Abstract:
A carpet stretcher is provided with the improvement of a stabilizing apparatus and method that attaches to a carpet stretching tool to prevent the carpet stretching tool and any of its additional stretcher tubes from bending or bowing when utilized to stretch carpeting during carpet installation. The stabilizing apparatus consists of a bar with appropriate means for attachment to a carpet stretcher.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates to a carpet stretcher stabilizing device and to a carpet stretcher comprising such a device. 
   During the installation of carpet, carpet stretchers are often used to stretch the carpet to eliminate creases and wrinkles. It is common to attach one end of the carpet to a floor mounted wood strip, called a “tack strip”, having embedded upwardly extending pins or short nails for engaging the carpet. The carpet is then laid out to the opposite side of the room and the carpet installer then utilizes a carpet stretcher to stretch out the carpet prior to securing the carpet to the opposite side of the room with additional tack strips. 
   Carpet stretchers, examples of which are well known in the art, typically comprise a tail block for bearing up against a wall, a head that has teeth for gripping a carpet, a shaft or piston member fixed to the head, a cylinder member within which the shaft is slidable, a variable number of interconnectable tubes (based upon the size of the carpet to be stretched) for connecting the cylinder member to the tail block, and a power unit for sliding the head relative to the cylinder member and longitudinally to the stretcher tubes. The power unit typically comprises a lever which is pivoted on the head and attached to the cylinder member by a pivotal link so that the head is forced forward when the lever is depressed. In this manner, the stretcher tubes serve to transmit the forces in use to stretch the carpet. 
   A disadvantage of the known carpet stretchers is that the stretcher tubes are resiliently flexible and consequently tend to bow sideways during operation, as shown in  FIG. 2 , thereby reducing the effectiveness of the stretching operation and of the forces being transmitted to the carpet. 
   In has heretofore been proposed to immobilize the stretcher tubes by attaching to the stretcher tubes a carpet gripper which has teeth or the like for gripping the carpet surface or having an addition brace kit as describe in U.S. Pat. No. 4,815,708 issued to Samson on March 28 th , 1989. Both proposals have the potential for damaging the carpet if there is any deflection of the stretcher tubes when in use. In addition, the second proposal can be costly and time consuming in applying the additional brace kits for use. 
   Accordingly, it is believed to be advantageous to provide a less costly means for better stabilizing the stretcher tubes of a carpet stretcher that does not have the potential for damaging the carpet being stretched. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   A first aspect the present invention is directed to an apparatus for stabilizing a carpet stretcher from bending or bowing horizontally to the floor or surface being carpeted thereby making maximum effective use of the stretching forces on the carpet. In a first embodiment, the stabilizing bar consists of a flat rectangular bar of a light weight but rigid material such as aluminum or the like. Attached to this bar are clips for securing the bar to the carpet stretcher or stretcher tube attachments. 
   In a second embodiment, the stabilizing bar is fixedly attached to the carpet stretcher and any additional stretcher tubes that may be employed in stretching carpet during installation. This allows for the quick addition or removal of additional carpet stretching tubes with the stabilizer bars already attached. 
   In a third embodiment the stabilizing bar is an angular bar that provides bending stability in both horizontal and vertical planes to the floor or surface being carpeted. Other shapes of the stabilizer bar, such as square tubing or the like could be utilized and not detract from the intent and scope of the invention. 
   In a fourth embodiment the stabilizer is substantially longer than any single additional stretcher tube and the stabilizer bar is hinged in a plurality of places. This allows the stabilizer bar to remain folded when attached to a carpet stretcher used in a short carpet laying space and unfolded and attached to multiple carpet stretcher tubes being used by a single carpet stretcher when there is a large carpet to be laid and stretched. In addition, the carpet stretcher stabilizer can be folded up for compact storage and transportation when not in use. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic plan view of a conventional carpet stretcher. 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic plan view of a conventional carpet stretcher in use. 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a conventional carpet stretcher which is suitable for use with an attached stabilizing device according to the invention. 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the underside of the stabilizer bar in one of its embodiments. 
       FIG. 5  is a plan view of the top of the stabilizer bar with hinges. 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the stabilizer bar. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Reference will now be made in detail to the description of the invention as illustrated in the drawings. Although the invention will be described in connection with these drawings, there is no intent to limit the invention to the embodiment or embodiments disclosed therein. On the contrary, the intent is to include all alternatives, modifications and equivalents included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 
     FIG. 1  shows a hand powered carpet stretcher  100  that comprises a head  1  having teeth (not shown) which engage the carpet and a shaft  2  which is fixed to the head  1 . A lever  3  is pivotally attached to the head  1  by a pin  4  and has a handle  10 . The lever  3  is pivotally connected to a link member  5  by a second pin  6 . The opposite end of the link member  5  is pivotally connected to a base member  7  by a bracket  8  and a third pin  9 . 
   The cylinder member  7  supports the bracket  8  and slidably receives the shaft  2 . A tail block  11  is attached to a short tube  12  by a pin  13 . The short tube  12  can be used to engage additional stretcher tubes  14  between the short tube  12  and the base member  7  in order to lengthen the carpet stretcher. 
   The base member  7  comprises a cylinder member which mates with the stretcher tubes  14  commonly used in carpet stretcher assemblies. The stretcher tubes  14  typically have one male end and one female end such that multiple stretcher tubes  14  can be used together. The number of additional stretcher tubes  14  utilized is dependant upon the size of the carpet to be stretched. The means of assembling them and securing them together are well known in the art. Any suitable materials and securing mechanisms may be utilized in the construction of the carpet stretcher. 
     FIG. 2  illustrates the conventional carpet stretcher of  FIG. 1  in use, showing the undesirable side-to-side arcing of the stretcher tubes. This arcing reduces the effective carpet stretching force. According to the invention, this problem is overcome by attaching a stabilizer bar as will be described hereinbelow with reference to  FIGS. 3 ,  4 ,  5  and  6 . 
     FIG. 3  shows the carpet stretcher  100  of  FIG. 1  with a stabilizer bar  15  attached to the top of the carpet stretcher tubes  14  and/or the base member  7 .  FIG. 4  shows a perspective view of the underside of the stabilizer bar  15 . In one embodiment, the stabilizer bar  15  consists of a rectangular bar  16  of a light weight and stiff material, such as aluminum or the like. Fixedly attached to the bar  16  are a plurality of clips  17 . In operation, the bar  16  with the attached clips  17  are snapped over the top of the stretcher tubes  14 . As the bar  16  is much wider than it is thick, the bar  16  prevents the stretcher tubes  14  from flexing on a horizontal plane with the floor. 
   In an alternative embodiment depicted in  FIG. 5 , the top of the stabilizer bar  15  can have a single or a plurality of hinges  18  along the length of the bar  16  in order to accommodate varying numbers of stretcher tubes and for compact storage when not in use. 
   In another embodiment of the invention, shown in  FIG. 6 , the flat rectangular bar  16  is replaced with an angular bar  19 . In this embodiment, the clips  17  are also used to attach the stabilizing bar to the carpet stretcher. The angular bar  19  could also be hinged to provide for more compact storage. The angular bar prevents the stretcher tubes from flexing in both a horizontal and vertical plane to the floor. 
   In another embodiment, the stabilizing bar, either rectangular  16  or angular  19  can be permanently affixed to the stretcher tubes  14  in lengths roughly equal to the stretcher tube lengths. Thus, as stretcher tubes  14  are added to the carpet stretcher, the stabilizer bars are already attached to prevent flexing of the stretcher tubes  14 .