US2608793A - Upholstering tool - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 2, 1952 w, GANT 2,608,793

UPHOLSTERING TOOL Filed April 30, 1948 C/aud W 6am INYENTOR.

ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 2, 1952 V I L 'UPHoLsTEmNG'rooLf I g Claud:W.iGant, Dallas, Tex.

, 2 Claims. (01. cs-giety This invention relates to upholsterers' tools and equipment and more particularly to a tool for tensioning fabric covering, netting and binding materials.

The principal object of the invention is to'prorelationship of the movable jaw and lever being such that movement of the latter into parallelism with the handle will exert a; compressive force tending to actuate the movablejaw into clamping relationship with the stationary jaw and so hold the same, due to off dead center position assumedby the pivotal point'between the movable jaw and' lever and the respective pivotal points of the jaw. and lever;

Another object of the invention is to provide an upholstering tool in which the movable jawis provided with a series of longitudinally spaced and sharpened prongs perpendicular to the jaw and adapted to engage upholstering material While the arcuated head, in inverted position of the tool, serves as a fulcrum adapted to bear on a stationary part of the work while the handle is moved to impose tension on the material preparatory to tacking.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tool as set forth whose described facilities for clamping and stretching fabrics and netting are so designed and arranged that a secure purchase may be had on the material for tensioning whether the margin is narrow or wide, with little likelihood of tearing the material.

With the foregoing objects in View, the invention has further reference to certain features of accomplishment which will become apparent as the description proceeds, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an upholstering tool embodying the invention showing the jaws expanded.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view.

Figure 8 is a bottom plan view. and

Figure 4 is a perspective view in longitudinal section.

Continuing with a more detailed description of the drawing, reference numeral l denotes the head of the tool, which is formed with an arouated surface, having a covering H 'of leather, rubber or other suitable materia lfto protect from defacement of finished surface against which it may .be placed as afulcru'm; in the manner to be presentlyexplained-,

' A handle I2 is"formed on or attached to the head-1t; the latter being' at right angles to the handlefasfshown." The underside of the head and aport'ion of'the length'of the handle is rah-- beted'to accor'mnodate an elongated plate It which is-secured to the head and'handle' by means of screws I' l-r This plate-terminates at it's forward end" in a longitudinally ribbed jaw which has been and-mayhereafter be referred to as the stationaryja'w and-whichissecured'to the'unders'ide of the head l0; flush withitsfor-wardedge, Formed on-and dependingfror'n the opposite edge of the plate I3is a pair of'ears 16 adjacent the forepart of the-tool. Anarm-il is disposed between the ears l6" and is'pivoted thereto intermediate its ends by means'of a pin l6; Formed integrallywith one end" of the arm H is a jaw l9, referred to herein as then-lovable jaw. This jaw is likewise provided with longitudinal ribs which are adapted to mesh with the ribs of jaw l5 when in operative engagement therewith.

The rear end of the arm 17 is bifurcated to receive a projection formed on an end of a lever 20 and is pivoted thereto by means of a pin 2! which extends through an opening a in the said projection, the opening being slightly larger in diameter than the pin to allow the latter to move past dead center for the purpose to be presently explained. The forward end of the lever 20 is lying in a recess in the underside of the handle l2 exerts a force on the lever 20 rearwardly of the pivot 22 tending to overcome the off dead center position of the pivot 2|, thus retracting the movable jaw l9 in relation to the companion jaw [5. However, the spring 24 actually serves to hold the jaw 19 in open position to prevent closing thereof while the jaws are being used. When not in use, the jaw I9 is held, against the thrust of spring; 24.. by the off-centered position of the pivot 2| downwardly, asshown in Figure 2.

The jaw t9 isprovidedwith a serie of sharpened prongs.orteethiispaced the length thereof. These prongsare adapted to engage, the material being used in upholstering, when the tool is inverted from the position shown in the several views. The covered portion 01' the head is placed against a solid stationary part oi the piece being upholstered as a fulcrum while the handle [2 is moved in an arc to impose tension on the material until the latter can be secured as by tacking. The width of the head provides adequate purchase of the material, either by the jaws l5--l9 or prongs 25 and avoids tearing or shredding of the i'abric or netting, as the case may be.

Since the foregoing description combines the function of the tool with the construction and relationship of parts, its operation is deemed to be obvious to those skilled in the art.

Manifestly, the construction as shown and described is capable of some modification and such modification as may be construed to fall within the scope and meaning of the appended claims is also considered to be within the spirit and intent of the invention.

What is claimed isi 1. In an upholstering tool, the combination comprising a substantially T-shape'd member defining an integral head having a substantially flat underside and a substantially semi-cylindrical upper portion, and a handle at right angles to said head having a flat underside on the same plane as the underside of said head and provided with a longitudinal recess, a longitudinally ribbed jaw stationary with the underside of said head adjacent the forward edge thereof, and disposed at right angles to the longitudinal axis of said handle, a movable jaw having ribs meshing with the ribs of said stationary jaw and provided with an arm at right angles thereto, a plate affixed in the longitudinal recess of said handle, parallel ears depending from the forward end of said plate pivotally Supporting said arm intermediate its ends for rocking displacement, a second pair of ears depending from said plate adjacent its rear end, a lever having a bend intermediate its ends and pivoted to a second pair of ears. m s pivotally connecting the forward end of said lever loosely to the rearward end of said arm, and spring means interposed between said plate and said lever rearwardly of said second 5 pair of cars and effective to normally urge said movable jaw towards disengaged position.

2. In an upholstering tool, the combination comprising an elongated, semi-cylindrical head and a handle at right angles to said head, said head and handle being in a single piece and having a flat and recessed undersurface, a plate afiixed in the recess of said undersurface and extending longitudinally of said handle, two longitudinally spaced pairs of ears depending from said plate, a stationary jaw afiixed to and coextensive with the underside of said head, a movable jaw, an arm on said movable jaw at right angles thereto and extending rearwardly under said head and pivotally supported in one of the pairs of ears of said plate, an angular lever disposed longitudinally on the underside of said handle and pivotally supported in the other of said pairs of. ears and whose forward end is loosely pivoted to the rearward end of said arm and operable to advance said movable jaw against said stationary jaw, and spring means interposed between said. plate and lever for normally resisting closing movement of said movable jaw.

" CLAUD W. GANT.

' REFERENCES CITED Thefollowing references are of record in the file of this patent:

- UNITED STATES PATENTS

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