Abstract:
A hand operateable sander having a flat sanding block for sanding flat surfaces and which automatically pivots into a &#34;V&#34; shape for sanding outside corners and bullnose surfaces.

Description:
This invention relates to hand tools and in particular to a drywall sander with a flat sanding surface that automatically converts into a bullnose sander for the finishing sanding of walls, ceilings and bullnose surfaces. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     One of the final steps in building construction is the installation of interior walls which is usually accomplished by installing large wall panels between the floor and ceiling. These panels are generally a paper covered plaster sheet of standard width and are known in the trade as drywall. The wall or ceiling is formed by abutting these drywall panels and nailing them to the studs or joists with the nails slightly countersunk. Then the countersunk nail heads and the abutting junctures of the panels are taped with a heavy paper tape cemented with a drywall cement that eventually dries with the appearance and texture of plaster. 
     Before a wall and ceiling is painted, it must be sanded smooth to remove the irregularities, such as the roughness of dried drywall cement. For flat surfaced walls, a flat sanding block is adequate, and for high ceilings an extension handle is needed such as described by Helling in Pat. No. 4,663,796. But for outside corners and bullnose surfaces, it was necessary for the finish sander to hand sand or improvise a special sander. The sander described herein provides a flat block for sanding flat surfaces and automatically bands to sand bullnose surfaces. 
     Briefly described, the sander of the invention is comprised of a flexible rubberlike sanding pad to which appropriate sand paper is attached. The sanding pad is secured to two elongated, parallel members which normally provide a flat surface but which can be pivoted inward to form a &#34;V&#34; shaped sanding block for sanding outside corners or bullnose surfaces. The two parallel members are pivoted to a lateral shaft to which a handle is attached. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the drawings which illustrate the preferred embodiment of the invention: 
     FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the drywall sander of the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the sander; 
     FIG. 3 is a plan view thereof; and 
     FIG. 4 is a front elevational view thereof, illustrated in its bullnose sander form. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The sander of the invention may be used on an extension handle as a flat sanding block for sanding flat surfaces, or folder into an inverted &#34;V&#34; for sanding outside corners or bullnose surfaces. As shown in FIG. 1 a sheet of sanding material, such as sandpaper 10, covers the bottom surface of a substantially square, flat, flexible, rubberlike pad 12, about one-quarter inch thick, that is cemented to the bottom surfaces of two spaced, parallel, elongated elements 14, 16. The sandpaper 10 is secured by clamps 18, 20 clamping the sandpaper 10 to the top surfaces of elongate elements 14, 16. The sandpaper clamps 18, 20 have been omitted from the drawings of FIGS. 2 and 3 for clarity. 
     The elongated elements 14, 16 are formed of a rigid metal about one eighth inch thick and have flat bottom surfaces, a length substantially equal to the overall length of the sander, as shown in FIG. 2, and each has a width substantially equal to one-third the overall width of the sander, as seen in FIG. 1. The elongated elements 14, 16 are parallel and separated by a space equal to one-third the sander width. 
     On the top surface near each end of each of the two elongated elements 14, 16 are one inch risers 22, 24, 26, 28 which contain parallel pivot pins 29 which pivotally connect the members 14, 16 to frames 30 and 32. Thus, the frame 30 is pivotally coupled to the elongated element 14 by coaxial pivot pins extending through the risers 22 and 26, as shown in FIG. 2, and similarly, the frame 32 is pivotally coupled to the element 16 by coaxial pivot pins through the risers 24 and 28, as best shown in FIG. 3. 
     The two frames 30, 32 each contain second parallel pivot pins 33 near the frame centers, and also have limiting features which will be subsequently described. The second pivot pins 33 pivotally connect the center portion of the two frames 30, 32 to identical shaft terminal blocks 34, 36 at the ends of a central lateral shaft 38 which has a centrally positioned socket 40 for the attachment of a short handle or an extension handle. Shaft 38 may be a straight shaft but is preferably arched, as shown, to avoid any interference with the flexible pad 12 when the pad is bent as shown in FIG. 4. 
     The shaft terminal blocks 34, 36 are also pivotally connected to the lateral shaft 38 by bolt 39 to permit the handle socket 40 to freely swing back and forward. The terminal blocks are identical, each is rectangular in shape, as best shown in FIG. 4, with small rectangular side extensions 42 extending to the sides from the top, producing a top plan view of the terminal block to appear as a &#34;T&#34;, as seen in FIG. 3. These extensions 42 cooperate with the top flat surface of frames 30, 32 to limit the pivotal action of the frames to a downward movement. Additionally, the flat inner surfaces 44, 46 of the frames 30, 32, which are normally in contact with the flat exterior faces of the shaft terminal blocks 34, 36, will prevent pivotal movement except the outward pivoting of the frames 30, 32 on the pivots 29, as seen in FIG. 4. Thus, the relative pivotal motion between the terminal blocks 34, 36 and the frames 30, 32 is limited to only one direction from the normal planar sander of FIG. 1. 
     When sanding a flat surface, the sander is pressed against the surface and the flat lower surfaces of the elements 14, 16 will be forced into the planar shape of FIG. 1. When sanding anything that causes the flat lower surfaces of elements to turn in toward each other, such as a bullnose edge a slight pressure on the handle will urge the flexible sanding pad 12 to bend as in FIG. 4. This bending toward a right angle by the pad 12 causes the pivots 29 on the risers 22, 24 and the bottom portions of the elongated frames 30, 32 to move outward. The frames are attached to the handle shaft 38 by the pivot pins 33 which couple the frames to the shaft terminal blocks 34,36.