Abstract:
A corner chisel device for removing unchiseled corners of a door hardware receiving area on a door is provided. The corner chisel device comprises a handle and a mounting base secured to the handle. A first chisel assembly is secured to the mounting base. A second chisel assembly secured to the mounting base wherein the first chisel assembly and the second chisel assembly are selectively and separably operable to remove the corners of the receiving area.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    This invention relates generally to a corner chisel for doors and the like and, more particularly, the invention relates to a corner chisel for easily and accurately chiseling a portion of a door for receiving door hardware, i.e., the hinge plate of a hinge assembly.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art  
           [0004]    Prior to mounting a door within a door frame, a portion of the door along the door edge must be removed for mounting the hinge assemblies to allow the hinge plates of the hinge assemblies to be flush with the edge of the door. The hinge assemblies typically include two hinge plates with the door side hinge plate being mounted to the edge of the door and the other hinge plate being mounted to the door frame. Typically, this hinge-receiving door portion for receiving the door side hinge plate is removed with a router or other adequate tool. Unfortunately, while these tools allow removal of the material, these tools are is not capable of removing a substantially rectanigular portion of the door and the operator must then manually chisel the corners of the door portion such that a rectangular-shaped the hinge plate fits accordingly.  
           [0005]    In the past, tools have been designed in an attempt to remove the corners of the door portion in an easy and rapid manner. These tools are difficult to properly align and none of these tools can accurately remove the unchiseled corners in an easy and rapid manner. In addition, these conventional corner removing tools are difficult to align within the removed door portion and many times the operator is required several attempts to properly and accurately remove the corner portion for the door side hinge plate to fit therein.  
           [0006]    Accordingly, there exists a need for a corner chisel device for doors and the like which easily and rapidly removes the unchiseled corner portion of a door for receiving the hinge plate. Additionally, a need exists for a cornier chisel device for doors and the like which can be accurately aligned for removing the unchiseled corner portion of a door for receiving the hinge plate. Furthermore, there exists a need for a corner chisel device for doors and the like which can easily be handled by an operator thereby minimizing potential injury.  
         SUMMARY  
         [0007]    The present invention is a corner chisel device for removing unchiseled corners of a door hardware receiving area on a door. The corner chisel device comprises a handle and a mounting base secured to the handle. A first chisel assembly is secured to the mounting base. A second chisel assembly secured to the mounting base wherein the first chisel assembly and the second chisel assembly are selectively and separably operable to remove the corners of the receiving area.  
           [0008]    In addition, the present invention includes a system for chiseling a material from a recess having an edge. The system comprises a first chisel base having a first side and a second side and a second chisel base having a first side and a second side. A first chisel portion is associated with the first chisel base and selectively movable to remove material. A second chisel portion is associated with the second chisel base and selectively movable to remove material wherein at least three of the sides selected from the first side of the first chisel base, the second side of the first chisel base, the first side of the second chisel base, and the second side of the second chisel base are contactable with the edge of the recess for aligning either the first chisel portion or the second chisel portion prior to removing the material.  
           [0009]    The present invention further includes a method for removing the unchiseled corners of a door hardware receiving area on a door. The method comprises aligning a chisel portion within the door hardware receiving area with at least a three-point contact with the door hardware receiving area.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is a front perspective view illustrating the corner chisel device for doors and the like, constructed in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view illustrating the corner chisel device for doors and the like, constructed in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3 is an exploded view illustrating the corner chisel device for doors and the like, constructed in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 4 is an elevational side view illustrating a door prior to using the corner chisel device of the present invention; and  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 5 is an elevational side view illustrating the door subsequent to using the corner chisel device of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0015]    As illustrated in FIGS.  13 , the present invention is a corner chisel device, indicated generally at  10 , for chiseling doors  12  (See, FIGS. 4 and 5) and the like to receive hinges  14  (See, FIGS. 4 and 5) and other door hardware. The hinge has at least one hinge plate  16  for securement to the door  12 . After a door  12  is constructed, as illustrated in FIG. 4, a hinge plate receiving recess  1   8  having a recess edge  20  is formed in at least one edge  22  of the door  12  for receiving the door side hinge plate  16  of the hinge  14 . The corner chisel device  10  of the present invention is designed for removing the corners  24  of the hinge plate receiving recess  18  in the door  12 , as illustrated in FIG. 5, after the hinge plate receiving recess  18  has been formed.  
         [0016]    Referring to FIGS.  1 - 3 , the corner chisel device  10  of the present invention includes a handle  26  and a mounting plate  28 . The handle  26  includes a gripping portion  30  and a mounting projection  32  extending from the gripping portion  30 . The mounting plate  28  includes a first slot  34 , a second slot  36 , and a handle-receiving aperture  38 . The mounting projection  32  of the handle  26  is receivable within the handle-receiving aperture  38  of the mounting plate  28  and secured therein. Securement of the handle  26  to the mounting plate  28  can be accomplished by various means including, but not limited to, friction, adhesives, screws, bolts, welding, etc.  
         [0017]    While the handle  26  is shown extending from the mounting plate  28  in a particular direction, it is within the scope of the present invention for the handle  26  to extend from the top of the mounting plate  28  or from another side of the mounting plate  28 , as desired by the manufacturer or operator. In these instances, the handle-receiving aperture  38  is formed in a different position on the mounting plate  28  than as shown.  
         [0018]    The corner chisel device  10  of the present invention further includes a first chisel assembly  40  and a second chisel assembly  42 . The first chisel assembly  40  and the second chisel assembly  42  are mounted to the first slot  34  and the second slot  36 , respectively, of the mounting plate  28  by a screw  44  or the like extending through each of the first slot  34  and the second slot  36  into a threaded aperture (not shown) in the first chisel assembly  40  and the second chisel assembly  42 .  
         [0019]    The first chisel assembly  40  includes a first chisel base  46 , a first chisel portion  48 , and first securement device  50  and the second chisel assembly  42  includes a second chisel base  52 , a second chisel portion  54 , and second securement device  56 . Both the first chisel base  46  and the second chisel base  52  have a first side wall  58 , a second side wall  60  opposite the first side wall  58 , a third side wall  62  between the first side wall  58  and the second side wall  60 , and a fourth side wall  64  opposite the third side wall  62  between the first side  58  wall and the second side wall  60 .  
         [0020]    The first side wall  58  has a groove  66  formed therein for receiving the mounting plate  28 . The groove  66  limits the longitudinal movement of the first chisel assembly  40  and the second chisel assembly  42  relative to the mounting plate  28  while allowing the first chisel assembly  40  and the second chisel assembly  42  to move along the first slot  34  and the second slot  36 , respectively. The first chisel assembly  40  and the second chisel assembly  42  can be adjusted and releasably secured along the length of the mounting plate  28  depending on the size of the hinge plate receiving recess  18 .  
         [0021]    A chisel portion receiving area  68  is formed at the intersection of the second side wall  60  and the third side wall  62  of each chisel base  46 ,  52  for slidably receiving each chisel portion  48 ,  54 . The first securement device  50  and the second securement device  56  are preferably an L-shaped securement device having a first portion  70  and a second portion  72 . The first portion  70  of each securement device  50 ,  56  is preferably secured to the second side wall  60  and the second portion  72  of each securement device  50 ,  56  is preferably secured to the third side wall  62  of the first chisel base  46  and the second chisel base  52 , respectively, by screws  74  or the like. The L-shaped securement devices  50 ,  56  allow longitudinal movement of the first and second chisel portions  48 ,  54  while maintaining the first and second chisel portions  48 ,  54  adjacent the first and second chisel bases  46 ,  52 , respectively. Aligned apertures  76  in the first and second securement devices  50 ,  56  and threaded apertures  78  in the first and second chisel bases  46 ,  52  receive the screws  74  to secure the first and second securement devices  50 ,  56  to the first and second chisel bases  46 ,  52 , respectively. The first and second chisel portions  48 ,  54  are slidably secured within the chisel portion receiving area  68  between the first and second chisel bases  46 ,  52  and the first and second securement devices  50 ,  56 , respectively.  
         [0022]    The corner chisel device  10  of the present invention further includes biasing means, such as a spring  80 , cooperating with each chisel portion  48 ,  54  to bias each chisel portion  48 ,  54  in a substantially upward direction. A spring-receiving slot  82  is formed in the first and second chisel bases  46 ,  52  for receiving the spring  80 . The spring  80  is biased within the spring-receiving slot  82  between a shelf  84  formed in the spring-receiving slot  86  and a ledge  86  formed on each of the first and second chisel portions  48 ,  54 . A washer mechanism  88  secured to each chisel base  46 ,  52  is contactable with the ledge  86  limiting the upward travel extent of the first and second chisel portions  48 ,  54 .  
         [0023]    The first chisel portion  48  and the second chisel portion  54  each include a sharpened chisel point  84 . The chisel points  84  are designed to penetrate the unchiseled corners  24  of the hinge plate receiving recess  18  to remove the unchiseled corners  24  from the door  12  during operation of the corner chisel device  10 .  
         [0024]    Operation of the corner chisel device  10  of the present invention will now be described in detail. As understood by a person skilled in the art, the below described operation of the corner chisel device  10  is merely one embodiment of operation and other methods of operation are within the scope of the present invention.  
         [0025]    After hinge plate receiving recess  18  has been formed in the door  12  for receiving the hinge plate  16  of the hinge  14 , the corners  24  of the hinge, plate receiving recess  18  are removable with the corner chisel device  10 . To remove the corners  24 , the second side wall  60  and the third side wall  62  of the first chisel base  46  of the first chisel assembly  40  and the second side wall  60  of the second chisel base  52  of the second chisel assembly  42  are aligned along the recess edge  20  with the first chisel portion  48  and/or the second chisel portion  54  directly above the corner  24  to be removed. The chisel portion(s)  48 ,  54  is then driven in a generally downward direction, e.g., with a hammer or mallet, against the bias of the spring  80  to cause the chisel point(s)  84  to penetrate and remove one or both of the corners  24 .  
         [0026]    The corner chisel device  10  of the present invention is then slidably moved until the second side wall  60  and the third side wall  62  of the second chisel base  52  of the second chisel assembly  42  and the second side wall  60  of the first chisel base  46  of the first chisel assembly  40  are aligned along the recess edge  20  directly above the other unchiseled corner  24  to be removed. Once again, the chisel portion(s)  48 ,  54  is driven in a generally downward direction against the bias of the spring  80  to cause the chisel point(s)  84  to remove one or both of the unchiseled corners  24 .  
         [0027]    The corner chisel device  10  of the present invention provides a three-point or four-point contact within the hinge plate receiving recess  18  along the recess edge  20 . The three-point or four-point contact allows the operator to quickly align the corner chisel device  10  in the proper location and accurately remove the corners  24  from the hinge plate receiving recess  18 .  
         [0028]    The foregoing exemplary descriptions and the illustrative preferred embodiments of the present invention have been explained in the drawings and described in detail, with varying modifications and alternative embodiments being taught. While the invention has been so shown, described and illustrated, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that equivalent changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention, and that the scope of the present invention is to be limited only to the claims except as precluded by the prior art. Moreover, the invention as disclosed herein, may be suitably practiced in the absence of the specific elements which are disclosed herein.