Patent Publication Number: US-7213797-B2

Title: Deck board straightener

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application 60/683,285, entitled “Deck Board Straightener”, filed on May 20, 2005. 
   This application is an improvement of U.S. Design Pat. D485,477, entitled “Deck Board Straightener”, issued to Garland Jerome Gaskins on Jan. 20, 2004. 

   TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates generally to the field of tools useful for floor installation or repair. More specifically the present invention relates to a floor tool designed to aid in the repair and installation of wooden flooring by forcing abutting edges of individual pieces of flooring into proper position until they can be fastened into place. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Traditionally the installation and repair of wooden flooring has required two carpenters. To assure a tight fit between the individual pieces of flooring the first carpenter forces the flooring being installed or repaired into proper position, while the second carpenter securely fastens the flooring being held to the sub floor. To insure that the floor is held tightly together it has generally been the situation that nails are driven into the flooring in an abutment arrangement with the piece of flooring previously put in place. In this manner the floor is constructed, one piece at a time, gradually being laid from the base of a starting wall towards the base of an ending wall where the last piece is placed. 
   In another common installation and repair of flooring, one carpenter works alone to replace and secure the flooring. One carpenter, working alone, faces even more difficulty in placing the floor and must commonly use a nail or wedge to maintain the flooring in its desired location while nailing it into place. This situation also requires the carpenter to continually stand and kneel, kneeling to place the board, standing to obtain leverage to place the board in its location, and kneeling again to hammer the board into place. 
   It is therefore an object of the invention to enable a single carpenter to stand and pry boards into place with little to no effort with a hands free holding device. 
   It is another object of the invention to develop a tool that eliminates the need for a carpenter to remain on their knees for prolonged periods of time prying boards together. This present invention enables a carpenter to remain standing during the installation of flooring boards eliminating the painful knee and back problems associated with the trade. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In accordance with the present invention a deck board straightener is provided which eliminates the extra man power necessary to install flooring when only one carpenter is available to do the work. 
   The main objected of the present invention is to enable one carpenter to stand and pry new or warped boards into place with little to no effort. A preferred embodiment of the present invention is described herein and shown in the Figures. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a part of the specification, illustrate the present invention and, together with the description, further serve to explain the principles of the invention and to enable a person skilled in the pertinent art to make and use the invention. 
       FIG. 1  is a top, right front perspective view of a known deck board straightener; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the deck board straightener of the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the quick grip mini bar clamp section of the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective of the securing screw of the present invention; 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the present invention resting on a 2×10, for short-term storage when not in use; and 
       FIG. 6  is a second perspective view of the present invention resting on a 2×10, for short-term storage when not in use. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   In the following detailed description of the invention of exemplary embodiments of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings (where like numbers represent like elements), which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific exemplary embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, but other embodiments may be utilized and logical, mechanical, electrical, and other changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims. 
   In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it is understood that the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and techniques known to one of ordinary skill in the art have not been shown in detail in order not to obscure the invention. 
   Referring to the figures, it is possible to see the various major elements constituting the device of the present invention. Now referring to  FIG. 1 , the major components of a deck board straightener known in the prior art are illustrated. The original Gaskins deck board straightener was comprised of a first rod part  1 , a second rod part  2  used as a handle, a welded or otherwise fixed flat plate  3 , and a pressure arm  4 . The flat plate  3  was attached to the first rod part  1 , and also comprised of two shoulders  5  and  6 . These shoulders  5  and  6  consist of the bent edges of the flat plate  3  but could also be shoulder elements separately attached to the flat plate  3 . The shoulders  5  and  6  can spaced at a fixed distance apart or be made adjustable to allow for use on a varying material thickness. Additionally, a securing screw  7  can be placed through one shoulder to provide additional material securing means. 
   The pressure arm  4  was attached to the flat plate  3  in such a manner to allow rotating motion. When material, such as a deck board is placed in the device, the shoulders Sand  6  in combination with the pressure arm  4  secure the material and allow a user to apply pressure to the material in an effort to move or bend the material into a desired location. 
   Now referring to  FIG. 2  a perspective view of the deck board straightener of the present invention is illustrated. A main rod part  8  made of steel tubing connect to a handle  13  at one end and a flat steel plate  9  at the opposing end. The flat steel plate  9  is comprised of two shoulders  14  and  15 . These shoulders  14  and  15  consist of the bent edges of the flat plate  3  but could also be shoulder elements separately attached to the flat plate  3 . The shoulders  5  and  6  can spaced at a fixed distance apart or be made adjustable to allow for use on a varying material thickness. Additionally, a securing screw  16  can be placed through one shoulder to provide additional material securing means. 
   A pressure jaw  10  is attached, at one end, to the flat steel plate  9  in a manner that also allows for rotating movement. The opposing end of the pressure jaw  10  is attached to a quick-grip mini bar clamp  17 . When in use, the pressure jaw  10  secures material such as a deck board against the flat steel plate  9  and shoulders  14  and  15 . 
   Now referring to  FIG. 3  a perspective view of the quick grip mini bar clamp  17  section of the present invention is illustrated. The quick grip mini bar clamp  17  is affixed to the flat plate  3  near the handle  13 . The quick grip mini bar clamp  17  is comprised of a sliding bar  18  that is connected to the pressure jaw  10  and a quick release trigger  19 . In a preferred embodiment, a user would place material in the flat steel plate  9  and pull the upper portion  20  of the pressure jaw  10  to secure the material in place. Then, after positioning the material in place, the user pulls the quick release trigger  19  that allows the sliding bar  18  to move and release the pressure jaw  10  from the material. 
     FIG. 4  illustrates one possible configuration of the securing screw  16  and one shoulder  15  of the flat steel plate  9 . In a preferred embodiment, the lower shoulder  15  is a second flat steel plate  21  that is perpendicular to the flat steel plate  9 . Attached to the second flat steel plate  21  is a third flat steel plate  22 , which is parallel to the flat steel plate  9  and may slide along the second steel plate  21 . The adjustability of the third steel plate  22  to move allows a user to easily adjust the A dimension of the present invention for varying work material thickness, allowing the device to be used for a variety of materials. More specifically, in a preferred embodiment, the third steel plate  22 , may be place in either of two positions, one with an A dimension equal to the thickness of one floor joist or a second A dimension equal to the thickness of a double floor joist. 
     FIGS. 5 and 6  are perspective views of the present invention resting on a 2×10 deck board  23 , for short-term storage when not in use. In a preferred embodiment, the upper shoulder  14  creates a hanger with the flat steel bar  9  that allows a user to hang the device of the present invention on a floor or deck frame rather than lying the device on the ground and continually having to bend over to sit down and pick up the device before and after use. 
   To use the deck board straightener of the present invention, one first pulls up on the deck board straightener to drive the securing screw  16  into the floor joist, then pulls back on the handle  13  until the deck board is in the desired location. Once the deck board is in the desire location, the pressure jaw is pulled into position by the user, securing the deck board. Next, the user would secure the deck board to the floor joist by nailing or screwing the deck board into place. Once completed, the user would simple pull the release trigger  16  and the pressure jaw  10  would be released. Additionally the user can use the upper shoulder  14  to rest the deck board straightener of the present invention on an exposed floor joist while retrieving another deck board or while the device is not in use. 
   It is appreciated that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variation in size, materials, shape, form, function, and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the above description are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
   Furthermore, other areas of art may benefit from this method and adjustments to the design are anticipated. Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given.