Abstract:
An automated surface covering removal machine having a handle, a housing, a lever member, a reciprocating cylinder and edge means for providing vertical or near vertical movement of the edge means relative to the surface covering to facilitate removal of the surface covering is disclosed. The surface covering may be shingles, carpeting, linoleum, or any other type of surface covering. The automated surface covering removal machine is lightweight and easy to use and does not exert a debilitating backwards force on the user. The reciprocating cylinder allows for a variable stroke height of the tooth bar allowing for more rapid removal of a surface covering.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/040,853 filed on Mar. 31, 2008. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Conventionally, removal of surface coverings such as shingles from a roof required intense physical labor with manual implements. Several attempts have been made to automate the process. However, such attempts were heavy and cumbersome machines that are not user friendly. The prior art machines commonly were cumbersome and would exert a backward force on the operator and require the operator to apply a force to hold the prior art machines in position. 
     The present invention provides an automated surface covering removal machine comprising a handle, housing, lever member, reciprocating cylinder and tooth bar that provides vertical or near vertical movement of the tooth bar relative to the surface covering and fasteners that are to be removed. With such vertical movement, there is no backward force exerted on a user when the tooth bar moves from an upper to a lower position. The automated surface covering removal machine of the present application also is lightweight and, therefore, not cumbersome to a user. The reciprocating cylinder of the automated surface covering removal machine of the present application has variable, proportional, stroke height and a removable tooth bar, along with an adjustable handle with ergonomics. The automated surface covering removal machine of the present application is constructed with a replaceable bottom pan on the housing for easy and economical change of parts due to wear and tear after use. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the automated surface covering removal machine of the present application demonstrating the adjustable handle; 
         FIG. 2  is a sectional side view of the automated surface covering removal machine of the present application taken along line  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 , with the lever member in a lowered position; 
         FIG. 3  is a sectional side view of the automated shingle removal machine of the present application showing the lever member in a raised position; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the automated surface covering removal machine of the present application in a ready to use position; 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of the automated surface covering removal machine of the present application with the handle in a first position; 
         FIG. 6  is a side view of the tooth bar and front portion of the automated surface covering removal machine of the present application with the handle in a second position; 
         FIG. 7  is a sectional, perspective view of the housing and internal components of the automated surface covering removal machine of the present application; and 
         FIG. 8  is a sectional perspective view of the housing of the automated surface covering removal machine of the present application, with the lever member in a raised position; 
         FIG. 9  is a sectional perspective view of the surface covering removal machine of the present application showing the lever member in a raised position; 
         FIG. 10  is a top view of the housing, lever member and an embodiment of the removable edge means of the present application; 
         FIG. 11  is a top view of the housing, lever member and another embodiment of the removable edge means of the present application; 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective schematic view of the cylinder and lever assembly of the present application. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The surface covering removal machine  2  comprises a handle  4 , a housing  6 , a lever member  12 , a removable edge means  14  and a reciprocating cylinder  18 . The surface covering removal machine  2  may be used in diverse environments, from outdoor removal of roofing shingles to indoor removal of linoleum or carpeted floors. The detailed description that follows is directed to a shingle removal embodiment, but one of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the illustrated exemplary embodiment will be applicable to other contemplated embodiments that may benefit from the upwardly thrusting movement principles disclosed in this application. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the handle  4  is attached to the housing  6 , and includes a handle grip  8  and a trigger  10 . The handle  4  of the automated surface covering removal machine  2  is adjustable in height to be ergonomic. Mechanical fasteners  36 A,  36 B attach the handle to the housing  6 . The operator selects an appropriate mounting hole (e.g.,  37 A,  37 B; see,  FIGS. 4-6 ) to insert the mechanical fasteners  36 A,  36 B for adjusting the height of the handle  4 . Alternatively, the handle  4  may be positioned within a slot, giving the operator and infinitely adjustable range of heights from a minimum to a maximum position. 
     The handle grip  8  is designed to be ergonomic allowing the operator to place his or her hands in a comfortable position. Trigger  10  requires very little effort to activate. Trigger  10  is connected to reciprocating cylinder  18 , pneumatically in one embodiment, electrically or hydraulically in other embodiments, to raise and lower lever member  12  and removable edge means  14  from an upper to a lower position. Conduits or hoses  15  may be used to connect the trigger  10  to the reciprocating cylinder  18 , as further demonstrated in  FIG. 2 . 
     Turning now to  FIGS. 7-9 , as mentioned, edge means  14  is removable and is attached to lever member  12  through mechanical fasteners  28 . Mechanical fasteners  28  may be any type of mechanical fastener and preferably allow the user to easily remove the edge means  14  for replacement after wear. 
     Reciprocating cylinder  18  may be attached to the top portion of the housing  6 . The reciprocating cylinder  18  may be mounted to the housing in different manner as well. As shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3 ,  8 ,  9  and  12 , reciprocating cylinder  18  includes a piston rod  24  attached to a lever member attachment shaft  22 . Lever member attachment shaft  22  connects the reciprocating cylinder  18  to the lever member  12  as shown in  FIG. 12 , for one embodiment. Lever member  12  is attached to the housing through pivot shaft  20 . By activating reciprocating cylinder  18 , piston shaft  24  depresses lever member attachment shaft  22  downwardly, in turn, raising the front portion of the lever member  12  and removable edge means  14  upwardly, as demonstrated in a comparison between  FIGS. 2 and 3 . 
     Reciprocating cylinder  18  is, in one embodiment, a pneumatic reciprocating cylinder. In another embodiment, the reciprocating cylinder  18  is an electric reciprocating cylinder. In yet another embodiment, the reciprocating cylinder  18  is a hydraulic reciprocating cylinder. In all respects, the reciprocating cylinder  18  has a variable stroke height. When an operator actuates trigger  10 , the lever member  12  will raise upwardly and remain in the up position until the trigger  10  is released. If the trigger  10  is released before the lever member  12  is completely in the up position, the reciprocating cylinder will release and return the lever member to the down position. This proportional, variable stroke feature allows the operator to raise the edge means  14  only the necessary amount to loosen or remove, for example, shingle nails, resulting in less time required to remove and prepare a roof for new shingles. 
     The interaction between reciprocating cylinder  18  and lever member  12  permits the edge means  14  to be raised to a maximum height of 4 to 8 inches above the lowered position. This height allows the automated surface covering removal machine  2  to pull, for example, adjacent shingles loose from a greater distance, resulting in faster shingle removal. Moreover, the edge means  14  is raised upwardly and downwardly in a vertical or nearly vertical fashion because of the location of pivot shaft  20 . The benefit of this vertical movement is that no backward force is exerted on the operator when the edge means moves from the upper to the lower position. Accordingly, the design is less fatiguing than prior art designs which exerted backward force on the operator. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 5-9 , housing  6  includes a bottom pan  16 . Bottom pan  16  is readily replaceable due to excessive wear and tear that the bottom pan encounters during use of the automated shingle removal machine  2 . The bottom pan  16  of housing  6  includes at least one embossment  26  on the surface that engages the roof. The at least one embossment  26  is, in one embodiment, located near the front portion of the bottom pan  16 . The at least one embossment  26  reduces the surface area that is in contact with the roof and provides a ramp effect, making it easier to slide the automated shingle removal machine  2  on, around and over surfaces that are not always flush with one another. The bottom pan  26  also includes flange  30  that aids in negotiating uneven surface that have a significant change in height. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 10 and 11 , the edge means  14  is removable from the lever member  12  to permit different designs of edge means  14  to suit particular roofing conditions. For example, the edge means of  FIG. 10  has more widely spaced teeth  32  than the edge means of  FIG. 11 . As a further example, the edge means may comprise a multi-tooth edge, a serrated edge, a flat edge, a bladed edge, a chisel edge or other similar edge designs to facilitate surface covering removal. 
     In one embodiment of the automated surface covering removal machine  2  of the present application, as demonstrated in  FIG. 2 , the reciprocating cylinder  18  is a pneumatic cylinder powered by a conventional air compressor. Hoses  15  may be connected through handle grip  8  and run through trigger  10  downwardly into the housing  6  and connect to the pneumatic reciprocating cylinder  18 . Quick exhaust check valves  17 A,  17 B provide the connection between the hosing and the reciprocating cylinder  18 . The quick exhaust valves  17 A,  17 B allow the lever member  12  to be raised and lowered quickly, and also exhaust into the housing  6  to assist in keeping the interior of housing  6  clean from dust and debris. As mentioned, when the trigger  10  is compressed, air will flow into the cylinder extending reciprocating cylinder piston  24  downwardly. However, the pneumatic reciprocating cylinder need not be fully extended before retracting; therefore, allowing for variable stroke lengths, proportional with trigger actuation. 
     Finally, referring back to  FIGS. 1 and 4 , the automated surface covering removal machine  2  may include wheels  34  for aid in transporting the machine  2 . The wheels  34  may be attached to the housing at points  34 A, or at other points, if desired. 
     It is apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention as described herein contains several features, and that variations to the embodiments as disclosed herein may be made that embody only some of the features disclosed herein. From the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed. The different configurations described herein may be used alone or in combination with other configurations. Various other combinations and modifications or alternatives may also be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such various alternatives and other embodiments are contemplated as being within the scope of the present disclosure.