Abstract:
A roofer&#39;s hammer having multiple pry features of varying configurations as well as a striking face on a head portion. One feature is formed on the handle end, another comprises a special claw on the head portion, and a pry tooth projects to one side of the claw.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention concerns hammers and more particularly hammers suited for use by a roofer in carrying out prying and/or nail removal tasks of the type encountered when roofing.  
           [0002]    A standard carpenter&#39;s hammer has a curving claw projecting back from the striking face. Such a standard claw is often awkward to use for prying, as the handle must be tilted forward, and forward clearance is sometimes not available. The hammer head configuration does not create a great deal of leverage, such that excessive effort is required, even for extracting nails.  
           [0003]    Further, the standard hammer claw is not well suited to a variety of prying applications encountered by a roofer, as when inserting the same under shingles, trim, flashing, siding, etc., and a roofer usually must carry other pry tools in addition to a hammer.  
           [0004]    Another roofer need is convenience in carrying the hammer, as the roofer is usually working on his knees or stooped over, such that a belt holder make removing the hammer awkward or necessitates standing up. Since a roofer must use his hammer frequently, even a slight hindrance is burdensome over the course of a work day.  
           [0005]    It has heretofore been proposed to provide a leg holster for hammers as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,605,263, but that holster is complex and costly as it has a number of mechanical parts, and some effort is required in seating the hammer in the holder.  
           [0006]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a hammer having multiple pry and extraction features which are configured to be particularly effective for roofers.  
           [0007]    It is another object to provide a simple and convenient leg mounted holder for a roofer&#39;s hammer.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    The above recited objects and others which will be understood upon a reading of the following specification and claims are achieved by a tool comprising a hammer having multiple pry features. The hammer is preferably of one piece metal construction including a striking head having a rigid handle attached at one end to the head and formed at its free end with slightly angled chisel prongs separated with a V-shaped slot. A bulging shape of the handle end together with a slight angling of the prongs allows a powerful mechanical advantage to be developed when grasping the head and using the handle length for leverage. The slight angle of the prongs allow the handle to extend away from a nail or shingle at a shallow angle to allow easy, convenient prying and extraction.  
           [0009]    An extraction claw is also provided on one end of a head portion, which is of longer length than standard hammers, and which is flattened and extends from an angled surface of the striking head end to allow great leverage when prying or extracting a nail.  
           [0010]    A pry tooth is optionally provided projecting from the outer side of at least one prong of the claw, which is effectively engageable with a siding piece to slightly pry the same away from a vertical wall adjacent a roof surface by a force exerted with the tool handle.  
           [0011]    This feature is useful to loosen siding and allow roof flashing to be inserted under the siding.  
           [0012]    Thus, a hammer with multiple pry features having varying configurations to allow effective prying for many different situations is provided, while still allowing effective use as a striking tool.  
           [0013]    A holder is also provided for the tool, adapted to be strapped to the lower leg of a user, which has a receptacle at the lower end of an elongated support having leg straps attached thereto. The tool head is inserted into the receptacle, with a spring retainer holding the same therein, the tool handle extending up the elongated member. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the roofer&#39;s hammer according to the invention, inserted in a holder according to the invention.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged end view of the head of the hammer shown in FIG. 1, with a sectional view of the holder receptacle receiving the hammer head.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 3 is a side view of the roofer&#39;s hammer shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 4 is an end view of the head of the roofer&#39;s hammer shown in FIGS.  1 - 3 , with a fragmentary portion of the handle.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 5 is an opposite end view of the head of the roofer&#39;s hammer shown in FIG. 4.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 6 is an enlarged side view of the end of the hammer handle, shown engaging a nail being extracted. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0020]    In the following detailed description, certain specific terminology will be employed for the sake of clarity and a particular embodiment described in accordance with the requirements of 35 USC 112, but it is to be understood that the same is not intended to be limiting and should not be so construed inasmuch as the invention is capable of taking many forms and variations within the scope of the appended claims.  
         [0021]    Referring to the drawings and particularly FIG. 1, the roofer&#39;s hammer  10  is shown held in a strap-on holder  12  which includes a receptacle  14  configured to receive the angled side head  16  of the hammer  10 . An elongated support piece  18  is fixed to the receptacle  14  extending upwardly alongside a handle  20  of the hammer  10 .  
         [0022]    A pair of straps  22  are attached at spaced apart locations along the piece  18  with hook and loop patches  24 ,  26  allowing the straps to be secured encircling the leg of a wearer.  
         [0023]    A spring strip catch  28  has a lip  30  urged to project over the top edge of the receptacle  14  (FIG. 2), which prevents the head  16  from slipping out, but which is easily deflected when the user pulls the hammer  10  out of the receptacle  14 .  
         [0024]    The hammer  10  is preferably of one piece construction of forged steel, with the handle  20  formed integrally with the head  16 .  
         [0025]    The head  16  has a flat striking face  34  at one end, a downwardly extending projection  36  provided to allow retention in a conventional belt loop holder (not shown).  
         [0026]    The head has sloping sides  32  (FIG. 4) to be snugly received into the correspondingly sloping sided receptacle  14 .  
         [0027]    The head  16  has an opposite face  38  its angled down and blending into an elongated tapered thickness claw  40  extending outwardly and downwardly from the opposite face  38 .  
         [0028]    A V-shaped slot  42  (FIG. 5) is formed into the end of the claw  40 . The corner  44  of the angled face  38  forms a fulcrum point when using the claw  40  for nail extraction or prying. The long length of the claw  40  makes it effective for loosening shingles without breakage. The claw  40  can be urged to punch a hole in plywood, siding, etc., and is designed to be sufficiently sturdy for that purpose.  
         [0029]    An auxiliary pry tooth feature  44  projects laterally from one side of the claw  40  adjacent the end thereof.  
         [0030]    This pry tooth feature  44  is effective at loosening siding on a vertical wall intersecting the roof. The hammer  10  is angled slightly away from the wall with the handle extending alongside the wall, the feature  44  can be engaged with the bottom edge of the siding. When the handle  20  is pulled back, the head engaging the roof surface, the pry tooth feature  44  exerts a pulling force on the siding, enabling it to be loosened. This allows flashing pieces to be inserted under the siding.  
         [0031]    The handle  20  is formed with pry-extraction prongs  46  separated by a V-shaped slot  48 . The prongs  46  integral with the handle end and are angled out slightly from the handle axis (FIG. 6). The handle  20  has a bulge  50  at the end adjacent an inclined face  52  blending into the prongs  46 . The bulge  50  creates a fulcrum when prying using the prongs  46 , or when extracting a nail  54 . Since the entire length of the handle  20  is available as a lever arm acting on the short distance from the bulge  50  to the slot  48 , considerable force can be exerted. This pry feature can more easily be used in many situations than a standard hammer claw, and allows the use of the knee to apply a force to the handle.  
         [0032]    Thus, a hammer having multiple pry features of very different configurations is provided, to be quite versatile in use to be particularly useful to a roofer.