US2552519A - Board tightening tool - Google Patents

Description

y 1951 1.. c. CLAIR 2,552,519

7 80M TIGHTENING TOOL Filed Nov. 14, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Tin-5 I g f; 2/) 60/5 g 312-.- E 7 g f w 6 4 \\\&\\\\\ 14/ 320 Q m zslvrok. Z 97 BY W Y /0 a J /arr omviy Patented May 15, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOARD TIGHTENING TOOL Louis C. Clair, Bernice, La.

Application November 14, 1949, Serial No. 127,026

11 Claims. 1

My invention relates broadly to hand tools, and more particularly to a combination joist grip and lever device for tightening boards applied to joists.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a hand manipulated, board tightening tool which includes an engaging tong for gripping the joist with respect to which the boards are applied, for operation as a lever for tightening the boards preparatory to a nailing operation.

Another object of my invention is to provide a hand operated, board tightening tool including an automatic tong gripping device for applying the tool to a joist for pivoting the tool as a simple lever for movement in effecting a board tightening operation.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a hand operated, board tightening tool including a lever member and a pair of gripping tongs in which the lever member is movable to either of two limiting positions for controlling V the closing and opening of the tongs for applying the tongs or removing the tongs from a joist when using the tool as a lever for tightening boards with respect to'the joist.

Still another object of my invention is to pro vide a unique construction of cam shaped terminus for the operating handle of a board tightening tool coacting with complementary shaped, cam shaped ends on a pair of angularly rockable tongs, which in one position grip opposite sides of a joist and serve as pivot means about which the tool may be rocked, while in an O posite position the tongs are spread to release the tool from the engaging position.

Other and further objects of my invention reside in the construction of coasting tong and cam faces in a joist gripping and board tightening tool, as set forth more fully in the specification hereinafter following by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the tool of my invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the tool shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially on line .3- 3 of Fig. 2 through the end portion of the tool, and showing the end of one of the tongs broken away and illustrated in section; Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view through the tool of my invention, taken substantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on line 5-5 of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on line 8-45 of Fig. 3; Fig. '7 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on line l'! of Fig. 3; Fig. 8 is a view similar to the view illustrated in Fig. 3, but showing the handle of the tool angularly shIfted to enable the cam shaped terminus of the tool to effect an angular displacement of the tongs when inserting the tool over or remov- 2 ing the tool from a joist, as distinguished from the disclosure in Fig. 3 illustrating the tongs moved to engaged position; Fig. 9 is a schematic view showing the tool of my invention being applied to a joist preparatory to a board tightening operation; Fig. 10 shows the tool moved to position engaging the joist and in position for performing a board tightening operation; Fig. 11 is a side elevational view of the tool pivotally positioned on the joist as in Fig. 10 and illustrating the manner in which the tool is moved as a lever to tighten an applied board to the previously secured boards with respect to the joist; and Fig. 12 illustrates the tool in applied position tightening a loose board with respect to previously secured boards, preparatory for the securing of the board thus tightened.

My invention is directed to a simple and compact construction of board tightening tool which i particularly suitable for facilitating the laying of tongue and groove flooring and siding with respect to joists or beams, and which may be conveniently manipulated by one hand for controlling the opening and closing of tongs with respect to a joist, the securing of the tongs in pivotal relation to the joist, and the movement of the tool as a lever for tightening siding or floor boards with respect to the joist, for performing a nailing operation. The tool of my invention comprises a handle member pivotally mounted in a frame structure, and movable to either of two limiting positions in coaction with a tongs formed by a pair of pivotally mounted levers. The levers are pivotally mounted in the frame structure, and are provided at their extremities with means for pivotally gripping a joist or beam, and are provided at their opposite extremities with cam shaped ends which coact with cam shaped recesses and a cam shaped terminus on the pivotally mounted handle member, and operative under control of resilient mean for movement to either a spread or engaged position with respect to a joist. The tool of my invention is formed from a relatively small number of parts and is capable of manufacture inexpensively on a mass production scale. The tool is compact in construction and because of the fact that it is readily manipulated by one hand of the operator, it may be readily applied and held by the left hand while performing a nailing operation with the right hand.

Referring to the drawings in detail, reference character I designates the tool handle having a cam shaped terminus 2. The cam shaped terminus 2 includes a rounded edge portion 2a,

and an abrupt edge portion 21), which integrally connect with cam shaped recesses or V-shaped side notches in the terminus of the tool, as represented at l2 and I4. The V-shaped side notches l2 and M are ofiset with respect to each other position displaced substantially from the center line of the tool and offset from the V-shaped notch I2. The location of the V-shaped notches I2 and I l in the terminus of the tool handle is very important, as these notches coast with the shaped ends of tongs I and IS in controlling the movement of the tongs a the angularity or" tool handle I is changed from one limiting position to another.

The cam shaped terminus 2 of the tool handle I is centrally apertured at 3 for receiving a cylindrical journalling sleeve 6i therein, through which the headed bolt 1 extends for journalling tool handle i for angular movement between the 2 on the terminus of tool handle I. The extremities of the tongs I5 and I6 are formed along angular edge portions I502 and IGd which correspond to the shapes of cams I4 and I2 and coact therewith.

The tongs I5 and I6 are provided with recesses ifie and [6e therein, through which cylindrical journalling sleeves I1 and I8 extend, and about tapered polygonally shaped frame plates 5 and r 6 of the tool. The frame plates 5 and 6 are spaced apart by the journalling sleeve 4 in aperture 3 of tool handle I, and by the journalling sleeves ii and IS through which bolts l9 and pass for journalling tongs I5 and is between frame plates 5 and 6. r

The handle member I, journalled by means of journalling sleeve l between frame plates 5 and 5, is confined in position by headed bolt i, having a headed end la on one end thereof, and a securing nut 8 on the other end thereof. A longitudinally extending spring strip 9 is secured under the headed end la of bolt I, and extends coincidentally with the direction of tool handle l and terminates in a finger actuator grip 9a. The spring strip 9 carries a detent Ill thereon, adapted to engage in recess I I in tool handle I when the tool handle I is moved to the central position illustrated in Figs. 1-7 and 1012. In this position the tongs I5 and I6 are maintained in joist engaging position, as illustrated more particularly in Figs. 10- 2. When, however, the tongs I5 and I6 are to be spread for applying the tool over a joist, as illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9, the finger actuatorg'rip ta of the longitudinally extending spring strip 9 is displaced to dotted line position Ga, as shown in Fig. 4, which withdraws detent Iii from recess II enabling handle l to be angularly shifted to the position illustrated in Fig. 8 or 9 for spreading the tongs I5 and It.

The structure of the tongs I5 and I6 which enable these tongs to be spread or contracted, is very important. The tongs i5 and It are recessed at their interior adjacent edges, as represented at i5a and Ita, for embracing opposite sides of a joist such as 2%, as hown in Figs. 9-12. The inner edges of the recesses i511 and Ida carry replaceable spikes 22 and 23, which serve a the engagement and pivot means for the tool with respect to the opposite sides of the joist 24. These replaceable spikes are shown more particularly in Fig. 3, as illustrated for example by spike 23, which has a shank portion 23a and a shoulder portion 23b adapted to he slipped into a correspondingly shaped recess in the end of the tong. As these spikes become worn they may be renewed from time to time.

The'opposite ends of the tongs I5 and it have differing lengths I5?) and I522. The end i5?) is interiorly shaped to provide an abrupt recess iEc, which ooacts with the abrupt edge portion 22) of the cam 2 on the terminus of handle 4. The end I60 of tong I6 is interiorly curved to coact with the rounded edge portion 2a of cam which the tongs l5. and I6 pivot. The inner adjacent edge faces of tongs I5 and I5 are provided with socket recesses I51 and ltj'aligned with each other, and between which expansion coil spring ii is confined. The center line of sockets I5f and I6 is displaced from the centers of the journalling sleeves I1 and It, providing a continuous turning moment for the tongs I5 and it about the journalling sleeves I'i and I8. This turning moment is resisted by theoperation of cam shaped terminus 2 between the adjacent interior edge faces I50 and I60 of tongs I5 and 56, so that coil spring 2! operates to spread tongs I5 and. IE upon movement of the cam shaped terminus 2 to the position illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9, whereas the movement of cam shaped terminus 2 to the position illustrated in Fig. 3 serves to compress coil spring 2I and move the tongs i5 and It to a position in which spikes 22 and 23 engage the joist 24 as shown in Figs. lo-l2. Headed bolts I9 and 29 pass through the tapered polygonally shaped frame plates 5 and S and are secured by nuts I912 and 29a, whereby the tongs I5 and I6 are free to rock under control of the cam shaped terminus 2 and the expansion coil spring 2|.

In the operation of the tool of my invention, the loose tongue and groove board 25 is moved to a position adjacent the tongue and groove secured flooring 25, and the tongs l5 and I6 spread by disengagement of detent I9 and movement of tool handle i through the limits of an acute angle to the position illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9, and the tool inserted over the joist 24 and pivotally gripped by the engagement of spikes 22 and 23 in the sides thereof. The tool handle i is now restored to a centrally aligned position as illustrated in Figs. l-7 and 10-12 by reverse movement of the tool handle through the limits of an acute angle, and the tool handle latched in position by the displacement of spring strip 9 and detent Iii, allowing detent IE3 to enter recess ii for centrally aligning tool handle I with the side frames of the tool. handle and side frames of the tool are all fiat, with the handle and tongs arranged in coplanar relation between side frames 5 and 6. The pivotal connection is made with the opposite sides of the joist 24 in an approximate location immediately below the leading edge of loose board 25, as shown in Fig. 11, so that the tool may be operated as a lever, as shown in Fig. 12, to engage the leading edge of loose board 25 by the flat faces of tongs I5 and it, as illustrated in Fig. 12, for moving loose board 25 into atight position with respect to secured boards 25, as shown in Fig. 12. The previously secured boards 26 which have been nailed, as represented at 21, may now have the board 25 secured with respect thereto as shown in Fig. 12.

Itwill be understood that the tool is applied totighten the loose boards with respect to the secured boards at one joist location, while nailing is completed at the adjacent joist location. I have illustrated my invention particularly adapted for the laying, tightening and securing of tongue and groove flooring, but I desire that The tongs and '5 it be understood that my invention is equally applicable to the securing of siding with respect to joists.

The tool is particularly adapted for applying a straightening force to warped or crooked boards to spring them in position in which they may be secured by nailing.

I have referred to the frame structure as constituted by pclygonally shaped plates 5 and 6. These plates have the shape of isosceles trapezoids, that is, the plates have two parallel sides and two non-parallel sides tapered from the operating handle end of the tool outwardly toward the tongs end of the tool.

I have found the tool of my invention highly practical and successful in its operation, and while I have described my invention in one of its preferred embodiments I realize that modifications may be made and I desire that it be understood that no limitations upon my invention are intended other than may be imposed by the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows:

1. A tool comprising a frame structure, tongs pivotally mounted in said frame structure and comprising a pair of pivotally mounted flat lever members, a handle member pivotally mounted in said frame structure and terminating in a cam shaped terminus operative between said tongs, means for yieldably maintaining said tongs in engagement with said cam shaped terminus, said handle member being shiftable through the limits of an acute angle for spreading or collapsing said tongs, and means carried by said tongs for establishing a pivotal connection about which the said tongs may be oriented.

2. A tool comprising a frame structure formed by a pair of spaced flat side frames, tongs constituted by a pair of rockably mounted levers pivoted between said side frames, a hand actuated lever pivotally mounted between said side frames and having a cam shaped terminus thereon extending between ends of the lever members constituting said tongs, said handle member being movable through the limits of an acute angle for angularly displacing said tongs and centering spikes carried by said tongs for engaging opposite sides of a joist when said handle member is moved to a position centrally aligned with said frame structure.

3. A tool comprising a frame structure formed by a pair of spaced flat plates, a tongs formed by a pair of lever members pivotally mounted approximately midway of the length thereof for rockable movement between said flat plates, said tongs having cam shaped portions at the inner adjacent ends therein, a lever member pivotally mounted in said frame structure and having a cam shaped terminus thereon operative between the cam shaped end portions of the said tongs, means for yieldably maintaining the cam shaped portions of said tongs in engagement with the cam shaped terminus of said handle member, and pivotal engagement spikes carried by the inner edges of the other ends of said tongs.

4. A tool comprising a frame structure, a pair of pivotally mounted tongs disposed within said frame structure, said tongs having cam shaped end portions thereon extending adjacent each other, a handle member pivotally mounted in said frame structure in a position intermediate the cam shaped ends of said tongs, a cam shaped terminus on said pivotally mounted lever member engageable with the cam shaped ends of said tongs, means for yieldably maintaining the cam shaped ends of said tongs in engagement with the cam shaped terminus of said lever member, and pivotal connection members carried by the other end of said tongs and movable in alignment toward and away from each other accordto the movement of the cam shaped terminus of said handle member with respect to the cam shaped ends of said tongs.

5. A tool as set forth in claim 4 in which said handle member and said tongs are coplanar and wherein a resiliently mounted detent is carried by said frame structure and yieldably operative for latching said handle member in central alignment with said frame structure and said tongs when said tongs are moved to a position in which the pivotal connection members approach each other in engagement position.

6. A tool as set forth in claim 4 in which the cam shaped terminus on said handle member includes a rounded edge portion and an abrupt edge portion in combination with a pair of offset V-shaped side notches, and wherein the cam shaped end portions of said tongs are shaped to coact with the aforesaid cam shaped terminus as said handle member is moved through the limits of an acute angle for spreading and contracting said tongs.

7. A tool as set forth in claim 4 in which said frame structure is substantially flat and in which said tongs and handle member are coplanar and disposed between the flat frame structure and wherein the cam shaped end portions of said tongs include a curved edge portion on one of the tongs and an abrupt offset edge portion on the other of the tongs, with said cam shaped terminus formed by a rounded edge portion coacting with the curved cam shaped end portion of the aforesaid tong, with an abrupt edge portion on said terminus coacting with the abrupt cam shaped end portion of the said tongs, and wherein said cam shaped terminus includes a pair of ofiset V-shaped notches at opposite edges thereof, each coacting with the ends of said tongs for facilitating the spreading and contracting of said tongs as said handle member is angularly shifted in a plane coplanar with the planes of said tongs.

8. A tool as set forth in claim 4 in which said frame structure is formed by a pair of fiat, tapered, polygonally shaped plate members, with said tongs and said handle member disposed therebetween in coplanar relation.

9. A tool as set forth in claim 4 in which said tongs are recessed adjacent the pivotal connection members to embrace and extend over the edge and opposite sides of a joist.

10. A tool as set forth in claim 4 in which said tongs have unequal lengths for overlapping the cam shaped terminus of said handle member by unequal amounts.

11. A tool as set forth in claim 4 in which the means for yieldably maintaining said tongs in engagement with the cam shaped terminus of said lever member consists of aligned sockets in adjacent edges of said tongs offset from the pivotal mounting thereof, and an expansion coil spring disposed between said sockets for normally urging the pivotal connection members carried by the ends of said tongs to separated positions.

LOUIS C. CLAIR.

No references cited.

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