body 20 of the driver 10. This force is transferred to the star picket 50 which drives it into a surface such as the ground. The striking surface 30 can be repeatedly struck with the hammer 60 until the star picket 50 has been driven far enough into the ground. 20 Advantages of the present invention over the prior art include, but are not limited to, the compactness and portability of the driver 10. Further, the body 20 of the driver is constructed from material that is robust and can therefore withstand repeated strikes with a sledge hammer or the like. The driver 10 is also relatively lightweight and can be easily carried and transported by one 25 person. The handle 40 on the driver 10 is important in terms of safety as it allows the operator to position his or her hand away from star picket 50 and therefore the swing path of the hammer 60. The above description of various embodiments of the present invention is provided for purposes of description to one of ordinary skill in the related art. It is 30 not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to a single disclosed embodiment. As mentioned above, numerous alternatives and variations to the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art of the above 7 teaching. Accordingly, while some alternative embodiments have been discussed specifically, other embodiments will be apparent or relatively easily developed by those of ordinary skill in the art. Accordingly, this patent specification is intended to embrace all alternatives, modifications and variations 5 of the present invention that have been discussed herein, and other embodiments that fall within the spirit and scope of the above described invention.

Claims (5)

1. A star picket driver including: a body having an open end and a closed end; the open end being capable of receiving an end of a star picket; 5 the closed end forming a striking surface; and at least one handle extending substantially laterally from a side of the body; wherein the handle is able to be gripped by a hand of an operator such that the hand is spaced at a safe distance from the body, or at least the striking 10 surface, of the device.

2. The star picket driver of claim 1, wherein: the striking surface of the closed end is a head that is integrally formed with the body, or is a separate component attached to the body; and the head projects outwardly over the body in order to provide a larger 15 striking area for an operator.

3. The star picket driver of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein: the handle is flexible, semi-flexible or rigid; and the handle is releasably attached to the body, fixed to the body, or attached to the body by a hinge. 20

4. A method of driving a star picket into a surface including the steps of: receiving an end of a star picket into the open end of the star picket driver according to any one of claims 1 to 3; gripping the handle with one hand, spaced apart from the body of the star picket driver; and 25 hitting the striking surface of the star picket driver one or more times with a hammer gripped in a second hand. 9

5. The method of claim 4, wherein: the handle is gripped at least 50 to 80 millimeters from the body of the star picket device to provide a safe distance from the striking surface