Glazing tool

A glazing tool for providing a smooth and uniform bead of putty between a window pane and a window frame formed of a block suitable to be held in the hand of a user. The tool includes a bottom plate which forms a work surface to smooth the putty. A guide bar positioned at the bottom plate is adjustable along the surface of the bottom plate. The guide bar is adapted to engage the edge of a window frame while the other end of the bottom plate slides along the glass to insure the angle of the tool is maintained as a bead of putty is formed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a glazing tool, and in particular to a 
glazing tool adapted to provide a smooth bead of putty between a newly 
inserted window pane and a window frame. 
Normally, a tool called a putty knife is used to spread putty in the gap 
between a window frame and a newly inserted pane of glass to secure the 
pane in the frame. Putty knives traditionally are flat-bladed instruments 
with a handle having a straight working edge. When forming a putty bead, 
the putty knife is normally positioned generally perpendicular to the bead 
and drawn along the putty material to form a flat and aesthetically 
pleasing seal. Traditionally, the putty knife has been used for glazing 
purposes since it is an economical, durable, and lightweight tool which 
can be used with either hand. However, some disadvantages include the fact 
that the blade will rust and the finish wears off. The blade also bends 
under slight pressure and requires a considerable amount of skill to 
maintain it in a precise position in order to form a uniform putty bead. 
The professional glazer is normally quite proficient in doing this, 
however, most homeowners or first-time users of a putty knife find it 
difficult to properly use. Also, conventional putty knives because of 
their long handles, can be used only in open spaces. In situations where 
storm windows or other restrictions are present, a putty knife becomes 
difficult if not impossible to handle because of the lack of sufficient 
room to manuever the elongated object. Attempts to overcome the 
above-mentioned difficulties are primarily concentrated on redesigning the 
known putty knife blade by providing a specific area or edge which is 
adapted to facilitate applying the putty. Examples are shown in the prior 
patents to Hall (U.S. Pat. No. 1,000,333), and Strefling (U.S. Pat. No. 
2,706,831). 
The present invention provides a glazing tool which is non-sticking, 
inexpensive, easy to use, small, durable, and has the ability to establish 
the proper angle of application of the putty in the space between the 
window pane and window frame. It is adjustable, and therefore, can bead 
the putty and set the angle of application from the most delicate of 
window sashes to large steel industrial frames of commercial buildings. 
Once the proper angle is set, the glazing tool will maintain this angle 
throughout the entire application. Specific skills are not required, and a 
uniform smooth bead of putty is produced. 
The present invention is formed of a block of solid material preferably 
including suitable indentations in order to conform with the user's hand. 
The bottom of the block is designed to accept an inexpensive, field 
replaceable plate having a smooth, non-stick surface and is used to 
actually smooth the putty. The bottom also mounts a guide bar which may be 
adjustably moved across the bottom surface so that when the tool is placed 
with one side against the window pane, the adjustment bar engages the 
window frame to maintain the exact precise angle at which the smooth 
exposed bottom surface sets between the frame and the window frame. Means 
are provided to adjustably secure the guide bar to the bottom surface of 
the block so that the guide bar is freely adjustable and yet can be 
tightened against movement when the tool is being used. 
Among the objects of the present invention are to provide a glazing tool to 
lay a uniform bead of putty in the rabbit cut of a window sash; to lay 
putty in a straight line having the same height from one end to the other 
of the putty bead, thereby producing putty beads which have a better seal, 
beads which are more eye appealing, and beads which are comparable to 
those made by experienced glazers. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a glazing tool which 
allows less skilled, less experienced individuals to install putty in a 
rapid, flawless manner. 
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a glazing tool 
which includes an adjustable means of applying putty to various sizes of 
windows in order to maintain a smooth uniform putty bead.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
The drawings show the glazing tool 10 of the present invention. The tool is 
formed of a generally rectangular block 12 which may be formed from any 
solid material, such as metal, wood, or plastic or the like. The block 12 
includes indentations 14 which are adapted to conform to a user's hand and 
provide a gripping surface therefor. A working surface is provided by a 
bottom plate 16 secured on the bottom of the block 12. The plate 16 may be 
formed out of stainless steel, coated plastic or any other suitable 
material having a smooth or polished surface. A guide bar 18 cooperates 
with and is secured against the bottom plate 16. 
Suitable screw fasteners 22 are used to secure the guide bar 18 to the 
bottom plate 16. In the preferred embodiment, the upper portions of the 
screw fasteners 22 are formed with dovetail connectors 24 and are adapted 
to slidably ride in dovetail slots 26, as best seen in FIG. 4, formed in 
the lower ends of the block 12. The bottoms of the screw fasteners 22 fit 
through corresponding holes in the guide bar 18 and are secured by 
suitable nuts 28. 
It will be appreciated that by loosening each of the nuts 28, the dovetail 
connectors 24 are permitted to longitudinally slide within the dovetail 
slots 26 enabling the guide bar 18 to be adjustably moved across the 
surface of the bottom plate 16 while maintaining its longitudinal axis 
parallel to the longitudinal axis of the block 12. 
The manner in which the tool 10 is used can be seen with reference to FIG. 
3 which shows a window frame F, a pane of glass G and a measure of putty P 
used to seal the glass in place in the frame. The tool 10 is positioned so 
that the side of the bottom plate 16 opposite the guide bar 18 rests 
against the glass window pane G. The guide bar 18 is then placed over the 
outer edge of the frame F. This enables the bottom plate 16 to capture the 
putty P between the frame F and the glass G. 
When the proper adjustment of the guide bar 16 has been made, the glazing 
tool is slid down the entire length of the window. By using a slight 
inward pressure, the guide bar 18 rides along the edge of the frame F and 
the side of the bottom plate slides along the glass G. This insures that 
the tool 10 remains at the same angle relative to the glass G and frame F 
in order to produce a smooth uniform bead of putty. 
By varying the position of the guide bar 18 relative to the sides of the 
bottom plate 16, as described above, the effective working surface of the 
bottom plate can be changed as well as the angle at which the glazing tool 
10 assumes relative to the frame F and glass G. This permits the depth and 
angle of the bead of putty P to be varied to accommodate different size 
windows and window frames. 
It is understood that the above description is illustrative of the 
preferred embodiment of the present invention, however, many variations 
may be provided in keeping within the scope of the appended claims.