Flooring installation tool
OwnerChris E. Pastoinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A flooring tool for the installation or repair of wooden tongue and groove flooring. The tool has a jack for exerting linear force, with a fixed and a movable portion. A pivoting gripper is mounted upon the movable portion, and a guide is mounted upon the fixed portion, which allows a brace such as a 2.times.4 board to be inserted into the guide and gripper and held in place, extending the reach and usefulness of the tool. A foot upon a push-pull rod extends downwards from the fixed portion of the jack, and pushes upon the flooring planks. In a preferred embodiment, two attachment points are provided for the foot on its rod, at each end of the fixed portion, providing maximum flexibility.
Claims18
A flooring installation tool comprising:
- a) a jack comprising a fixed portion, a movable portion, and an actuator, such that when the actuator is actuated, a linear force is exerted between the fixed portion and movable portion,
- b) a pivoting gripper pivotally attached to the movable portion, having a pivot point attached to the movable portion and first and second plates pivotally attached to opposite sides of the movable portion, and first and second gripping elements, the gripping elements being spaced apart a sufficient distance and having a sufficient length to permit a brace to be inserted therebetween, such that when the pivoting gripper is pivoted about the pivot point, the brace is gripped between the gripping elements;
- d) at least one attachment point located on the fixed portion;
- e) at least one foot for exerting pressure, mounted to at least one attachment point;
- and
- f) a guide mounted to the fixed portion in alignment with the pivoting gripper attached to the movable portion, having a size sufficient to allow the brace gripped by the gripper to slidably pass through the guide:
- such that when the actuator of the jack is actuated, with the movable portion braced against a fixed point, a linear force is exerted upon the foot.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.