Abstract:
A system and method for holstering a mason&#39;s trowel, known as THE THIRD HAND, comprising a magnetic holster  10  having slots  40  or other means for attachment to a person&#39;s clothing and having a base protector sheet  20  with two holding magnets  30,  the entire system providing a “touch and feel” double click engagement method for securely and releasably holding a trowel, and eyelets  50  disposed about the perimeter of the base protector sheet  20  for receiving stop posts  60  for orienting a trowel in a preferred position for a user on the holster  10.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     Priority is claimed to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/600,186 filed Aug. 10, 2004, titled “Mason&#39;s Magnetic Trowel Holster and Holstering Method,” which is referred to and incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference. 
     
    
     FEDERALLY-SPONSORED RESEARCH:  
       [0002]     Not Applicable  
       SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM:  
       [0003]     Not Applicable  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION—FIELD OF INVENTION  
       [0004]     This invention relates to a system and method for holding flat-bladed tools. More particularly, this invention relates to a magnetic holster for holding a mason&#39;s trowels and floats on his person in a preferred position while the mason performs his work.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     Persons engaged in professional trades where flat-bladed forming or smoothing tools are used include brick and block masons, concrete formers, plasterers, stucco plasters and sheet rock installers. Generally, these forming tools are known as trowels or floats and have smooth, flat metal blades attached to a handle.  
         [0006]     Effective use of trowels or floats by a craftsman is critical to his efficiency and quality of work. For example, a brick or block mason uses a trowel to apply mortar to every block. The speed and dexterity with which a mason can both manipulate and access his trowel directly impacts the mason&#39;s productivity, the speed at which he can lay the brick or block, and hence, his income.  
         [0007]     Typically, as a mason places a block, he lays his trowel next to the work area and close to, or on, a mortarboard holding mortar for application by the mason. After laying the trowel down, the mason will have to reach to pick his trowel back up to apply mortar to the next block. Inherently, as the mason places each block, his work location will change slightly. The location where the mason lays his trowel may change depending on what part of a structure he is building. Where a mason is laying structural block, and two hands are required to place the block, the mason must lay down his trowel to pick up the block.  
         [0008]     When laying block or brick, the mason typically wipes his trowel clean on the edge of the previous block. If he then sticks the trowel in his mortar for temporary holding, he will have to wipe the blade of the trowel once more before cutting a portion of mortar from the mortar board for placement on the next block. This additional step consumes valuable time.  
         [0009]     Masons also work on elevated scaffolding to build higher structures. Due to vibration of the scaffolding caused by block movement or activity by a mason&#39;s helper, a mason&#39;s trowel may fall off the scaffolding. The mason then has to spend additional time retrieving his trowel from wherever it lands on lower levels of scaffolding or down on the ground. Additionally, falling trowels create an extreme safety hazard for persons on the ground.  
         [0010]     Unfortunately, the way a trowel is used by a mason does not allow the trowel to be connected via a tether to the mason to prevent it from falling.  
         [0011]     Consequently, a trowel holster is needed which does not require a tether, will follow along with the mason as his work along a wall progresses, allows a secure, rapid, reliable and repeatable conveniently releasable access to the trowel while temporarily holstered, and allows the mason to adjust positioning and orientation of the trowel to suit his particular work style and the way in which he holsters the trowel or reaches to grasp the trowel.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0012]     The present invention is a magnetic holster for securably yet releaseably holding a mason&#39;s trowel or float. The holster of the present invention is to be marketed under the trademark, THE THIRD HAND, which trademark has been filed by Rodney A. Goffinet. The holster includes a hand-sized sheet of semi-rigid material with a means for attachment to a worker&#39;s clothing or belt. Two flat magnets are affixed to the sheet to hold the trowel by its flat, bladed portion. The sheet includes a plurality of perforations to receive small alignment posts. The alignment posts protrude from the outward face of the sheet to act as a stop against the bladed portion of the trowel. Modifying the placement of the alignment posts may vary the position of the trowel handle. The user may adjust the alignment post positioning to cause the handle of the trowel to rest in a predetermined position whenever the trowel is placed against the magnets on the outward face of the sheet.  
         [0013]     Two slots are cut in the upper portion of the sheet to allow attachment to a worker&#39;s belt. Other means of attachment may be used without departing from the spirit of the present invention. The sheet may be attached to the worker using a clip affixed to the inward face of the sheet to allow attachment to a pocket, waistband or other piece of clothing. Also, Velcro may be affixed to the inward face of the sheet that meshes with an opposing piece of Velcro attached to the worker&#39;s clothing. The holster could also include a flap attached to the upper edge of the sheet, which is tucked into a pocket or waistband of the worker&#39;s clothing. The worker might also have buttons attached to a waistband; the sheet would then have corresponding buttonholes in the upper portion of the sheet, which would then be used to attach THE THIRD HAND to the worker.  
         [0014]     In a preferred embodiment, the sheet is made of leather, a semi-rigid material. Other suitable semi-rigid material includes canvas, duck cloth, plastic, rubber, nylon mesh, or other material having similar properties. The sheet may also be made of a non-magnetic metallic material such as aluminum.  
         [0015]     Although one larger magnet may be used, the preferred embodiment of the present invention, THE THIRD HAND, includes two smaller magnets. Two smaller magnets cause the metal face of the trowel to be held firmly in place while not in use, but easily removed when needed. Additionally, the use of two smaller magnets creates an “attachment effect” where the user physically and mentally confirms that the trowel is firmly attached by the “touch and feel” as each magnet engages the trowel blade at distinct moments.  
         [0016]     If one magnet were used, the mason can be misled into believing the trowel is firmly attached to THE THIRD HAND, when in reality, an insufficient surface area of the trowel blade is actually contacting the face of the single magnet to hold the weight of the trowel. The juxtaposition of two magnets on the protector sheet and confirmation of engagement of the two magnets by the mason&#39;s touch and feel ensures that sufficient surface area of the blade of the trowel is adjacent the face of the magnets to prevent the trowel from disengaging once released by the mason.  
         [0017]     Additionally, although the blade of the trowel may be initially attached to a single magnet, upon release of the trowel handle by the mason, the handle of the trowel might rotate downward creating sufficient momentum to cause the trowel to release from the single magnet.  
         [0018]     The placement of the two individual magnets on the sheet prevents this tool rotation, thereby preventing inadvertent disengagement caused by rotational momentum.  
         [0019]     In a preferred embodiment, one or more eyelets are included about the perimeter of the protector sheet of THE THIRD HAND. Each eyelet is sized to receive an alignment stop post to orient the position of a trowel attached to THE THIRD HAND. One or more stop posts may be used in combination to accommodate a particular size or shape of trowel or other tool. A stop post protrudes outward from the outward face of the holster sheet. The stop post may be attached to the sheet using standard means of attachment including a threaded or other similar system.  
         [0020]     A stop post, singularly or in combination with one or more additional stop posts, serves several functions. First, the stop post can align the trowel by its blade such that the trowel handle comes to rest in the user&#39;s preferred position for grasping. Second, the stop posts serves to minimize trowel rotation to prevent inadvertent disengagement from THE THIRD HAND. Third, singularly or in combination with the double magnet engagement signal, the “double click,” a stop post acts as a physical, non-visual clue or signal to the user that the trowel is properly oriented and firmly attached to THE THIRD HAND and may be released without fear of unintended disengagement.  
         [0021]     A stop post for a blade portion of the trowel need only extend one-quarter inch above the surface of the magnetic portion attached to the holster sheet. Stop posts of multiple lengths and diameters may be used to accommodate particular trowel sizes or shapes. Stop post placement may be customized to each user&#39;s preferences and particular style.  
       OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION  
       [0022]     One object of the invention is to provide a secure, yet easily releasable means for holding a mason&#39;s trowel to enhance accessibility by the mason to his or her trowel.  
         [0023]     An additional object of the invention is to provide a holder for a mason&#39;s trowel that orients the trowel in a manner preferred by the mason.  
         [0024]     Another object of the invention is to provide a rugged trowel holder system that is easy and inexpensive to manufacture and which can be sold at a very reasonable price to a user.  
         [0025]     Another object of the invention is to provide a trowel holder that provides non-visual clues to the user whenever the trowel is securely engaged by the holder.  
         [0026]     Another object of the invention is to provide the equivalent of a third hand to hold a mason&#39;s trowel so that he can use his two hands for other tasks.  
         [0027]     Other objects and further scope of applicability of the present invention, THE THIRD HAND, will become apparent from the detailed description to follow, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and claims. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0028]      FIG. 1  illustrates the preferred embodiment of a magnetic trowel holster, THE THIRD HAND, in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0029]      FIG. 2  provides a side view of the magnetic trowel holster, THE THIRD HAND, in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0030]      FIG. 3  provides a top view of THE THIRD HAND according to the present invention.  
         [0031]      FIG. 4  provides a bottom view of THE THIRD HAND according to the present invention.  
         [0032]      FIG. 5  provides an outward-facing view of THE THIRD HAND according to the present invention.  
         [0033]      FIG. 6  provides a left-facing side view of THE THIRD HAND according to the present invention.  
         [0034]      FIG. 7  shows a rear-facing view of THE THIRD HAND according to the present invention.  
         [0035]      FIG. 8  illustrates an expanded view of an alignment stop post and its associated eyelet. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0036]     With particular reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the magnetic trowel holster  10 , hereinafter also referred to as THE THIRD HAND, includes a main protector sheet  20  having two magnets  30  affixed to the protector sheet  20  using standard rivets R. Slots  40  penetrate an upper portion of the protector sheet  20  for attaching THE THIRD HAND  10  to a person&#39;s belt L. Eyelets  50  for receiving stop posts  60  are distributed about the perimeter of the protector sheet  20 .  
         [0037]     More specifically, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the main protector sheet  20  of THE THIRD HAND  10  is attached to a user&#39;s belt L by the slots  40  and hangs downward adjacent the user&#39;s hip. The protector sheet  20  is preferably made from leather. The protector sheet  20  is semi-rigid to both prevent the holster  10  from swinging while in use, and, to enhance the releaseability of the trowel from the holster  10 . Other semi-rigid material may be used for the sheet  20  including leather, canvas, duck cloth, other stiff textiles, rubber, nylon mesh, composite or plastic.  
         [0038]     Referring to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , two circular-shaped magnets  30  are affixed to the protector sheet  20  such that the magnets&#39; holding surface  32  faces outward, away from the wearer&#39;s body. The magnets  30  may be provided in other shapes or sizes to fit on the protector sheet  20 , but must provide sufficient holding surface area and force to hold the weight of the trowel or float securely, yet releaseably, on THE THIRD HAND  10 .  
         [0039]      FIG. 3  shows a top view of THE THIRD HAND  10  with a top edge  26  of the protector sheet.  FIG. 4  shows a bottom view of THE THIRD HAND  10  with a bottom edge  28 . The user wears THE THIRD HAND  10  such that the top edge  26  of the protector sheet  20  is higher on the user than the bottom edge  28 .  
         [0040]      FIG. 5  provides an expanded view of a stop post  60  assembly. The stop post  60  includes a threaded male pin portion  62  and a threaded female cylindrical receiver  64 . The pin portion  62  passes through the eyelet  50  to be threadably attached and secured to the protector sheet  20  by the cylindrical receiver  64 .  
         [0041]      FIG. 6  is a front view of THE THIRD HAND  10 , illustrating the placement of the magnets  30  and stop posts  60 . As illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the magnets  30  are preferably annular or circular in shape since magnets are most readily available in bulk volumes at a reasonable price in this shape. Additionally, circular-shaped magnets  30  do not have corners or other edges that might inadvertently catch the user&#39;s hand or the blade B of the trowel when being placed in the holster  10 .  
         [0042]     In the preferred embodiment, illustrated in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 5 , two circular magnets  30  are affixed to the protector sheet  20 . The magnets  30  include outer protectors  34  made from metal or plastic to prevent the magnets  30  from wearing during use, to hold the magnets  30  in place, and to allow attachment of the magnets  30  to the sheet  20  using rivets R or other means of attachment, including threaded attachments.  
         [0043]     Although shown as circular in  FIG. 6 , the magnets  30  may be of any shape and size that can fit on the outward facing surface  24  of the sheet  20 . The prescribed magnetic holding power of the magnets  30  must be sufficient to ensure that the trowel is held firmly in place adjacent surface  32  of the magnets  30  on the holster  10 , but low enough to ensure that the mason does not have to exert excessive force to remove the trowel from the holster  10 .  
         [0044]      FIG. 7  provides a side view of THE THIRD HAND  10 , illustrating how the stop posts  60  extend beyond the surface  32  of the magnets  30  for guiding the blade B of the trowel during holstering and unholstering of the trowel.  
         [0045]      FIG. 8  is a rear view of the inward face of THE THIRD HAND  10 . As shown, slots  40  are cut into the upper portion of the main protector sheet  20  of the holster  10  adjacent the top edge  26  to allow THE THIRD HAND  10  to be threaded onto a user&#39;s belt L. The slots  40  may be adjusted in size to accommodate belts of different sizes.  
         [0046]     Although slots  40  for a belt L are the preferred method of attachment of THE THIRD HAND  10  to a person&#39;s body, other commonly used attachment means may be used for securing THE THIRD HAND  10  to a user&#39;s person. Other attachment means include clips; tongues inserted into pockets, waistbands or belts; Velcro; and buttons.  
         [0047]     Referring once again to  FIG. 5 , in the preferred embodiment, a plurality of preferably circular metal eyelets  50  is distributed about the perimeter of the protector sheet  20  of THE THIRD HAND  10 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , an eyelet  50  is sized to receive a corresponding alignment or stop post  60 . Referring to  FIG. 1 , the stop posts  60  serves to orient the position of a trowel attached to THE THIRD HAND  10 . One or more stop posts  60  may be used in combination to accommodate a particular size or shape of trowel T or other tool.  
         [0048]     Referring to  FIG. 6 , the distributed eyelets  50  allow a user to vary stop post  60  placements to accommodate trowel orientation preference. As shown in  FIG. 56 , the preferred embodiment of THE THIRD HAND  10  includes nine eyelets  50 . However, in the present invention, the number of eyelets  50  in the protector sheet  20  of THE THIRD HAND  10  may be increased or decreased as desired to increase or decrease the variability of stop post  60  placement.  
         [0049]     Although the preferred embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1  includes two stop posts  60 , THE THIRD HAND  10  may also be used effectively with only one stop post  60  or without any installed stop posts  60 . The magnetic trowel holster  10  of the present invention is configured to receive anywhere from zero to nine stop posts  60 . THE THIRD HAND  10  is capable of effectively holding a trowel without the use of any stop posts  60 .  
         [0050]     In a first method of use, where no stop posts  60  are installed in the protector sheet  20 , a mason will bring the trowel blade B in close proximity to the holding surface  32  of the magnets  30 . The mason will be able to sense through “touch and feel” when both magnets  30  have engaged the blade B. The mason may then confidently release the handle H of the trowel, knowing that THE THIRD HAND  10  securely holds the trowel.  
         [0051]     When holstering the trowel, if the mason feels the engagement of only one magnet  30 , he will adjust the position of the trowel and its blade B until he senses that the second magnet  30  has also engaged, thereby communicating to the mason, in a non-visual manner, that a sufficient portion of the trowel blade B is covering a sufficient portion of the holding surfaces  32  of the magnets  30  to hold the trowel securely in place on THE THIRD HAND  10 .  
         [0052]     As shown in  FIG. 1 , two stop posts  60  are positioned to rest against the blade B of the trowel. This configuration allows the mason to place the trowel on THE THIRD HAND  10 , causing the blade of the trowel to come to rest against the stop posts  60  in a preferred position. Modifications to the placement of the stop posts  60  will change the placement of the trowel.  
         [0053]     In a second cooperative method of use, referring to  FIG. 5 , the complementary interaction between the stop posts  60  and the dual magnets  30  provides a reliable non-visual, multi-signal tool engagement method by which the mason can quickly and effectively holster his trowel. As the mason senses through feel that the trowel blade B has touched the stop posts  60 , he will then firmly press the trowel blade B against the magnetic holding surfaces  32  of THE THIRD HAND  10 . The dual magnets  30  will then register to snap the blade B against both magnetic surfaces  32 . These “touch and feel” signals generated by the touching of the stop posts  60  and the engagement of both magnets  30  allows the mason to confidently release his hold on the handle H of the trowel, without having to look to determine if, in fact, the trowel is securely positioned on THE THIRD HAND  10 .  
         [0054]     As shown in  FIG. 1 , two stop posts  60  create a linear guide wherein the straight edges of the blade B of the trowel come to rest against both stop posts  60 . This configuration aligns the blade B of the trowel in a specific orientation and causes the trowel blade B to be appropriately aligned over holding surfaces  32  of the magnets  30 . The specific alignment of the blade B of the trowel also forces a specific orientation of the handle H of the trowel. The stop posts  60  may be moved among the eyelets to accommodate the preferred placement of the trowel handle H according to a user&#39;s preferences.  
         [0055]     Further, additional stop posts  60  may be added to accommodate different trowel shapes or sizes. In addition, the dual stop post  60  configuration also allows the mason to more aggressively snap the trowel into place on THE THIRD HAND  10 , thereby saving time and increasing his efficiency.  
         [0056]     While the invention herein has been particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.