Abstract:
A wire tie system for suspended ceilings utilizing a twisting hand tool having a power driven spindle located in a casing including means for gripping a wire and twisting same and a wire tie vise for securing and tying a free end of wire to a clip. The wire tie vise comprises a frame with a clamping device for holding a free end of a wire and a chuck designed to hold a clip and wire inserted therethrough forming a loop and twisting same to secure the clip on the loop. The twisting hand tool device includes a housing and an adapter mountable to an electric drill or an integral drill unit There is a slot in the spindle that extends from an outer periphery thereof in a direction toward the spindles axis of rotation. A first wire length can be placed in the slot with the tool being located intermediate opposite terminal ends of the wire. A second wire length is insertable into and through a hole in the spindle that is spaced radially from the spindle rotational axis. A cordless electric drill mounts on the housing and drives the spindle to thereby twist the wire piece through the hole around the wire in the slot.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    This invention relates generally to a tool for twisting together strands of wire, to a tool for twisting a wire end portion onto the wire itself in for example wires that suspend open framework for suspended ceilings, to a wire twisting tool one can detachably connect to a powered hand held tool and to a power driven tool dedicated for use in twisting together at least two side by strands of wire. 
       BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
       [0002]    Commercial buildings commonly have acoustic tile ceilings which are supported by a grid. The grid is suspended from the roof or rough ceiling by wires fastened to clips. At least some building code requires that the wires be looped through a hole in the clip and then twist four turns. The clip is then hooked onto the roof purlin or rough ceiling with the wire hanging down. The free end of then wire is then passed through a hole in the grid work, bent back, and also must be twisted four turns. The twisting is done by hand and is obviously difficult and tiring. 
         [0003]    The installation of suspended ceilings involves suspending a grid of inverted ‘T’ shaped beams and cross connector beams from beams or the like permanent overhead structural portions of the building structure. The inverted ‘T’ beams are suspended from the building structure by a plurality of wires that are spaced apart from one another with each wire being connected at its upper end to overhead structure of the building in a suitable manner, for example, by a clip attached to the end of the wire and anchored by a nail, screw or the like to the overhead structure. The wires depend downwardly from the building structure and the lower end of each is individually inserted through a pre-drilled hole in the ‘T’ beam and bent at a location indicated by, for example, a laser level beam such that the finished suspended ceiling will be at a predetermined elevation. The free end portion of the wire projecting beyond the ‘T’ beam is conventionally hand twisted around the wire portion depending downwardly to the ‘T’ beam and hereinafter referred to as the stationary wire. Hand twisting is slow, labour intensive and inconsistent. 
         [0004]    Conventional suspended ceilings sometimes utilize a manually bent tail of the P-loop about the stem of the wire to provide a useful wire for suspending a ceiling. Some machines have been designed for factory preparation of wires having clips slideably attached thereto. If the wrapping of the wire about the stem is not sufficiently tight, then a loop is formed which fails to maintain the reliable height of the suspension of the ceiling. At different projects, ceiling wires of various diameters are employed, necessitating the need for a wire twisting machine to accommodate to a plausible range of wire-diameters. Typically, a wire includes a hanging device such as a clip slideably fitted onto the loop formed by the wire-wrapping operation. 
       PRIOR ART 
       [0005]    Several devices have been utilized in an attempt to provide a inexpensive, quick, and reliable wire twisting device. U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,703 teaches a wire twisting tool including crank and a clamp mounted on a base. Another reference, U.S. Pat. No. 5,012,624 1991 teaches an anchor installing and wire twisting device including a slotted tool for holding and anchor or clip. U.S. Pat. No. 1,251,193 teaches a clamp mechanism for tying wires. U.S. Pat. 5,280,812 teaches a wire wrapping method and machine utilizing a foot switch to actuate coaxial slotted gears to coaxial tie wires for a ceiling support system. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The wire tie system includes a wire tie vise or hold down pad comprising a frame with a clamping device for holding a free end of a wire and twisting and forming a loop from the free end a wire for holding a clip. A chuck designed to hold a clip is mounted to a selected end of the frame and includes a shaft for connecting to a drill or hand crank. A wire clip holding a loop formed from a distal end of a length of wire is inserted into an axial groove formed or cut a selected distance into the chuck for holding same. A selected portion of the length of the wire to be suspended is looped through a clip and the loop and clip are disposed into the axial groove extending through a portion of the chuck. The main length of wire and a free end of the loop are held securely in a vise or clamp means a selected distance from the chuck whereby rotation of the chuck twists the loop of wire with respect tot he clamp knurling the wire a selected number of turns securing same to the clip. The number of wire twists depend upon positioning of the clamp whereby increasing the distance between the clamp and the chuck increases the number of twist in the wire. The distal end of the suspension wire now includes a clip for attachment to a ceiling support. 
         [0007]    More particularly, the wire tie system for twisting drop wires for suspended grid ceilings utilizes two tools to perform the tasks. The first tool comprises a wire tie vise comprising a frame or base pad holder with a chuck which is rotatably held in the frame. The chuck is configured to receive and hold the clip which has a wire already looped into a hole in the clip. Then the wire which has been folded back on itself is clamped and held tight by a clamping tool at which time the chuck can be spun or rotated to create a desired number of twists of the wire. The chuck may be driven by a manual crank of some sort, a drill motor or a permanently installed motor. Both the lower half and the upper half of the clamp may have roughened or knurled surfaces to grasp the wire tightly. The second part of the wire tie system consists essentially of an adapter to be powered by a drill. The hand held tool comprises a housing including a slot with a small gear including a corresponding slot alignable with that of the housing or case. The radial slot formed there through provides means for which the length of wire is passed so that the main body or length of wire is disposed through the slots of the housing and gear whereby the gear can rotates around the wire stationary suspended wire. The distal end of the free end of the wire is now passed through one of two offset holes in the gear beside the slot. Now the gear an be rotated causing the free end of the wire to be twisted around the stationary suspended wire. The gear must be stopped so that the slot in the large gear aligns with the slot in the housing so that the tool may be removed from the wire. The gear in the adapter may be driven by a hand drill motor, a dedicated motor permanently installed on the tool, or perhaps a manual crank of sonic sort. It is anticipated that the gear may include a blank tooth which aligns with the slot so that the gear stops with every complete revolution so that the slot in the gear is in alignment with the slot in the housing so that the number of revolutions is dependent upon how many times the user pulls the trigger. 
         [0008]    Thus, upon mounting the clip and suspending the wire across the ceiling, the wire is suspended and attachment to the opposite end of the ceiling. The wire twisting system hand tool adapter features a slot in the spindle that extends from an outer periphery thereof in a direction toward the spindles axis of rotation. The suspended stationary wire can be placed in the slot of the casing and gear with the tool being located intermediate opposite terminal ends of the wire. A second free distal end of wire is insertable into and through a hole in the spindle or gear that is spaced radially from the spindle rotational axis. A hand held drill, preferably cordless, mounts on the housing and drives the spindle to thereby twist the wire piece through the hole around the stationary wire cantered with respect to the slot. 
         [0009]    A principal object of the present invention is to provide a power driven wire twisting tool primarily intended for use in the installation of the grid structure for suspended ceilings. 
         [0010]    A further object of the present invention is to provide a wire twisting tool that is attachable to a known power tool for example a hand held cordless drill. 
         [0011]    Another object of the present drill wire twist invention is to control the number of turns to maintain alignment of the slot in the drive gear to the slot in the case providing means of quick attachment and detachment of the wire from the drill and selected and consistent number of twists. 
         [0012]    Another object of the present invention is to save time and reduce fatigue as compared with manual twisting of the wire. 
         [0013]    Another object of the present invention is to keep the main length of wire stationary while twisting the distal end of the wire inserted through the clip. 
         [0014]    Another object of the present invention is to provide at least one and preferably a number of drive holes in the drill adapter for engaging the distal end of the loose wire as a convenience for the user. 
         [0015]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a drill adapter which allows insertion of the main body of wire and loose end from the front end or the rear end to facilitate positioning of the drill and adapter. 
         [0016]    Another object of the present invention is to position the stationary main length of the wire loop in position in the center of the drive gear so that it is not disrupted upon rotation of the distal end of the wire upon engagement of the drill rotating the gear spinning the loose end of the wire around the stationary length of wire retained in the center of the gear and housing. 
         [0017]    Another object of the present invention is to provide an alignment nut extending from the end of the adapter housing or case providing means for manually aligning the slot in the housing or case with the slot in the drive gear slot for quick attachment and removal of the adapter tool from the suspended wire. 
         [0018]    It is another object of the present invention to provide a wire tie adapter unit which includes a housing and case adaptable for mounting to a conventional electric drill having a conventional chuck for cooperative engagement with a shaft extending from the wire tie adapter. 
         [0019]    It is another object of the present invention to provide an adapter mountable onto a hand held electric drill including a housing including a handle and drill body including a motor therein and a chuck extending from a free end for removable holding a shaft therein. 
         [0020]    It is another object of the present invention to provide a drill and adapter for tying wire wherein the drill is held in a users hand, the stationary portion of the suspended wire to be tied is disposed within a slot in the adapter casing and the slot in the drive gear to a central bore and a free distal end of the wire is disposed through a hole in the gear, whereby the user holds the adapter stationary with one hand and actuates the drill by pulling the trigger thereby rotating the drill shaft and adapter gear with respect to the adapter housing and stationary wire twisting the free distal end of the wire around the stationary wire. 
         [0021]    It is another object of the present wire tie vise invention that the lower half and/or the upper half of the clamp holding pads have a roughened or a knurled surface to grasp the wire tightly. 
         [0022]    In keeping with the foregoing there is provided a wire twisting tool comprising a housing and a wire twisting spindle mounted on the housing for rotation about a predetermined axis of rotation. The spindle has first and second spaced apart openings there through for receiving therein respective first and second wire lengths. Driving means mounted on the housing and connected to the spindle is provided for use in rotating the same and thereby twist together wires extending through the first and second openings. 
         [0023]    Moreover, the wire tie system for suspended ceilings utilizing a twisting hand tool having a power driven spindle located in a casing including means for gripping a wire and twisting same and a wire tie vise for securing and tying a free end of wire to a clip. The wire tie vise comprises a frame with a clamping device for holding a free end of a wire and a chuck designed to hold a clip and wire inserted therethrough forming a loop and twisting same to secure the clip on the loop. The twisting hand tool device includes a housing and an adapter mountable to an electric drill or an integral drill unit. There is a slot in the spindle that extends from an outer periphery thereof in a direction toward the spindles axis of rotation. A first wire length can he placed in the slot with the tool being located intermediate opposite terminal ends of the wire. A second wire length is insertable into and through a hole in the spindle that is spaced radially from the spindle rotational axis. A cordless electric drill mounts on the housing and drives the spindle to thereby twist the wire piece through the hole around the wire in the slot. 
         [0024]    Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent with the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings showing a preferred embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0025]    A better understanding of the present invention will be had upon reference to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout the views wherein: 
           [0026]      FIG. 1  is a schematic elevational view of a tool provided in accordance with the present invention in the preferred environmental usage of twisting a beam suspension wire upon itself locking the beam in a fixed predetermined location during installation of a suspended ceiling; 
           [0027]      FIG. 2  is a schematic plan view illustrating the principal components of the battery operated drill wire twisting hand tool; 
           [0028]      FIG. 3  is an elevational view of applicants tool securely mounted on a cordless electric drill providing a tool dedicated to twisting a wire around a stationary elongate member; 
           [0029]      FIG. 4  is an oblique view of the tool shown in  FIG. 3  and looking down on the top end of the tool; 
           [0030]      FIG. 5  is an oblique view of the tool shown in  FIG. 3  but looking upwardly at the bottom portion of the tool; 
           [0031]      FIG. 6  is an exploded view illustrating the main components of the tool and attachment of a portion of the tool casing to the cordless electric hand drill; 
           [0032]      FIG. 7  is a plan view of an alternate embodiment of the wire twisting adapter showing the gear and wire twisting components illustrating a modified drive and driven gear arrangement in which the meshing gears disengage following one revolution of the drive gear allowing one to predetermine alignment of the slot in the driven gear with the slot in the housing; 
           [0033]      FIG. 8  is an oblique side view illustrating components for the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0034]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view illustrating components for the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0035]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the knurled wire hold down pad or wire vise showing a clamp and chuck mounted to a frame with a drill driver shown in phantom lines; 
           [0036]      FIG. 11  is an oblique end view of a portion of the wire hold down pad showing the end of the chuck holding a clip with a loop or wire disposed therein; 
           [0037]      FIG. 12  is a top view of a wire tie clip; and 
           [0038]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view showing lugs holding the adapter onto the drill. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0039]    The wire tie system includes a wire tie vise or hold down pad comprising a frame with a clamping device for holding a free end of a wire and twisting and forming a loop from the free end a wire for holding a clip. A chuck designed to hold a clip is mounted to a selected end of the frame and includes a shaft for connecting to a drill or hand crank. A wire clip holding a loop formed from a distal end of a length of wire is inserted into an axial groove formed or cut a selected distance into the chuck for holding same. A selected portion of the length of the wire to be suspended is looped through a clip and the loop and clip are disposed into the axial groove extending through a portion of the chuck. The main length of wire and a free end of the loop are held securely in a vise or clamp means a selected distance from the chuck whereby rotation of the chuck twists the loop of wire with respect tot he clamp knurling the wire a selected number of turns securing same to the clip. The number of wire twists depend upon positioning of the clamp whereby increasing the distance between the clamp and the chuck increases the number of twist in the wire. The distal end of the suspension wire now includes a clip for attachment to a ceiling support. Upon mounting the clip and suspending the wire across the ceiling, the wire is cut and inserted through a second clip for attachment to the opposite end of the ceiling. 
         [0040]    Diagrammatically illustrated in  FIG. 1  is a beam  10  that forms part of the overhead structure of a building in which a suspended ceiling is being installed. An inverted ‘T’ beam  11  is suspended from the beam  10  by a plurality of spaced apart wires only one of which is shown and identified by the reference  12 . Conventionally a suspended ceiling comprises a plurality of the beams  11  disposed in parallel spaced apart relation and supported by a plurality of spaced apart wires  12 . The ‘T’ beams are interconnected by connector beams and together form an open grid for removably receiving therein individual panels. 
         [0041]    The upper first end of the wire  12  has a clip  13  previously attached thereto using a stationary wire hold pad or vice as described hereafter, and anchored to the first building member  10  by a nail, screw or the like suitable fastening means  14 . The free opposite lower second end  15  of the wire is inserted through a hole  16  in the beam  11 . The wire is bent at a location indicated by reference  17  that is determined, for example, by a laser beam located so as to provide a predetermined elevation for the suspended ceiling, The wire has a free end portion  18  extending beyond the ‘T’ beam from the bend at  17  to the wire free terminal end  15 . At least a portion of this free end portion  18  is twisted around the stationary wire portion  19  depending downwardly from the building beam  10  with the number of turns being dependent upon the will of the one doing the twisting. 
         [0042]    In accordance with the present invention a wire knurling or tie tool adapter  20  is provided that twists the wire free end portion  18  around the stationary wire  19 . In making the bend at  17  the wire free end portion  18  swings through an arc of 180 degrees bringing the free end portion  18  and stationary wire  19  into a general side-by-side overlapping relation. 
         [0043]      FIG. 1  is a schematic illustration of the tool  20  which includes meshing gears  22  and  24  located in a housing  25  in a drive-driven relation. The gears are suitably jounalled and disposed within cooperative sockets formed within the housing  25  for rotation about a respective one of a pair of parallel axes of rotation disposed in fixed spaced apart relation. A slot  26  in the knurling gear  24  can be brought into alignment with a slot  28  in the knurling socket  124  of the housing  25  and when aligned the tool can be moved laterally to bring the stationary wire  19  into the position shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3  where it is at or near the axis of rotation of the knurling gear  24 .  FIG. 4  illustrates the stationary wire at an intermediate position during movement of the tool relative to the stationary wire  19 . The wire free end portion is inserted through one of two through wire holes  31  (only one is needed) in the knurling gear  24 . Wire portion  18  terminates at the top free end  16  by its attachment to the building structure and at its bottom suspended end  18  by its engagement with the inverted ‘T’ beam  11  via a loop  120 . 
         [0044]    Drive gear  22  is rotatably disposed in drive socket  122  driven by an electric motor (preferably battery powered hand drill) by a shaft in cooperative communication with the holding members of the drill chuck. The drive gear  22  can also be referred to as a spindle by virtue of its function of spinning the wire portion  18  around the fixed in length stationary wire portion  19 . In a simple form of the invention, a cordless electric hand drill  40  is used to drive the drive gear  22 . The drill chuck  41  is drivingly attached to the drive gear  22  by way of example tightly grasping a drive shaft  35  secured to the drive gear  22  whereby the adapter  20  projects from the shaft  35  of the drill chuck  41 . 
         [0045]    The drill  40  drives drive gear  22  causing knurling gear  24  to rotate and thereby wind the wire free end length portion  18  around the stationary wire  19 . It will be obvious that the housing  25  of the tool  20  must be anchored to the drill whereby the adapter  20  can rotate upon the shaft of the drill for easy alignment of the slotted wire knurling gear with the free end  18  and stationary end  19  of the wire. The adapter  20  can be positioned and held in to place with one hand while the user can hold and actuate the drill with the other hand. 
         [0046]    Referring to  FIGS. 3-6 , the tool housing  25  comprises detachably interconnected housing portions  51 ,  52  that define therebetween a cavity having spaced apart aligned sockets  122 ,  124  in which gears  22  and  24  are located and suitably jounalled for rotation about respective ones of a pair of parallel axes disposed in fixed spaced apart relation. The exploded view of  FIG. 6 , shows the adapter  20  separated from the chuck  41  of the drill unit  40 , thereby exposing the rear end of the motor drive shaft  35 . 
         [0047]    The drill drive shaft  53  has an internally threaded bore  54  extending inwardly from the end thereof and external threads extending to an external shoulder  55  spaced from the end of the shaft. Knurling gear  24  has two spaced apart wire insertion holes  31  whereas drive gear  22  includes two spaced apart threaded holes  68  that align with similarly located holes  67  and  66  in respective members  63 ,  62  of the drive gear  22  which is cooperatively and rotatably held within the housing drive socket  122 . Screws secures members  62  and  63  to the drive gear  22 . Member  63  has an internally threaded bore  71  that threads onto external threads on the end portion of the motor shaft. Screw  61  threads into shaft threaded bore  54  thereby securely anchoring the drive knurling gear  24  on the motor drive shaft. 
         [0048]    As previously mentioned slots  28 ,  26  respectively in the housing  25  and knurling gear  24  must be in alignment for receiving the stationary portion  19  of wire  12  depending from the overhead structure of the building. Such alignment is done manually by finger gripping an outer peripheral surface of the adjusting nut  62  and turning the same until alignment occurs. 
         [0049]    Automatic alignment of the slots of the hand held wire twisting device could be accomplished by various different means for example having a drill shaft brake actuated by a slot alignment sensor. If desired a shaft revolution counter could also be used to interrupt power upon completion of a preselected number of turns of the wire free end portion  18  about the stationary wire  19  and if desired the power interrupter could at the same time actuate a brake acting on the drive train. 
         [0050]    The number of turns using the hand held drill adapter and alignment device can also be done by mechanical means. One such embodiment is illustrated by way of example in  FIGS. 7-9 . In this embodiment, the drive gear  222  has a flange  70  projecting radially beyond the gear teeth  223  thereon. The drive gear  222  is moveably mounted on a housing plate  72  for limited movement along its axis of rotation from one to the other of first and second positions. Drive gear  222  is resiliently urged to a normal at rest first position as shown in  FIG. 8 , in which the drive gear  222  and knurling gear  224  are offset along their axes of rotation from one another sufficient as to prevent meshing of the gear teeth thus preventing drive gear  222  from driving knurling gear  224 . Drive gear  222  in its second position has the teeth thereof meshing with the teeth of knurling gear  224  placing them in a drive-driven relation ( FIGS. 7 and 9 ). The flange  70  prevents drive gear  222  from being moved from one to the other of its first and second positions except for when a notch  71  in the flange  70  is disposed adjacent drive gear  222 . The notch  71  is sufficiently large as to permit a minor arc portion of knurling gear  224  to pass through the notch  71 . Disengagement of the gears  222 ,  224 , as determined by notch  71 , is timed to occur when the notch in drive gear  222  and the notch  71  in the housing are in alignment. With one notch  71  (as shown) drive gear  222  makes one revolution in one cycle of engagement and disengagement of the gears. The relative sizes of the gears  22 ,  24  and/or number of notches can be so chosen as to determine the number of times the free wire end portion is wound around the stationary wire. 
         [0051]    The stationary table top wire tie vise or hold down pad  120  as shown in  FIGS. 10-12 , comprises a portion of the wire tie system consisting essentially of a generally rectangular frame  112  with a clamping device  114  for holding a selected portion of a main wire body  15  and a free distal end  18  of a wire and twisting and forming a loop  120  from twisting or knurling the free end  18  of a wire around the stationary end  19  of the wire and for cooperatively engaging and holding a clip  13  onto the loop  120 . 
         [0052]    A clip  13  typically includes a rectangular main body including a square aperture  126  therein including a head  128  having a central wire tie hole  130  therein and notches  131  on the sides between the head and body. The distal end of the clip  122  may be arcuate forming a curved holding member  133 . The tab cooperatively engages a purlin or horizontal structural member  10  in a roof such as in a metal building whereby the sections can be lapped and nested at the supports. 
         [0053]    The clamp  114  comprises a cross member  140  and utilizes at least one base pad  141  and preferably a movable lever pad  134  each one including a friction enhancing means  136  such as a knurled surface. As shown in  FIG. 10 , the movable pad  134  extends from a pivotal lever  142  opposite a handle  144  pivotally mounted onto a base  150  mounted onto the cross member for applying securing a stationary wire  19  portion of a continuous strain of wire  15  and the distal free end portion  18  of the wire forming the loop  120 . Depression of the handle  144  biases the pads  134 ,  141  together immovably holding the wires  18 ,  19  therebetween. 
         [0054]    A chuck  160  designed to hold a clip  13  is rotatably mounted to on a standard  161  extending vertically from a selected end of the frame and includes a shaft  162  for connecting to a drill or hand crank. The wire clip  13  holding a loop  120  of wire formed from a free distal end  18  of a wire that is inserted into a semi-circumferential slot  166  intersects an axial groove  168  formed or cut a selected distance into the face of the chuck. A selected portion of the length of the wire to be suspended is looped through the clip  13  prior to insertion into the chuck whereby the loop is disposed into the groove and a distal end portion of the clip  13  holding the wire loop  120  is disposed within the slot  166  of the chuck. The main length of wire and a free end of the loop are held securely in a vise or clamp means  110  a selected distance from the chuck whereby rotation of the chuck twists the loop of wire with respect to the clamp knurling the wire a selected number of turns securing same to the clip. The number of wire twists depend upon positioning of the clamp whereby increasing the distance between the clamp and the chuck increases the number of twist in the wire. The distal end of the suspension wire now includes a clip for attachment to a ceiling support  10 . 
         [0055]    As illustrated in  FIG. 13 , one or more lugs  42  can be secured to the tool adapter housing  25  and project therefrom and so located as to suitably engage the housing of the drill and thereby prevent the entire tool  20  from rotating when the drill is actuated to drive the drive gear  22 . In this embodiment the tool  20  is provided as a separate unit for a purchaser to use with their own cordless hand drill. Applicants preferred embodiment however is illustrated in  FIGS. 3 to 6  where the tool housing is securely attached to for example a hand held cordless electric motor. In this embodiment the tool still can be marketed as a single unit intended for attachment to selected known cordless drills or alternatively a self contained independent unit can be provided in which the motor and twisting tool are a single unit directed to a dedicated purpose. The lugs  42  may be part of the housing  25  or projecting form an adapter plate (not shown) that can be detachably secured to the tool housing. 
         [0056]    The foregoing detailed description is given primarily for clearness of understanding and no unnecessary limitations are to be understood therefrom, for modification will become obvious to those skilled in the art upon reading this disclosure and may be made upon departing from the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims. Accordingly, this invention is not intended to be limited by the specific exemplification presented herein above. Rather, what is intended to be covered is within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.