GB2298608A

GB2298608A - Drawing pin insertion tool

Info

Publication number: GB2298608A
Application number: GB9504523A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stuart Tudor
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1995-03-07
Filing date: 1995-03-07
Publication date: 1996-09-11
Also published as: GB9504523D0

Description

Drawing Pin Insertion Tool The present invention is concerned with tools for facilitating insertion of drawing pins (otherwise known as thumb tacks).

Normally, drawing pins are inserted into a surface by applying pressure to the head of the drawing pin by the thumb or hand of the user. Where the pin is to be inserted into a comparatively hard material, it may be beyond comfortable pressure for most people to insert the pin into such a material.

Frequently, therefore, other implements are used in order to force the pin into hard materials, such as screwdrivers or hammers or the like, whose normal function is not for inserting drawing pins. This may sometimes have a consequent risk to the hands of the user.

Therefore, it is the purpose of the present invention to alleviate such difficulties and to provide a tool for inserting drawing pins, which is comfortable and easy to use.

Accordingly, there is provided by the present invention, a drawing pin insertion tool comprising: a hollow housing; a plunger having a shank portion and at one end of the shank portion, a cap portion having a diameter greater than the head of the pin, the plunger being axially movable within the housing; and pin retention means at the other end of said shank portion; such that upon application of pressure to the cap portion, whilst the housing is positioned substantially perpendicular to a surface, the pin may be inserted into the surface.

Thus, advantageously, when a pin is to be inserted into a surface, a user may apply pressure to the cap portion of the tool, and not to the pin directly. The cap portion, which is -greater in diameter than the head of the pin, allows the force applied by the user to be spread across a wider surface area.

The tool is, therefore, much more comfortable to use when inserting pins of this type.

Preferably, the tool further comprises resilient biasing means arranged to normally bias the pin retention means to a retracted position within the housing. The pin retention means, advantageously, is comfortably embraced within the housing and is substantially equal in diameter to the head of the pin which is to be inserted. Thus rocking or movement of the pin within the housing is prevented when the pin is being inserted into the surface.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the shank portion is stepped, having a region adjacent the cap portion of the plunger which is of greater diameter than the region of the shank adjacent the other end. Preferably, the housing comprises a plurality of lugs, or, more preferably, an annular rib, integral to and projecting inwardly from the inner surface of the housing, defining an aperture suitably dimensioned to permit axial movement of the narrower region of the shank therethrough, the annular rib being within the housing intermediate the pin retention means and the thicker region of the shank portion.

Such an annular rib allows limited movement of the plunger between a retracted position, where the pin retention means is retracted within the housing under the influence of the resilient biasing means, to an extended position where the pin may be inserted into the surface.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the resilient biasing means is at a position intermediate the annular rib and the thicker region of the shank portion. Thus, advantageously, when the pin retention means is moved from the retracted position within the housing towards the extended position by application of pressure to the cap portion, the resilient biasing means is placed under compression. Release of the compressive force from the cap portion relaxes the resilient biasing means and forces the plunger back to the retracted position within the housing.

The tool preferably further comprises a plurality of arms projecting outwardly from the outer surface of the housing at substantially right angles thereto, and intermediate the ends thereof. Thus, advantageously, such arms may be gripped by the digits of a user to facilitate insertion of the drawing pin into the surface. Preferably, the resilient biasing means comprises a coil spring which embraces the narrow region of the shank portion.

Preferably the pin retention means comprises a magnet or the like having a pin engaging surface complementary to the head of the pin; the pin retention means is preferably attached to the other end of the shank portion.

The invention may be more clearly understood from a description of an embodiment thereof, given by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a tool according to the invention; Figure 2 is a cut-away sectional view of the tool of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a cut-away sectional view of the tool in use.

Referring to the drawings and initially to Figures 1 and 2, there is illustrated a drawing pin insertion tool, indicated generally by the reference numeral 1. The tool 1 comprises a housing 4 and a plunger 3 which can move axially within the housing 4. The plunger 3 has a cap portion 2 at one of its ends and a magnet 11 attached at the other end. Linking the cap portion 2 and magnet 11 is a stepped shank, having a thicker region 7 and a narrower region 8. A coil spring 9 embraces the narrower region 8 of the shank between the thicker region 7 and an annular rib 6 projecting inwardly from the inner surface of the housing 4. The annular rib is itself positioned between the magnet 11 and the thicker region 7 of the shank.The coil spring 9 normally biases the plunger 3 to a position where the magnet 11 is in a retracted position within the housing 4 in abutment with the annular rib 6, as shown in Figure 2. The magnet 11 has a pin engaging surface 12 shaped to accommodate the head 13 of a pin 10.

The housing 4 further comprises arms 5 outwardly projecting at substantially right angles to the outer surface of the housing 4. In use, the pin 10 is retained within the housing 4 by the magnet 11 when the plunger 3 is biased to its retracted position. Application of pressure to the cap portion 2 by the thumb or hand of a user, in the direction of arrow A in Figure 3, forces the plunger down into the housing 4. The narrower region 8 of the shank passes through the aperture of the annular rib 6 within the housing 4, thereby allowing the tip of the pin 10 to engage with and insert into a surface 20, upon continued application of pressure to the cap portion 2.

Movement of the plunger 3 is limited by the inability of the thicker region 7 of the shank to pass through the aperture defined by the annular rib 6 of the housing. The spring 9 is placed under compression by movement of the plunger 3 and is compressed between the annular rib 6 and the thicker region 7 of the shank. Removal of the pressure from the cap portion 2 relaxes the coil spring 9, which reverts to its uncompressed state biasing the plunger 3 towards its retracted position within the housing 4, ready for further use.

Claims

Claims:

1. A drawing pin insertion tool comprising: a hollow housing; a plunger having a shank portion and at one end of the shank portion, a cap portion having a diameter greater than the head of the pin, the plunger being axially movable within the housing; and pin retention means at the other end of said shank portion; such that upon application of pressure to the cap portion, whilst the housing is positioned substantially perpendicular to a surface, the pin may be inserted into the surface.

2. A drawing pin insertion tool according to claim 1, further comprising resilient biasing means arranged to normally bias the pin retention means to a retracted position within the housing.

3. A drawing pin insertion tool according to claim 2, wherein the resilient biasing means comprises a coil spring which embraces the shank portion.

4. A drawing pin insertion tool according to any preceding claim, wherein the pin retention means is comfortably embraced within the housing and is substantially equal in diameter to the head of the pin which is to be inserted.

5. A drawing pin insertion tool according to any preceding claim, wherein, with the retention means in the retracted position, the drawing pin is received substantially entirely within the housing.

6. A drawing pin insertion tool according to any preceding claim, wherein the shank portion of the plunger is stepped, having a region adjacent the cap portion which is of greater diameter than the region of the shank adjacent the other end.

7. A drawing pin insertion tool according to claim 6, wherein the housing comprises a formation or formations projecting inwardly from the inner surface of the housing and defining an aperture suitably dimensioned to permit axial movement of the narrower region of the shank therethrough.

8. A drawing pin insertion tool according to claim 7, wherein the formation or formations are provided within the housing intermediate the pin retention means and the thicker region of the shank portion.

9. A drawing pin insertion tool according to claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the projecting formation comprises a lug or annular rib integral with the housing.

10. A drawing pin insertion tool according to any of claims 7 to 9, wherein resilient biasing means is arranged to normally bias the pin retention means to a retracted position within the housing, the resilient biasing means being positioned intermediate the projecting formation and the thicker region of the shank portion.

11. A drawing pin insertion tool according to any preceding claim, further comprising a plurality of arms projecting outwardly from the outer surface of the housing at substantially right angles thereto, and intermediate the ends of the housing.

12. A drawing pin insertion tool according to any preceding claim, wherein the pin retention means comprises a magnet or the like.

13. A drawing pin insertion tool according to any preceding claim, wherein the pin retention means has a pin engaging surface shaped complementarily to the head of the pin.

14. A drawing pin insertion tool according to any preceding claim, wherein the pin retention means is attached to the other end of the shank portion.

15. A drawing pin insertion tool substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.