Magnetic gauge for determining the thickness of filler used to repair vehicle damage

A magnetic gauge for determining vehicle body damage including a circular housing having a front face, a rear face and a hollow interior. The circular housing has a stem portion extending downwardly therefrom. The stem portion has a channel formed therein. The front face has a measuring gauge disposed therein. The measuring gauge includes a needle portion. The needle portion has an inner end. The inner end extends within the hollow interior. A magnet is slidably disposed within the channel of the stem portion of the circular housing. A shaft member is slidably disposed within the hollow interior of the circular housing. The shaft member includes a lower segment slidably disposed within the channel of the stem portion of the circular housing. The lower segment has a lower end secured to the magnet. The shaft member with the inner end of the needle portion whereby upward movement of the shaft member will advance the needle with respect to the measuring gauge.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 The present invention relates to a magnetic gauge for determining vehicle
 body damage and more particularly pertains to measuring the thickness of
 filler used to repair a damaged vehicle.
 The use of measuring devices is known in the prior art. More specifically,
 measuring devices heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of
 measuring thicknesses are known to consist basically of familiar, expected
 and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of
 designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for
 the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
 By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,828,212 to Nix discloses the use of a
 magnetic field sensor for measuring the thickness of a layer of paint on a
 vehicle to determine prior repairs of damage. U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,178 to
 Koch discloses a magnetic thickness gauge for measuring the thickness of a
 a nonmagnetic coating on a magnetizable material. U.S. Pat. No. 2,903,645
 to Wright and U.S. Pat. No. 4,425,546 to Taylor disclose additional
 constructions for magnetic coating thickness gauges.
 While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objective and
 requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a magnetic gauge
 for determining vehicle body damage for measuring the thickness of filler
 used to repair a damaged vehicle.
 In this respect, the magnetic gauge for determining vehicle body damage
 according to the present invention substantially departs from the
 conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so
 provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of measuring the
 thickness of filler used to repair a damaged vehicle.
 Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a
 new and improved magnetic gauge for determining vehicle body damage which
 can be used for measuring the thickness of filler used to repair a damaged
 vehicle. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this
 need.
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 In the view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of
 measuring devices now present in the prior art, the present invention
 provides an improved magnetic gauge for determining vehicle body damage.
 As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be
 described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved
 magnetic gauge for determining vehicle body damage which has all the
 advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.
 To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a circular
 housing having a front face, a rear face and a hollow interior. The
 circular housing has a stem portion extending downwardly therefrom. The
 stem portion has a channel formed therein. The stem portion has a lower
 end. The lower end has a pair of wheels coupled thereto. The front face
 has a measuring gauge disposed therein. The measuring gauge includes a
 needle portion. The needle portion has an inner end. The inner end extends
 within the hollow interior. The inner end has a ratchet wheel disposed
 thereon. The ratchet wheel is defined by a plurality of circumferentially
 disposed teeth. A magnet is slidably disposed within the channel of the
 stem portion of the circular housing. A shaft member is slidably disposed
 within the hollow interior of the circular housing. The shaft member
 includes a lower segment slidably disposed within the channel of the stem
 portion of the circular housing. The lower segment has a lower end secured
 to the magnet. The shaft member has a plurality of teeth. The plurality of
 teeth are engaged with the circumferentially disposed teeth of the ratchet
 wheel whereby upward movement of the shaft member will advance the ratchet
 wheel which will advance the needle with respect to the measuring gauge. A
 coil spring is disposed within the hollow interior of the circular
 housing. The coil spring is coupled with the shaft member. The coil spring
 urges the shaft member upwardly with respect to the circular housing.
 There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features
 of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that
 follows may be better understood, and in order that the present
 contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course,
 additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter
 and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
 In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention
 in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its
 application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the
 components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the
 drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being
 practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood
 that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose
 of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
 As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon
 which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the
 designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the
 several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore,
 that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions
 insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present
 invention.
 It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and
 improved magnetic gauge for determining vehicle body damage which has all
 the advantages of the prior art measuring devices and none of the
 disadvantages.
 It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved
 magnetic gauge for determining vehicle body damage which may be easily and
 efficiently manufactured and marketed.
 It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and
 improved magnetic gauge for determining vehicle body damage which is of
 durable and reliable construction.
 An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and
 improved magnetic gauge for determining vehicle body damage which is
 susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and
 labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to
 the consuming public, thereby making such a magnetic gauge for determining
 vehicle body damage economically available to the buying public.
 Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and
 improved magnetic gauge for determining vehicle body damage for measuring
 the thickness of filler used to repair a damaged vehicle.
 Lastly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and
 improved magnetic gauge for determining vehicle body damage including a
 circular housing having a front face, a rear face and a hollow interior.
 The circular housing has a stem portion extending downwardly therefrom.
 The stem portion has a channel formed therein. The front face has a
 measuring gauge disposed therein. The measuring gauge includes a needle
 portion. The needle portion has an inner end. The inner end extends within
 the hollow interior. A magnet is slidably disposed within the channel of
 the stem portion of the circular housing. A shaft member is slidably
 disposed within the hollow interior of the circular housing. The shaft
 member includes a lower segment slidably disposed within the channel of
 the stem portion of the circular housing. The lower segment has a lower
 end secured to the magnet. The shaft member with the inner end of the
 needle portion whereby upward movement of the shaft member will advance
 the needle with respect to the measuring gauge.
 These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various
 features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with
 particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this
 disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating
 advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should
 be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there
 is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
 With reference now to the drawings, and in particular, to FIGS. 1 through 3
 thereof, the preferred embodiment of the new and improved magnetic gauge
 for determining vehicle body damage embodying the principles and concepts
 of the present invention and generally designated by the reference number
 10 will be described.
 Specifically, it will be noted in the various Figures that the device
 relates to a magnetic gauge for determining vehicle body damage for
 measuring the thickness of filler used to repair a damaged vehicle. In its
 broadest context, the device consists of a circular housing, a magnet, a
 shaft member, and a coil spring. Such components are individually
 configured and correlated with respect to each other so as to attain the
 desired objective.
 The circular housing 12 has a front face 14, a rear face 16 and a hollow
 interior. The circular housing 12 has a stem portion 18 extending
 downwardly therefrom. The stem portion 18 has a channel 20 formed therein.
 The stem portion 18 has a lower end. The lower end has a pair of wheels 21
 coupled thereto. The wheels 21 allow the device 10 to be maneuvered along
 the surface of the vehicle. The front face 14 has a measuring gauge 22
 disposed therein. The measuring gauge 22 includes a needle portion 24. The
 needle portion 24 has an inner end 26. The inner end 26 extends within the
 hollow interior. The inner end 26 has a ratchet wheel 28 disposed thereon.
 The ratchet wheel 28 is defined by a plurality of circumferentially
 disposed teeth 29.
 The magnet 30 is slidably disposed within the channel 20 of the stem
 portion 18 of the circular housing 12. The magnet 30 will be attracted to
 the metallic surface of the vehicle. Once the magnet 30 comes across a
 repaired portion of the vehicle, the magnet's 30 strength will be reduced
 thereby indicating a repaired area of the vehicle.
 The shaft member 32 is slidably disposed within the hollow interior of the
 circular housing 12. The shaft member 32 includes a lower segment 34
 slidably disposed within the channel 20 of the stem portion 18 of the
 circular housing 12. The lower segment 34 has a lower end secured to the
 magnet 30. The shaft member 32 has a plurality of teeth 36. The plurality
 of teeth 36 are engaged with the circumferentially disposed teeth 29 of
 the ratchet wheel 28 whereby upward movement of the shaft member 32 will
 advance the ratchet wheel 28 which will advance the needle 24 with respect
 to the measuring gauge 22.
 The coil spring 38 is disposed within the hollow interior of the circular
 housing 12. The coil spring 38 is coupled with the shaft member 32. The
 coil spring 38 urges the shaft member 32 upwardly with respect to the
 circular housing 12.
 In use, the circular housing 12 is placed on the surface of the vehicle.
 Using the pair of wheels 21, the circular housing 12 is rolled along the
 surface of the vehicle. When in use, the magnet 20 is attracted to the
 metallic surface of the vehicle against the urging of the coil spring 38.
 Once the magnet 30 is positioned over a repaired area that has an epoxy or
 filler 40 disposed above the metallic surface 42, the magnetic pull of the
 magnet 30 will be reduced thereby causing the coil spring 38 to retract
 thereby advancing the needle portion 24 with respect to the measuring
 gauge 22 to indicate a level of epoxy or filler. Note FIG. 3.
 As to the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same
 should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further
 discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided.
 With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the
 optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to
 include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and the
 manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and
 obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to
 those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are
 intended to be encompassed by the present invention.
 Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the
 principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and
 changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired
 to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and
 described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may
 be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.