Patent Publication Number: US-10309117-B1

Title: Drywall removal tool

Description:
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
     Not Applicable 
     REFERENCE TO APPENDIX 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to the field of demolition, more specifically, a drywall removal tool. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     The drywall removal tool is a hand operated tool that assists in the removal of drywall from a wall or ceiling. The tool comprises a wrecker plate that slides through a slot punched in the drywall to a position behind the drywall, a connecting plate that couples the wrecker plate to the handle plate, a handle plate that is a plate located in front of the drywall, a handle coupled to the handle plate, and a hammer that may be moved to produce an impulse of force to break the drywall free of obstructions and fasteners. The slot that the wrecker plate passes through may be made by striking the drywall with a slot maker located on the top of the connecting plate. 
     An object of the invention is to remove drywall from a wall or ceiling. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a wrecker plate that may be position behind the drywall and pulled using a handle. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide a slide hammer for applying impulses of force to the drywall. 
     Yet another object of the invention is to provide a slot maker to punch a slot for the wrecker plate to pass through. 
     These together with additional objects, features and advantages of the drywall removal tool will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the following detailed description of the presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative, embodiments when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     In this respect, before explaining the current embodiments of the drywall removal tool in detail, it is to be understood that the drywall removal tool is not limited in its applications to the details of construction and arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustration. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the concept of this disclosure may be readily utilized as a basis for the design of other structures, methods, and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the drywall removal tool. 
     It is therefore important that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent construction insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the drywall removal tool. It is also to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for purposes of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate an embodiment of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. They are meant to be exemplary illustrations provided to enable persons skilled in the art to practice the disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of the appended claims. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is an in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of an embodiment of the disclosure from the proximal side. 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  is a bottom view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the disclosure across  6 - 6  as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT 
     The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the described embodiments of the application and uses of the described embodiments. As used herein, the word “exemplary” or “illustrative” means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any implementation described herein as “exemplary” or “illustrative” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations. All of the implementations described below are exemplary implementations provided to enable persons skilled in the art to practice the disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any expressed or implied theory presented in the preceding technical field, background, brief summary or the following detailed description. As used herein, the word “or” is intended to be inclusive. 
     Detailed reference will now be made to a first potential embodiment of the disclosure, which is illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 6 . 
     The drywall removal tool  100  (hereinafter invention) comprises a wrecker plate  200 , a handle plate  205 , a connecting plate  210 , a slot maker  215 , a handle  240 , and a hammer  260 . The invention  100  is a tool that aids in the removal of drywall. The invention  100  is adapted to be used by a worker to punch a starter slot in the drywall, to slide the wrecker plate  200  through the starter slot to a position behind the drywall, and/or to pull the drywall away from a wall using the wrecker plate  200  and the handle  240 . 
     The wrecker plate  200  may be a vertically oriented, rectangular plate located on the distal side of the invention  100 . (Throughout this document, directional references such as up and down reflect the orientation of the invention  100  as shown in  FIGS. 1 through 3 . The proximal side of the invention  100  is the side where the handle  240  and the hammer  260  are located and the distal side is the side where the wrecker plate  200  is located.) The wrecker plate  200  may slide bottom edge first through the starter slot in the drywall to position the wrecker plate  200  behind the drywall. 
     The handle plate  205  may be a vertically oriented, rectangular plate, which runs parallel to the wrecker plate  200 . The handle plate  205  may be aligned with the wrecker plate  200  such that a ray drawn perpendicular to the handle plate  205  and towards the wrecker plate  200  from any point on the handle plate  205  passes through the wrecker plate  200 . The top of the handle plate  205  may be at the same height as the top end of the wrecker plate  200 . The lateral width of the handle plate  205  may be the same as the lateral width of the wrecker plate  200 . The handle plate  205  may be shorter than the wrecker plate  200  in the vertical direction. 
     The connecting plate  210  may be a horizontally oriented, square plate, which couples the wrecker plate  200  to the handle plate  205 . The connecting plate  210  may be the same lateral width as the wrecker plate  200  and the handle plate  205 . 
     In some embodiments, the wrecker plate  200 , the handle plate  205 , and the connecting plate  210  may be molded, extruded, bent, or otherwise formed from a single piece of material. 
     In some embodiments, the wrecker plate  200 , the handle plate  205 , and the connecting plate  210  may be made from a durable, rigid material. As a non-limiting example, the material may be a metal such as a steel. 
     The slot maker  215  may be used to punch the starter slot into the drywall when the invention  100  is swung such that the slot maker  215  strikes the drywall first. The slot maker  215  may be a vertical plate protruding from the top of the connecting plate  210 . The slot maker  215  may be oriented to be perpendicular to the wrecker plate  200  and to the handle plate  205  such that when the wrecker plate  200  is passed through the starter slot in the drywall the edge of the slot maker  215  may be forced through the drywall above the starter slot to position the wrecker plate  200  fully behind the drywall. In some embodiments, the slot maker  215  may have a semicircular profile. 
     The handle  240  comprises a handle shaft  245  and a handle grip  250 . The handle  240  may be used to grasp and to manipulate the invention  100 . The handle  240  may be used to pull the drywall when the wrecker plate  200  is positioned behind the drywall. 
     The handle shaft  245  may be an L-shaped armature that couples to the upper half of the proximal side of the handle plate  205  on one end and couples to the handle grip  250  on the other end. The handle shaft  245  may be oriented such that the long leg of the L runs parallel to the handle plate  205  in a downwards direction. The handle grip  250  may be a cushioned, cylindrical covering for the handle shaft  245 . The handle grip  250  may surround the long leg of the handle shaft  245 . 
     The hammer  260  comprises a hammer weight  265 , a hammer shaft  270 , and a hammer stop  275 . The hammer  260  may be a slide hammer coupled to the handle plate  205 . 
     The hammer weight  265  may be a cylindrical mass with a central aperture  280  running longitudinally through the center of the hammer weight  265 . The hammer weight  265  may comprise a contoured exterior such that the longitudinal ends  285  of the hammer weight  265  are wider than the center of the hammer weight  265 . The longitudinal ends  285  of the hammer weight  265  may be adapted to protect the fingers of the worker. 
     The hammer shaft  270  may be a straight armature extending perpendicularly from the proximal side of the handle plate  205  on the lower half of the handle plate  205 . The diameter of the hammer shaft  270  may be less than the diameter of the central aperture  280  in the hammer weight  265  such that the hammer shaft  270  may pass through the central aperture  280  and the hammer weight  265  may slide on the hammer shaft  270 . 
     The hammer stop  275  may be an enlarged proximal end of the hammer shaft  270 . The hammer stop  275  may be of a larger diameter than the central aperture  280  of the hammer weight  265  such that the hammer weight  265  is prevented from separating from the hammer shaft  270  due to the presence of the hammer stop  275 . As a non-limiting example, the hammer stop  275  may be a disk or ball coupled to the proximal end of the hammer shaft  270 . 
     In use, the invention  100  may be held by the handle  240  and swung against the wall such that the slot maker  215  strikes the wall and punches the starter slot into the drywall. The bottom end of the wrecker plate  200  may be inserted into the starter slot and pushed into the starter slot up to the top end of the wrecker plate  200 . The invention  100  may then be pivoted to force the slot maker  215  through the drywall adjacent to the starter slot such that the wrecker plate  200  is behind the drywall and is parallel to the drywall. The handle  240  may then be used to pull the wrecker plate  200  which may pull a portion of the drywall with it. The portion of the drywall removed by extracting the wrecker plate  200  may be much larger than the wrecker plate  200 . 
     Having made an initial hole in the drywall, the wrecker plate  200  may be inserted behind the drywall that remains by hooking the invention  100  over the edge of the drywall and the wrecker plate  200  may be extracted again to remove more of the drywall. The steps of inserting the wrecker plate  200  behind the drywall and pulling the wrecker plate  200  out may be repeated until the drywall is removed. 
     If, as a non-limiting example, it is difficult to pull the wrecker plate  200  through the drywall because the invention  100  is laterally adjacent to one or more drywall screws, the hammer  260  may be used to break the drywall free. To use the hammer  260 , with the wrecker plate  200  positioned behind the drywall the hammer weight  265  is slid slowly towards the handle  240  and then rapidly jammed against the hammer stop  275 . The inertia of the hammer weight  265  may be transferred to the hammer stop  275  and then to the hammer shaft  270 , which pulls the invention  100  towards the hammer stop  275 . This may cause the wrecker plate to pull on the drywall with the force needed to break the drywall free of the one or more drywall screws. 
     DEFINITIONS 
     As used in this disclosure, an “aperture” is an opening in a surface. Aperture may be synonymous with hole, slit, crack, gap, slot, or opening. 
     As used in this disclosure, a “ball” refers to an object with a spherical or nearly spherical shape. 
     As used herein, the words “couple”, “couples”, “coupled” or “coupling”, refer to connecting, either directly or indirectly, and does not necessarily imply a mechanical connection. 
     As used in this disclosure, a “diameter” of an object is a straight line segment that passes through the center (or center axis) of an object. The line segment of the diameter is terminated at the perimeter or boundary of the object through which the line segment of the diameter runs. 
     As used in this disclosure, a “disk” is a cylindrically shaped object with parallel opposing sides. A disk generally has a thickness (as measured from flat side to flat side) that is less than the radius of the cylinder. 
     As used in this disclosure, the terms “distal” and “proximal” may be used to describe relative positions. Distal refers to the object, or the end of an object, that is situated away from the point of origin, point of reference, or point of attachment. Proximal refers to the object, or end of an object, that is situated towards the point of origin, point of reference, or point of attachment. Distal implies ‘farther away from’ and proximal implies ‘closer to’. In some instances, the point of attachment may be the where an operator or user of the object makes contact with the object. In some instances, the point of origin or point of reference may be a center point or a central axis of an object and the direction of comparison may be in a radial or lateral direction. 
     As used herein, the word “durable” refers to a material&#39;s ability to withstand wear, pressure, impact, heat, cold, sun exposure, and other forms of potentially damaging conditions without suffering any significant deterioration of quality or value. 
     As used in this disclosure, the word “exterior” is used as a relational term that implies that an object is not located or contained within the boundary of a structure or a space. 
     As used in this disclosure, a “grip” is a covering that is placed over a hand hold, handle, shaft, or other object. 
     As used in this disclosure, a “handle” is an object by which a tool, object, or door is held or manipulated with the hand. 
     As used in this disclosure, the word “lateral” refers to the sides of an object or movement towards a side. Lateral directions are generally perpendicular to longitudinal directions. “Laterally” refers to movement in a lateral direction. 
     As used herein, the word “longitudinal” or “longitudinally” refers to a lengthwise or longest direction. 
     As used herein, a “longitudinal edge” or “longitudinal end” is an edge or end that is reached when traversing an object in a longitudinal direction. 
     As used in this disclosure, “orientation” refers to the positioning and/or angular alignment of a first object relative to a second object or relative to a reference position or reference direction. 
     As used in this disclosure, a “plate” is a flat, rigid object having at least one dimension that is of uniform thickness and is thinner than the other dimensions of the object. Plates often have a rectangular or disk like appearance. Plates may be made of any material, but are commonly made of metal. 
     As used in this disclosure, the term “shaft” is used to describe a rigid cylinder that is often used as the handle of a tool or implement or as the center of rotating machinery or motors. The definition of shaft explicitly includes solid shafts or shafts that comprise a hollow passage through the shaft along the center axis of the shaft cylinder, whether the shaft has one or more sealed ends or not. 
     As used herein, “slide hammer” refers to a tool that is capable of pulling an object that it is coupled to without impacting the object itself. A slide hammer typically comprises a shaft, a stop, and a weight that slides along the shaft. The slide hammer transfers the inertia of the weight to the shaft when the weight is moved away from the point of attachment and strikes the stop at the end of the shaft. The shaft may utilize the inertia to pull on the object at the point of attachment. 
     As used in this disclosure, a “slot” is a long narrow groove, cut, opening, or aperture that is formed in or through an object. 
     As used in this disclosure, a “tool” is a device, an apparatus, or an instrument that is used to carry out an activity, operation, or procedure. 
     As used in this disclosure, “vertical” refers to a direction that is parallel to the local force of gravity. Unless specifically noted in this disclosure, the vertical direction is always perpendicular to horizontal. 
     With respect to the above description, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationship for the various components of the invention described above and in  FIGS. 1 through 6 , include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function, and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the invention. 
     It shall be noted that those skilled in the art will readily recognize numerous adaptations and modifications which can be made to the various embodiments of the present invention which will result in an improved invention, yet all of which will fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the following claims. Accordingly, the invention is to be limited only by the scope of the following claims and their equivalents.