Abstract:
A carpet seaming tool which is constructed to be of a heavy weight so as to exert a pressure against the carpet onto a carpet glue tape to facilitate bonding between the glue tape and the carpet. This carpet seaming tool is to facilitate connection, during non-usage, with a separate carpet seaming iron which is used to melt the glue on the carpet seaming tape. The carpet seaming tool includes a handle to facilitate movement of the tool along the carpet seam line during a seaming operation. The tool is constructed to eliminate the possibility of transfer of heat from the iron to the carpet which could result in damage to the carpet.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1) Field of the Invention 
     The field of this invention relates to tools and more particularly to a tool which is designed to assist in the seaming operation between carpet strips which would be normally installed within a house or an office. 
     2) Description of the Prior Art 
     The carpeting of floors in homes and offices is quite common. During the installing procedure of this carpet, there is inherently formed a substantial number of seams to connect one portion of the carpet to another portion of the carpet and to give the appearance that the carpet is one continuous piece of material. The achieving of the seam is accomplished through the use of a seam tape. This seam tape includes an upper glued surface. When this glue becomes molten and the different carpet strips that are located in juxtaposition are pressed tightly onto the tape, it will be secured to the tape and, therefore, be joined. 
     In order to have the glue on the tape to become molten, there is utilized a heat seaming iron. This heat seaming iron is electrically operated to assume a temperature sufficient to melt this glue on the seaming tape. After the glue has been melted on one portion of the tape, the iron is moved onto a different portion of the tape and the carpet sections are pressed tightly onto the section of the tape where the glue had been melted. 
     In order to facilitate this connection, it is required to use some kind of a heavy weight to press onto the carpet. It is common for the carpet layer to locate a tool box, or other similar type of heavy object, on the carpet at the joined area. It is necessary that this tool box be constantly moved along the seam as different sections of the seaming tape are heated. A tool box is not normally easily movable and is also far heavier than what is required. Therefore, there is the need to design a tool which facilitates the seaming of a carpet and also facilitates the storage of the seaming iron during non-usage of the iron. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The structure of the present invention is related to a tool to be utilized during the seaming together of two portions of carpet. The tool comprises a planer, non-heat conductive supporting platform upon which is mounted a seam weight which is also in the form of a thin planer member. This seam weight is to be constructed as heavy as possible and, therefore, will normally be metal. The platform is removably secured to the seam weight in a spaced apart manner forming an air gap therebetween. Attached to the upper surface of the seam weight is a mounting arrangement. This mounting arrangement facilitates temporarily securing of a carpet seaming iron assembly which includes its own metallic mounting base fixedly attached to the upper surface of the seam weight. This handle is to be usable to facilitate movement of the tool across the carpet seam as it is being used. On the bottom of the handle are a pair of clips. These clips are to connect with a tack strip removing tool. This tack strip removing tool is to be usable to remove the carpet tack strip (if necessary) which is mounted directly onto the floor upon which the carpet is being layed. A pair of edge plates are to be mounted, when not in use, within the air gap formed between the seam weight and the supporting platform. 
     The primary objective of the present invention is to construct a tool which is to be usable by a carpet layer which assist in the forming of tight seams between sections of the carpet. 
     Another objective of the present invention is to construct a tool which provides for a location of the carpet seaming iron when such is not being used to thereby avoid the accidental creating of a burn sport within the carpet by the carpet seaming iron. 
     Another objective of the present invention is to construct a tool which is in essence constructed of multiple tools which form a complete tool package for the seaming of carpet. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the carpet seaming tool of the present invention showing the carpet seaming iron being mounted in conjunction therewith; 
     FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line  2 — 2  of FIG. 1; and 
     FIG. 3 is a top plan view showing the tool of the present invention in a disassembled state and depicting usage of the tool in conjunction with the carpet seaming iron. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring particularly to the drawing, there is shown the carpet seaming tool  10  of this invention. This tool  10  includes a basically rectangularly shaped thin sheet-like member to be referred to as a seam weight  12 . Normally the thickness of the seam weight  12  will be about one-half inch or 1.27 centimeters. It is desirable that the seam weight  12  be reasonably heavy in weight. For this reason, the seam weight  12  will be constructed of a metal material such as iron. A desirable weight would be twenty to twenty-five pounds. This seam weight  12  has an upper planer surface  14  and a lower planer surface  16  with these surfaces  14  and  16  being parallel. 
     Formed within the back end section of the seam weight  12  is a hole  18  with a similar hole  18  being formed within the front end section of the seam weight  12 . Mounted within each hole  18  is a fastener  20  with it being understood that there is a separate fastener  20  for each hole  18 . The outer free end of each fastener  20  connects with a wing nut  22 . The wing nuts  22  are to abut against the upper surface  14 . Each of the threaded fasteners  20  are conducted through a washer  24 . The inner end of each of the fasteners  20  are each directed through a hole  26  formed within a supporting platform  28 . The washers  24  function to maintain a slight space between the supporting platform  28  and the seam weight  12 . This slight space is an air gap  27 . The function of the air gap  27  is to minimize the possibility of transfer of heat by conduction from the seam weight  12  to the supporting platform  28 . This supporting platform  28  is to rest directly on the carpet  29 . This supporting platform  28  is to be constructed of a non-heat conducting material such as wood. The fact that there are minimal areas of connection between the seam weight  12  and the supporting platform  28 , the possibility of conducting of any appreciable amount of heat therebetween is eliminated. 
     To avoid any skewing of the supporting platform  28  relative to the seam weight  12  there are threadably secured into the supporting platform  28  a plurality of screw fasteners  30 . The heads  37  of these fasteners  30  are located within the air gap  27 . The thickness of the heads  37  of these fasteners  30  is equal to the spacing of the air gap  27 . Therefore, by using of a plurality of these fasteners  30  located in a spaced apart manner, the thickness of the air gap  27  is maintained constant. 
     It is to be noted that if it is desired to replace the supporting platform  28  by reason of it becoming damaged over a period of time, it is only necessary to disengage the wing nuts  22  which will permit the supporting platform  28  to be separated from the seam weight  12 . At this particular time, a new supporting platform  28  can be reinstalled in conjunction with the wing nuts  22 . 
     Fixedly mounted on the upper surface  14  are a pair of spaced apart U-shaped brackets  32  and  34 . These brackets  32  and  34  are located in a parallel relationship with the respect to each other. Each end of each bracket  32  and  34  is upturned. It is the function of these upturned ends to provide lateral restraint for mounting base  66 . This mounting base  66  functions as a tray with the back end of such to be located under a knob  42  mounted on an upstanding post  40  and the front end of which is under knob  38  formed on a deflectable plate member  36 . This deflectable plate member  36  is fixedly mounted onto the upper surface  14  of the seam weight  12 . By manually pushing in a downward direction the deflectable member  36  toward the seam weight  12 , the knob  38  can be disengaged from the mounting base  66  which will then permit the mounting base  66  to be completely separated from the brackets  32  and  34 . This separation is clearly shown in FIG. 3 of the drawing. It is to be noted that the mounting base  66  is deemed to be conventional with only the tool  10  of this invention being constructed in a manner to provide a storage area for the base  66  when the base  66  is mounted in conjunction with the brackets  32  and  34 . It is to be noted that there is formed an air gap  35  between the mounting base  66  and the upper surface  14  of the seam weight  12 . This air gap  35  minimizes the transfer of heat between the mounting base  66  and the seam weight  12 . 
     The post  40  is fixedly secured to the upper surface  14  of the seam weight  12 . The outer end of the post  40  is deflected at substantially a right angle forming a handle member  44 . This handle member  44  has a longitudinal center axis  46 . Mounted on the handle member  44  is a resilient hand grip  48  which is to facilitate manual grasping thereof. The grip  48  is located substantially directly over the center of gravity of the tool  10 . Therefore, when the grip  48  is grasped and a lifting motion is imparted to the tool  10 , the tool  10  will not have a tendency to twist from the lifted position and will remain in the position shown substantially in FIG. 2 of the drawing. 
     Fixedly mounted on the posts  40  are a pair of clips  50  located in a spaced apart manner. Connectable with the clips  50  is an elongated handle  52  of a separate tack strip removing tool  53 . The outer end of this tool  53  is formed into a head  54  which includes an elongated channel  56 . It is to be noted that the transverse dimension of this channel  56  is inclined relative to the longitudinal center axis of the elongated handle  52 . 
     It is to be understood that this tool  53  is to be disengaged from the brackets  50  and then to be used by locating a portion of a carpet tack strip  65  within the channel  56 . The tool  53  is then moved in a prying manner to remove the tack strip  65  from its attached position on the floor (not shown). It is to be understood that the clips  50  function to merely provide a storage location for the tool  53  when not in use. 
     Also located in a storage position in the air gap  27  is a pair of edge plates  58  and  60 . Edge plate  58  includes an upturned flange  62  with edge plates  60  also including a similar upturned flange  64 . The edge plates  58  and  60  are identical in construction. 
     Referring particularly to FIG. 3 of the drawing, there is shown the tack strip  65  in phantom. This tack strip  65  is fixedly secured to the floor with the upper surface of this tack strip  65  having a plurality of small sharp pointed protruding nail-like members. It is the function of the tack strip  65  to provide an outer edge securement for the carpet  29  adjacent the wall  67 . 
     When it is desired to seam together different sections of the carpet  29  along seam line  31 , the seam tape  33  is layed against the floor with the glued upper surface being located directly against the undersurface of the carpet  29 . This seam tape  33  is located along the seam line  31 . To have the different sections of the carpet  29  be secured to the seam tape  33  directly adjacent the wall  67  is difficult because of the location of the tack strip  65 . To make this job easier, the edge plate  60  is slipped between the carpet  29  and the tack strip  65  forming a smooth surface against which to operate the seaming of the carpet in this area. The seaming iron  76 , which has been heated by electricity from electrical conductor  80 , is positioned manually through the use of handle  78  directly against the glued surface of the seam tape  33  that is located on the edge plate  60 . The heating temperature of the iron  76  can be increased or decreased by turning of knob  82 . Once the glue on the seam tape  33  has been melted, the iron  76  is then moved to a new position on the seam tape  33  with the carpet being pressed tightly against the edge plate  60  and held in that position for a short period of time until the glue solidifies securing together the seam tape  33  and the carpet  29  in this particular area. At this particular time, the user grasps the flange  64  and removes the edge plate  60  and then locates the edge of the carpet sections  29  into tight engagement with the spikes of the tack strip  65 . Thereby the carpet sections  29  are fixedly secured in place along the edge of the wall  67 . 
     As the iron  76  continues to melt the glue on the seam tape  33 , the carpet sections  29  are pressed tightly against the melted glue sections and are to remain that way until satisfactory securement has occurred. To assist in this securement, there is utilized the tool  10  of this invention which, because of its inherent weight, when located on top of the carpet  29  in the area of the melted glue, will press the carpet sections  29  against the seam tape  33  insuring that a satisfactory securement is obtained. As the iron  76  is moved to a new spot to again melt more of the adhesive on the seam tape  33 , the tool  10  also similarly moved progressively along the seam line  31  to now apply pressure to the newly melted glue area. 
     When the iron  76  reaches the end of the seam line  31 , the iron  76  is to be located on brackets  68  and  70  of the mounting base  66 . A deflectable tab  72  abuts against the rear edge of the iron  76  with a similar deflectable tab  74  abutting against the front end of the iron  76 . In essence, the iron  76  will snap “into” and “out of” place in regard to the mounting base  66 . When the iron  76  has reached the end of the seam line  31 , the fact that it is positioned in conjunction with the tool  10  will prevent the iron  76  from being located directly onto the upper surface of a portion of the carpet  29  which could cause the carpet  29  to be burned. Even if the iron  76  remains for an extended period of time on the mounting base  66  and this mounting base  66  is in position on the seam weight  12 , no significant transfer of heat by conduction occurs which could damage the carpet  29 .