WO2000012267A1

WO2000012267A1 - A hand tool

Info

Publication number: WO2000012267A1
Application number: PCT/AU1999/000711
Authority: WO
Inventors: Robert John Reid
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-09-01
Filing date: 1999-09-01
Publication date: 2000-03-09
Anticipated expiration: 2001-03-01
Also published as: AUPP559498A0

Abstract

A tool (10) to receive and hold an iron nail (12), to aid in locating the nail (12) for the purposes of being struck by a hammer to drive the nail (12) into a floor surface (14). The tool (10) includes a groove (17) behind which there is located a magnet (16), to urge the nail into the groove (17). A handle (12) is provided so that the user's hand is spaced from the location at which the hammer is being used to strike the nail (12).

Description

A HAND TOOL

Technical Field

The present invention relates to hand tools typically used in carpentry.

Background of the Invention

Nailing is a common carpentry procedure frequently used to fasten two pieces of timber together, or to fasten panels on a frame. It is usually commenced by initially holding a nail between the thumb and forefinger of one hand and striking the nail with a hammer held in the other hand. Once the nail has firmly entered the workpiece, then holding the nail with the thumb and forefinger is no longer necessary. This procedure is relatively easy with large nails, but it is harder with smaller nails. It is easy to miss the nail and hit the thumb or forefinger. Also it can be awkward and difficult to hold nails close to walls and edges, at an angle to the workpiece, and in difficult to reach locations.

Object of the Invention

It is the object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate at least one of the above disadvantages.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention is a hand tool including: a base to receive an iron nail and maintain the nail in a desired orientation to aid a user in striking the nail with a hammer; a handle extending from the base so that a user can grip the handle at a position spaced from the base while locating the base at a desired location to which the nail is to be applied; and wherein said base includes a magnet to urge the nail into contact with the base and a locating means biasing said nail to assume said desired orientation.

Preferably the base includes a body within which the magnet is located, with the locating means being formed in the body so that said nail is spaced from the magnet.

Preferably said locating means is a groove in said body.

Preferably said base has a generally planar lower surface with said groove extending generally normal thereto.

Preferably said handle extends at an acute angle from said surface in a direction away from said groove. Preferably said base is provided with a guard substantially surrounding said groove.

Brief Description of the Drawings Preferred forms of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a schematic side elevation of a hand tool and associated nail;

Figure 2 is a schematic front end elevation of the hand tool of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a schematic top plan view of the hand tool of Figure 1 ; Figure 4 is a schematic side elevation of a modification of the hand tool of

Figure 1 ;

Figure 5 is a schematic front end elevation of the hand tool of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a schematic top plan view of the hand tool of Figure 4; and

Figure 7 is a schematic part sectioned side elevation of the hand tool of Figure 7 sectioned along the line "A- A".

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment

In Figure 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings there is schematically depicted a hand tool 10. The hand tool 10 includes a base 11 which receives and orients an iron nail 12. Formed integrally and extending from the base 11 is a handle 18 which a user grips to locate the base 11 at a desired location at which the nail 12 is to be applied. The base 11 has a generally planar bottom surface 13 which rests on a floor surface 14 so that the nail 12 is oriented generally perpendicular thereto. The base 11 includes a body 15 within which there is located a magnet 16. The forward portion of the base 11 is provided with a groove 17 which orients the nail 12 generally perpendicular to the base 11, with the aid of the surface 13. That is, the groove 17 is generally normal to the surface 13.

In this embodiment the groove 17 is formed both in the body 15 and magnet 17.

The handle 18 extends from the surface 13 at an acute angle so that the user's hand is spaced from the base 11 and therefore most unlikely to be struck by a hammer when the user is striking the nail 12.

When the nail 12 has been struck at least once, the nail will be at least partly embedded in the floor surface 14. Thereafter the tool 10 can be removed and the nail fully driven into the floor surface 14. Further in respect of the above embodiment, it may be desirable in certain instances to have the groove 17 inclined by an acute angle to the surface 13 so that the nail 12 enters the floor surface 14 at an acute angle.

In the preferred embodiment of Figure 4 to 7, the magnet 16 is spaced from the groove 17 so that the nail 12 is urged to the desired orientation defined by the groove 17. As best seen in Figure 7, there is a web 19 displacing the nail 12 from the magnet 16.

In the above-described preferred embodiment there is surrounding the groove 17 a guard 19 consisting of two guard portions 20. The guard portions 20 provide a gap 21 to enable the tool 10 to be removed by pulling the tool away from the nail 12, partly embedded in the surface 14. If so required the guard portions 20 would resiliently deflected from the position shown in Figure 7.

The handle 20 is provided with a plurality of slots 22 which store nails to be used.

In another embodiment the guard portion 20 could form a single guard, not having a gap 21. The tool 10 would be removed by lifting of the floor surface 14.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A hand tool including: a base to receive an iron nail and maintain the nail in a desired orientation to aid a user in striking the nail with a hammer; a handle extending from the base so that a user can grip the handle at a position spaced from the base while locating the base at a desired location to which the nail is to be applied; and wherein said base includes a magnet to urge the nail into contact with the base and a locating means biasing said nail to assume said desired orientation.

2. The hand tool of claim 1 wherein the base includes a body within which the magnet is located, with the locating means being formed in the body so that said nail is spaced from the magnet.

3. The hand tool of claim 1 or 2 wherein the locating means is a groove in said body.

4. The hand tool of claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said base has a generally planar lower surface with said groove extending generally normal thereto.

5. The hand tool of claim 4 wherein said handle extends at an acute angle from said surface in a direction away from said groove.

6. The hand tool of any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein said base is provided with a guard substantially surrounding said groove.

7. The hand tool of claim 1 wherein the nail engages the magnet by contact therewith.

8. A hand tool substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 3 or Figures 4 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.