Hand tool

A tool for detaching a mechanically and adhesively secured retainer member from its mounting. The tool includes a base member supportable on a workpiece and having a lift element extending therethrough for rotary and axial movement relative thereto. The lift element is provided with a radially projecting foot or blade having a sharp edge for penetrating the adhesive material and insertable behind a flange of the retainer member for prying the latter loose from its mounting.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to a portable hand tool and, more particularly, to a 
tool for disengaging and lifting retainer members adhesively secured to 
glazing panels. 
While not limited thereto, the present invention is particularly adapted 
for use in detaching retainer caps from solar energy collection units. 
These units generally include an enclosure for housing a metallic heat 
absorbent plate supported on heat insulating material and covered 
preferably by spaced inboard and outboard glazing panels. In addition to 
mechanically interlocking the retainer cap to the enclosure, the former is 
commonly adhesively secured to the outboard glazing panel in order to 
provide a fluid tight seal for the unit. 
The outboard panel is especially vulnerable to damage during handling and 
installation and during use because of its exposure to the elements. 
Accordingly, it sometimes becomes necessary to remove the retainer cap in 
an effort to replace a damaged outboard glazing panel. However, detachment 
and removal of the retainer cap has proven difficult because of its 
adhesive securement to the fragile outboard panel by the mastic sealant. 
Screw drivers and other makeshift implements often are used to break the 
cap loose from the outboard panel, sometimes damaging adjacent components 
of the collector unit. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a 
portable hand tool especially adapted for facilitating the detachment of 
an adhesively secured retainer member from its connected structure. 
A more specific object of this invention is to provide a portable hand tool 
for detaching a sealed retainer cap from its mounting on a glazing panel 
for facilitating the removal and/or replacement of glazing panels. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a portable hand 
tool which is simple and strong in construction, rugged and durable in 
use, inexpensive to manufacture, and which expedites removal of a sealed 
retainer member from its associated structure. 
The foregoing and other objects, advantages and characterizing features of 
the present invention will become clearly apparent from the ensuing 
detailed description of an illustrated embodiment thereof, taken together 
with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals denote like 
parts throughout the various views.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring now in detail to the illustrative embodiment depicted in the 
accompanying drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1 a portable hand tool, 
constructed in accordance with this invention and generally designated 10, 
supported on the upper surface of a solar energy collector 11. The form of 
collector 11 illustrated comprises a generally rectangular shaped 
enclosure 12 having a bottom or base plate 13, a pair of end walls 15 and 
a pair of side walls 16 suitably secured together to form a rigid, 
box-like structure. 
The enclosure 12 houses a suitable heat collecting plate (not shown) 
supported on and spaced from the base plate 13 by a suitable layer of heat 
insulating material (also not shown). A plurality of laterally spaced, 
heat conducting conduits 17 (FIG. 1) extend longitudinally of the 
enclosure 12 and are connected at their one ends to a common header for 
delivering ambient fluid to the conduits and at their other ends to a 
common header for removing the heated fluid therefrom. Since the collector 
components so far referred to are well known and, per se, form no part of 
this invention, it is believed that no further amplification or 
description thereof is necessary. 
The collector 11 includes two transparent sheets or panels 18 and 20 
preferably formed of tempered glass. Inboard panel 18 is positioned above 
the heat collecting or absorbent plate (not shown) in spaced relation 
thereto and the outboard panel 20 is located above and spaced from panel 
18 (FIG. 5) to provide a dead airspace therebetween. The peripheral edge 
of panel 18 is mounted in a gasket 21, of U-shaped configuration in cross 
section, extending inwardly around the periphery of the panel 18 and 
seated in a channel shaped formation 22 provided in the frame of the 
enclosure 12. The peripheral edge of the outboard panel 20 also is 
supported and mounted in a U-shaped or channel shaped gasket 23 supported 
on the upper surface 24 of a protrusion 25 formed as a part of the 
enclosure 12 and extending inwardly around the periphery thereof. 
The entire collector assembly is closed by a retainer cap 26 having an 
inwardly projecting flange or lip 27 overlying the peripheral edge of 
outboard panel 20 along the entire periphery thereof and resting on the 
upper leg 28 of gasket 23 interposed therebetween. The lip 27 extends 
inwardly past the gasket leg 28 and is adhesively secured to the upper 
surface of panel 20 by means of a mastic material 29 extending to the 
inner edge of gasket leg 28 and filling the space between lip 27 and the 
outboard panel 20 to provide a fluid tight pressure seal therebetween. 
While preferably the mastic material is formed of silicone, it should be 
appreciated that any suitable, fluid impermeable sealant can be used, as 
desired. 
The retainer cap 26 also is formed with a vertical leg 30 extending 
downwardly from the lip 27 and adapted to be received in a recess 31 
formed by an upright formation 32 of a right angularly shaped protrusion 
33 extending inwardly from the enclosure wall. The leg 30 is bowed or 
curved in transverse cross section for biased engagement against the side 
of upright formation 32 of protrusion 33 and forms a tight connection 
therewith. Additionally, the bowed leg 30 is formed with a shoulder 35 
adapted to engage behind an undercut portion formed in the upright 
formation 32 for locking engagement therewith in the assembled relation. 
Thus, the retainer cap 26 is mechanically locked to enclosure 12, as well 
as being adhesively secured to the outboard panel 20. 
It can be readily appreciated that the outboard glass panel 20 is 
especially vulnerable to damage in use as might be caused by wind 
propelled debris, falling tree branches, vandalism, or by negligence in 
handling during shipment and storage for example. In any event, 
replacement of a damaged outboard panel with a fresh one has been 
difficult. Generally, a screw driver or other makeshift tool has been 
employed to penetrate the mastic material and break the retainer cap 26 
loose from its adhesive securement to the outboard panel and mechanically 
disengage the same from the collector unit. 
The portable hand tool 10 of the present invention overcomes these 
shortcomings by facilitating the detachment of a retainer cap from its 
housing for easy removal therefrom. To this end, the tool 10 comprises an 
angled body or base member 36 of a generally L-shaped configuration in 
side elevation having an upper horizontally extending portion 37 and a 
lower, vertically extending portion 38. The terms upper, lower, 
horizontal, vertical and the like are relative and are used herein only 
for convenience of description with reference to the drawings and are not 
to be taken as limiting the scope of this invention. As best shown in FIG. 
5, the inner surface of the vertical portion 38 is formed with an 
indentation defining a planar vertical surface 40 and a shoulder 41. In 
use, the shoulder 41 rests on the upper edge of the end or side walls of 
enclosure 12 with the indented vertical surface 40 bearing against the 
outer face of such wall. The shoulder 41 is provided with curved, receding 
surfaces 42 at the opposite ends thereof, as best shown in FIG. 3, to form 
round, arcuate surfaces facilitating the movement of the tool along the 
upper edge of the enclosure side or end walls as will hereinafter be 
described in detail. 
The horizontal body portions 37 is formed with a vertical bore 43 for 
receiving and guiding the shank 45 of a lift element 46. The shank 45 is 
loosely fitted within the bore 43 for free rotational movement therein. 
The element 46 is provided with an enlarged, flat sided heat formation 47 
connected to shank 45 by a neck portion 48 of slightly larger diameter 
than bore 43 and which bears against the upper flat surface of body 
portion 37. The lower end of shank 45 is provided with a radially 
projecting blade or foot 50 which gradually widens in width from the shank 
45 toward the distal end thereof, as best shown in FIG. 6. The blade 50 is 
beveled adjacent a major portion of its side edges and along its leading 
edge, as shown at 51 and 52, respectively, in FIG. 6, tapering radially 
outwardly from the central portion of blade 50 and terminating in a 
relatively sharp edge 53 for easy penetration into a mastic material. 
The bore 43 is counterbored as at 54 for accommodating the upper end of a 
helical spring 55 disposed about the shank 45 of element 46. The 
counterbore 54 defines an end wall 56 which serves as an abutment seat for 
the upper end of spring 55. The lower end of spring 55 bears against foot 
50 for biasing the latter axially outwardly as limited by the bearing 
engagement of neck portion 48 against the upper flat surface of body 
portion 37. 
The head 47 of lifter element 46 is pivotally mounted on a central portion 
of a pin or shaft 57 rigidly secured along its opposite ends to a pair of 
circular discs 58 disposed on opposite sides of head 47 in close proximity 
to the flat sides thereof. The shaft 57 is radially offset from the axes 
of the discs 58 to form therewith an eccentric. Thus, rotational movement 
of the discs 58 effects arcuate movement of the shaft 57 about the disc 
axes to, in turn, effect vertical movement of the element 46 as guided by 
axial movement of the shank 45 within bore 43. Because the shank 45 is 
confined within bore 43, the discs 58 will bodily shift or translate 
slightly in a horizontal direction upon rotary movement thereof. 
A block 60 having an inner central flat surface 61 and inner arcuate 
surfaces 62 on opposite sides of surface 61 complementary to the rear flat 
surface of head 47 and the peripheral surfaces of discs 58, respectively, 
is welded or otherwise fixedly secured therealong. An elongated lever or 
handle 63 is affixed to the block 60 for facilitating manual rotation of 
the discs 58 about their axes, as well as bodily movement thereof in a 
horizontal plane about the vertical axis defined by shank 45. This 
arrangement enables the discs 58 to be rotated 180.degree. to vertically 
move the shaft 57 and thereby lifter element 46 between its lower and 
upper positions shown in full lines and in dotted lines, respectively, in 
FIG. 5. A U-shaped clip 65 is rigidly secured along its bight portion, as 
by means of a suitable fastener 66, to the upper surface of body portion 
37 and is provided with spaced, upright resilient legs 67 formed with 
bowed portions 67 for receiving and securing the handle 63 therein when 
swung to its alternate position of use shown in FIG. 7. 
A lug 70 is formed integral with body portion 38 and is axially bored for 
accommodating an elongated rod 71 provided at its opposite ends with 
suitable handles 72, which facilitates manual movement of the tool 10 
bodily along solar collection 11 for a purpose that will presently become 
apparent. 
In use for detaching a retainer cap to provide access into the solar 
collector, the tool 10 is placed on the latter with the shoulder 41 
resting on the upper edge of a side wall of solar collection enclosure 12 
with the handle 63 disposed in a horizontal position substantially 
parallel to such side wall as shown in FIG. 2. This also orients the foot 
or blade 50 in a direction generally parallel to the enclosure side wall 
and the inner edge of the flange 27 of retainer cap 26. 
The handle 63 is then swung 90.degree. in a clockwise direction, as 
indicated by arrow A in FIG. 2, causing the sharp edge 53 of blade 50 to 
bite into and penetrate the mastic material 29 below retainer cap flange 
27 as shown in FIG. 5. Handle 63 is then swung upwardly 180.degree., in 
the direction of arrow B in FIG. 4, to rotate discs 58. As the handle 63 
approaches the end of its arcuate movement, it engages between the clip 
legs 66, which will yield sufficiently to receive the handle 63 and then 
secure the same in the pocket formed by the bowed portions 67. Since the 
connecting shank 45 is affixed against translatory movement by guide bore 
43, the rotating discs 58 move bodily a slight distance toward the left as 
viewed in FIG. 5, bearing against the upper flat surface of the body 
portion 37. Rotation of the discs 58 raises the eccentrically mounted 
shaft 57 along with shank 45 vertically, as guided by bore 43, to in turn 
urge blade 50 against the underside of retainer cap flange 27. The upward 
prying force of blade 50 directed against the underside of flange 27 
creates tensile stresses in the mastic material 29 sufficient to rupture 
the same in the region of blade 50, breaking the sealed retainer cap 26 
loose from the outboard panel 20 and raising it upwardly. At the same 
time, this upwardly directed force transmitted to leg 30 sufficiently 
deflects the resiliently yieldable bowed leg 30 to disengage its shoulder 
35 from behind the undercut portion of formation 32 and allow the same to 
pass upwardly through recess 30 for detaching the retainer cap 26 from 
enclosure 12. 
Once the mastic material 29 is initially ruptured and retainer cap 26 
disconnected in the area of blade 50, the entire tool 10 is manually moved 
along enclosure 12 in a stepwise fashion by rocking the tool on the curved 
surfaces 42 of shoulder 41 and incrementally taking successive bites into 
the mastic material and progressively lifting or prying portion of the 
flange 27 loose from its mounting with the blade 50 held against movement 
by virtue of the securement of handle 63 in clip 65. The tool is bodily 
rocked to and fro along the edge of the enclosure wall, each time 
advancing a step therealong. This movement is continued along the entire 
length of each side wall and each end wall to completely free the retainer 
cap 26 from its sealed connection with the outer panel 20 and its 
mechanical interlock with enclosure 12. 
From the foregoing, it is apparent that the present invention fully 
accomplishes its intended objects and provides a novel tool implement for 
expediently detaching and removing an adhesively secured retainer cap from 
an enclosure to provide access thereto. The tool of this invention is 
particularly adapted for breaking loose retainer caps adhesively secured 
to glazing panels mounted in solar collector enclosures to permit glazing 
panel removal and replacement. However, it should be understood that the 
tool is not restricted to such use, but has utility in a wide variety of 
applications where desired to attach or loosen adhesively secured 
retaining frame members or structural components from their associated 
structure without damage to either. The tool is compact, durable, easy to 
use and can be readily manipulated and guided by hand. 
It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and 
described is to be taken as an illustrative embodiment only of the same, 
and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts, may 
be restored to without departing from the spirit of the invention.