Patent ID: 8104156

Claim:
A punching tool for forming an attachment in an interlocking side-lapped seam of a steel deck structure, the steel deck structure including at least first and second steel deck panels, the first steel deck panel including an upturned male lip along one side edge thereof, the second steel deck panel including a downwardly-directed U-shaped female channel along one side edge thereof for receiving the upturned male lip of the first steel deck panel, the U-shaped channel including first and second walls generally parallel to each other, the punching tool comprising: a. a first jaw having a cutting edge for engaging the first wall of the female channel; b. a second jaw having a cutting edge for engaging the second wall of the female channel, the second jaw being disposed proximate the first jaw but laterally offset therefrom, and generally facing the first jaw; c. an actuator coupled to the first and second jaws for selectively moving the cutting edges of the first and second jaws generally toward each other to a closed position, or away from each other to an open position, the cutting edges of the first and second jaws at least partially passing each other as the actuator moves the first and second jaws to the closed position for cutting a first slot through the U-shaped channel and the male lip received thereby; d. a third jaw having a cutting edge for engaging the first wall of the female channel; e. a fourth jaw having a cutting edge for engaging the second wall of the female channel, the fourth jaw being disposed proximate the third jaw but laterally offset therefrom, and generally facing the third jaw; f. the actuator also being coupled to the third and fourth jaws for selectively moving the cutting edges of the third and fourth jaws generally toward each other to a closed position at the same time that the actuator moves the cutting edges of the first and second jaws generally toward each other to the closed position, the actuator moving the cutting edges of the third and fourth jaws away from each other to an open position at the same time that the actuator moves the cutting edges of the first and second jaws away from each other to the open position, the cutting edges of the third and fourth jaws at least partially passing each other as the actuator moves the third and fourth jaws to the closed position for cutting a second slot through the U-shaped channel and the male lip received thereby, the second slot being laterally spaced from the first slot.