Abstract:
A cam magnet assembly including at least one magnet, a rotatable cam situated within an opening that divides the at least one magnet into first and second magnetic portions, and a moveable arm connected to the cam and extending from the opening between the first and second magnetic portions to facilitating removal of the cam magnet assembly from a construction element via rotation of the cam.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/862,324, filed on Oct. 20, 2006, in the United States Patent &amp; Trademark Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present general inventive concept relates generally to a cam magnet assembly, and more particularly, to a magnet having an arm attached to a rotatable cam that is extendable from the magnet to facilitate removal of the magnet during use in construction applications. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Construction applications generally involve transporting, connecting, and otherwise maneuvering various pieces of material. Some applications involve very large pieces of material and/or pieces of material having awkward shapes. Such pieces present a user with significant difficulty with respect to maneuvering the pieces during construction. 
         [0006]    Convention methods generally require a user and several assistant users to assist with maneuvering large and/or awkward pieces of material. As such, conventional methods present a difficult process, require additional manpower, and are therefore inefficient. 
         [0007]    Also involved in construction applications is a variety of construction equipment, some of which is required to be secured in place during use. One such piece of equipment is a hole former, which is used in the Precast Industry to create a hole for pipes to enter manholes. Manholes range in diameter from 4′ to over 10′ with varying depths. 
         [0008]    Convention methods either bolt the hole former to a steel core of the manhole or shell, or position and tie the hole former to steel wire mesh, which is around the core. Both methods are time consuming, requiring the user to spend extra time attaching and detaching the hole former. Other disadvantages of these methods include that the hole former and steel core must both be pre-drilled with a bolt hole, which lowers the mechanical integrity of both. Further, tying the hole former does not present a secure means of engagement. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    A principal object of the present general inventive concept is to provide a cam magnet that is easy to assemble, easy to use, and affords repeated use without drilling holes. 
         [0010]    Another object of the present general inventive concept is to provide a magnet of industrial strength with a moveable arm. 
         [0011]    One advantage of the present general inventive concept with respect to use with a hole former is that the cam magnet  1  provides flexibility for placement without drilling holes in the core or jacket. The cam magnet  1  also provides a more secure engagement as opposed to conventional methods using steel wire mesh. 
         [0012]    The foregoing and other objects are intended to be illustrative of the present general inventive concept and are not meant in a limiting sense. Many possible embodiments of the present general inventive concept may be made and will be readily evident upon a study of the following specification and accompanying drawings comprising a part thereof. Various features and subcombinations of present general inventive concept may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. Other objects and advantages of this present general inventive concept will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of this present general inventive concept and various features thereof. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]    A preferred embodiment of the present general inventive concept, illustrative of the best mode in which the applicant has contemplated applying the principles, is set forth in the following description and is illustrated in the drawings. 
           [0014]      FIG. 1  illustrates a cam magnet according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept illustrating the magnet coupled with an arm and at least two plates coupled on either side of the magnet. 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  illustrates the cam magnet of  FIG. 1  with a moveable and adjustable arm. 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  illustrates the cam magnet of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  illustrates another embodiment of a cam magnet illustrating two notches on either end of the cam magnet. 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  illustrates the cam magnet of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  illustrates the cam magnet of  FIG. 4  with an adjustable arm. 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  illustrates the cam magnet of  FIG. 1  with a cross section of the cam magnet and top view and end view. 
           [0021]      FIG. 8  illustrates the cam magnet of  FIG. 4 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0022]    Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the present general inventive concept, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elements throughout. The embodiments are described below in order to explain the present general inventive concept be referring to the figures. 
         [0023]      FIG. 1  illustrates a cam magnet  1  having a body  2  and an arm  3  coupled together at a point of rotation  7 . The body  2  has two plates  15  and  16  on either side of a magnet  20  and the arm  3 . The two plates  15  and  16  are separated from the magnet  20  via connector layers  10  and  11  located on either side of the magnet  20 . The two plates  15  and  16  engage a side of the connector layers  10  and  11  opposite to another side of the connector layers  10  and  11  that engages the magnet  20  to sandwich all three elements  10 ,  11 , and  20  together. 
         [0024]    The arm  3  is rotatable around the axis of rotation  7  located within the body  2 , and is adjustable to various angles along the axis of rotation  7 . The arm  3  connects to a rotating disk or cam  30  situated in an opening  5  in the magnet  20  that divides magnet  20  into two portions. A handle portion  4  is attached to an end of the arm  3  to facilitate movement from a first position to a second position. The arm  3  abuts either portion of the magnet  20  in either first and second positions. Because the arm is metallic, the abutting engagement of the arm  3  with the magnet  20  allows the magnet  20  to magnetically secure the arm  3  in either position to avoid inadvertent movement of the arm  3  during use. 
         [0025]    The cam  30  is mounted at a location off-center from a center of the cam  30  to convert circular movement of the arm  3  to linear motion. Specifically, as the arm  3  swings from the first position, illustrated in  FIG. 1 , to the second position, illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the cam  30  rotates and breaks a planar surface  31  of the magnet  20  to expose a cam extension portion  32 . The purpose of the cam extension portion  32  will be discussed hereafter. 
         [0026]    In the exemplary embodiment, the cam magnet  1  has at least one notch  35  in one or both ends of the body to secure fixtures in a desired location. In another embodiment, the cam magnet  1  has at least two sides that float or move and can be adjusted and then fixed into place to increase adaptability of the cam magnet  1 . The notch  35  or floating sides allow use with concave or convex surfaces. An example of such use includes is for utility plant products, such as manholes and catch basins. Length, width, height, shape, and magnetic strength of the cam magnet  1  may vary depending on a user&#39;s application needs. 
         [0027]    During use, the cam magnet  1  may be attached to construction material (not illustrated) with the arm  3  in the first position. The cam magnet  1  facilitates maneuvering of the material to provide easier processing. 
         [0028]    When the user desires to remove the cam magnet  1  from the material, the arm  3  can be moved to the second position to rotate the cam  30  and extend the extension portion  32  away from the cam magnet  1  and toward the material. The extension portion  32  moves the magnet  1  away from the material, thereby creating a gap, which weakens the magnetic connection between the cam magnet  1 , thus facilitating removal of the cam magnet  1  from the material. 
         [0029]    Another use of the cam magnet  1  is in combination with a utility hole former. The cam magnet  1  can be formed with the notch  35  that is sized and shaped to engage with a side or other parts of the hole former, such as a donut ring on an inside of the hole former. The cam magnet  1  and hole former are then placed in position on a steel core of a manhole or shell. 
         [0030]    In one preferred embodiment, the cam magnet  1  has at least tapped hole (not illustrated) for coupling with an attachment plate. The attachment plate sits on top of the cam magnet  1  and is coupled to the cam magnet  1  using screws or other means. The cam magnet  1  and attachment plate are attached to steel side rails or parts, which need to be secured in a position. 
         [0031]    Having now described the features, discoveries and principles of the general inventive concept, the manner in which the general inventive concept is constructed and used, the characteristics of the construction, and advantageous, new and useful results obtained; the new and useful structures, devices, elements, arrangements, parts and combinations, are set forth in the appended claims. 
         [0032]    It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the general inventive concept herein described, and all statements of the scope of the general inventive concept which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.