Abstract:
A multifunctional molding name plate removal tool includes a blade attached to a blade retainer having a drive arm and a threaded handle attached thereto. The threaded handle may be removed in order to enable a pneumatic tool to drive the tool.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     In a principal aspect the present invention relates to a tool useful for the removal of molding and/or name plates from various items such as motor vehicles in order to effect repair and/or replacement.  
         [0002]     When repairing the body of a damaged motor vehicle, it is often necessary to remove the name plates or the molding which is attached to the body sheet metal typically by means of some adhesive. The methodology for removal of such items has been dependent upon the use of chisel-type devices. Such devices are exemplified by a tool offered by Steck Manufacturing Co., Product No. 59890 and 3M Company, Product No. 051135-08978. These tools typically include a rod with one end configured to receive a pneumatic drive tool and the opposite end attached to a blade. In use, the tool is driven by the pneumatic driving tool and the blade is caused to undercut the molding or name plate from a vehicle body. These devices may include a blade which is permanently affixed to a rod, such as with the 3M tool, or a blade which may be removable from the tool. U.S. Pat. No. 5,301,429 for a Tool for Removing Moldings and the Like also discloses a tool of this general type.  
         [0003]     Such devices have been found to be useful and accepted somewhat in the relevant trades. However, certain aspects of the use of such tools are undesirable. For example, it may not be desirable to use a pneumatic driving mechanism for such a tool, particularly where the name plate or decorative item to be removed is small or requires a delicate hand operation to effect removal. On the other hand, to provide a separate tool which may be hand operated and another tool which may be pneumatically operated calls for extra tools. Thus, there has developed the need for an improved, multifunctional molding and name plate removal tool.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     Briefly, the present invention comprises a molding and name plate removal tool which is convertible between a hand operated tool and a pneumatically operated tool. The tool is comprised of a generally rectangular blade which is comprised of a thin spring steel material and includes a leading edge that is shaped in the manner which enables it to be inserted under a name plate or a piece of molding adhered to a vehicle by adhesive without damaging the underlying paint, or at least minimizing any such damage. The blade is a separate element which is attached to an elongate driving rod that has a special shape or configuration enabling the drive rod to be impacted axially from its drive rod end by means of a pneumatic driver or alternatively to receive a handle so that the tool may be manually operated or driven. The drive rod further includes a blade attachment arrangement which enables the blade to be tightly adhered to the opposite end of the drive rod. The drive rod end of the drive rod includes a flared section which is externally threaded so that a handle with a counterbore and internal threads may be screwed onto the drive rod end of the drive rod. Thus, the tool may be converted between a mode of operation dependent upon manual manipulation and engagement using the removable handle or, alternatively, by means of a pneumatic driver which engages the drive rod end when the manual handle has been removed.  
         [0005]     Thus, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved, multifunctional molding and name plate removal tool which is convertible between a manually operational configuration and a pneumatically driven configuration.  
         [0006]     Another object of the invention is to provide a molding and name plate removal tool wherein the blade of the tool may be easily replaced.  
         [0007]     A further object of the invention is to provide a molding and name plate removal tool which includes a blade that is configured to minimize any potential for damage of the underlying substrate upon which the molding or name plate is affixed.  
         [0008]     Another object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive, yet rugged, easily used molding and name plate removal tool.  
         [0009]     These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be set forth in the detailed description which follows.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0010]     In the detailed description which follows, reference will be made to the drawing comprised of the following figures:  
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a top plan view of an embodiment of the tool of the invention;  
         [0012]      FIG. 1B  is a top plan view of an alternative embodiment;  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is a side elevation of the tool of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged detail and side view of the end of the blade of the tool of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view taken along the line  4 - 4  in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0016]      FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view of the tool of  FIG. 2  taken along the line  5 - 5  in  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0017]      FIG. 6  is an isometric view of the tool of  FIG. 1  illustrating the manner of manual operation;  
         [0018]      FIG. 7  is an isometric view of the tool of  FIG. 1  configured for use in combination with the pneumatic driving tool; and  
         [0019]      FIG. 8  is an isometric view of the arrangement of the tool in combination with a pneumatic driving tool having a retainer spring.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0020]     Referring to the figures, the tool of the invention is comprised of three separate component parts. The tool thus includes a blade  10 , a blade retainer  12  and a threaded manual handle  14 . The blade  10  is a generally rectangular spring steel blade having a thickness in the range of 0.015±0.005 inches and a dimension in the range typically, in the longitudinal direction of a longitudinal axis  16 , of 3-6 inches and a transverse dimension in the range of 2-5 inches. The blade  10  includes first, second and third passages  18  at the end which serve to connect blade  10  to the retainer  12  and further includes a blade edge  24 , for example, as shown in  FIG. 3  comprised of first and second converging, planar faces  20  and  22  which define an included angle of 60°±15°. The preferred angle of convergence is in the range of 60°±5°. A functional reason for the configuration of the leading edge  24  of the blade  10  is to provide a symmetrical edge  24  where the surfaces  20  and  22  generally converge to a center line axis  21 . The leading edge  24 , thus, is a symmetrical convergence of the surfaces  20  and  22  and this promotes and permits the placement of either of the flat planar surfaces  26  or  28  of blade  10  adjacent or against a vehicle body surface, for example. In other words, the tool may be oriented with either surface  26  or  28  adjacent the body surface of a vehicle. The tool is thus reversible. Further, the leading edge  24 , being symmetrical, tends to preclude any gouging of the surface against which the blade  10  may be placed. Thus, the configuration of the leading edge  24  of the blade  10  constitutes a functional feature of the invention.  
         [0021]     The blade  10  is aligned with the longitudinal centerline axis  16  of a drive rod arm  40  of the blade retainer  12 . That is, the blade retainer  12  includes a drive head assembly  42  with an elongate drive rod arm  40  centrally located and extending along the axis  16 . The head assembly  42  includes a blade retention bar  44  held in position by nut and bolt assemblies  46  that fit through passages or openings  45  in the retention bar  44 , blade  10  and the transverse drive head assembly  42 . Again, note that all of the component parts are arranged so as to be symmetrical about the center line axis  16 . The drive rod arm  40  terminates at a driven end  50  which is a generally cylindrical shaped drive rod section  52  that is connected with a smoothly joined arcuate section  54  that, in turn, connects to a next adjacent, greater diameter, externally threaded section  56  that, in turn, connects to a circumferential rib or an abutment  58  at the end of the section  56 . The end of the drive rod arm  40  is thus compatible with a manual handle  14 .  
         [0022]     That is, the manual handle  14  includes a counterbore  60  with a flared abutment section  62 , an internally threaded section  64  and an outside end abutment  66 . The depth of the counter bore  60  is slightly greater than the longitudinal length of the drive rod extreme end section  52 . The flared section  62  of the handle  14  is designed to be spaced from the flared section  54  of the drive rod arm. The outer abutment end  66  of the handle  14  will engage the abutment  58  of the drive rod. The internal threads  64 , of course, will engage the external threads  56 . Thus, the handle  14  may be threaded onto the drive rod arm  40 . However, if the handle  14  is pushed during operation of the tool because of the abutting surfaces, such as the surfaces of abutment  58 ,  66 , the threads  64  of the handle  14  will not be stripped. Thus, the configuration of the counterbore  60  and the depth of the counterbore  60  as well as the various abutting surfaces all function to preserve the integrity of the threads  64  and the compatible threads  56  on the drive rod arm  50 . Again, the tool is generally symmetrical about the centerline axis  16  and the symmetry persists along the entire length of the retainer and the handle  14 . In practice in the manufacture of the tool, the blade retainer  12  is fabricated from a glass filled nylon material with a center metal rod axially aligned therewith providing for additional structural integrity.  
         [0023]      FIGS. 6, 7  and  8  illustrate various ways to use the tool. In  FIG. 6  the handle  14  is placed on the arm  40  and the combination may then be manually manipulated beneath or between a molding or name plate  71  adhered to a vehicle body surface  73 .  FIG. 7  depicts the same arm  40  with the handle  14  removed and a pneumatic tool  75  fitted over the driven end  52  of the retainer blade member  12 . Referring to  FIG. 8 , a retainer spring  80  may be threaded onto the end  77  of pneumatic driving tool  75 . The retainer spring  80  includes a depending arm  82  which is positioned to retain the tool in combination with the pneumatic driving tool  75  by being engageable with the circumferential rib or abutment  58 . Thus, as the tool moves axially back and forth in response to driving tool  75 , the depending arm  82  insures the combination remains connected. The depending arm fits into the region of a reduced diameter on  84  of rod arm  40  to insure maintenance of the assembly.  
         [0024]     The tool of the invention utilizes threads to engage the handle onto the blade retainer drive rod arm  40 . However, other attachment means may be utilized. Also, the fasteners  46  as previously described which hold the blade  10  in position may be removed. The embodiment utilizes three fasteners  46 . However, different numbers of fasteners  46  may be utilized. Also, the fasteners may be permanently fixed in passages  18 . However, removable fasteners are preferred. A preferred dimension of the blade is approximately 3.5 inches in width and approximately 4 inches in length in the axial direction. Typically, the blade  10  will be comprised of a spring steel such as a 1075 spring steel material. As depicted in  FIG. 1B , the blade  10  may be narrow for use in limited access situations. Because the blade  10  is removable, it may be replaced and various sizes may be employed with the retainer  12 . Variations of the construction or tool may be incorporated without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Dimensionally, variations may be effected. Additionally, the drive rod arm  40  may be angled slightly rather than totally symmetrical. Thus, the invention is to be limited only by the following claims and equivalents thereof.