US3834603A

US3834603A - Nail setting tool for applying grooved paneling

Info

Publication number: US3834603A
Application number: US00350320A
Authority: US
Inventors: A Yocco
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1973-04-12
Filing date: 1973-04-12
Publication date: 1974-09-10
Anticipated expiration: 1991-09-10

Abstract

A nail-setting tool for mounting grooved paneling, having a body portion that is held by hand and inserted in the groove. A plunger that engages the head of the nail is slidable on the body portion, and a hammer is employed to engage the plunger and drive the nail so that the head thereof is flush with the bottom surface of the groove.

Description

United States Patent [191 Yocco Sept. 10, 1974 1 NAIL SETTING TOOL FOR APPLYING 1,671,080 5/1928 Merrick 227/156 x 2,199,833 5/1940 Fleischman 227/148 X GROOVED PANELING 2,979,092 4/1961 Bradford 145/46 Inventor: Albert Yocco, 2617 Jean 3,429,013 2/1969 Pabich et al. 227/156 x Racine, Wis.

22 H d: A 12 1973 Primary Examiner-Granville Y. Custer, Jr. 1 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Axel H. Johnson [21] Appl. No.: 350,320

[57] ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl. 227/156 A nail-setting tool for mounting grooved paneling, [51] Int. Cl. B25c 1/02 having a body portion that is held by hand and in- [58] Field of Search 227/119, 147, 148, 156; serted in the groove. A plunger that engages the head 145/46 of the nail is slidable on the body portion, and a hammer is employed to engage the plunger and drive the [56] References Cited nail so that the head thereof is flush with the bottom UNITED STATES PATENTS Surface of the groove 329,278 10/1885 Copeland 227/147 5 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures NAIL SETTING TOOL FOR APPLYING GROOVED PANELING BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION.

1. Field of the Invention.

This invention relates to a tool for driving nails in the grooves of wood or composition wall paneling without the risk of accidentally defacing the surface of the paneling by a hammer.

2. Description of the Prior Art.

The prior art includes nail-setting tools which have a body portion provided with a hole through which a nail is driven, followed by a punch to finally set the nail. The punch has a pin which engages the nail head and a stop to limit the depth to which the nail is driven by means of a hammer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION.

The customary method of nailing grooved paneling to framing is to drive the nails into the groove as far as possible without striking the panel surface with the hammer. A nail set or punch is then employed to drive the nail head flush with the bottom surface of the groove. It frequently happens that the hammer may glance from the punch and strike the panel surface and deface it. The punch when struck may also slip from the nail head and produce a hole in the panel adjacent to the nail.

This invention comprises mainly in a tool having a body portion held by hand in the groove of a panel and is provided with a plunger which is driven against the nail head by means of a hammer; the nail having been previously partially driven, and protrudes above the surface of the panel; the object being to complete the setting of the nail to the bottom of the groove.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description. It is, however, to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the details disclosed, but includes all such variations as fall within the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawing:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the tool with portions broken away to show details.

FIG. 2 is a view of the nail-engaging end.

FIG. 3 is a section taken at 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the tool in position to set a partially-driven nail in a groove.

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of the tool shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5, but after the nail has been set flush with the bottom surface of the groove.

FIG. 7 is a section taken at 7-7 of FIG. 5.

The tool as shown in the drawing comprises a body portion 10, preferably of metal and of a suitable thickness. A beveled guide edge 12 is formed so as to rest upon the bottom surface of the groove 14, or otherwise conform to the contour thereof, of the panel 15.

In this instance, the plunger 16 is of a thickness uniform with that of the body portion the latter having an upper plane bearing surface 18. Plunger 16 has a lower bearing surface which slidably engages surface 18 of body portion 10. Surface 18 is provided with a notch 22, while surface 20 of plunger 16 is provided with a lug 24 which travels in notch 22, and permits a limited amount of travel longitudinally for sliding plunger 16 relative to body portion 18.

A guide member 26 slidably receives plunger 16 and has

wall portions

28 and 30 that embrace body portion 10. Guide member 26 is integrally fixed to body member 10 by welding or by other suitable means, as at 32. Thus plunger 16 is free to slide within guide member 26, being limited only by the engagement of lug 24 with the end walls of notch 22. The purpose of notch 22 and lug 24 is to prevent disengagement of plunger 16 from body 10. Plunger 16 is provided with an anvil end 34 which is beveled as shown. Hammer end 36 is also beveled to reduce the brooming" caused by repeated use.

When using this tool to secure a panel to the customary framing, such as 38, the nail is first driven into the groove 14 in the conventional manner to the depth shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, with the head 42 thereof extending above the surface of the panel 15. With the plunger 16 retracted as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the tool is positioned with the edge 12in groove 14 and with anvil end 34 in contact with head 42 of the nail 40. A hammer such as H is then employed to set head 42 of nail 40 flush with the bottom surface of groove 14. It will be evident that this tool provides the means to set a nail at the bottom of a groove with no danger of defacing the surface of the panel or the groove. The operation is repeated for each nail that is driven: A finger hole 44 is provided in body 10 to receive the index finger of the hand holding the tool.

The above being a complete description of an illustrative embodiment of the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A nail-setting tool for finally setting nails in a groove of paneling when mounting the latter, which nails have been partially driven into said groove substantially normal to said panel and extend above the surface thereof, said tool comprising a planar body portion having a guide edge positionable in said groove, a plunger slidable on said body portion on a plane bearing surface extending in a direction normal to said guide edge, and means provided to confine said plunger to a sliding relationship on said bearing surface in a direction normal to said guide edge.

2. A nail setting tool as set forth in claim 1, comprising a guide member'embracing said plunger and secured integrally with said body.

3. A nail setting tool as set forth in claim 1, in which said body portion is provided with an aperture to receive a finger of the hand holding the tool.

4. A nail setting tool as set forth in claim 1, in which said bearing surface is provided with a longitudinal notch, and said plunge having a lug extending into said notch to limit the travel of said plunger relative to said bearing surface.

5. A nail setting tool as set forth in claim 1, in which said guide edge is beveled longitudinally relative to both surfaces of said body portion. =1:

Claims

2. A nail setting tool as set forth in claim 1, comprising a guide member embracing said plunger and secured integrally with said body.

5. A nail setting tool as set forth in claim 1, in which said guide edge is beveled longitudinally relative to both surfaces of said body portion.