US2957376A

US2957376A - Hand tool for removing dents

Info

Publication number: US2957376A
Application number: US769616A
Authority: US
Inventors: Charles W Parisi
Original assignee: PARKER METAL PRODUCTS Co
Current assignee: PARKER METAL PRODUCTS Co
Priority date: 1958-10-27
Filing date: 1958-10-27
Publication date: 1960-10-25
Anticipated expiration: 1977-10-25

Description

Oct. 25, 1960 c. w. PARlSl 2,957,376

HAND TOOL FOR REMOVING DENTS Filed 001:. 27, 1958 f n 5171b? CA/APLZS 14/ PAP/S/ 744, aw w s TOOL FOR REMOVING DENTS Charles W. Parisi, Maywood, 111., assignor, by mesne assignments, of one-half to Parker Metal Products Company, Chicago, 111., a copartnership Filed Oct. 27, 1958, Ser. No. 769,616

10 Claims. (Cl. 81--15) quiring great skill, and highly developed techniques in hammering the dented or creased areas, stretching of metal and removal of upholstery headliner or double panelling structure.

The present invention eliminates these specialized techniques and permits repair of body and fender dents and j creasesby the average layman with but little efiort and expense.

The tool of the invention comprises a substantially rigid bar or rod of metal or other suitable material having a first section disposed in predetermined obtusely angled relationship to an elongated second or handle sectiou, a horn or hook carried by the first section in predetermined spaced relation to the juncture between the first and second sections and a base plate adapted to be positioned against the vehicle body or fender, providing a fulcrum for the rod at the juncture between the first .and second sections thereof and having aflixed thereto a loop structure for retaining the rod in appropriate alignment with the plate.

In accordance with the method of the invention, a plurality of holes are drilled in the bottom portions of the dents or creases, the holes preferably having a diameter in the neighborhood of M; of an inch.

Thereupon a portion of the hook which extends in preferably parallel and proximate relation to the first rod section, is inserted into each of the holes successively, and manual force is applied at the end of the second rod section to raise the dented or creased area to the level of the surrounding body or fender structure. For this .purpose, the plate may be placed in partially overlying relationship to the dented or creased area and may act as-a stop to determine the upper limit to which one dented or creased area shall be raised. Desirably, the plate is provided with a resilient cushioning material such as sponge rubber to prevent marring the body surfaces. The 'holes are preferably formed adjacent the boundaries of the dents or creases and the plate positioned adjacent thereto so that the described lifting force is directed substantially normal to the plane of the surrounding surfaces, and after the lifting action has been completed, the holes are filled with a suitable plastic and the surfaces finished to a uniform level and painted.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a tool and method for straightening body and fender dents and creases whereby the difficult and expensive techniques and tools which have heretofore been required for this purpose are eliminated, so that the job United States Patent "ice may be easily accomplished by almost any interested person.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method for removing vehicle body dents and creases in which a plurality of small holes are drilled around the bottom of the dent or crease, and hook means are successively inserted in the holes to permit manual operation of a lever carrying the hook means so as to bring the dented or creased area to the level of the surrounding material, the holes being thereafter filled with suitable plastic or the like and the surfaces smoothed and painted.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tool for removing dents and creases in a vehicle body or fender or the like comprising a base plate and fulcrum adapted to seat against the body or fender and a lever carrying hook means for engaging within the apertures described, the lever having an angled configuration defining an apex adjacent the hook means adapted to be pivotally supported on the base plate in a position defined by loop means on the base plate.

Another object of the invention is to provide hook means as described which will preserve the sheet material during use and which may be readily adjusted as desired to meet specific requirements.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tool as described which is simple in construction and which may be manufactured at relatively low cost without the need for special dies or the like.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds in accordance with the drawings in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of a tool according to the present invention in operative relation with a vehicle;

Figure 2 is a side elevation view of the tool of the invention, partly in vertical section;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the tool; and

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along the lines 4-4 of Figure 3.

Referring now to Figures 1-3, the tool 10 of the invention comprises a base plate 12 having an area sufiicient to seat upon a body surface in partially overlying relationship to a dent or crease to be removed. In a preferred form of the invention, the plate 12 includes a metal rectangular upper plate portion 14 and a sheet of resilient shock absorbent material such as sponge rubber 16 secured by glue or other suitable means to the under surface of the plate portion 14. The dimensions of the base plate may be varied to suit particular needs and conditions although it has been found that a width of in the neighborhood of 2V2 inches and a length of in the neighborhood of 3 /2 to 4 inches is suitable for most purposes. Preferably, the forward edge 18 of the sheet 16 is at least coterminous with the forward edge 20 of the upper plate portion 14, and may be extended slightly in advance of the edge 20 to protect the vehicle surfaces from being scratched or otherwise marred.

The base 12 serves as a fulcrum for a lever rod 22 having a first section 24 integrally formed with a second section 25 in predetermined obliquely. angular relation thereto. The first section 22 carries a horn or hook element 26 adjacent the end 28 thereof as hereinafter described, the hook element 26 being disposed in predetermined spaced relation to the juncture 30 between the sections 24 and 25 such as to afford a desired range of movement for the hook when the juncture 30 is positioned against the base 12 as shown in dot and dash in Figure 2. In order to guide and retain the rod 22, a preferably rectangular loop structure 32 is secured to the upper portion 14 of the plate 12 by welding or other suitable means, and is dimensioned and configured to loosely receive the rod in slidable and pivotal relation therein, while acting as a stop for the hookelement 26 so as to prevent accidental disassociation of the rod from the plate. Desirably, however, the rod may be removed by rotating it one-eighth of a turn from the position shown in Figure 2, the internal diagonal dimension of the aperture 34 defined by the loop being preferably suflicient to permit passage of the hook therethrough.

The book element 26 includes a first section 36 which is adjustably received in a transversely extending aperture 38 formed in the rod section 24, and a second portion 40 which preferably extends beneath the rod section 24 in proximate, parallel relation thereto. The first hook section 36 may be set at a slightly oblique angle and the aperture 38 canted slightly accordingly; and in order to rcleasably secure the hook in position, a set screw 42 is threadedly received in an axially extending bore 44 opening into the aperture or bore 38 as shown. Rotation of the set screw 42 by an Allen wrench or the like will thus disengage the hook element 26 to permit resetting thereof relative to the rod section 24.

The lower hook section 40 is preferably set in axially extending relation to the rod section 24, and has a length relative to the length of the section 24 beyond the aperture 38 such as to project beyond the end 28 of the section :24 for a predetermined distance such as to permit ready insertion of the hook element into apertures in the dent areas as hereinafter further described.

In practising the invention, therefore, a plurality of holes 46 are drilled in the dented or creased areas 48 of a vehicle 50, and so as to avoid drilling through the headliner, it is desirable that the drill be extended only for approximately ,5 beyond the chuck jaws carrying the drill. These holes may be, for example, approximately M4" in diameter, and are preferably formed substantially around the bottom surfaces of the dent or crease as shown.

'Ihe base plate 12 is thereupon placed in contiguous relation to the dent or crease, preferably in partially overlying relation thereto, so that the hook element may be readily inserted and the base provide a firm support for the lever bar 22. Thus the hook will be spaced slightly from the forward edge 20 of the plate 12 at such time. As shown, the lower portion 40 of the hook will contact the dented area adjacent the hole receiving the hook, and will be substantially parallel to this area as the hook is raised by manually moving the section 25 downwardly .about the juncture 30. A suitable handle 52 may be provided to assist in this operation. The bottom surfaces of the base plate generally act as a stop so that the dented area will be raised to precisely the level of the sheet structure surrounding the dent and on which the base plate is seated, and the resilient character of the layer 16 beneath the plate portion 14 will prevent any grinding or scratching of the paint surfaces from occurring, as above indicated.

After the same operation has been completed for successive holes, the holes are filled with a suitable plastic material, which is allowed to set and is then finished ofi to the level of the adjacent metal. These plastic inserts, which are indicated generally by reference numeral 54 in Figure l, are then painted with a matching coat of suit- :able auto paint or the like, so that the entire surface appears to be in its original condition.

Although I have herein set forth and described my invention with respect to certain specific principles and details thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in zthe art that these may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the hereunto appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A tool for removing dents or creases in sheet material comprising a base adapted to be positioned against the sheet material in contiguous relationship to a dent -or crease which may be formed therein, amanually operable lever having a handle at one end thereof, said base f providing a fulcrum for said lever, and means on said .lever adapted to removably engage aperture which may be defined in the sheet material in the-area of the dent or crease in underlying abutting relationship to the sheet material defining such aperture; said lever being engageable with said fulcrum between said handle portion thereof and said means whereby the sheet material in the dent or crease may be raised to abutting engagement with such portions of the base asmay be in register therewith by manual rotation of said lever about the fulcrum provided by said base. v

2. A tool for removing dents or creases in avehicle body or fender comprising a base, a. manually operable lever having a handle portion at one end thereof, said base providing a fulcrum for said lever, and means on said lever adapted to be removably received in an aperture which may be formed in the body or fender in the area of a dent or crease therein and in underlying abut ting, engagement with the body or fender areas defining.

the aperture, said lever having a bearing portion between said handle portion and said means engageable with said fulcrum whereby the dent or crease may be pulled into co-planar alignment with the portions of the body or fender surrounding the dent or crease by manually rotating the lever about said fulcrum.

3. A tool for removing dents or creases in a vehicle body or fender comprising a lever having'hook means at one end thereof and a handle portion at the other end thereof, said lever having a bearing portion disposed in predetermined spaced relation to said hook means, and in substantially greater predetermined spaced relation to the other end of said lever such as to afford a desired amount of leverage for said lever relative to said hookyand a base adapted to seat against a vehicle body or fender and providing a fulcrum for said bearing portion of said lever.

4. A tool for removing dents or creases in sheet'ma- -terial comprising a base adapted to be positioned against 4 the sheet material in contiguous relationship to-a dent'or means on said base slidably and pivotally retaining-said lever, and hook means on said lever adapted to removably engage within an aperture which maybe defined-in the sheet material in the area of the dent or crease in underlying abutting relationship to the sheet material defining such aperture whereby the sheet material in the dent or crease may be raised to abutting engagement with such portions of the base as may be in register therewith by manual rotation of said lever about the fulcrum provided by said base; said lever having a bearing. portion engageable with said base and disposed intermediate-said hook means and an end of said lever.

5. A tool for removing dents or creases'in a vehicle body or fender comprising a lever having hook means at one end thereof, said lever defining an obtuse angle Whose apex is disposed-in predetermined spaced relation to said hook means, and in substantially greater predetermined spaced relation to the other end of said lever such as to afford a desired amount of leverage for said lever relative to said book, a base adapted to seat against a vehicle body or fender and providing a fulcrum for said apex of said lever, and means on said base slidably, and pivotally retaining said lever. e

6. A tool for removing body or fender dents or creases comprising a retaining element fixedly secure d on vsaid base and an elongated, substantially rigid rod of good tensile strength and sheer resistance defining'a first'section and a second section disposed at a predetermined oblique angle relative to said first section and a hook element secured to said first section in predetermined spaced :relation to the juncture of said first section and said second sections, said second section having a substantially greater length than said first section such as to afford a desired leverage relative to said book about an axis definedby said juncture, said retaining element slidably and pivotglly receiving said rod for support at said 'juncture by said base; said juncture providing a bearing portion for said rod and said bore providing a fulcrum supporting said lever at said bearing portion.

7. A tool for removing dents and creases from vehicle bodies or fenders comprising a substantially rigid rod of good tensile strength and sheer resistance, a hook element carried at one end of said rod, said rod having a first section and a second section olfset from said first section in predetermined obtuse angular relation thereto, a base plate adapted to seat against a vehicle body or fender and to provide a fulcrum for said bar at the juncture of said first and second sections, said bar being adapted to provide a handle at the end of said second section for applying leverage about said juncture and said hook element being spaced a predetermined distance from said juncture such as to dispose said hook element beyond the boundaries of said base when said juncture is operatively positioned on said base plate, said distance being less than the distance of said end of said second section from said juncture by an extent sufiicient to provide a desired amount of leverage relative said hook element, said hook element having an end portion extending substantially in parallel relation to said first section and in proximate relationship thereto.

8. A tool for removing dents and creases from a vehicle body or fender comprising a rod of good tensile strength and shear resistance having a first section, a second section integrally joined to said first section in a predetermined oblique angular relationship thereto, said first section defining an aperture adjacent the end of said first section extending substantially transversely there through in predetermined spaced relationship to the juncture of said first and second sections, a hook having a first section adjustably received in said aperture and a second section extending in substantially parallel relationship to said first section of said rod, means threadedly received in said first section for releasably securing said hook in a desired postion in said first section to maintain said second hook section in proximate spaced relation beneath said first section of said rod, and a base plate adapted to be seated against a body or fender of a vehicle and providing a fulcrum for said rod at the juncture of said first and second sections thereof.

9. A tool for removing dents and creases from a W hicle body or fender comprising a rod of good tensile strength and sheer resistance having a first section, a second section integrally joined to said first section in a pre determined oblique angular relationship thereto, said first section defining an aperture adjacent the end of said first section extending substantially transversely therethrough in predetermined spaced relationship to the juncture of said first and second sections, a hook having a first section adjustably received in said aperture and a second section extending in substantially parallel relationship to said first section of said rod, means threadedly received in said first section for releasably securing said hook in a desired 6 position in said first section to maintain said second hook section in proximate spaced relation beneath said first section of said rod, a base plate adapted to be seated against a body or tender of a vehicle and providing a fulcrum for said rod at the juncture of said first and second sections thereof, and a retaining loop structure fixedly mounted on said base plate and dimensioned and configured to slidably and pivotally receive said rod therethrough so as to permit lever action of said rod around the juncture of the first and second sections of said rod when said juncture is supported on said base plate, said hook being dimensioned to cooperate with said retaining loop structure to prevent accidental removal of said rod therefrom.

10. A tool for removing dents and creases from a vehicle body or fender comprising a rod of good tensile strength and sheer resistance having a first section, a second section integrally joined to said first section in a predetermined oblique angular relationship thereto, said first section defining an aperture adjacent the end of said first section extending substantially transversely therethrough in predetermined spaced relationship to the juncture of said first and second sections, a hook having a first section adjustably received in said aperture and a second section extending in substantially parallel relationship to said first section of said rod, means threadedly received in said first section for releasably securing said hook in a desired position in said first section to maintain said second hook section in proximate spaced relation beneath said first section of said rod, a base plate adapted to be seated against a body or fender of a vehicle and providing a fulcrum for said rod at the juncture of said first and second sections thereof, and a retaining loop structure fixedly mounted on said base plate and dimensioned and configured to slidably and pivotally receive said rod therethrough so as to permit lever action of said rod around the juncture of the first and second sections of said rod when said juncture is supported on said base plate, said hook being dimensioned to cooperate with said retaining loop structure to prevent accidental removal of said rod therefrom, and having a substantially rectangular configuration such as to permit movement of said hook therethrough to disengage said rod from said base plate when said hook is disposed substantially diagonally therein.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,191,720 Meinhardt Feb. 27, 1940 2,485,489 Ferguson Oct. 18, 1949 2,504,509 Erickson Apr. 18, 1950 2,749,795 Boykin June 12, 1956 2,776,587 Killius Ian. 8, 1957 2,791,926 Guyton May 14, 1957 2,852,971 Macaluso Sept. 23, 1958 2,878,699 Stricklett Mar. 24, 1959