Abstract:
A Fish-tape Pushing Tool. The tool preferably includes an input shaft that can be inserted into the chuck of a conventional hammer drill or impact driver tool. The device is defined by a groove formed through it sized to accept a conventional fish tape therewithin. When the hammer drill is set to create longitudinal oscillations, it causes the pushing tool to also oscillate. The oscillations of the pushing tool will cause unidirectional teeth within the groove to intermittently grasp the fish tape and incrementally push it down the groove, whereby the user will be able to feed the pulsatingly advancing fish tape through a conduit or along other confined path. The tool is designed to be simple, small and easy to handle for the user.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This invention relates generally to hand power tools and accessories therefore and, more specifically, to a Fish-tape Pushing Tool. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    One common tool used in residential and commercial construction is known as a “fish tape.” A fish tape is a device used to pre-thread wiring, cabling and even piping through walls, floors, ceilings and the like. An example of a conventional fish tape assembly  10  is depicted in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0005]    The assembly  10  has a hollow storage handle  12 , within which a coiled fish tape  14  is held. The tape  14  is generally made from metal, although fiberglass tapes  14  have recently been released to the market. The storage handle  12  can be designed to dispense the tape  14  in a variety of ways. In certain designs, the storage handle  12  is split around its outer edge—the tape  14  is dispensed (and recoiled) through the split. In other cases, such as that shown, the fish tape  14  is dispensed and recoiled through a central split or aperture. In any design choice, the function of the tape  14  is the same. The tape  14  is threaded through a hole or gap in a wall, or even through a section of electrical conduit, etc. until it protrudes at the other end. The protruding end of the tape  14  can then be used to back-feed wire through the hole, gap, conduit, etc. by attaching the wire to the tape  14  and then pulling the tape  14  back out (i.e. pulling using the storage handle  12  and usually recoiling the tape  14  at the same time). 
         [0006]    The tape  14  is stiff and has a certain “springiness” to it, which makes it much better for threading through holes, gaps and the like, than the final wiring would be—particularly for long or complicated runs. That being said, for particularly difficult runs, such as crowded sections of conduit, the tape  14  becomes very difficult to push through, and is very susceptible to getting caught or jammed in the conduit, etc. In recognition of this propensity, certain fish tape pushing devices have been introduced over the years. One such device is depicted in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0007]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a Power Drive Fish Tape device patented by Bob Brennan, and which is the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 6,361,021. The Brennan power driven fish tape  16  has an internal rotating ring  17  that, when rotated, will either cause the fish tape  14  to pay out of the housing  18  or be recoiled therein through the handle  20 . This paying out or recoiling can be done either manually, or with assistance of a conventional drill  24 . If the user attached the drill  24  to the input shaft  22 , the drill  24  can be used to rotate the input shaft  22 , which in turn will cause the internal ring  17  to rotate to either pay out or reel in the tape  14 . 
         [0008]    While the Brennan device seems to be functional to pay out and reel in the tape  14 , it fails to perform one specific feature—it does not agitate the tape  14  while paying it out. Many times a stuck tape  14  can be freed by push-pulling in rapid succession. This push-pull operation would be very difficult to be conducted by the drill  24  using the Brennan device because the user&#39;s hands are full, and because the lack of torque that the user can impart on the tape  14  because of the physical orientation of the devices. 
         [0009]    Another fish tape pushing/pulling device was the subject of U.S. Patent Application Publication 2002/0066893, filed by Quinn. Like the Brennan device, the Quinn feed mechanism can push or pull a fish tape, but it does not generate any pulsating movement to free a stuck (or avoid sticking) a fish tape. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,220,700 discloses a power drive for a conventional “electrician&#39;s snake.” This patent to H. N. Comeau, like those devices of the Brennan and Quinn disclosures, does not provide pulsating movement. 
         [0010]    Numerous devices do not add power drive capability to a conventional fish tape, but rather replace the fish tape assembly altogether. That is to say that the mechanism has an integral fish tape. Examples of these types of mechanisms are disclosed by Atencio, U.S. Pat. No. 6,722,603, G. Botello et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,355,148, Wilson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,917,362, Passoni, U.S. Pat. No. 3,610,582, W. E. Raney, U.S. Pat. No. 2,556,484 and Fisher et al. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0008130. Like the previously-described add-on devices, these “integrated tape” devices also fail to generate pulsing or driving motion. By failing to provide a pulsing motion, all of these devices fail to utilize the best proven way to prevent jamming of a tape in a crowded conduit and the like. Furthermore, these integrated tape-type dispensers a quite a bit more complex than those that utilize conventional fish tape assemblies, and therefore they tend to be prohibitively expensive (and therefore not really economically feasible). 
         [0011]    What is needed is a device that provides power driving capability to a conventional fish tape by pushing the tape using pulsing motion. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    In light of the aforementioned problems associated with the prior devices and accessories, it is an object of the present invention to provide a Fish-tape Pushing Tool. The tool should include an input shaft that can be inserted into the chuck of a conventional hammer drill or impact driver tool. The device should be provided with a groove formed through it sized to accept a conventional fish tape therewithin. When the hammer drill is set to create longitudinal oscillations, it should cause the pushing tool to also oscillate. The oscillations of the pushing tool should cause unidirectional teeth within the groove to intermittently grasp the fish tape and incrementally push it down the groove, whereby the user will be able to feed the pulsatingly advancing fish tape through a conduit or along other confined path. The tool should be simple, small and easy to handle for the user. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]    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: 
           [0014]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a conventional fish tape; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a Power Drive Fish Tape device patented by Bob Brennan; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the fish tape pushing tool of the present invention and a conventional hammer drill; 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the device and hammer drill of  FIG. 3  in operation to push a fish tape; 
           [0018]      FIGS. 5A and 5B  are side and cutaway side views, respectively, of the tool of  FIGS. 3 and 4 ; and 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  is a partial side view of the groove area of the tool of  FIGS. 3 ,  4  and  5 A. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0020]    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 Fish-tape Pushing Tool. 
         [0021]    The present invention can best be understood by initial consideration of  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the fish tape pushing tool  30  of the present invention and a conventional hammer drill  38 . The tool  30  is depicted as being generally cylindrical in shape, which has been found to be a desirable form, however other versions are also contemplated. 
         [0022]    The tool  30  is defined by an outer housing  32  having an arcuate groove  34  formed in it. The housing  32  has an input shaft  36  extending from it. The shaft  36  is sized to be insertible into the conventional bore  42  of the chuck  40  (shaft holder) of the hammer drill  38 . The outer housing  32  could be made from aluminum, steel, or even durable plastic depending upon the particular version and application for the tool  30 . 
         [0023]    Hammer drills are somewhat specialized devices that are particularly suitable for basic drilling functions, but have an additional strength in that they will provide a “hammering” motion to the drill bit inserted into the bore  42 . This hammering (in and out) movement, combined with rotation of the drill, is particularly intended for drilling into extremely hard materials, such as concrete and plaster and the like. While hammer drills are known for use in concrete drilling roles, the inventor is unaware of their use in connection with the feeding or handling of fish tapes.  FIG. 4  provides additional detail regarding the functioning of the tool  30 . 
         [0024]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the device  30  and hammer drill  38  of  FIG. 3  in operation to push a fish tape. The input shaft  36  has been captured within the chuck  40  bore. For operation with the instant invention, the hammer drill  38  is set so that it will transmit rotational as well as hammering movement to the input shaft  36 . The rotational movement is signified by direction “R” in this depiction, and it could be in either clockwise or counterclockwise direction. The hammering movement generated by the drill  38  is of an oscillating, translating nature, and is depicted as “O” in this drawing figure. 
         [0025]    The oscillating motion “O” is translated through the input shaft to the housing  32  of the device  30 . The groove  34  formed in the housing  32  is configured, as will be discussed more fully below, to push a fish tape  14  inserted therein in direction “F” as the device  30  is oscillating back and forth in direction “O.” As the tape  14  pulsed in direction “F,” the user simple feeds additional tape  14  into the groove  34 . Since the groove  34  is open on its outer side, it is very easy for the user to insert the tape  14  into the groove  34  before commencing to feed the tape  14 . Similarly, it is equally as easy to remove the tape  14  from the groove  34  when the tape  14  has been fed to the desired distance. 
         [0026]    It should be noted (as will be explained below) that while the housing  32  does oscillate back and forth in direction “O,” it does not rotate in direction “R,” since this would defeat the user&#39;s ability to feed the tape  14 . The input shaft  36  is permitted to rotate relative to the outer housing  32 , but while doing so, the shaft  36  is held in an axial (translational) direction such that any motion by the shaft  36  in direction “O” will result in the same motion by the housing  32 .  FIGS. 5A and 5B  depict additional design features of this novel device. 
         [0027]      FIGS. 5A and 5B  are side and cutaway side views, respectively, of the tool  30  of  FIGS. 3 and 4 . The outer housing  32  is defined by a generally cylindrical outer wall  40 , a proximal wall (through which the input shaft  36  passes), and a distal wall  44  at its opposing end. The outer wall  40  has an arcuate (curved or arched) groove  34  formed in its side. The groove  34  is open on its outwardly-facing side, as discussed previously, to permit the insertion and removal of a fish tape. 
         [0028]    The groove  34  has an entrance opening  46  in the outer wall  40 . The entrance opening  46  can be positioned atop the housing  32 , or the housing  32  could be rotated so that the opening  46  is on the bottom or side, as desired. The opposing end of the groove  34  terminates at the distal wall  44  in an exit opening  48  therethrough. The tape  14  being fed by the device  30  exits the exit opening  48  as the device  30  is pulsed in a longitudinal direction by the hammer drill. 
         [0029]    On its interior, a variety of different designs are possible, so long as the input shaft  36  is allowed to rotate freely relative to the housing  32 , while being prevented from any such relative motion in direction “O.” In the depicted version, there are a pair of support discs  50  in spaced relation along the internal length of the inner chamber formed by the housing  32 . In fact a second shell has been incorporated into this design so that a fully-assembled set of internal components could be inserted into a hollow outer housing  32  after which the proximal wall  42  need only be attached thereto in order to finish the assembly of the device  30 . In alternate (non-depicted) forms, only a single ( 32 ) housing design will be employed. 
         [0030]    A bearing sleeve  52  interconnects the two support discs. The input shaft passes through the length of the housing  32  and through the support discs  50  and bearing sleeve  52 . There are one or more bearing sets housed within the sleeve  52  to allow the shaft  36  to rotate freely therein. The input shaft  36  has a rounded tip  54  to allow the end of the shaft  36  to press against the distal wall  44  (an possibly a cup-like depression formed therein as shown) when the oscillating hammering force is applied. The tip  54  could also be a ball bearing that rotates within a socket formed in the end of the input shaft  36 . In its proper form, there would be no gap between the tip  54  and the distal wall  44 . The end plate  56  serves to seal the aperture formed in the proximal wall  42  (through which the input shaft  36  passes), as well as to assist in the transfer of oscillating motion “O” from the input shaft  36  and the housing  32 . Finally, we shall turn to  FIG. 6  to examine the particulars of the groove design. 
         [0031]      FIG. 6  is a partial side view of the groove area of the tool of  FIGS. 3 ,  4  and  5 A. The groove  34  preferably is formed with three closed sides and one open side. The open side facilitates the insertion and removal of the fish tape  14  from the groove  34 . The upper wall of the groove  34  is formed with “one-way” teeth  58  extending downwardly. The term “one-way” is intended to convey that the teeth have a positive rake angle, and that all of the rake angles of all of the teeth are oriented in one direction (i.e. to the left in this view). These teeth  58  is dispersed within the groove  34 , and will allow the fish tape  14  to move in direction “F” (to the left in this view), but will engage the tape  14 , and therefore prevent its movement in the opposite direction. The curved shape of the groove  34  serves three purposes: first, it makes the feeding of the tape  14  through it tend to be smoother. Second, the curvature tends to assist the teeth  58  in grasping the tape  14  when the housing  32  is moving in direction “F.” Finally, the curved shape tends to release the tape  14  from the teeth  58  when the housing  32  is moved in the direction opposite to “F.” The result is that the tool  30  will push the tape in a smooth, repetitive, incrementally small set of movements in direction “F.” These small movements make it easy to handle the tool  30 , while also feeding the tape  14  through a conduit (for example) very effectively. 
         [0032]    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.