Patent Publication Number: US-6698632-B1

Title: Nail coil and tool holding assembly

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a nail coil and tool holding assembly. More particularly, the invention has a belt which is worn around the waist of a user, has a plurality of nail coil pouches for holding nail coils, and which also selectively may be employed to hold a utility knife holder pouch, a pencil holder pouch, and/or a hammer holder. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Carpenters and other tradesmen often need tools and other items at their ready disposal in order to avoid an additional trip to obtain these items. In particular, a roofer will often need to use many nails for a roofing job. Consequently, roofers often employ nail coils, each of which typically has 120 nails, which may be deployed with a pneumatic gun designed to hold one of the nail coils at a time. However, often more than the typical 120 nails present in a single coil are needed for a job. Especially when roofing, hundreds and perhaps even thousands of nails are required. Accordingly, the roofer must make frequent trips to replace an expended nail coil. However, movement upon a roof is extremely dangerous. Accordingly, each trip to obtain a new nail coil subjects the roofer to unnecessary risk. 
     In addition, various other tools are frequently necessary during a job, but must be obtained from another location when needed. “Utility belts” of various configurations have been devised in an attempt to provide a worker with commonly needed tools. 
     Some of these utility belts employ pouches of various configurations to store specific items which fulfill a particular need and which may be used by various tradesmen. In this regard, U.S. Pat. No. 4,932,576 to Ashley shows a pouch assembly which includes a belt and one or more pouches attached thereon. However, with its closed sides, if one attempted to store nail coils therein, they would be difficult to remove without injury. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,742 to Ethridge et al. appears to show a nail coil rack comprised of a T-bar with a right angle bend, capable of being supported by a worker&#39;s belt. However, Ethridge positions the nail coil in a manner which may easily result in injuries to the user by the sharp ends of the nails when attempting to retrieve the nail coil. 
     In general, the storage of nail coils in currently available pouches results in injuries since the nail coils are positioned such that it is not easy to grasp the nail coil without exposing the fingers to the sharp tips of the nails. For example, when numerous coils are “dumped” in a large pouch, they becomes randomly arranged therein. Accordingly, when the worker blindly reaches into the pouch, there is a high probability that the worker&#39;s fingers will first encounter the pointed end of a nail. 
     While the units described above may be suitable for the particular purpose employed, or for general use, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as disclosed hereafter. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a device which allows a worker to have within arm&#39;s reach all of the nails that may be needed to complete a particular job, without having to leave the work area to replenish the supply of nails. Accordingly, this device has a utility belt with a plurality of attached nail coil pouches, thereby allowing a worker to have ready access to a large quantity of nails within arm&#39;s reach. 
     It is a further object of this invention to provide a device which allows a worker to obtain a fresh coil of nails without the possibility of cutting one&#39;s fingers on the sharp end of the nails. Accordingly, the nail coil pouch is constructed so as to allow for grasping of the coil from its center through a slot which is present on the front surface of the nail coil pouch. 
     It is a further object of the invention to provide the user with a nail coil pouch which may be positioned by the user at an angle which is optimal for grasping the nail coil. Accordingly, the nail coil pouches are attached to the utility belt by a rivet which allows the pouch to be swiveled on the belt to an angle that proves most convenient for the worker. 
     It is a still further object that the invention is suitable for use during roofing and minimizes risk to the roofer caused by unnecessary trips made to replenish the supply of nails. Accordingly, several nail coil pouches are located on a single utility belt. 
     It is still a further object of the invention to provide a device which allows a worker to have within arm&#39;s reach other tools which are commonly used during a roofing job. Accordingly, this device also allows the belt to be selectively equipped with a pencil holder pouch, a utility knife holder pouch, or a hammer holder, if deemed necessary by the worker. 
     It is an even still further object of the invention to provide a utility belt which may be unencumbered by tools not necessary for a particular job. Accordingly, the utility knife holder pouch, pencil holder pouch, and hammer holder are selectively removable. In particular, these aforementioned holders are selectively disengaged from the belt by peeling the fastening material on the holder from the opposing fastening material on the rear surface of the belt, and then by lifting the holder upward so as to disengage its associated hook from the upper portion of the belt. 
     It is yet a further object of this invention to provide a worker with easy access to the various holders, irregardless of whether he/she is right-handed or left-handed. Accordingly, the user may freely position the various holders on either the right or left side of the belt, as desired by the user. 
     It is a still further object of this invention that the entire belt assembly be easily detached or attached to the waist of the user when necessary. Accordingly, the ends of the belt are attached to each other by a quick-release buckle and can be snapped on or off within seconds. 
     The invention is a nail coil and tool holding assembly, having a belt having a front surface and a rear surface, a plurality of nail coil pouches each having a front and a rear, wherein the rear of each pouch is attached to the front surface of the belt. Fastening material is attached to the rear surface of the belt for selectively allowing a hammer holder, a utility knife holder pouch, and a pencil holder pouch to be attached to the belt. The nail coil pouches are each pivotally attached onto the belt by a single rivet so that they may be rotated on the rivet to maximize ease of access to the nails. Each nail coil pouch has a top lip, is open thereat, and has a vertical slot on the front surface, extending downward from the top lip, to further facilitate easy access to the nails. Furthermore, the nail coils may be positioned in the nail coil pouch so that the points of the nails are oriented towards the pouch rear, thereby minimizing the possibility of a user being injured by the pointed end of a nail. 
    
    
     To the accomplishment of the above and related objects the invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Attention is called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only. Variations are contemplated as being part of the invention, limited only by the scope of the claims. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the drawings, like elements are depicted by like reference numerals. The drawings are briefly described as follows. 
     FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the entire invention per se, showing the belt with the attached nail coil pouches, pencil holder pouch, utility knife holder pouch, and hammer holder. 
     FIG. 2A is an enlarged front elevational view of the nail coil pouch with parts broken away, showing contained therein a coil of nails taken generally in the area of circle  2  in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 2B is an enlarged perspective view of the nail coil pouch, taken generally in the area of circle  2  in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the invention. 
     FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view which shows attachment of the belt and the pencil holder pouch, taken generally in the direction of line  4 — 4  in FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view which shows attachment of the belt and the utility knife holder pouch, taken generally in the direction of line  5 — 5  in FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view which shows attachment of the belt and the hammer holder, taken generally in the direction of line  6 — 6  in FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 7 is a rear elevational view of the rear surface of the invention, showing the belt with attached nail coil pouch, pencil holder pouch, utility knife holder pouch, and hammer holder. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1 illustrates a nail coil and tool holder assembly  10 , which comprises a belt  20 , having a front surface  20 F and a rear surface  20 R, a plurality of nail coil pouches  30 , a hammer holder  40 , a pencil holder pouch  50 , and a utility knife holder pouch  60 . 
     Referring momentarily to FIG. 2A, taken generally in the area of circle  2  in FIG. 1, the nail coil pouch  30  has a front surface  30 F, a rear surface  30 R, a top lip  30 T, wherein the pouch  30  is open at the top lip  30 T. A slot  34  extends vertically downward in the front surface  30 F from the top lip  30 T. In FIG. 2A, the nail coil pouch  30  is shown with a nail coil  32  being held within the nail coil pouch  30 . The nail coil  32  comprises a plurality of nails  46  all extending parallel to each other, evenly spaced along and connected by a linear carrier  45 , and rolled into a spiral having a central void  47 . Some of the nails  46  are visible through the slot  34 . The nails  46  conventionally have a point on one end and a head on an opposite end. Preferably, as illustrated, the nails are positioned so that the points are oriented toward the pouch rear surface  30 R. Accordingly, even the nails  46  which are exposed through the slot  34  cannot harm the user. The present invention therefore allows the nail coils  32  to be stored in the pouch  30  until needed, and then retrieved by inserting one&#39;s fingers through the slot  34  in the pouch front surface  30 F into the central void  47  of the nail coil, lifting the nail coil  32  upward, and removing the nail coil at the top lip  30 T. 
     The pouch has a strap  36  which may be looped over the top lip  30 T and secured to an attachment point  37  on the opposite side of the top lip  30 T of the nail coil pouch  30  to prevent the nail coil  32  from inadvertently falling out of the nail coil pouch  30  during the activities of the worker. 
     FIG. 2B illustrates a perspective view of the nail coil pouch  30 , also taken generally in the area of circle  2  of FIG.  1 . The nail coil pouch  30  is shown empty, for clarity. The slot  34  on its front surface  30 F allows for easy access to the nails in the nail coil  32 . FIG. 2B also indicates the position of the rivet  31  which attaches the nail coil pouch  30  to the front surface  20 F of the utility belt  20 , and which allows the nail coil pouch  30  to be rotated with respect to the utility belt  20 , thereby allowing easy access to the nail coil  32 . 
     FIG. 3 illustrates a front elevational view of the invention  10 , with arrows indicating the position of the cross-sectional views shown in FIG. 4, FIG. 5, and FIG.  6 . 
     FIG. 4, FIG. 5, and FIG. 6 illustrate cross-sectional views which show attachment of the belt and the pencil holder pouch  50 , the utility knife holder pouch  60 , and the hammer holder  40 , respectively. Each of these holders is attached to an area of the belt which has fastening material  58  sewn into it. 
     Referring momentarily to FIG. 7, the belt rear surface  20 R has a plurality of strips of fastening material  58  to facilitate attachment of the various holders. FIG. 4 illustrates a cross-sectional view which shows attachment of the utility belt  20  and the pencil holder pouch  50 , having a front surface  50 F and a rear surface  50 R, taken generally in the direction of line  4 — 4  in FIG. 3. A pencil  52  is held in the pencil holding slot  53  located towards the front surface  50 F of the pencil holder pouch  50 . A hook  54  is attached to the rear surface  50 R of the pencil holder pouch  50 . The hook  54  has an inside surface  54 I. As illustrated, the hook has a strip of fastening material  56  attached to its inside surface  54 I. Accordingly, the pencil holder pouch  50  is attached to the utility belt  20  by fitting the hook  54  over the top surface  20 T of the utility belt  20 , thereby causing the strip of fastening material  56  on the hook  54  to secure to the fastening material  58  located on the rear surface  20 R of the utility belt  20 . 
     FIG. 5 illustrates a cross-sectional view which shows attachment of the utility belt  20  and the utility knife holder pouch  60 , taken generally in the direction of line  5 — 5  in FIG.  3 . The mode of attachment of the utility knife holder pouch  60  to the utility belt  20  is the same as that of the pencil holder pouch  50 , as described in the preceding paragraph. A utility knife  62  is shown as being held by the utility knife holder  60 . 
     FIG. 6 illustrates a cross-sectional view which shows attachment of the utility belt  20  and the hammer holder  40 , having a front surface  40 F and a rear surface  40 R, while it is holding a hammer  42 , taken generally in the direction of line  6 — 6  in FIG.  3 . The hammer holder  40  has a semi-circular loop of metal  48 , having a pair of ends  40 E. The loop of metal  48  is horizontally oriented and attached at both of its ends  48 E to the front surface  40 F of the hammer holder  40 . A hammer  42 , having a head portion  44  and a handle portion  46 , is being supported by the hammer holder  40 . The head portion  44  of the hammer  42  rests on the loop of metal  48  located on the front surface  40 F of the hammer holder  40 . The mode of attachment of the hammer holder  40  to the utility belt  20  is the same as the mode of attachment of the pencil holder pouch  50  as described above. 
     FIG. 7 once again indicates a rear elevational view of the invention, showing the three nail coil pouches  30 , the pencil holder pouch  50 , the utility knife holder pouch  60 , and the hammer holder  40 , attached to the utility belt  20 . Fastening material  58  extends on the rear surface  20 R of the utility belt  20  to facilitate attachment of the pencil holder pouch  50 , the utility knife holder pouch  60 , and the hammer holder  40 . The fastening material  58  may extend along a substantial portion of the rear surface  20 R of the utility belt  20 . However, the fastening material  58  need not extend immediately behind the nail coil pouches  30 , accordingly, discrete strips are illustrated. As described above, each holder is equipped with a hook  54  at its rear surface. The hooks  54  each have an inner surface  54 I. Fastening material  56  is attached to this inner surface  54 I. In FIG. 7, the hooks  54  are shown being peeled back to reveal the fastening material  56 . However, the hooks  54  are preferably rigid, and are thus incapable of actually being peeled back in this fashion. 
     In conclusion, herein is presented a nail coil and tool holding assembly, which has a utility belt and a plurality of attached nail coil pouches. A utility knife holder pouch, a pencil holder pouch, and hammer holder may be selectively attached. The invention is illustrated by example in the drawing figures, and throughout the written description. It should be understood that numerous variations are possible, while adhering to the inventive concept. Such variations are contemplated as being a part of the present invention.