Abstract:
A pneumatically actuated lever arrangement provides the force to open a pry which operates in cooperation with a fixed wedge to efficiently separate nailed boards to make recovery and reuse of the boards economically feasible.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates a device for use in demolition or deconstruction. More specifically it is a device for use to pry conjoined objects apart. 
     2. Related Information 
     In demolition, the high cost of recovering and recycling materials usually results in the deposition of potentially valuable material in to waste dumps. In new construction utility grade lumber is often used and disposed of in substantially new condition, because the cost of tearing apart this grade of lumber is higher than the cost of new lumber. Heretofore lumber that has been nailed together is separated by manual prying. 
     The present invention has as an advantage that the labor is greatly reduced in prying apart lumber that is nailed. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Briefly the present invention is a prying apparatus comprising a frame having a wedge portion at is distal end, a blade pivotally mounted toward the distal end in cooperative alignment with the wedge portion. An extension is rigidly attached to the blade and extends away from the distal end, and an arm is pivotally attached at one end to a terminal end of the extension and at the other end to a lever. The lever is pivotally mounded to the frame at a point an unequal distance between said ends of said lever to form a short section and a long section. A power source is preferably mounted on the frame to operate the lever. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a preferred embodiment of the present apparatus. 
     FIG. 2 is an elevational side view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 in the actuated position. 
     FIG. 3 is a top in plan view if the apparatus of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 4 is a bottom in plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 
     FIG. 5 is partial side elevational view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 showing the at rest and actuated positions. 
     FIG. 6 is a detail of the lever linkage of the present apparatus. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now to FIG. 1 the apparatus shown is a prospective view. The frame  10  is generally linear at a proximal end. A pneumatic cylinder is pivotally attached to handle  40  by bolt  8 . A cutaway section shows the piston  52  to which rod  18  is attached. The pneumatically operated cylinder provides the actuating force for the apparatus in the preferred embodiment. The piston is actuated by directing air through either lines  14  or  16 . Air directed through line  14  moves the rod  18  to extend outward and actuate the linkage (described below) to the pry blade  42  (hereinafter called “the pry”) open away from the fixed wedges  48   a  and  48   b . Air directed through line  16  causes the pry  42  to close. The air is directed to the selected line by-manual operation of switch control  4  which is pivotally mounted on pin  6  in handle  2  of the frame and moves rod  50  in to direct from line  12  air to line  14  and on release the rod  40  is biased (not shown) within switch  30  to direct the air to line  16  and close the pry. Thus, squeezing the switch control  4  causes the pry to open and release causes it to close. 
     Referring to FIG. 2 the apparatus is shown with the pry  42  closed. In the pry it is cooperatively aligned with the fixed wedges  48   a  and  48   b  and rests between them. As shown in FIG. 2 in this configuration these three components have a single profile of beveled surfaces  54  for insertion between conjoined material such as boards nailed together. 
     The rod  18  is affixed to fitting  22  which pivotally attached to slot  24  to lever  28  by pin  26 . Lever  28  is pivotally mounted to the member  46   a  and  46   b  which extends from the frame and form a bracket where the lever  28  is mounted on pin  32 . The pin  32  is the fulcrum of the lever. The long end  56  of the lever  28  is attached to the pry. 
     Referring to FIG. 6, arm  44  is shown as pivotally attached by pin  36  to the extension  42   a  of pry  42 . The short end  58  of the lever  28  is attached to arm  44  by pin  34  which links the level to pry. The pry  42  is pivotally mounted between the wedges  48   a  and  48   b  on pin  38  as shown in FIG.  1 . 
     In the preferred embodiment the various components of the linkage system is shown as joined by fingers on the cooperating components. Fingers  44   a-c  of arm  44  interlaced with fingers  41  (only one of two fingers is visible) of extension  42   a  on the one end and with finger  28   a-b  of lever  28  on the other end. Also arm  40  is provided for controlling and placing the apparatus which is conveniently suspended on a balanced line (now shown) when in use.