Abstract:
A multi-purpose tool is designed for use in connection with the assembly and disassembly of mosaic-type craft projects in which flanged mosaic pieces are mounted in a grid. The tool has at least one offset piece-engaging ends terminating in a pair of tapered speed arms. The arms are adapted to engage about a flange piece and are spaced to allow the tool to serve as a punch to remove inserted mosaic pieces.

Description:
The present invention is directed to a new and improved multi-purpose tool and, in particular, a multi-purpose tool useful in connection with the construction of mosaic-type craft projects and the like. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The construction of mosaic designs, in which a plurality of individually colored elements or pieces are arranged in a matrix form to provide an overall design is well known. The use of colored stones and ceramic pieces goes back to antiquity. Current craft sets typically utilize molded plastic pieces. Rather than requiring that the plastic pieces be placed in an adhesive, mastic or mortar matrix, a grid or frame element constructed with columns and rows of apertures into which the plastic elements may be mounted, is provided. To assist the user, typically a child, in choosing the correct pieces to form a desired design, a pattern is provided, either in the form of a sheet over which the grid or frame is placed, or alternatively as embossments or printing on the frame itself. The user creates the picture by following the template formed by the pattern, inserting the appropriately colored pieces into the grid. The pieces are usually removable and re-usable. 
     The individual pieces to be inserted into the grid or frame are typically of small dimension. It is thus often difficult to pick up an individual piece, orient it properly and inserted into the grid in the proper position. For a child, in particular, the inability of the child to smoothly perform the process may be a source of irritation and frustration, decreasing the play value and interest of the craft set. Further, despite the care with which the pieces are picked up and aligned, it is not uncommon for a piece to be placed into an incorrect grid position. It thus becomes necessary to remove the piece from the grid in a non-destructive manner to allow it to be replaced. Still further, the construction of the pieces and grid are such that a snug friction-fit is provided to insure that, when the piece is inserted, it does not easily become dislodged. As a typical mosaic picture may utilize several hundred pieces, it is vitally important that, once placed in position, the mosaic piece does not inadvertently fall out of position. Yet the piece should be removable. 
     Heretofore, the pickup, positioning, insertion and removal of mosaic pieces have been done in a totally manual manner. It is accordingly the purpose of the present invention to provide a multi-purpose tool which facilitates the pickup, positioning, insertion and removal of mosaic-like pieces. 
     It is a further purpose of the present invention to provide such a multi-purpose tool displaying efficiencies of use which allows its use by both children and adults. 
     It is yet a further purpose of the present invention to provide such a tool which is of economical construction and design. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the foregoing and other objects and purposes, a multi-purpose tool in accordance with the present invention is particularly adapted and arranged to be utilized with small objects, such as mosaic pieces, having one or more flange-like protrusions extending from a piece body, the protrusions being adapted and arranged to be insertable into corresponding apertures in a surface, such as a pattern matrix. 
     The tool is of elongated construction, having a main handle portion with at least one offset end. The end is in the form of a pair of spaced arms, the spacing therebetween being chosen to allow the arms and tool to surround and grip a flange of a piece to be moved. At least the end of the tool is constructed of a resilient material, allowing the flange to be gripped by the tool end. With the flange being gripped by the tool, the tool and piece may be manipulated, turned and aligned as needed to allow the flange to be introduced into the desired matrix aperture. 
     The end of the tool is further of a tapered thickness. This permits the tool end to fit between the body of the piece and the aperture matrix when the piece is being aligned with the matrix and, the flange inserted into the desired matrix aperture. The tool end further includes a flat surface extending proximate the arms, allowing finger pressure to be placed on both the tool and held piece to allow the piece to be further fitted into the aperture. The tool then can be removed from the piece. With the tool removed, the flat, lower surface of the tool may be placed on top of the mosaic piece providing once again an increased pressing surface for the user&#39;s thumb, allowing the piece to be firmly driven home. 
     The tapered construction also allows the tool to be inserted between an inserted mosaic piece and the matrix. The offset between the end and the main body of the tool allows the tool to serve as a pry bar to remove the piece from the grid. With the piece slightly raised out of the matrix, the tool may be further inserted, whereby a flange is gripped by the tool, allowing the piece to be retained by the tool as the piece is fully removed from the grid by the tool. 
     The on-center spacing of the tool arms correspond to the center-to-center spacing of the grid apertures for the mosaic pieces and accordingly to the center-to-center spacing of the flanges on a multiple flange mosaic piece. The tool may thus also be used as a punch-removal tool, the arms of the tool being aligned with two of the flanges projecting through the grid. Downward pressure on the tool ejects the mosaic piece from the matrix. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A fuller understanding of the present invention and the features and benefits thereof will be accomplished upon review of the following detailed description of a preferred, but nonetheless illustrative embodiment thereof, when reviewed in conjunction with the annexed drawings, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a plan view of a mosaic picture constructed of mosaic elements with which the present tool may be employed; 
     FIG. 2 is a detailed perspective view of a portion of a mosaic grid depicting a mosaic piece to be inserted therein; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a multi-purpose tool of the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a detail plan view of a portion of the tool taken along line  4 — 4  in FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the tool portion taken along line  5 — 5  of FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating how a mosaic piece may be held by the tool; 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view detailing a second method by which the mosaic piece may be held by the tool; 
     FIG. 8 is a detail view depicting the relationship of the tool and piece of FIG. 7; 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating a first step in utilizing the tool for the insertion of a mosaic piece into a mosaic grid; 
     FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a second step of the insertion procedure; 
     FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken along line  11 — 11  of FIG. 10; 
     FIG. 12 is a perspective view illustrating how the tool may be used to remove a mosaic piece from a mosaic grid; 
     FIG. 13 is a perspective view illustrating how the tool may be used as a removal punch; 
     FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a single flange mosaic piece; 
     FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a two-flange mosaic piece; 
     FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a linear mosaic piece having three flanges; 
     FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a right-angle mosaic piece having three flanges; and 
     FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a block mosaic piece having four flanges. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With initial reference to FIGS. 1,  2  and  3 , the tool  10  of the present invention as depicted in FIG. 3 may be used in connection with the assembly and disassembly of a mosaic picture  12 , as shown in FIG.  1 . Mosaic picture  12  is created from a plurality of mosaic pieces  14 , which may be of several different shapes as shown in FIGS. 14-18, but are each characterized by a main body portion  16 , dimensioned to interfit with and abut against the main body portions of adjacent mosaic pieces  14 , and one or more downwardly-extending legs or flanges  18 . The mosaic pieces  14 , which are of different colors, are mounted by the flanges upon mosaic grid  22 . The flanges  18  are located or positioned to be inserted into corresponding apertures  20 , the apertures being laid out in a regular pattern in the grid  22 . As known, the flanges are typically of a stepped construction, having a first diameter upper flange portion  18 A and a lower flange portion  18 B of lesser diameter, conforming to the dimensions of the grid apertures. As may be seen in FIG. 11, the inserted mosaic piece  14  sits with the bottom edge of upper flange portion  18 A wedged against the arcuate side walls of the grid surrounding the aperture. The grid  22  is preferably transparent, allowing a pattern  24  to be positioned thereunder, the pattern being observable through the grid to allow the user to choose the appropriately colored and shaped mosaic pieces  14  to be inserted into the grid to replicate the design shown on the pattern. 
     As shown in FIG. 3, the tool  10  is of an elongated construction, formed of an appropriate tough but resilient plastic, and may have a central handle-forming section  28  and mosaic piece-engaging sections  26  at one or both ends. Each of the piece-engaging sections  26  may be offset from the central handle section  28  of the tool. The offset angle α may be in the range of 20 to 30 degrees. 
     Each of the piece-engaging end sections  26  is formed with a pair of prongs or arms  30 . Each of the arms  30  comprises a distal portion  32  having an arcuate inner wall  34  dimensioned and adapted to surround and frictionally engage the upper, wider portion to flange portion  18 A of a mosaic piece. See FIG.  8 . The interior portions  36  of the arms are separated by a relatively thin slot portion  38 . The existence of the slot  38  between the arms provides for a degree of flexibility for the arms, allowing the arms to flex about a mosaic piece flange and grip the flange in a relatively tight manner. As detailed in FIG. 5, the tool arms  30  are also of a tapered thickness over a substantial portion of their length, the bottom surfaces of the arms being angled upwards towards the distal ends of the arms at an angle of about 20-30 degrees from support or pivot point  44 . The tapered construction facilitates insertion of the tool between an installed mosaic piece and the grid for piece removal, as will be explained. Preferably, the center-to-center spacing of the tips  40  of the arms corresponds to the center-to-center spacing of the apertures  20  of the grid  22 , and thus further corresponds to the center-to-center spacing of the flanges  18  on a mosaic piece  14 . 
     The varied operations which may be performed by the tool  10  are depicted in FIGS. 6-13. FIG. 6 depicts a first method of grasping of a mosaic piece  14  by the tool. The distal portions  32  of the arms  30  are positioned around and pressed down about flange portion  18 A which is thereby gripped by the arms and tool. The mosaic piece can then be moved and positioned as desired. Alternatively, and as depicted in FIGS. 7 and 8, the tool may approach the mosaic piece and flange perpendicular to the flange  18 , the tool arms  30  flexing about and gripping the flange portion  18 A from the side. The mosaic piece  14  can be supported by the user&#39;s thumb as the tool engages the piece. In each case, the top surface of the tool faces the top of the mosaic piece. 
     As depicted in FIGS. 9-11, with a piece held by the tool, the tool can be used as an insertion device, assisting in placing the mosaic piece  14  into the mosaic grid  22 . In such a procedure, the gripped mosaic piece is aligned with the grid as desired, with the distal, smaller diameter portions  18 B of the flanges  18  placed within the corresponding grid apertures  20 . Finger pressure is then applied to the mosaic piece in the grid, as depicted in FIG. 9, gently seating the piece. The tool  10  is then backed off from the piece by moving it in a direction parallel to the top surface of the grid, disengaging the arms  30  from the flange  18 . The tool is then placed on top of the mosaic piece, as depicted in FIGS. 10 and 11, the flat, lower surface of the piece-engaging portion  26  behind the arms being in contact with the top of the mosaic piece, and downward finger pressure is applied to the top surface  42  of the piece-engaging portion. The increased surface area of the tool, as opposed to the top of the mosaic piece, provides a comfortable surface for the finger, transferring the downward force applied by the finger to the mosaic piece to firmly seat the piece within the grid  22 , such that the lower flange portions  18 B engage the grid walls as seen in FIG.  11 . 
     After a piece has been inserted into the grid, it can be removed with the tool as depicted in FIG.  12 . The arms  30  of the tool are slid between the main body portion of the mosaic piece and the grid, the tapered construction of the arms facilitating entry therebetween and lifting the piece away from the grid. With the tool fully inserted, preferably with the arms surrounding and engaging the upper flange portion  18 A of the piece, the tool may be levered about pivot point  44  to fully remove the piece from the grid. 
     The tool may be also used as a punch, to extract a mosaic piece  14  from the grid, as depicted in FIG.  13 . As shown therein, the mosaic grid  22  is inverted to expose the protruding flange ends of the piece to be removed. The tips of the arms  30  are aligned with two adjacent flanges on a piece to be removed, the tool being positioned generally parallel to the flanges and thus perpendicular to the grid  22 . Downward pressure applied to the tool drives the mosaic piece out of the grid. For a single-flange piece, such as depicted in FIG. 14, the tool may be canted to engage the flange with one of the tips while the other tip is out of contact with flanges of adjacent pieces.