Patent Document

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/430,110, filed Dec. 2, 20002 and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/345,364, filed Jan. 2, 2002. This application is a 371 of PCT application Ser. No. PCT/US02/41605, filed Dec. 23, 2002. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates to the collision industry, and more particularly relates to the method by which damaged automobile doors are repaired. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Presently, if an automobile has had damage to one of the doors, an approved method of repair is to put an original equipment manufactured sheet metal door shell on, in replacement of the damaged one. This involves removing the damaged door shell and replacing it with a new one. The shells are referred to as skins, in the collision industry. The current method of installing the new replacement is using a hand “dolly” (piece of metal that looks like a heel of a shoe) and a hand held hammer. When attaching a door skin initially, the edge of the metal approximately ⅜″–½″ to be attached, is already bent 90 degrees or perpendicular from the skin. The metal skin is affixed to the frame of the door by crimping the edge of the metal of the skin onto the door frame by placing the dolly on front side of the door frame and hammering the edge of the skin an additional 90 degrees thereby crimping the metal flat on the back side so that it is affixed to the door frame. This is a time consuming operation and often causes damage to the door skin due to too much hammering on the metal with too much force. 
   Therefore, the object of the invention is to use air power to power the invention that will crimp the edge of the metal of the skin to the doorframe. 
   Another object of the present invention is to crimp the edge of the metal skin using less time than current methods. 
   Another object of the present invention is to create less damage to the door skin, by controlling the force used while crimping the edge of the metal skin. 
   BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   The purpose of the present invention is to provide a tool that will replace the current manual method of affixing door skins, with an automated method of affixing door skins. A tool that will create less damage to the door skin by using air to control the force applied to the door skin with the tool. 
   This is achieved, by connecting the invention to a pneumatic air hammer, that will provide the power to a metal hammer that in turn, hammers the edge of the metal door skin with a controlled force, while protecting the front side of the door skin with molded rubber block. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A better understanding of the present invention may be realized from a consideration of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a drawing of the invention and its parts when connected to an air hammer; 
       FIG. 2  is a drawing of the invention and its parts during the first step of operation; and 
       FIG. 3  is a drawing of the invention and its parts during the final step of operation. 
   

   The drawing figures are shown oriented 90° from the operating position of the depicted apparatus; i.e., left is up and right is down or lower. 
   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   An automated pneumatic door skin hammer is illustrated in  FIGS. 1–3  which will substantially speed up the process by which door skins are presently attached to door frames. 
   Referring to  FIG. 1  the system uses a generic air hammer  10  to provide force by means of a down stroke to the striking hammer  14 . The striking hammer  14  has a pin  52  mounted thereon. The tubular sleeve  48  has an opening slot on one side allowing the pin  52  to ride in the sleeve  48  unobstructed. The pin  52  keeps the hammer  14  from turning while under power from the air hammer  10 . The spring  50  propels the pin  52  upwards and thereby the hammer  14  upwards after the air hammer  10  has completed its down stroke. The tubular sleeve is mounted on the end of sleeve arm  47 . Sleeve arm  47  is connected to upper connecting arm  42  by an attachment member (not shown). 
   The invention comprises an upper connecting arm  42  that has an attaching means to the air hammer  10  which in turn provides the force to drive the striking hammer  14 , to bend the metal door skin edge over the door frame, while using the rubber block  16  as a cushioning material to protect the front, or outer, face of the door skin. The rubber block  16  is attached to a metal platform  44 , which in turn is attached to a metal shaft  30 . The shaft  30  is variably held in place by means of upper locking, or latching, groove or recess  46 , and lower, or latching, groove or recess  32 . The shaft  30 , rides in the body  28 , and is propelled up by a spring  26 . The shaft  30  does not turn while in the body  28 , because of a channel in shaft  30 , and a channel guide  36  attached to the lower body head  34 . The locking handle  20  has a projection  21  for engaging the selected latching recess  46  or  32  which is most effective in the steps needed to bend the edge of the metal door skin over. 
   When operational, See  FIG. 2 , the first step is to release the locking handle  20 , from its upper locking point  46 , allowing spring  26 , to propel shaft  30 , upwards until shaft  30  locks into place determined by lower locking point  32 . 
   The locking handle  20 , has an attachment means to lower body head  34 . It has a release and locking movement means using a swivel pin  18 , and a spring  22 . While locked into lower locking point  32 , one has to pivot out the upper connecting arm  42  approximately 45 degrees from the pivot point  40 . This allows the striking hammer  14 , while under power, to hit the door skin edge at a predetermined angle thereby bending the metal edge of the door skin over to that predetermined angle. The tool is positioned so that the end of the striking hammer  14  and the block  16  straddle the bent edge of the door skin (not shown). 
   The invention comprises an upper connecting arm  42  that has an attaching means to the air hammer  10  which in turn provides the force to drive the striking hammer  14 , to bend the metal door skin edge over the door frame, while using the rubber block  16  as a cushioning material to protect the front face of the door skin. The rubber block  16  has an attaching means to a metal platform  44 , with an attaching means to a metal shaft  30 . The shaft,  30  is held in place by means of upper locking point  46 , and lower locking point  32 . The shaft  30 , rides in the body  28 , and is propelled up by a spring  26 , The shaft does not turn while in the body  28 , 
   The upper connecting arm  42  is connected to the lower connecting arm  38  by means of a pivot point  40 . The lower connecting arm  38  is attached to the lower body head  34 , as by welding. The lower body head  34  is hollow and is attached to the body  28 , which comprises a metal tube to enclose spring  26 . The tube is encased within a rubber hand grip  24 . 
   Once the initial bending operation is completed, See  FIG. 3 , the shaft  30  is forced downward and positioned into upper locking point  46 . The upper connecting arm  42  is repositioned so as to allow the striking hammer  14  to strike the edge of the metal door skin flat against the rubber block  16 , thereby completing the step of crimping the edge of the door skin over the edge of the door. 
   Although there have been described herein above various specific arrangements of a pneumatic door skin hammer in accordance with the invention for the purposes of illustrating the manner in which the invention may be used to advantage, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited thereto. Accordingly, any and all modifications which may occur to 6 those skilled in the art should be considered within the scope of the invention as defined herein.

Technology Category: 7