Abstract:
A marine or aviation tool for moving and replacing a marine or aviation cover having a pair of spaced holes as a pair of pins which are adjustable to be aligned with the holes. The pins extend from head having socket therein for receiving either extender which cooperates with ratchet wrench handle or another extender which cooperates with a screw gun drill so that one has the option of rotating the head directly as a key or operating the head remotely. The head includes a VELCRO® patch for coupling with a mating VELCRO® patch on the cover so that after the cover is removed it remains attached to the head will not fall overboard due to broken chain.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is directed to an adjustable marine and aviation tool. More particularly, the present invention is directed to an adjustable marine and aviation tool having projecting pins for engagement with spaced holes in marine covers. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Generally, removable covers are used for dosing ports through decks of boats that connect with tanks within the boat hulls such as fuel tanks and water tanks. Such covers are also used with aircraft. Fuel tanks of boats and planes present special hazards since diesel fuel is flammable, and gasoline and jet fuel are both flammable and explosive. If a boat is being fueled with gasoline, there is always a danger of a spark occurring in or adjacent to the tank that can initiate an explosion. Accordingly, it is advisable that covers for these ports be removed and replaced carefully with minimal slippage of tools which could result in a spark if a tool strikes a metal object. Frequently, tools for opening covers are misplaced and screwdrivers are used which can slip out of a groove that usually extends between the two holes normally adapted to receive pins projecting from a key. 
   Normally, covers are attached to a fuel port with a ball chain which is anchored within the port. These chains break rather frequently so that after a cover has been removed, it is no longer secured and can fall overboard. Since there is usually no spare cover aboard, a boater might simply replace the cover with a rag which unfortunately may serve as a wick, thus lifting gasoline vapors out of the fuel tank. These vapors can accumulate in the hull outside of the fuel tank and present an explosion hazard. 
   In many instances, covers for fuel or water ports are not conveniently accessible in boats, requiring the person opening the port to extend their arms into recessed areas. Moreover, ports are frequently, located in a deck, which requires the person opening the port to kneel or stoop in order to reach the port with a key. Kneeling and stooping can be uncomfortable and on occasion results in injury. Consequently, there is a need to have a marine tool which makes it easier to remove and replace covers. The same general concerns are an issue for the fuel ports of aircraft. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In view of the aforementioned considerations, the present invention relates to a marine or aviation tool for rotating externally threaded marine or aviation covers which close ports through decks or other portions of boat hulls and through fuselage or wings of aircraft, wherein the covers include holes laterally spaced from one another for receiving spaced pins on the tool. According to the present invention, the tools comprise a head having a first surface adapted to face the cover when the tool is engaged and a second surface facing away from the cover and displaced from the first surface to provide a selected thickness for the head. A slot extends transversely through the head and opens through the first surface. A first pin is fixed to the head and extends from the first surface of the body for seating in one hole and a second pin is mounted on a slider within the slot in the head for lateral adjustment with respect to the first pin. In order to rotate the head so as to remove or replace the cover using a ratchet wrench, a square socket extends through the second surface of the head. The socket is adapted to receive a square stud projecting either from an extender rod for a ratchet wrench handle or from the ratchet wrench handle itself. Patches of hook and loop material are fixed to first face of the head and are adapted to engage a complementary patch of loop or hook material fixed to the cover, so that when pins of the tool are in the holes in the cover, the head of the tool is axially coupled with the cover. 
   In a further aspect of the invention, the stop for the slider is a set screw threaded through the head into contact with the slider. 
   In still a further aspect of the invention, the slider has a lateral groove therein aligned with the set screw for receiving the set screw. 
   In another aspect of the invention the head has a convex second surface and flat sides extending transverse to the first surface for facilitating direct gripping of the tool by a person&#39;s hand. 
   In still another aspect of the invention, the hook and loop fasteners are disposed between the pins on the head and between the holes in the cover and have a thickness less than the lengths of the pins so that the pins must be aligned with and enter the holes before the hook and loop fasteners are coupled. 
   In still a further aspect of the invention, the tool is configured as a kit containing the head with the projecting pins; an extender for use with a ratchet wrench handle, and an extender for use with screw gun drill. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Various other features and attendant advantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a top view of a cover used to close a fuel, water or waste port through a deck or other portions of a boat or aircraft; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a marine or aviation tool used to open and reclose the cover of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a side elevation showing the tool of  FIG. 2  just prior to coupling with the cover of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a side elevation similar to  FIG. 3 , but showing the marine or aviation tool coupled with the cap of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 5  shows the tool lifting the cover away from the port after opening the port; 
       FIG. 6  is an exploded view, partially in perspective, showing components for a marine or aviation tool kit of the present invention; 
       FIG. 7  is side perspective view of a tool head as shown in  FIGS. 2-6  and configured in accordance with the principles of the present invention; 
       FIG. 8  is a side view of the tool head of  FIG. 7  taken along lines  7 — 7  of  FIG. 7 , and 
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Referring now to  FIG. 1  there is shown a marine or aviation cover which is openable and closable by rotation about an axis  12 . The marine or aviation cover  10  closes a port  14  in a deck  15  or other structure of a boat, or in a wing or fuselage of an aircraft, and is used to fill tanks within the boat with water or fuel or tanks within an aircraft with fuel. The marine cover  10  is externally threaded and is screwed into internal threads in the port  14 . In order to facilitate rotation of the cover  10 , the cover has a first cylindrical hole  18  and a second cylindrical hole  20 , that is spaced a selected distance from the first cylindrical hole. In accordance with most configurations for marine covers, the cover  10  has a slot  22  extending between the cylindrical holes  18  and  20  for receiving a coin or screw driver to open the cover if a key for that purpose for some reason is not available. In accordance with the present invention, the cover  10  has a VELCRO® patch  25  adhered thereto with either hooks or loops projecting a selected distance upwardly therefrom. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 2  there is shown a marine or aviation tool  30  configured in accordance with the principles of the present invention and assembly from components of a kit shown in FIG.  6 . Marine or aviation tool  10  includes a head  31  having a pair of projecting pins  32  and  34  that are received in the holes  18  and  20  in cover  10 . The head  32  has extender  38  detachably coupled thereto, which extender is coupled to the projecting stud of a ratchet wrench handle  40 . A second extender  67  for use with screw gun drill (see  FIG. 5 ) may also be used. Between the pins  32  and  34  is a VELCRO® patch  42 . Optionally, the head  31  may be used without either extender and may be directly gripped by hand. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 3-5 , it is seen that the cover  10  is positioned with in a restricted space  50  that makes removing and replacing the cover  10  inconvenient. As is evident in  FIG. 3 , when the head  31  of the marine or aviation tool  30  is not positioned so that the pins  32  and  34  are not aligned with the holes  18  and  20 , the VELCRO® patch  42  is spaced from the VELCRO® patch  25  so there is no gripping of the cover  10  by the tool  30  in the direction of axis  12 . This is because the VELCRO® patches can not engage. The VELCRO® patches  25  and  42  have thicknesses t 1  and t 2  respectively, which have a combined thickness less than the lengths of the pins  32  and  34 . Consequently, unless the pins  32  and  34  are received in the holes  18  and  20 , the tool  30  can not grip the cover  10  in the axial direction. 
   As is seen in  FIG. 4 , upon advancing the tool  30  axially so that the pins  32  and  34  advance into the holes  18  and  20 , the hooks and loops of the VELCRO® patches  25  and  22  engage. As the tool  30  is torqued in the counter clockwise direction, the cover  10  rotates about its axis  12  and the external threads  55  on the cover  10  advance over the internal threads  57  of the port  14  causing the cover to unscrew from the port. The cover  10  is then lifted away from the port  14  while still attached to the head  31  by the VELCRO® patches  25  and  42  (see FIG.  5 ). 
   The cover  10  remains attached to the head  31  while port  14  is being filled with water or fuel. When it is time to close the port  14 , the cover  10  is realigned with the port  14  and rotated in the clockwise direction so as to be threaded back down into the port. A slight rocking of the head  31  while pulling in the direction of the axis  12  releases VELCRO®°patch  42  from the VELCRO® patch  25  allowing the pins  32  and  34  to slide completely out of the holes  18  and  20 . 
   While in  FIGS. 3-5  the cover  10  is shown within a restricted space  50 , the same principles apply if the cover is used with a port thought a deck  15  which does not have a restricted space around the port. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 6  where a complete kit  65  for the tool  30  is shown, it is seen that the kit  65  is comprised of the head  31 , the twenty-four inch extender  38  which cooperates with ratchet wrench handle  40  of  FIG. 2 ; the VELCRO® patch  25 , and a twelve-inch extender  67  for use with a screw gun drill. To utilize the kit, the VELCRO® patch  25  is adhered to the cover  10  as seen in FIG.  1 . The customer makes a decision as to whether the head  31  is to be used without either the twenty-four inch extender  38  or the twelve-inch extender  67 . If the twenty-four inch extender  38  is used, a stud  70  on the lower end of the extender  38  is inserted into a square socket  72  and is retained by a ball detent  74  in a manner similar to the way in which a ratchet wrench handle  40  ( FIG. 2 ) engages and holds a socket for rotating nuts. At the second end of the twenty four-inch extender  38  a female coupling  76  is provided which receives the male lug extending from a ratchet wrench handle  40  (see FIG.  2 ). 
   It is desired when necessary to tighten the cover  10  using a screw gun drill (not shown), the twelve-inch extender  67  is used. The twelve-inch extender  67  has a male lug  80  and ball detent  81  that is receivable in the square socket  72  and a male lug  83  at the opposite end which is received in the chuck of the screw gun drill (not shown). 
   The twenty-four inch extender  38  allows a person to rotate the cover  10  while standing, thus avoiding the discomfort and possible injury stemming from kneeling or squatting in order to remove or replace the cover  10 . The twelve-inch extender  67  also is useful in awkward situations in which it is difficult to use the head  31  by itself as a key. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 7 and 8  where the details of the head  31  are shown in elevation, it is seen that head is a distinct unit having a flat bottom surface  87  which faces the cover  10  and a convex top surface  88  which faces away from the cover and joins the flat bottom surface  87  with side surfaces  89  and  90  and end surfaces  91  and  92 . The slider  95  has a flat bottom surface  96  which is flush with the flat bottom surface  87  of the head  31 . 
   The second pin  34  is mounted on a slider  95  which is received in channel  93  opening through the flat bottom surface  87  and the end surface  92  of the head  31 . The slider  95  has a groove  97  therein which receives a set screw  98  having an allen wrench opening  99 . Since the channel  93  is rectangular or square in cross section and the slider  95  is also rectangular or square, engagement of the set screw  98  in the groove  97  keeps the slider  95  from falling out the channel  93 . 
   The distance between the pins  32  and  34  is adjustable by backing out the screw  97  and sliding the pin  34  outward or inward in order align both pins with the holes  18  and  20  in cover  10 . When properly aligned with the holes  18  and  20 , the set screw  98  is tightened against the bottom of the groove  97  so that the distance between the pins  32  and  34  remains fixed. The marine or aviation tool  30 , configured either the head  31  alone, or with the extenders  38  or  67 , is then ready for use. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 9 , in an alternative embodiment the slider  95 ′ has a set screw  98 ′ similar to set screw  98 , having an alien wrench socket  99 ′ through the bottom surface  96 ′ of the slider  95 . The set screw  98 ′ passes completely through the slider  95 ′ and bares against the top surface  100  of the slot  93 ′ to keep the slider  95 ′ in a selected position of adjustment. In the arrangement of  FIG. 9 , the set screw  98 ′ is between the two pins  32 ′ and  34 ′. 
   The head  31  of the tool  10  is made of steel, stainless steel, brass, aluminum or a polymer material, such as polyamide which may be filled with glass fibers, or another polymer material of a strength sufficient to make a tool. 
   From the foregoing description, one skilled in the art can easily ascertain the essential characteristics of this invention, and without departing form the spirit and scope thereof, can make various changes and modifications of the invention to adapt it to various usages and conditions.