Patent ID: 7913976

Claim:
A tool assembly including an expansion unit, a footing for placement at a first location engaged relative to an anchor surface, and a fitting for engaging a flooring panel, the footing being adapted to be positioned at the first location when the tool assembly is in a proximate mode, where the fitting is proximate the footing, and when the tool assembly is in a distance mode, where the fitting is spaced from the anchor surface at a distance greater than a width of at least one flooring panel, whereby to allow a series of floor panels to be laid and pushed together using a force generated by the expansion unit of the tool assembly, acting between an endmost flooring panel and the first location in both the proximate and distance modes, wherein when in the distance mode the fitting includes a head portion having spaced abutting arms extending from a base with each of the abutting arms having a projection below a surface of the abutting arm for pushing against the endmost flooring panel at spaced locations, and wherein when in the proximate mode the head portion is reversed, wherein the head portion comprises a locking mechanism which removably attaches and reverses the head portion such that the arms pull on the endmost flooring panel at spaced locations while the footing anchors the tool assembly, the spacing of the arms allowing fixing of the endmost flooring panel to an underlying surface at a location between the arms in both the proximate and distance modes.