Patent Publication Number: US-2004040417-A1

Title: Nail starter tool

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] 1. Field of the Invention  
       [0002] The present invention relates to hand tools, and more particularly to methods and devices for safely starting a nail while swinging a hammer, or screws without a starting hole.  
       [0003] 2. Description of Related Art  
       [0004] Anyone who has used a hammer and nails has invariably injured their fingers while holding a nail to start its drive. Such experience is universally painful and can result in serious injury. At a minimum, the fingers that were struck with the hammer blow will be sore and tender. The work will not proceed as quickly.  
       [0005] Over the years, two basic ways have been tried to help hold and start a nail for the first blow that sets it in the workpiece. One holds the nail in place, ready to have the nail head struck with the hammer. The other attaches the nail itself temporarily to the hammer head. This latter method can result in the nail being mispositioned if the hammer swing on the first blow is not exact.  
       [0006] Jeffrey Bates describes a combination tool with nail starter in U.S. Pat. No. 5,933,894, issued Aug. 10, 1999. Nails are held by differently sized slots in a comb with a handle. Once the nail is started into the workpiece by striking the nailhead with a hammer, the comb is pulled back away to slip the nail out the slot. The implementation described combines the nail starter with a T-square and ruler.  
       [0007] Ralph Garcia illustrates a nail holder in United States Design Patent, Des. 371,286. A pliers type tool is apparently used to hold and grip a nail with one hand while a hammer is used to start the nail into the workpiece. The pliers illustrated has a very long neck and uses a pushrod to activate the jaws at the distal end. When the grip is released, the jaws will release the nail.  
       [0008] Such prior art nail starters and holders have proven to be too complex to manufacture economically. Some have also been hard to wield in confined spaces, like between studs in a wall. The four different diameter “through holes  13 - 16 ” described by Bates in U.S. Pat. No. 5,933,894, appear to be subject to deteriorating grip on the nails as they are subject to wear over time.  
       [0009] Habitat For Humanity is a charity that uses willing, amateur volunteer workers to help build homes for low-income families. Much of the work is donated, and uses unskilled but very enthusiastic people. One task, starting nails during framing, has been particularly troublesome for these newcomers. Many are injuring themselves swinging hammers at nails they are holding with their fingers, and others are too timid to really wallop the nails correctly. So a simple-to-use and effective tool is needed to help these new carpenters do their work.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010] Briefly, a nail starter tool embodiment of the present invention comprises a handle with a spring-loaded clip to retain a nail, screw, or other fastener. A thumb release lever is squeezed by hand to open the jaws of the clip to receive the fastener. The tool will then retain the fastener until it is intentionally released by squeezing the thumb release lever. A groove in each jaw of the tool allows the fastener to be easily loaded and held straight. Such groove is tilted back in the tool so the handle can be angled away from the work and still drive the fastener in square.  
       [0011] An advantage of the present invention is a tool is provided for safely driving nails and other fasteners.  
       [0012] Another advantage of the present invention is that a nail-starter tool is provided that is simple, inexpensive, and effective.  
       [0013] A still further advantage of the present invention is that a nail-starter tool is provided that is compact, light, and easy to carry.  
       [0014] Another advantage of the present invention is its inherent safety when driving nails. Nails cannot spin out of control and the fingers are protected at all times.  
       [0015] The above and still further objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of specific embodiments thereof, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0016]FIG. 1A is a top, plan view diagram of a nail-starter tool embodiment of the present invention, and is shown in a left-handed version with the jaws open to receive a nail;  
     [0017]FIG. 1B is a top, plan view diagram of the nail-starter tool of FIG. 1A, and is shown with the jaws closed to hold onto a nail;  
     [0018]FIG. 1C is a left side view diagram of the nail-starter tool of FIGS. 1A and 1B, and shows the tilted-back head;  
     [0019]FIG. 2A is a top, plan view diagram of a simplified nail-starter tool embodiment of the present invention, and is also shown in a left-handed version with the jaws open to receive a nail;  
     [0020]FIG. 2B is a top, plan view diagram of the simplified nail-starter tool of FIG. 1A, and is shown with the rocker arm closed to hold onto a nail;  
     [0021]FIG. 2C is a left side view diagram of the nail-starter tool of FIGS. 1A and 1B, and shows the tilted-back head; and  
     [0022]FIG. 2D is a left side view diagram of the rocker arm that pivotally attaches to the right side of the nail-starter tool of FIGS.  2 A- 2 C. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
     [0023] FIGS.  1 A- 1 C illustrate a first nail-starter tool embodiment of the present invention, and is referred to herein by the general reference numeral  100 . The tool  100  comprises a main handle  102  to which is fixed a pivotable clip  104  by a pivot  106 . A near end  108  of the clip is squeezed by the user&#39;s left thumb to compress a spring  110 . Such thumb pressure, represented by arrow  112  in FIG. 1A, will open a distal end  114  to separate a pair of nail jaws  116  and  118 . A nail can then be introduced between these jaws that will be held securely for driving into a workpiece with a hammer in the user&#39;s other hand. A wide range of nail sizes and diameters can thus be readily accommodated.  
     [0024]FIG. 1B shows such nail jaws closed. A pair of handle grips  120  and  122  are fastened to either side of the handle  102  to make it more comfortable to use.  
     [0025]FIG. 1C shows the nail jaws  116  and  118  are angled back to allow nail to be set straight when the tool handle  102  is angled away from the surface of the workpiece. Such allows for a natural and comfortable use of the tools and hands.  
     [0026] The tool  100  of FIGS.  1 A- 1 C is useful for starting all types of fasteners, not just nails. In particular, screws may be safely started with first punching a pilot hole or drilling a starting hole.  
     [0027]FIG. 2 illustrates a simplified nail-starter tool embodiment of the present invention, and is referred to herein by the general reference numeral  200 . Compared to tool  100  of FIG. 1, tool  200  is less costly to manufacture, and yet still gives very good results. Its metal parts can be stamped from sheet metal. The tool  200  comprises a main handle  202  to which is fixed a rocker arm  204  by a pivot  206 . A near end  208  of the clip is squeezed by the user&#39;s left thumb to torsion a twist spring  210 . Such thumb pressure, represented by arrow  212  in FIG. 2A, will open a distal end  214  to separate a finger  216  that just fits inside the open end of a squared and notched U-channel  218 .  
     [0028] A nail can thus be introduced that will be securely held by the finger  216  in a pair of top and bottom notches  219 . Such nail is held at a tilt-back angle for driving into a workpiece with a hammer in the user&#39;s other hand. A wide range of nail sizes and diameters can thus be readily accommodated.  
     [0029]FIG. 2B shows such nail jaws closed. A pair of handle grips  220  and  222  are fastened to either side of the handle  202  to make it more comfortable to use.  
     [0030]FIG. 2C shows the tilt-back angle of notches  219  relative to one another that allows the near end of handle  202  to be held slightly aloft of the work. Such allows for a natural and comfortable use of the tools and hands.  
     [0031]FIG. 2D represents the rocker arm  204  after being removed from the rest of the tool  200 . The twist spring  210  is captured on the shaft of pivot  206 .  
     [0032] Although particular embodiments of the present invention have been described and illustrated, such is not intended to limit the invention. Modifications and changes will no doubt become apparent to those skilled in the art, and it is intended that the invention only be limited by the scope of the appended claims.