Patent ID: 7156383

Claim:
A hand-operable and portable tool for assisting an operator to quickly and securely interlock laminate strip panels together while simultaneously laying the laminate strip panels on a floor surface, said tool comprising: pivotally conjoined top and bottom planar bodies directly coupled to each other along corresponding longitudinal distal edges thereof, each of said top and bottom planar bodies having a centrally registered longitudinal axis and a pair of opposed linear ends registered orthogonal thereto, said bottom planar body being statically registered parallel to the floor surface while said top planar body is dynamically articulatable during operating conditions; a plurality of arcuately slotted brackets directly and intermediately coupled to one of said linear ends of each of said top and bottom planar bodies respectively, said brackets being slidably interlocked and repeatedly moveable between compressed and engaged positions defined along an arcuate path when said top planar body is pivoted about a fulcrum axis defined along said distal edge thereof; a plurality of adjustable knobs traversed through said top planar body and directly engaged therewith, said knobs being selectively adapted between raised and lowered positions and thereby movable along a linear path oriented perpendicular to said top planar body, said knobs being equidistantly spaced along a longitudinal length of said top planar body; a turn wheel operably connected to said knobs such that the operator can raise and lower said knobs in sync when said turn wheel is rotated about a linear axis defined orthogonal to said linear path; a handle assembly including a plurality of wheels seated proximal to said top and bottom planar bodies, said handle assembly further including an elongated lever protruding proximally from said wheels and being centrally aligned between said linear ends; and means for preventing a plurality of laminate planks from sliding downwardly and distally along said top planar body, said preventing means being releasably controlled by the operator when said handle assembly is biased rearwardly of said top and bottom planar bodies such that selected ones of the planks can be guided off of said top planar body when said preventing means is biased to a lowered position.