US2427268A - Clamping tool for flooring - Google Patents

Description

P 1947' Y J. H. FLIEMING E'I'AL 2,427,268

CLAMPING TOOL FOR FLOORING Filed Feb. 19, 1946 llilllll Patented Sept. 9, 1947 U;N-ITED [STATES PATENT 1 OFFICE James H. Fleming and iamesflk. Sisk,

Elberton, Ga.

Application February 19, 1946, Serial No. 648,164!) elements in close contact withother'elements, as

is desirable inlaying-flooring, ceiling, blocks or other material, where a: close joint is required and there are crackst'o be: eliminated as nearly as practicable before the elements are secured to joists or theirbases of building structures.

An object of theinvention is to produce a device having an-anchoring-means which engages a joist orother element on which the flooring or ceiling is to be attached by nailing or other:- wise, the said device having an arm, the end of which engages the member to be forced into juxtaposition or contact with; the previously laid floor or ceiling. member; the said arm. and anchoring means. being pivotallyconnected: to a lever on. opposite. sides. of. the fulcrum {Of the lever, so that when the lever is manipulated, it exerts force on these two members in opposite directions and is eifective to press the flooring or ceiling element into close contact with the previously laid element while it is being secured by nailing or other means.

A further object of the invention is to provide means by which the parts are held in their adjusted positions while the securing of the element under pressure is accomplished, all of which foregoing instrumentalities are associated with a base on which the lever is mounted.

A still further object of the invention is to produce a device of this character which comprises comparatively few, inexpensive parts that have proven eflicient and satisfactory in use.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, the invention consists in the details of construction, and in the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter more fully set forth nd claimed.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this application, wherein like characters denote corresponding parts in the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 illustrates a view in side elevation of a base and mounting for the lever and accompanying parts, the same being partly in section;

Figure 2 illustrates a plan View thereof;

Figure 3 illustrates a View of one end thereof, partly in section; and

Figure 4 illustrates a view in elevation of the opposite end, partly in section.

In these drawings l denotes a base having spaced cheek pieces 2 and 3, preferably integral therewith, and extending thereabove. A pivot or pin 4 extends through the cheek pieces, and a 1 Claim. (01. 254+1Ba) lever 5 is pivoted onthesaid pin. The edges of the cheekpieces. are-,inclinedsor beveled. and. they are'serrated toformteeth B. which are engaged by:a detent. .l, to; be presently explained, which serves to hold theleyer in different positions of adjustment, according: to, the location of the detent. whichengagesv the teeth on; the edges of the cheek pieces. 7

. The;lever. 5' has-a suitable handle at theouterend anditscinner end which extends beyond the pivotisrpreferably bifurcated, as. at 8. A-dog 9 oranchoring member; is mounted on a pivot, It. extending through thefurcations of the inner end o1the:lever-, and the said dog has claws or spurs-1 Isl whichimpinge the support for the floor board or. member to; be; laid, whereas an. arm l2 hasitsrinnervend mountedon-a pivot I3 extending througlrthelever, andthe outer end-of said arm is enlarged to form a head M which is faced for engaging the edge of a floor board or block which is to be pressed into contact or engagement with a previously laid part to which the floor board or forced into a support so that it forms a fulcrum by which the members 9 or [2 may be employed, as will presently appear, and when so used, the handle and the accompanying parts will be removed from the pivot 4 and for the time being the base will not be used, it being apparent that the parts may be re-assembled in the position in which they are shown in Fig. 1. The base when in use prevents heeling, turning, buckling or upsetting of the tool when pressure is applied or when the tool is locked in position, and is advantageous for use in any locations or situations when the device can be installed in its entirety.

In addition to the foregoing, the outer end of the handle is curved, as at l8, so that it may be pressed by the knee of an operator for retaining the parts in operative positions While the member to be fastened is secured by nailing or the like; and the outer end of the handle is furthermore provided with a nail notch 19 of any appropriate configuration. From the foregoing, it is evident that when the claws are applied to a joist or other support for the flooring or blocks and the head 54 is in engagement with an element such as a flooring board to be forced into place, movement of the lever in a clockwise direction will serve to imbed the claw so that a firm anchorage is had for holding the base against movement, and the lever will force the head I4 against the element to be laid and at the same time it will prevent buckling of the element while moving it into close engagement with the previously secured element of the flooring, ceiling, or the like, and when the detent engages the teeth, the parts will be held against movement while the floor board or element is secured in place, although the operator may press on the outer curved end of the handle and manually retain the handle against, movement.

In further explanation of the utility of the equipment, it is seen that the lever is detachable so that it may be used with the base in laying a flooring and such like material, but may be detached from the base to use in overhead or side wall operations. The lever swings freely in the base and its inner end is pointed and it may be used without the base, in which event it may be driven into the sub-surface and provide an anchorage so that the required pressure may be exerted in the laying of material overhead or on side walls or other operations where the base is not practical. It is seen that the member 9 which is pivoted to the inner end of the lever has prongs, claws or spurs l I which penetrate the sub-surface and as the main lever is moved backward to operate the member l2, the material is pushed into place and the spurs are driven into the sub-surface more firmly to supply a point of leverage and hold the tool in proper place for its purpose. The member ['2 which may be also termed a jack is designed to push the timber 4 or other material into place and close the crack between the timber or other material being placed.

We claim:

A clamping device of the character described comprising a base having spaced cheek pieces, a pivot extending through the space between the cheek pieces and supported by said cheek pieces, a lever oscillatably mounted on the pivot and having a handle at one end, the opposite end of the lever extending beyond the said pivot, a dog pivotally mounted on an end of the lever having means for anchoring it in place, an arm on the lever on the opposite side of the pivot, said arm having means at its end for engaging the edge of a floor board to be pressed into place, means for holding the lever at different positions of adjustment, the handle and parts attached thereto being demountable from the base, and the handle having an end forming an anchorage for the manipulation of the lever and the operation of the arm carried by the lever, the said handle also having a curved outer end with a fiat surface to be engaged by the operator for holding the lever in operative position while the member engaged by the arm is being secured.

JAMES H. FLEMING. JAMES T. SISK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,401,214 Watson Dec. 2'7, 1921 366,446 Bayer July 12, 1887 849,997 Helm Apr, 9, 1907

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