Abstract:
A Combination Hammer and Nail Driver is disclosed. The combination hammer and nail driver provides the benefits of a conventional hammer in addition to the features of a slide hammer (also known as a “pea shooter”). The device resembles a conventional hammer, but be further equipped with an internal bore for housing a slide rod. The hammer has an end cap that retains the slide rod within the internal bore of the hammer. The end of the rod has external threads for engaging the internal threads of a conventional plumb bob. The tip end of the slide rod is magnetized so that a nail will stick to it. Finally, the assembly of the present invention includes a slingshot attachment that can be used to threadedly engage the slide rod to provide another option for driving a nail.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This invention relates generally to hand tools and, more specifically, to a Combination Hammer and Nail Driver. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Hammers are one of the oldest hand tools known to man. As such, they have evolved over the years in a number of ways. Two particular advancements are of interest here in the context of the improvements provided by the present invention. 
         [0005]    The first hammer advancement discussed here is that of an integrated nail holder. Such a device is depicted in  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a prior art carpenter&#39;s hammer  10 . This particular hammer  10  is the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 6,339,974 to Kotschner. et al. The Kotschner device has a conventional handle, but has a head  12  defined by a elongate notch portion  14  running axially along the top surface of the head  12 . There is further one or more T-shaped notches  16  at various positions along the axial notch  14 . There is further a magnet  18  recessed within the head  12  along the axial notch  14 . 
         [0006]    In use, the user is able to place a nail in the axial notch  14  with the head of the nail being positioned within one of the T-shaped notches  16  so that the tip of the nail is extending beyond the front face  5  of the head  12 . The magnet  18  will hold the nail in place within the notch  14 . The user then simply must tap the hammer at the location where he or she desires to drive the nail. What will happen is that the nail will be partially driven into the material at the nailing location. The user then pulls back on the hammer  10 , which will release the nail from the magnet  18 ; the nail will remain protruding from the nailing location. The user then continues driving the nail by striking the head of the nail with the face  5  of the hammer  10 . This feature is very convenient because it allows the user to avoid accidentally striking his or her hand while holding the nail and starting to drive it. 
         [0007]    A second hammer-related advancement is depicted in  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 2  is a partial cutaway side view of a prior art nail driver  20 . The nail driver  20  of  FIG. 2  is the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 6,205,602 granted to Dettweiler. The Dettweiler “Multi-purpose Tool” allows the user to drive nails in tight confines, where the user either has problems reaching the nailing location to start the nail or has problems striking the nail head at the nailing location (or swinging the hammer). Devices such as these commonly are called “pea shooters” or “slide hammers.” 
         [0008]    The Dettweiler tool  10  has a weighted driver  22 , with a rod  24  extending from it. The rod  24  is encased within a sleeve  26  so that it can slide freely. To use the tool  10 , the user places a nail  28  within the sleeve  26  (while the rod  24  is somewhat retracted within the sleeve  26 ). The user would then place the tip of the nail  28  at the nailing location, after which the user strikes the first end  30  of the driver  22 . The force of this strike will travel along the driver  22  and the rod  24 , and the impact end  32  of the rod  24  will drive the nail  28  into the material at the nailing location. 
         [0009]    While each of these prior tools provide individual benefits to the user, they require the user to carry both of them at all times in order to be convenient for use. The user&#39;s desire for maximum mobility and minimum carrying weight usually prevents the user from carrying both of them. This means that the tools need to be recovered from their resting place each time they are needed. It is this inconvenience that is solved by the device of the present invention. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    In light of the aforementioned problems associated with the prior devices, it is an object of the present invention to provide a Combination Hammer and Nail Driver. The combination hammer and nail driver should provide the benefits of a conventional hammer in addition to the features of a slide hammer (also known as a “pea shooter”). The device should resemble a conventional hammer, but be further equipped with an internal bore for housing a slide rod. The hammer should have an end cap that retains the slide rod within the internal bore of the hammer. The end of the rod should bear external threads for engaging the internal threads of a conventional plumb bob. The tip end of the slide rod should be magnetized so that a nail will stick to it. Finally, the assembly of the present invention should also enable a slingshot attachment that can be used to threadedly engage the slide rod to provide another option for driving a nail. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    The objects and features of the present invention, which are believed to be novel, are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, of which: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a prior art carpenter&#39;s hammer; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a partial cutaway side view of a prior art nail driver; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a partially exploded side view of a preferred embodiment of the combination hammer and nail driver of the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a cutaway side view of the end cap of the device of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a cutaway side view of the tail end of the handle of the device of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a thread protector element for use with the device of  FIGS. 3-5 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a plumb bob element for use with the device of  FIGS. 3-5 ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is a side view of the device of  FIG. 3 ; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a slingshot attachment for use with the device of  FIGS. 3 and 9 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0021]    The following description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention and sets forth the best modes contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention. Various modifications, however, will remain readily apparent to those skilled in the art, since the generic principles of the present invention have been defined herein specifically to provide a Combination Hammer and Nail Driver. 
         [0022]    The present invention can best be understood by initial consideration of  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 3  is a partially exploded side view of a preferred embodiment of the combination hammer and nail driver  40  of the present invention. The tool  40  combines the strengths of both a nail-holding hammer such as depicted above in  FIG. 1  as well as the slide hammer features such as depicted above in  FIG. 2 . The tool  40  is made of two main elements—the hammer assembly  42  and the rod  44 . 
         [0023]    The hammer assembly  42  has a handle  46  and a head  48  attached to its upper end. An end cap  50  is attached to the handle  46  at the opposite (lower) end. There is an internal bore  52  inside of the hammer assembly  42  that is dimensioned to accept the rod  44  therein. In this depicted version, a nail holder  49  is formed in the top surface  53  of the head  48  adjacent to the face  51 . The nail holder  49  is substantially the same as the prior art device depicted in  FIG. 1 , although, while T-shaped slots are located atop the prior hammer at two locations (to accommodate two different sizes of nails), in this device  40 , there may be three T-shaped notches in order to accommodate an additional nail size, if desired. 
         [0024]    The rod  44  is an elongate rod of durable metal, such as titanium. It defines a tip end  54  and a tail end  58 . The tip end  54  will preferably include an integrated magnet  56 . The magnet  56  (as will become clear below) is provided to cause nails to stick to the tip  54  while using the slide hammer feature of the device  40 . The tail end  58  of the rod  44  has an externally threaded portion; the end cap  50  threadedly engages this portion of the rod  44 , as is now discussed in connection with  FIG. 4 . 
         [0025]      FIG. 4  is a cutaway side view of the end cap  50  of the device of  FIG. 3 . The end cap  50  has a threaded bore  60  formed within it, but otherwise is preferably made from a solid piece of durable (typically case-hardened) metal that is strong enough to sustain repeated strikes with a hammer. A unique aspect of this bore  60  is that the upper portion  62  of the bore  60  has a wider diameter than the lower portion  64  of the bore  60 . The lower portion  64  is defined by a diameter D 2 . The threads and diameter D 2  cooperate with the threads and diameter of the tail end of the rod (see  FIG. 3 ) such that the tail end threadedly engages the lower portion  64  of the end cap  50 . As should be apparent from the drawing, the diameter D 1  of the upper portion  62  is larger than the diameter D 2  of the lower portion  64 . As such, the tail end will pass through (i.e. without threadedly engaging) the upper portion  62 . The purpose behind the threaded bore  60  having two diameters is discussed below in connection with  FIG. 5 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 5  is a cutaway side view of the tail end of the handle  46  of the device of  FIG. 3 . The handle  46  may be made from wood, fiberglass or some other material or combination. The internal bore  52  running the length of the handle  46  is formed within an internal tube  66  located within the handle  46 . The internal tube  66  has a threaded tip  68  where it protrudes from the bottom of the handle  46 . The tip  68  could also be a feature of the handle  46  itself (and the tube  66  may be eliminated), depending upon material choices. 
         [0027]    The outer diameter D 1  of the threaded tip  68  is sized (and threaded) to cooperate with the upper portion of the threaded bore of the end cap (see  FIG. 4 ) for a relative threaded engagement. As discussed previously, the diameter D 2  of the threaded tail end  58  of the rod  44  is sized (and threaded) to cooperate with the lower portion of the threaded bore of the end cap (see  FIG. 4 ). 
         [0028]    In use, then, the end cap (see  FIG. 4 ) and threaded tail end  58  are threaded together. The internal bore  52  and rod  44  are sized such that the rod  44  is free to slide longitudinally within the bore  52 . As a result, rod  44  can be slid upwardly (in this view) until the end cap (see  FIG. 4 ) reaches and threadedly engages the threaded tip  68 . When thus arranged, the rod  44  is stored securely within the handle  46 . One or more set screws might be provided in the head of the device (see  FIG. 3 ); the set screw(s) could be tightened until they press against the rod  44  inside of the internal bore  52  in order to prevent rattling or vibration from the rod  44  within the bore  52  when hammering with the tool. If we now turn to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , we can examine additional optional features related to the present invention. 
         [0029]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a thread protector element  70  for use with the device of  FIGS. 3-5 . The thread protector element  70  is defined by an inner threaded bore  72  that is dimensioned to threadedly engage the threaded tip ( 68 , see  FIG. 5 ) of the handle  46 . While the use of the element  70  is not mandatory, it may be preferred in order to avoid accidental damage to the threads of the threaded tip when the slide hammer feature of the device is being used. 
         [0030]    The thread protector element  70  would not normally be attached to the threaded tip [because the end cap ( 50 , see  FIG. 4 ) will be attached to the threaded tip]. The user would tighten the threaded protector element  70  to the threaded tip right before using the slide hammer feature; when done, the element  70  can be removed and placed in a tool belt (on the user&#39;s person) and the end cap  50  can be re-attached to the threaded tip ( 68 ). 
         [0031]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a plumb bob element  74  for use with the device of  FIGS. 3-5 . This is essentially a conventional plumb bob having a generally cylindrical body tapering to a pointed tip at one end. There is a threaded bore  76  formed within the body of the plumb bob  74 . Unlike the thread protector element of  FIG. 6 , the threaded bore in this element  74  is configured to engage the threaded tail end ( 58 , see  FIG. 5 ) of the rod. The plumb bob  74  would be attached to the rod end in place of the end cap in order to add an additional  16  to  24  ounce driving force to the slide hammer. The operation of the device as a slide hammer is illustrated in  FIG. 8 . 
         [0032]      FIG. 8  is a side view of the device  40  of  FIG. 3 . Here, the end cap  50  has been released from the threaded tip ( 68 , see  FIG. 5 ), and any set screw  67  is loosened, so that the rod  44  can be slid up and down along the internal tube  66  (the bore within, that is). Either the end cap  50  is removed from the rod  44 , or the rod  44  is slid completely out of the internal tube  66  so that the thread protector element  70  can be installed over the threads of the threaded tip ( 68 , see  FIG. 5 ). 
         [0033]    After the threaded bore  76  of the plumb bob element  74  is threadedly engaged to the threaded tail end  58  of the rod  44 , the rod  44  is inserted tip-first into the internal bore  52  through the top face  53  of the head  48 . A nail  28  (magnetically attached to the tip  54  of the rod  44 ) is then driven into the selected spot by hand-sliding the rod  44  down to the desired nailing location. 
         [0034]    As can be seen, a void has been created at the head end of the internal tube  66 . The user can magnetically attach the head of a nail  28  to the tip  54  of the rod  44 ; the internal tube  66  is sized so that it will stabilize the nail  28 . Now, the user simply places the tip of the nail  28  at the (remote) nailing location, and strikes the bottom face  69  of the end cap until the nail  28  is fully nailed in. 
         [0035]    Alternatively, the user could remove the rod  44  from the internal tube  66  and reverse it end-for-end. In that orientation, the end cap  50  would be located at the head end of the device  40 , and the nail  28  would be poking out through the internal tube  66  at the end having the thread protector element  70  installed. This would provide a smaller profile, which might enable the user to drive nails into tighter spaces that do not have sufficient clearance to accept the entire head  48  therewithin. Either orientation is expected to provide users with a valuable tool for driving nails into remote locations. Finally, turning to  FIG. 9 , we can examine a final accessory for the device of the present invention. 
         [0036]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a slingshot attachment  78  for use with the device of  FIGS. 3 and 9 . The slingshot element  78  allows the slide hammer feature of the device to be used without the need for a second hammer. The element  78  has a pull weight  80  that is shaped to be easily grasped by hand. The weight  80  has a threaded bore  82  formed within it for threaded engagement with the rod ( 44 , see  FIG. 8 ). There is a pair of elastic band  84 A and  84 B extending from the pull weight  80 . Elastic band  84 A ends in a first loop  86 A; elastic band  84 B ends in a second loop  86 B. One of the loops ( 86 A,  86 B) is stretched over the one end of the hammer head and the other loop is stretched over the other end of the hammer head. As can be imagined, if the rod  44  is inserted into the internal tube  66  as depicted in  FIG. 5  with the loops  86 A,  86 B stretched over the head  48  of the hammer assembly, the elastic band  84 A,  84 B will be stretched out such that it is exerting force against the pull weight  80 . The user can then insert a nail  28 , just as shown in  FIG. 5  and pull back on the pull weight  80  (further stretching out the elastic bands  84 A,  84 B). When the user releases the pull weight  80 , the rod  44  will be forced to slide down the internal tube  66  until the nail  28  is driven into place. If desired, the user can then continue to drive the nail  28  by repeatedly pulling back and releasing the pull weight  80  until the nail  28  is fully driven. 
         [0037]    Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various adaptations and modifications of the just-described preferred embodiment can be configured without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Therefore, it is to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described herein.