Abstract:
A pipe holder comprises a handle and a slant piece. The slant piece includes a handle attachment point, a mouth, and a support point. A centerline runs through the mouth and support point. The handle attachment point resides between the mouth and support point, and is configured to point the handle approximately orthogonal to the slant piece centerline. The mouth is sized and shaped to urge a pipe to reside in the mouth substantially orthogonal to the handle and at an angle other than 90 degrees from a plane of the slant piece. When an inserted end of the pipe is inserted through the mouth, a three point stance is formed by the support point, an opposite end of the pipe, and a support end of the handle. The inserted end of the pipe is thereby supported above the ground. The pipe holder is stabilized by stepping on the handle.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to tools for holding material and in particular to a simple tool for hands free holding of pipes.  
         [0002]     Often, pipes and other materials must be held for cutting and other tasks. These tasks are often difficult to perform if one hand is required to hold the material during performance of the task. Tools, for example tripod pipe holders, are available for clamping a pipe to allow both hands to control a saw or other tool being used on the pipe. Unfortunately, such know pipe holders are bulky and expensive. As a result, a worker may wish to avoid moving or purchasing such pipe holder. Further, the cost of a tripod pipe holder is generally outside a budget of a homeowner for private use.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     The present invention addresses the above and other needs by providing a pipe holder which comprises a handle and a slant piece. The slant piece includes a handle attachment point, a mouth, and a support point. A centerline runs through the mouth and support point. The handle attachment point resides between the mouth and support point, and is configured to point the handle approximately orthogonal to the slant piece centerline. The mouth is sized and shaped to urge a pipe to reside in the mouth substantially orthogonal to the handle and at an angle other than 90 degrees from a plane of the slant piece. When an inserted end of the pipe is inserted through the mouth, a three point stance is formed by the support point, an opposite end of the pipe, and a support end of the handle. The inserted end of the pipe is thereby supported above the ground. The pipe holder is stabilized by stepping on the handle.  
         [0004]     In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a workpiece support comprising a slant piece and a handle. The slant piece comprises a small end defining a first support point, a large end defining a second support point, a small mouth residing proximal to the small end, and a large mouth residing proximal to the large end. The small mouth accepts smaller cross-section workpieces and the large mouth accepts larger cross section workpieces. A slant piece centerline substantially bisects the small mouth and the large mouth and a handle attachment resides between the small mouth and the large mouth. A handle is attached to the slant piece at the handle attachment and extends away from the slant piece at an angle substantially orthogonal to the slant piece centerline.  
         [0005]     In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for hands free holding of a pipe in a pipe holder comprising a slant piece and a handle attached to the slant piece. The method comprises inserting an end of the pipe through a mouth in the slant piece, positioning a support point of the slant piece, an opposite end of the pipe, and an end of the handle, on a substantially horizontal surface, and placing a foot on the handle. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING  
       [0006]     The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following more particular description thereof, presented in conjunction with the following drawings wherein:  
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is perspective view of a workpiece holder according to the present invention.  
         [0008]      FIG. 2A  is a top view of a slant piece and an attached handle of the workpiece holder.  
         [0009]      FIG. 2B  is a side view of the slant piece and the attached handle of the workpiece holder.  
         [0010]      FIG. 2C  is an end view of the slant piece and the attached handle of the workpiece holder.  
         [0011]      FIG. 3A  depicts a top view of a workpiece held by the workpiece holder.  
         [0012]      FIG. 3B  depicts a side view of the workpiece held by the workpiece holder.  
         [0013]      FIG. 4A  is a top view of a second slant piece and an attached handle of a second workpiece holder for larger workpieces.  
         [0014]      FIG. 4B  is a side view of the second slant piece.  
         [0015]      FIG. 4C  is an end view of the second slant piece  
         [0016]      FIG. 5  is a method according to the present invention. 
     
    
       [0017]     Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding components throughout the several views of the drawings.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0018]     The following description is of the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the invention. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of describing one or more preferred embodiments of the invention. The scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the claims.  
         [0019]     A perspective view of a workpiece (or pipe) holder  10  according to the present invention is shown in  FIG. 1 . There is often a need to hold a workpiece when cutting, shaping, filing, threading, etc. one end of the workpiece. These tasks are often performed on a work site, or on a piece of material difficult to carry into a garage or shop to clamp into a vice or to a workbench. A known alternative is to use a tripod holder at the work site, but such tripod holders are expensive and cumbersome to move about. The workpiece holder  10  provides a simple and easy to use solution for hands free holding of a workpiece.  
         [0020]     A top view of a slant piece  12  and an attached handle  20  of the workpiece holder  10  is shown in  FIG. 2A , a side view of the slant piece  12  and the attached handle  20  of the workpiece holder  10  are shown in  FIG. 2B , and an end view of the slant piece  12  and the attached handle  20  are shown in  FIG. 2C . The slant piece  12  has a length L, a width W, and a thickness T. The length L is preferable approximately 12 inches, the width W is preferably approximately four inches, and the thickness T is preferably approximately one half inch.  
         [0021]     The slant piece  12  includes a small end  12   a  and the large end  12   b . A first support point  11   a  resides at the small end  12   a  of the slant piece  12 , and a second support point  11   b  resides at the large end  12   b  of slant piece  12 . The support points  11   a  and  11   b  are preferably approximately one half inch wide. The slant piece  12  has a first tapered portion with length L 1  at the small end  12   a , a uniform width center portion with length L 2 , and a second tapered portion with length L 3  at the large end  12   b . The length L 1  is preferably approximately 6.25 inches, the length L 2  is preferably four inches, and the length L 3  is preferably 1.75 inches. The first tapered portion preferably tapers at approximately 16 degrees, and the second tapered portion preferably tapers at approximately 45 degree.  
         [0022]     A small mouth  16   a  resides proximal to the small end  12   a , and a large mouth  16   b  resides proximal to the large end  12   b.  The small mouth  16   a  is preferably substantially triangular in shape and preferably points (or narrows) towards the small end  12   a . The small mouth  16   a  is preferably substantially triangular to the extent that when a workpiece (for example a pipe)  18  is inserted through the small mouth  16   a  and allowed to come to a rest position (see  FIG. 3B ), the workpiece  18  contacts the slant piece  12  at three points (e.g., on the base and two sides of a triangle.) The small mouth  16   a  has a base B 1  and a height H 1 . The base B 1  is preferably approximately 1.4 inches, and the height H 1  is preferably approximately 2.5 inches. The small mouth  16   a  may alternatively be described as an approximately isosceles triangle with interior angles of approximately 32 degrees, approximately 74 degrees, and approximately 74 degrees and a height of approximately 2.5 inches.  
         [0023]     The large mouth  16   b  is preferable a substantially pentagonal in shape and preferably points (or narrows) toward the large end  12   b.  The large mouth  16   b  is preferable substantially pentagonal to the extent that when a workpiece  18  is inserted through the large mouth  16   b  and rests in the slant piece  12 , the workpiece  18  contacts the large mouth  16   b  at three points, e.g., the base and two sides  17   a  of a roof of the pentagon. The large mouth  16   b  has a base with a width B 2 , sides  17   b  with height H 2 , and roof sides  17   a  (or roof) with height H 3 . The base width B 2  is preferably approximately three inches, the side height H 2  is preferably approximately two inches, and the roof height H 3  is preferably approximately 1.5 inches, thus the mouth  16   b  preferably has a height of approximately 3.5 inches. The sides  17   b  of large mouth  16   b  are preferably parallel. The large mouth  16   b  may alternatively be described as an approximately isosceles pentagon with interior angles of approximately 90 degrees (at the peak or corner pointed toward the large end  12   b ), approximately 45 degrees, approximately 45 degrees, approximately 90 degrees, and approximately 90 degrees, and a base of approximately three inches and a height of approximately 3.5 inches.  
         [0024]     The exterior shape of the slant piece  12  preferably matches (e.g., has edges substantially parallel to) the sides of the small mouth  16   a  at the small end  12   a , and the large mouth  16   b  at the large end  12   b,  and preferably describes an approximately one half inch border along the sides of the small mouth  16   a  and along the sides  17   b  and roof  17   a  of the large mouth  16   b  . Thus, the slant piece  12  preferably has a constant width center section of width W of preferably approximately four inches and length of preferably approximately four inches, and tapers from the center section at angles of preferably approximately 16 degrees towards the small end  12   a  over a length of preferably approximately 6.25 inches, and tapers from the center section at angles of preferably approximately 45 degrees towards the large end  12   b  over a length of preferably approximately 1.75 inches. The slant piece  12  further defines a slant piece centerline  12   c  preferably approximately centered on the slant piece  12 , and alternatively running between the small mouth  16   a  and the large mouth  16   b , or running between the small mouth  16   a  and the second support point  11   b,  or running between the large mouth  16   b  and the first support point  11   a.    
         [0025]     A handle attachment  14  is attached to the slant piece  12  to allow the removable attachment of the handle  20  The handle attachment  14  preferable includes female threads to accept a threaded handle attached end  20   a  (see  FIG. 3A ), and more preferably includes female pipe threads, and most preferably includes ¾ inch female pipe threads. The handle attachment  14  resides between the mouths  16   a  and  16   b , and is centered a length L 1  from the second support point  11   b,  wherein L 1  is preferably approximately five inches. The handle attachment is aligned to point the handle  20  substantially orthogonal to the centerline  12   c.  The handle  20  is sufficiently orthogonal to the centerline  12   c  to provide a stable three point stance (see  FIG. 3A ) for the workpiece holder  10  and workpiece  18 .  
         [0026]     While the workpiece holder  10  is shown herein as having two mouths  16   a  and  16   b , a workpiece hold according to the present invention may have a single mouth and single support point opposite the single mouth. The slant piece  12  may be made from plastic for use with light material, for example sprinkler line, or may be made from a metal, and is preferably metal, and more preferably made from steel. The handle  20  is preferably a threaded pipe, and more preferably a ¾ inch threaded pipe.  
         [0027]     A top view of a workpiece  18  held by the workpiece holder  10  is shown in  FIG. 3A , and a side view of the workpiece  18  held by the workpiece holder  10  is shown in  FIG. 3B . An inserted end  1   8 a of the workpiece  18  is inserted through the large mouth  16   b . The workpiece holder  10  and workpiece  18  rest on points A, B, and C corresponding to the first support point  11  a, an opposite workpiece end  18   b,  and a handle support end  20   b.  A foot  26  rests on the handle  20  exerting downward force  24  on the handle  20 . The force  24  is seen to be applied at a point interior to the points A, B, and C, thereby receiving stable support from the points A, B, and C. A smaller diameter workpiece may equivalently reside in the small mouth  16   a  and be supported by the second support point  11   b,  the opposite workpiece end  18   b,  and a handle support end  20   b.    
         [0028]     The mouths  16   a  and  16   b  are configured so that a workpiece  18  may reside in the mouth  16   a  or  16   b  at an angle  28  to the slant piece  12 . The angle  28  varies depending on the size of the mouth  16   a  or  16   b  and the cross-section of the workpiece  18 , and the angle  28  is preferable large enough to provide a stable geometry for the workpiece holder  10  and workpiece  18 , and to hold the inserted end  18   a  of the workpiece  18  far enough from the surface  22  to allow a desired task to be performed on the workpiece  18  (e.g., far enough to use a saw to cut off a portion of the workpiece  18 .) The mouths  16   a  and  16   b  may thus vary depending on the size of workpiece  18 , and the large mouth  16   b  is preferably sized to accept workpieces  18  larger than the workpieces  18  which the small mouth  16   a  is sized to accept.  
         [0029]     A top view of a second slant piece  12 ′ and an attached handle  20  of a second workpiece holder  10 ′ for larger cross-section workpieces is shown in  FIG. 4A , a side view of the second slant piece  12 ′ is shown in  FIG. 4B , and an end view of the second slant piece  12 ′ is shown in  FIG. 4C . The second slant piece  12 ′ includes a third mouth  16   c  having a pentagonal shape similar to the second mouth  16   b  (see  FIG. 2A ) but which is larger than the mouth  16   b . The third mouth  16   c  has a base B 3 , sides  17 ′ b  with length H 4 , and roof sides  17 ′ a  (or roof) with height H 5 . The base B 3  is preferably approximately 4.5 inches, the height H 4  is preferably approximately 3.3 inches, and the height H 5  is preferably 2.23 inches, thus the mouth  16   c  preferably has a height of approximately 5.53 inches. The sides  17 ′ b  are preferably parallel and the roof sides  17 ′ a  are preferably slopes at approximately 45 degrees.  
         [0030]     The second large mouth  16   c  may alternatively be described as an approximately isosceles pentagon with interior angles of approximately 90 degrees (at the peak or corner pointed toward the large end  12 ′ b ), approximately 45 degrees, approximately 45 degrees, approximately 90 degrees, and approximately 90 degrees, and a base of approximately 4.5 inches and a height of approximately 5.53 inches.  
         [0031]     The slant piece  12 ′ further has an overall length L′, a width W′, and a thickness T′. The length L′ is preferably approximately 15.5 inches, the width W′ is preferably approximately 5.5 inches, and the thickness T′ is preferably approximately 0.5 inches. The third support point  11   c  resides at the end of a protruding portion with length L 5  of preferably approximately 1.5 inches. The slant piece  12 ′ has a first tapered portion with length L 6  extending toward the small end  12 ′ a,  a uniform width center portion with length L 7 , and a second tapered portion with length L 8  extending toward the large end  12   b.  The length L 6  is preferably approximately 6.8687 inches, the length L 7  is preferably 4.6313 inches, and the length L 8  is preferably 2.5inches. The first tapered portion of the slant piece  12 ′ preferably tapers at approximately 20 degrees, and the second tapered portion of the slant piece  12 ′ preferably tapers at approximately 45 degree. The centerline  14   c  of the handle attachment  14  is preferably approximately seven inches from the large end  12 ′ b.    
         [0032]      FIG. 5  is a method according to the present invention. The method includes the steps of inserting an end of the pipe through a mouth in a slant piece at step  50 , positioning the support point, an opposite end of the pipe, and an end of the handle, on a substantially horizontal surface at step  52 , and placing a foot on the handle at step  54 . The method may further include inserting an end of the pipe through a mouth in a pipe holder and substantially orthogonal to the handle.  
         [0033]     While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments and applications thereof, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention set forth in the claims.