Abstract:
A tool belt tool tote device that is capable of carrying two tools independently, such as a cordless drill and a hammer. The double tool tote device comprises a C-shaped clip, a terminal swivel element and two hook elements. In use, a tool depending from each hook may freely swivel to maintain its center of gravity so that the tool will remain securely attached to the tool tote while remaining easily accessible to the user. In addition, each hook element is rotatably positionable to permit the user to independently position each tool in a comfortable fashion. The two hook elements also can be selectively positioned to retain one tool element across the breadth of the two hook elements.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to the field of carrying or toting devices, and more particularly to a tool belt attachment that is capable of carrying two tools independently, such as a cordless drill and a pneumatic nail gun. The double tool tote device of the present invention is an improvement of the inventor&#39;s “Tool Belt Tool Tote” described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,743,451 issued and U.S. Pat. No. 6,062,449, issued May 16, 2000. The inventive double tool tote device comprises a C-shaped clip, a swivel element and two hook members. In use, a tool depending from each hook may freely swivel to maintain its center of gravity so that the tool will remain securely attached to the tool tote while remaining easily accessible to the user. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Tool belts of various designs have been described in the prior art in order to carry and retain one or more desired tools while allowing the user to keep his hands free. The conventional tool belts are provided with leather or cloth loops which depend from the belt and which serve as tool retainers. Although useful to some extent, such tool belts present inherent deficiencies which limit their usefulness. For example because cloth is not necessarily a rigid structure, cloth loops may close when not in use, making it difficult for the user to replace the tool into the loop with one hand. More over, a loop may tightly constrict about the tool handle as the tool settles into position, thereby making it difficult to remove the tool when needed. Similar problems arise with the use of the more rigid leather loops. A more significant problem with the common tool belt is that the tool or tools being retained therein remain in a fairly static position with respect to the retaining loops. In other words, the tool fails to swivel as the user moves about to maintain its center of gravity. This limitation can create a dangerous situation as the user wearing a tool belt carrying multiple tools moves about due to the fact that one or more of the tools may slip out of its loop, for example when the user is climbing, thereby endangering personnel and materials located below. Moreover, conventional tool belts are designed to hold shafted objects, such as hammers, screwdrivers and the like, and are ill-suited for holding and retaining non-shafted tools, such as a power drill. When a user requires both a non-shafted tool and another tool, he often must hand carry the non-shafted tool, which can present problems when the user must climb a ladder or needs the use of both his hands. In addition, conventional tool belts are not designed for carrying heavier tools, such as a cordless drill, screw guns, and/or pneumatic and gas driven nail guns. 
     Despite the teachings of the prior art, a need still exists for a tool toting device which may be attached to a belt or tool-belt that facilitates carrying of at least one non-shafted tool, such as a power drill, and at least one other tool in a safe and convenient manner which frees the user&#39;s hands. Such a device should be sufficiently rigid so that the user can store both types of tools onto it with one hand and retrieve each tool with the use of one hand. Such a device also should permit swiveling of the carried tools such that each tool&#39;s center of gravity may not be shifted to a dangerous position, but rather maintains the tool within the safe control of the user even while climbing about in a work space. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a double tool tote device in which the aforementioned problems can be overcome comprising a clip affixed to a belt from which depends two independently swivelable hooks each capable of retaining a desired tool. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a double tool tote device which is capable of retaining two tools, each of which can be removed independently with one hand. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a double tool tote device which permits the user to adjust the position of each retained tool to a position which is comfortable and easily accessible from both the left-hand and right-hand side of the workman. 
     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a double tool tote device which is capable of carrying a non-shafted tool, such as a power tool. 
     It is still another object of the present invention to provide a double tool tote device which is economical to manufacture, durable in construction and effective in operation. 
     Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following specification or may be learned by practice of the invention. To the accomplishment of the above-related objects, this invention may be embodied in the forms illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings merely are illustrative, and that changes may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described within the scope of the appended claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention will be better understood with reference to the appended drawing sheets, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a front view of the double tool tote of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded side view of the double tool tote of the present invention, showing one of the hook members. 
     FIG. 3 is an exploded side view of the double tool tote of the present invention showing an alternate hook member. 
     FIG. 3A is a bottom view of the cap lock shown in FIG.  3 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present invention relates to a device for supporting and carrying a variety of tools on a belt, and in particular on a standard tool-belt. Referring to the figures, the device comprises a clip  10 , a swivel element  20  and a first U-shaped hook member  30  and a second U-shaped hook member  40 . Clip  10  is in the form of a C-shaped clip having a front face  10   a , a rear face  10   b  and a rounded top end  10   c ; the front face  10   a  terminating into a connecting end  10   d  having an aperture  11  disposed therein. Swivel element  20  comprises a first end  20   a  and a second end  20   b . First end  20   a  is provided with an aperture  21  corresponding in size to aperture  11  such that the apertures can be aligned and joined by introducing a suitable fastening means  12  through said apertures  11  and  21 . Suitable fastening means include, for example, the use of a semi-tubular rivet of sufficient diameter to be inserted through apertures  11  and  21 , a conventional bolt and nut arrangement or providing internally threaded apertures which can be connected by an externally threaded bolt. Preferably, the fastening means is a simple semi-tubular rivet  12  having a diameter slightly less than the diameter of apertures  11  and  21 , thereby providing the swivel element  20  with a rotation of about 180° to about 360° about the axis of the rivet. The second end  20   b  of swivel element  20  has a top surface  22   a , a bottom surface  22   b  and is provided with a pair of apertures  23   a  and  23   b  for engaging and attaching U-shaped hooks  30  and  40  respectively thereto. 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, U-shaped hook  30  comprises a first externally threaded end  30   a  and a second distal end  30   b . The coupling means to securely attach the U-shaped hook  30  to the swivel element  20  comprise an O-ring  32 , an O-ring or nylon washer  31 , an internally threaded jam nut  33  and an acorn nut  34 . To join the U-shaped hook  30  to the swivel element  20 , jam nut  33  threadedly engages first end  30   a  of hook  30 , the O-ring  31  is disposed onto the jam nut and the first end  30   a  is introduced into the aperture  23   a  such that the first end  30   a  extends through the top surface  22   a  of the swivel element  20 . The nylon washer is disposed over the first end and a locking acorn nut  34  is used to threadedly engage the first end. Similarly, U-shaped hook  40  comprises a first externally threaded end  40   a  and a second distal end  40   b . The coupling means to securely attach the U-shaped hook  40  to the swivel element  20  comprise an O-ring  42 , an O-ring or nylon washer  41 , an internally threaded jam nut  43  and an acorn nut  44 . To join the U-shaped hook  40  to the swivel element  20 , jam nut  43  threadedly engages first end  40   a  of hook  40 , the O-ring  41  is disposed onto the jam nut and the first end  40   a  is introduced into the aperture  23   b  such that the first end  40   a  extends through the top surface  22   a  of the swivel element  20 . The nylon washer is disposed over the first end and a locking acorn nut  44  is used to threadedly engage the first end. 
     Preferably, glue or similar adhesive is applied to the interior surface of jam nuts  33  and  43  such that each nut is permanently affixed to the lower portion of the respective threaded first end  30   a  and  40   a . Alternatively, the jam nuts are provided with a nylon washer or similar element in order to provide a stronger engagement with the first threaded ends. In this manner, the hook members  30  and  40  are securely attached to the swivel element, but each is capable of rotating about its axis without become loose due to the frictional nature of the O-ring and nylon washer arrangement, thereby allowing the hook to be positioned for comfort. Preferably, each hook member is composed of a soft aluminum metal or alloy thereof such that it is flexible and will bend under minimum pressure but is capable of being re-bent to its original shape. Capping means in the form of a ball, knob or similar device  36 ,  46  may be inserted over the second end  30   b ,  40   b of the respective hook members  30  and  40 . The incorporation of the ball protects the user from contacting the second end of the hook member with his hand and prevents undue wear to the device. Preferably, the second end  30   b ,  40   b is knurled and the ball  36 ,  46  is provided with a recess  37 ,  47  such that the ball can be pressed onto the second end of the hook member. Alternatively, the second end of the hook may be externally threaded and the recess is provided with internally mating threads such that the ball may be readily screwed onto the second end of the hook member. 
     FIGS. 3 and 3A show an alternate embodiment of securing the hook members to the swivel element. Referring to FIGS. 3 and 3A, U-shaped hook  300  comprises a first end  301  and a second distal end  302 . First end  301  is provided with a locking element  303  comprising a circumferential flange  304 , a conical mid-section  305  tapering toward the first end and a terminal locking knob  306 . In this embodiment, the swivel element  200  is provided with a slightly elongated aperture  203 . A cap lock  310 , having a top surface  311  and a bottom surface  312  which is configured in such a manner that it can engage and be securely fastened onto the terminal locking knob  306 . To join the U-shaped hook  300  to the swivel element  200 , the first end  301  is introduced into aperture  203  such that the terminal locking knob  306  extends through the aperture and the flange  304  contacts the bottom surface  202  of the swivel element  200 . The bottom surface  312  of the cap lock  310  engages the terminal locking knob  306  such that locking knob is firmly secured thereto. Optionally, cap lock  310  can be designed such that it is detachably secured to the locking knob  306 . It is to be understood that although only one hook member is described, both hook members can be joined to the swivel element in this manner. 
     The clip  10  can be fastened to a belt, tool belt, tool holster or any other conventional means for carrying tools, simply by inserting the belt, tool belt etc. into the space between the front face  10   a  and the rear face  10   b  such that the front face faces outwardly. The clip  10  may be composed of any suitable material conventional to the art, including, for example, hard or soft metals or metal alloys, hard plastics, flexible plastics and combinations thereof, for example, a metal clip having an outer plastic covering. A variety of tools can be hung from each of the hook members  30  and  40 ; once a tool is suspended from one of the hook members, the hook member automatically adjusts for the tool&#39;s center of gravity by the swivelling action of the swivel element  20  about the axis of hook member. In this manner, the tool not only is prevented from falling off of the hook, but also is readily accessible to the tool belt wearer. The tool belt wearer is able to re-position a tool supported by one of the hook members  30 ,  40  simply by rotating the respective hook along the longitudinal axis of its first end. Alternatively, both hook members can be swiveled either toward or away from one another such that both can be used to hold a desired tool, such as by laying the tool within the U-shaped portions of both hook members. 
     While particular embodiments of the invention have been described, it will be understood, of course, that the invention is not limited thereto, and that many obvious modifications and variations can be made, and that such modifications and variations are intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims.