US2262832A - Hanger catch for tools and other objects - Google Patents

Description

Nov 18, 1941. H T, CALDWELL 2,262,832

HANGER CATCH FOR TOOLS AND OTHER OBJECTS Filed Aug. 12, 1939 IN VEN TOR.

Patented Nov. 18, 1941 HANGER CATCH FOR TOOLS AND OTHER OBJECTS Harold Tinsley Caldwell, Claremont, Calif. Application August 12, 1939, Serial No. 289,922

6 Claims.

My invention relates to a hanger catch for tools or other objects, and particularly to a hanger catch capable of being secured to and made a permanent part of the tool and adapted to function as a means of engagement with a vertical or inclined surface of an object in a manner to support the tool thereon.

My invention is particularly adapted for use with carpenters saws and other tools and the tools of artisans engaged in construction or repair work. Such tools are commonly leaned against the inclined or vertical surface of a wall, sawhorse, or other object, in which case they frequently fall with possible injury to the tool and inconvenience to the artisan. In some cases, such as, for instance, when artisans are working upon a sloping roof, it is difficult and inconvenient to provide means for supporting a tool laid down upon the roof. A tool provided with a hanger catch made in accordance with my invention will be automatically secured in supported relationship to a wall, sawhorse, or roof having a vertical or inclined surface. Tools provided with a hanger catch of my invention may be laid down and picked up frequently without attention upon the part of the artisan to the matter of support for the tool, and without danger of the tool falling fromor slipping upon'the surface on which it is laid.

It is one object of my invention to provide a device to be mounted upon a tool or other object which, when the tool is placed against a vertical or inclined surface, will automatically engage the surface and support the tool.

It is another object of my invention to provide such a device which will automatically assume an inoperative and harmless position when the tool is removed from the supporting surface, and in which it will be protected from damage and will not cause injury to the artisan or to surrounding objects.

It is another object of my invention to accomplish the aforesaid objects by a simple and inexpensive device which is unlikely to become broken or need repairs or adjustment.

Other objects of the invention and advantages attendant upon its use will appear from the following description of the invention, the drawing, and the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan View of a hanger catch embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Figs. 1 and 2; I

Fi 4 is a sectional view of the catch taken on the same plane as that of Fig. 3, showing the catch mounted in a saw handle and in a position of engagement with an inclined piece of wood;

poses only and that the invention is capable ofuse on other tools and objects.

A housing 2 in the general form of a cylindrical cup is formed with an integral threaded shank H which engages an interiorly threaded screw I,

which is one of several similar screws such as are commonly provided on saw handles to secure the saw blade in position.

The side of the saw handle opposite the screw l is formed with a cylindrical recess 19 to receive the housing 2. turning in the recess H! by means of a laterally projecting rib l l which seats in a correspondingly shaped slot in the wall of the cylindrical recess IQ of the handle.

An arm 4 is revolvably mounted upon a horizontal pin 5 which is secured to and between opposite sides of the wall 2| of the housing 2. The arm 4 is thus adapted to oscillate over 'a limited range of angular movement. A needle I is seated in the body of the arm 4 and rigidly held in position therein by a set screw 8 with a pointed end 22 of the needle projecting from one end of the arm 4. The pointed end 22 of the needle 'I fits within and is shrouded by a notch I4 formed in the side wall of the housing 2 and an aligned notch l5 in the saw handle 3 and is held in seated and shrouded position in those notches by a spring 6 held between the bottom wall 23 of the inner chamber of the housing 2 and the under surface 24 of the arm 4.

A safety catch I0 is mounted upon a vertical rivet 9 carried by the housing in a manner to permit it to be swung into or out of engagement with a notch l2 formed in the rear face of the 5 arm 4, or into a notch l6 also formed in the rear face of the arm 4 and near the upper edge thereof. The notches l2 and I6 are so disposed in the arm. 4 that when the notch I2 is engaged by the catch Hi, the needle I is held immovably in its shrouded position in the notches l4 and I5, and when the notch 16 is engaged by the catch ID, the needle 1 is held in its uppermost position against the action of the spring 6 and projects outwardly in an unshrouded position from the body of the saw handle, as shown in Fig. 4.

The housing is prevented from It will be understood that while I have described my hanger catch in connection with and as mounted on a saw handle, the device readily lends itself to manufacture as a separate article of commerce to be sold for installation on saw handles or, with appropriate modifications as to the shape of the housing and means of attachment, on other tools and other. objects.

When installed upon a saw handle orother tool, the device operates as follows: I

The catch I is placed in a position in which it is out of engagement with both notches I 2 and I6. The spring 6 holds the needle 1 in re tracted position in the notches l4 and I5. When the workman wishesto' lay aside the saw temporarily, he presses it against the side of a vertical or nearly vertical surface of an article of wood or other material capable of being pierced by a needle point, or he lays it down without the manual application of pressure upon an inclined surface 25 ofa similar article of wood 26 of a wall constructed of boards of wood or like material. In either case the outer portion of the arm 4 will be contacted by the surface of the object against which the saw is placed, compressing-the spring 6 and causing the point 22 of the needle I to move outwardly into a position of angular relationship,

with the longitudinal lines of the saw. In this position the force applied to the needle by the manual pressure of the workmen or by the weight of the saw as the case may be will cause the needle point to pierce and the needle'will enter the surface of wood or other like material and then support the saw against the action of gravity.

, When it is again desired to use the saw, itis lifted, disengaging the point of the needle 1 from the retaining object and permitting the spring 6 to retract the needle to its inoperative shrouded position within the notches l4 and I5.

, If it is desired to hang the saw or other tool from a horizontal surface, such as a desk, the workman may press upon the arm 4, moving the needle 1 into its projecting unshrouded positionv to enable it to engage and rest upon the horizontal surface.

' Whenthe' saw is not being used for any extendedperiod of time, the needle point may be secured in its retracted shrouded position-by placing :thecatch in the notch l2, preventing accidental'exposure'of the needle point to the possible harm ofpersons or objects.

When, on the other hand, for any reason it is desiredto lock the needle in operative unshrouded position, as, forinstance, to insure itsready engagement with a wooden object without the aid of the application of pressure by the workman, or to enableit to engage and rest upon a horizontal surface, the catchlfl may be swung into position in the notch l6, preventing the spring 6 from retracting the needle I.

Theonly part of the device of my invention which is subject to any considerable wear is the needle I, which is'readily removable for replace.- ment by a newneedle by simply loosening the set screw 8.

While inthe embodiment of my invention described herein and shown in the drawing there is used a needle having a sharplpoint, it is apparent that a projection having a blunt outer end ma *be used with vertical or inclined surfaces:

which have horizontal ribs or other horizontally faced projections capable of supporting engagementwith a projection of such character.

' It is also obvious that while'in the embodiment with a vertical or inclined surface, exposing the catch for engagement with the supporting object. My invention may be used in other modified forms adapted to various tools and objects and is not limited to the particular embodiment shown but is defined in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention: 7 1. In combination with a tool having a recess formed therein: a lever intermediately pivoted within said recess on an axis substantially parallel to the surface of the tool adjacent said recess and oscillatable over a limited angle of movement; a catch projection on one end of said lever adapted at one limit ofsaid movement to engage an external object in a manner to support said tool and at the other limit of said movement to be precluded from said engagement; a lug on the other end of said' lever disposed thereon to assume a position for pressural engagement with said object when said lever is in said second position; and spring, means forurging said lever to its second position.

, '2. In combination with a tool: a tool supporting element movably mounted on the tool means on the tool for stopping the movement of said element at a first projecting position for tool supporting engagement with an external object and at a second withdrawn position precluding i on the tool for stopping the movement of said element at a first projecting position for tool supporting, engagement with an external object' I and at a second withdrawn position precluding such engagement; resilient means for urging the element from its first to its second position; means operatively connected tothe element for moving the element from its second to its first position, comprising a projecting lug disposed.- for'pressural engagement with said object and operable by said engagement to move inwardly toward said tool; means for positively locking the element in its second position against the action of said moving means; and means for,

positively locking the element'in its first position against the action of said'resilient means.

' 4. In combination with a hand saw or other like tool: an element movably'mounted on the tool and movable between a first projecting position in which it is capable of having contact with a surface of a wall, fioor, roof or other like external object, said contact being of a character to hang the tool on said object and a second withdrawn and shrouded position in which it is precluded from having such'contact; andan inwardly yieldable projecting means carried by said tool operable by a pressural engagement with said surface of said object to move inwardly toward said tool for moving said element from its second position to its first position.

5. In combination with a hand saw or other like tool: an element movably mounted on the tool; means on the tool for stopping the movement of said element at a first projecting position in which it is capable of having contact with a surface of a Wall, floor, roof or other like external object, said contact being of a character to hang the tool on said object and at a second withdrawn position precluding such contact; resilient means for urging the element from its first position to its second position; and means operatively connected to the element for moving the element from its second position to its first position, comprising a projecting lug disposed for pressural engagement with said surface of said object and operable by said engagement to move inwardly toward said tool.

6. In combination with a hand saw or other like tool: an element mounted on and projecting from the tool in a position in which it is capable of having contact with a surface of a wall, floor, roof or like external object, said contact being of a character to hang the tool on said object;

10 means on the tool for shrouding said projecting element to render it incapable of having such contact; and inwardly yieldable movable means carried by said tool comprising a projecting lug disposed for pressural engagement with said surface of said object and operable by said engagement to move inwardly toward said tool for relatively moving said element and said shrouding means to unshroud said element.

HAROLD TINSLEY CALDWELL.

Images