Patent Publication Number: US-11021882-B2

Title: Bladed tool with adjustable vee angle

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority in accordance with 37 CF.R. ¶1.19(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/724,453 filed for BLADED TOOL WITH ADJUSTABLE VEE ANGLE filed Aug. 29, 2018 which is included herein in its entirety by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to tools such as trowels, scrapers, and other smoothing and shaping tools for working fluent materials such as plaster and cement, where it is desirable to have two adjacent blade sections arranged at an acute or obtuse angle to one another. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     When working cement and plaster in buildings for example, it is occasionally necessary to perform the work in corners in locations having limited access. In such circumstances, it may be desirable to smooth, deposit, remove, or recontour the fluent material simultaneously at two surfaces oriented at an acute or obtuse angle to one another. A tool having a corresponding angle in its blade would be ideal. However, in different work sites, the angle may vary and not be predictable. Hence a tool having an adjustable angle is needed to provide one tool capable of working at diverse blade angles. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention meets the above need by providing a tool having two adjacent blades, each blade being angularly adjustable. To this end, the tool may have right and left blade portions pivotal along abutting or adjacent edges, and a linkage including a releasable clamp to establish and secure desired working angles between the right and left blade portions. 
     In one aspect of the invention, the tool has two pivot axles, one for each of the right and left blade portions. This enables each of the right and left blade portions to encircle its respective pivot axle along the full length of the pivot axle. This has the advantage of avoiding a conventional piano hinge, wherein each of the right and left blade portions would have tabs interleaved with tabs of the other blade portion. Among other advantages, this construction eliminates many potential entry areas of the material being worked to enter and foul the hinge. Entry of the worked material could immobilize one or both of the blade sections in one position, thereby overcoming adjustability. This is a hazard of cementitious materials, and also of synthetic harden able materials such as for example epoxy based bonding materials and permanently pliable materials such as silicone for example, which may be used in aircraft bodies, boat bodies, and other constructions based on for example fiberglass. 
     Also, even if the material did not immobilize the blade sections, materials such as cement may be objectionably abrasive. Exclusion of an abrasive material may prolong the useful life of the tool as undue wear and consequent slop or play of one or both of the blade sections could develop with infiltration of the worked material into a piano hinge joint. 
     The present invention provides improved elements and arrangements thereof by apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable, and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes. 
     These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Various objects, features, and attendant advantages of the present invention will become more fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a tool according to at least one aspect of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a side perspective view of the tool of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 2 a    is a detail drawing of the handle connector; 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged detail view of the lower right of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 4  corresponds to  FIG. 3 , but shows an alternative embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , according to at least one aspect of the invention, there is shown a tool  100  having a blade  102  providing an adjustable vee angle  104 . Tool  100  comprises a handle  106  comprising a handle longitudinal axis  108 , two-part blade  102  including a right blade portion  102 A and a left blade portion  102 B. A dual hinge axle  110  includes a right axle portion  110 A pivotally supporting and guiding right blade portion  102 A and an adjacent left axle portion  110 B pivotally supporting and guiding left blade portion  102 B. Tool  100  comprises a linkage  112  enabling adjustment of vee angle  104  between right blade portion  102 A and left blade portion  102 B. 
     Providing dual hinge axle  110  as having right and left axle portions  110 A,  110 B enables elimination of a piano hinge construction while still providing effective bearing and guidance of right and left blade portions  102 A,  102 B. 
     Right and left axle portions  110 A,  110 B are parallel to one another and spaced apart just enough to allow for thickness of those portions of respective right and left blade portions  102 A,  102 B to wrap snugly around right and left portions  110 A,  110 B, and to leave a slight gap to prevent right and left blade portions  102 A,  102 B from rubbing against one another. 
     It should be noted at this point that orientational terms such as right and left are used for semantic purposes to distinguish one element from a second, similar element. Therefore, orientational terms must be understood to provide semantic basis for purposes of description, do not necessarily apply to their literally construed meanings, and do not limit the invention or its component parts in any particular way. 
     Linkage  112  includes a main slotted arm  114  fixed to handle  106 . Main slotted arm  114  includes a longitudinal slot  116  extending centrally there along. A right side slotted connecting arm  118  spans main slotted arm  114  and right blade portion  102 A. Right side slotted connecting arm  118  includes a longitudinal slot  120  extending centrally there along. A left side slotted connecting arm  122  spans main slotted arm  114  and left blade portion  102 B. Left side slotted connecting arm  122  includes a longitudinal slot  124  extending centrally there along. A right-side pivot joint  126  pivotally connects right side blade portion  102 A and right side slotted connecting arm  118 . A left side pivot joint  128  pivotally connect left side blade portion  102 B and left side slotted connecting arm  122 . 
     This arrangement of right and left slotted connecting arms  118 ,  122  and main slotted arm  114  provides a large number and range of adjustments of vee angle  104 . When making the adjustment, a user (not shown) can grasp one right or left blade portion  102 A or  102 B and maneuver the same while leaving the other in a fixed position. Alternatively stated, it is not necessary to adjust both simultaneously. This allows for example one of right and left blade portions  102 A,  102 B to be placed against a work piece while the other is adjusted. 
     Tool  100  comprises a releasable clamp  130  releasably pinning both right side slotted connecting arm  118  and left side slotted connecting arm  122  to main slotted arm  114 . Thus three elements (main slotted arm  114  and right and left side slotted connecting arms  118  and  122 ) may be fixed in place by one fastener. 
     In the embodiment of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , longitudinal slots  116 ,  120 ,  124  are formed within and along respective lengths of their associated arms  114 ,  118 ,  122 . This further increases adjustment options. 
     Pivot joints  126 ,  128  and releasable clamp  130  may each comprise a threaded fastener extending through holes in their associated right and left side slotted connecting arms  118  and  122  and right and left blade portions  102 A and  102 B. More particularly, right side blade portion  102 A may include a right tab  132  projecting perpendicularly therefrom, wherein right-side pivot joint  126  is anchored to right tab  132 . Left side blade portion  102 B may include a left tab  134  projecting perpendicularly therefrom, wherein left side pivot joint  128  is anchored to left tab  134 . This construction enables releasable clamp  130  to comprise a threaded fastener such as a bolt and wing nut combination  156 . 
     Best shown in  FIG. 2 , main slotted arm  114  may be part of a triangular structure  136  comprising main slotted arm  114 , a first strut  138  fixed to one end  140  of main slotted arm  114 , a second strut  142  fixed to an opposed end  144  of main slotted arm  114  and to first strut  138  at a juncture  146 , and a tab  148  projecting from juncture  146  and coupled to handle  106 . A triangle is a rigid, robust construction which resists collapse. 
     Unless otherwise indicated, the terms “first”, “second”, etc., are used herein merely as labels, and are not intended to impose ordinal, positional, or hierarchical requirements on the items to which these terms refer. Moreover, reference to, e.g., a “second” item does not either require or preclude the existence of, e.g., a “first” or lower-numbered item, and/or, e.g., a “third” or higher-numbered item. 
     Tab  148  may be fixedly coupled to handle  106 , or alternatively, separably coupled to handle  106  as follows. 
     Tool  100  may further comprise an angularly adjustable joint  150  connecting tab  148  and handle  106 , angularly adjustable joint  150  enabling adjustment of handle longitudinal axis  108  relative to dual hinge axle  110 . This adjustment is indicated by arrows  135 . Connection of angularly adjustable joint  150  is not direct; rather, triangular structure  136  is interposed therebetween. The adjustment enables a person to grasp handle  106  at orientations independent of orientation of blade  102  after adjustment is made and tightened. 
     Angularly adjustable joint  150  may comprise a threaded fastener  152  passing through tab  148  and handle  106 . Threaded fastener  152  may comprise a bolt extending through a tab  154  fixed to and projecting from handle  106 . 
     Handle  106  may comprise a permanent portion  158  fixed to linkage  112  and a detachable extension  160  detachably coupled to permanent portion  158 . Coupling may be by turning a threaded stub  162  into threads  164  of permanent portion  158  for example. 
     Blade  102  may have a configuration wherein right blade portion  102 A and left blade portion  102 B each include a lateral edge  166  and a forward edge  168  arranged at an obtuse angle  170  to lateral edge  166 . 
     Releasable clamp  130  or angularly adjustable joint  150  or both may be continuously adjustable, or alternatively, may additionally or exclusively have discrete detent positions. 
     Referring particularly to  FIG. 3 , right and left blade portions  102 A,  102 B may be rolled as shown, terminating so as to just enclose right and left axle portions  110 A,  110 B of dual hinge axle  110 . Alternatively, and turning to  FIG. 4 , right and left blade portions  102 A,  102 B may each be extended to include respective wings  172 ,  174  projecting from the rolled portions of right and left blade portions  102 A,  102 B. This option allows for enclosure of dual hinge axle  110  to be reinforced by wings  172 ,  174 , the latter affording additional surface area for soldering, adhesives, or other bonding to secure that portion of right and left blade portions  102 A,  102 B encircling right and left axle portions  110 A,  110 B. 
     While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the present invention is not to be limited to the disclosed arrangements, but is intended to cover various arrangements which are included within the spirit and scope of the broadest possible interpretation of the appended claims so as to encompass all modifications and equivalent arrangements which are possible.