U.S. patent application number 10/972283 was filed with the patent office on 2006-04-27 for powered pulse shingle and nail remover/demolition.
Invention is credited to James Richard Kingham.
Application Number | 20060086209 10/972283 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36204977 |
Filed Date | 2006-04-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060086209 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kingham; James Richard |
April 27, 2006 |
Powered pulse shingle and nail remover/demolition
Abstract
Powered Pulse Shingle and Nail Remover/Demolition Tool, the
"Demolition Demon", is a tool composed of a frame, which has a
T/D-handle, with an enclosed trigger. The handle is integral to the
frame that provides alignment of components and structural strength
to the tool as a whole. The "Demolition Demon" is essentially a
combination shovel, crowbar, wrecking bar that has an air cylinder
driven hammer device mounted on the frame to provide impact power
to drive the shovel blade, flat bar, nail claw under the fastener,
or cut, scrape, or separate members. This tool has multiple tools
that can be attached to the end of the tool driver by using a
common interface. The hammer effect is derived from accelerating a
large mass over a distance to develop momentum and then impact the
tool driver to which the tool is attached. Impact is controlled by
a trigger mechanism that operates a multi-port valve. The impact
can be adjusted by regulating the pressure at the compressor or by
inserting an adjustable pressure restriction valve ahead of the air
inlet on the tool.
Inventors: |
Kingham; James Richard;
(Lexington Park, MD) |
Correspondence
Address: |
James Richard Kingham
PO BOX 370
Wiomico Church
VA
22579
US
|
Family ID: |
36204977 |
Appl. No.: |
10/972283 |
Filed: |
October 25, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
81/45 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B25C 11/00 20130101;
E04D 15/003 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
081/045 |
International
Class: |
E04D 15/00 20060101
E04D015/00 |
Claims
1. I claim my invention, the "Demolition Demon", to be a powered
combination tool for removing nails/fasteners and performing
demolition work, that uses pulses of energy that are sufficiently
powerful as to drive the blade of the tool under the heads of a
nails holding shingles to a roof on the first or second pulse. I
claim the potential energy generated by air pressure, electrical
power (AC or DC), or gas combustion must create a large enough
force to generate impact of sufficient strength to accomplish the
task at hand, demolition work or nail and shingle removal. I claim
the application of impact energy, like a hammer blow, is required
to be effective in demolition or roof removal work, not vibratory
or reciprocating motion.
2. I claim that by using an air cylinder that has a high mass
piston and shaft (with a stroke greater than 2 inches operated with
high pressure air (greater than 90 psi) can provide the necessary
high impact force to drive the tools blade to the desired position
to perform shingle and nail removal or demolition work. I claim,
for large tools, the addition of an accumulator may be required to
keep the pressure sufficiently high throughout the stroke of the
air cylinder. I claim that the use of commercially available multi
port valves and pilot valves in conjunction with a high mass piston
and shaft air cylinder can be effectively and efficiently
controlled to perform the desired function, that of delivering a
strong hammer like blow to the tool driver.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPPLICATIONS
[0001] I reviewed the following patents and found none that used
high impact pulses to perform shingle and nail removal or
demolition. Most of the patents call for reciprocating or vibratory
motion. Some of the tools suggested are bulky and very hard to
manipulate. Others use an air cylinder to pry the nail out of the
roof, not to engage the nail head. Still others just rip shingles
off the roof without regard to the nails.
[0002] U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,128,979; 6,393,948 B1; 6,095,015;
5,906,145; 5,863,100; 5,800,021; 5,741,047; 5,001,946; 5,076,119;
4,858,503; 4,763,547; 4,709,479; and 4,663,995 (Abstracts are
attached)
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0003] (Not Applicable)
REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM
LISTING COMPACT DISC APPENDIX
[0004] (Not Applicable)
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[0005] There exists a need to remove nails and other fasteners from
roofs for the purpose of re-roofing a structure. Roofers typically
remove all the nails when removing shingles. There is also a need
to separate wooden structures that are nailed together (i.e. remove
sheathing from a floor, wall or roof). There are many manually
operated tools for doing this work, all requiring a lot of physical
exertion by the tool user. The "Demolition Demon" provides a means
of removing nails and separating members from each other while
requiring significantly less physical exertion on the part of the
tool operator/user to get under the fastener or between two nailed
members. The "Demolition Demon" provides the tool user sufficient
controlled power to assist in getting the tool inserted under the
fastener/nail or in between joined members and provides a fulcrum
for prying the nails/fasteners out of the sheathing or separating
members further using the users/operators own power applied to the
handle of the tool. The tool by its length and location of the
fulcrum near the application of the force, provides a long moment
arm to reducing the force required to remove nails or separate
joined members.
[0006] The use of vibrating or reciprocating motion of a tool to
remove nails is ineffective. The motion of the tool is transmitted
to the operator and he absorbs the energy not successfully
delivered to the point of application. To effectively remove nails,
you must first get the blade under the nails then pry them out of
the roof sheathing, As a result of testing prototypes and
experimentation I have found the most effective way to quickly get
the blade under a nail for removing is to use a larger diameter air
cylinder with a long stroke with a heavy piston and shaft to drive
a tool driver that has a conventional roofing shovel end attached
to the tool driver. With one squeeze of the trigger, the blade can
be driven under nails lodged in 1/2'' plywood attaching the
shingles to the roof. To remove the nails the operator has only to
push down lightly on the handle of the tool, pivoting off the
fulcrum.
DESCRIPTON OF THE INVENTION
Preferred Embodiment
[0007] The, "Demolition Demon", consists of a light-weight stiff
frame with components mounted along its length. The tool is used
much like a conventional hand shovel or crow/pry bar for the
removal of nails and roofing materials. This tool has D or T
handled frame with a side mounted tubular handle for guiding and
controlling the tool manually. Mounting points on the frame provide
mounting for the air cylinder, trigger/switch, multi-port valve
block, and associated tubing. There are guides incorporated into
the frame that locate the tool driver with respect to the air
cylinder. The handle has an integral trigger mechanism that
operates the multi-port valve used to control the airflow to the
air cylinder. The frame has stops that are used to limit the travel
of the tool driver. The air cylinder is a mounted double-acting
air-cylinder that has a shaft protruding from the nose of the air
cylinder. What is unique about this tool is the air cylinder make
up and location. The air cylinder is set up something like a
jack-hammer, in that it has a heavy piston that creates large
forces. Unlike a jack hammer the shaft is attached integrally to
the piston and the air cylinder does not cycle when the trigger is
squeezed. The air cylinder is triggered by the pilot valve
activating the multi-port valve, which provides the control of
airflow in and out of the air cylinder. The shaft provides a
hammering strike to the tool driver near the end of its stroke. The
high velocity found near the end of the stroke and the mass of the
piston and shaft provide a powerful pulse strike to the tool driver
(See FIG. 4). The tool driver is mounted on the frame in bushings
that provide alignment with the air cylinder shaft and to control
its translational movement. The tool driver is a lightweight
structural member. The "Demolition Demon" uses a square tool driver
shaft with square guide/bushings that allow translational movement
and restrict rotational movement. The bulk of the "Demolition
Demon's" weight is found near the upper end of the tool to provide
the operator with better control and ease of handling the tool. The
tool driver is prevented from rotating excessively by the guides
mounted along the tool frame. The tool driver extends from the
lower bushing at the lower end of the frame. Tools are attached to
the tool driver by means of pinning. These tools include: nail
removal shovel blade with integral fulcrum, flat bars, scrappers,
wedges, punches, cutting blades, and specialty application tools
such as guided prying wedges or cutting tools (i.e. a wedge with a
channel shaped guide attached to the bottom of the wedge to guide
it along a rafter when removing sheathing). The tool driver lower
bushing is larger than the upper bushing in terms of opening and
length. This is done to allow for inserting the tool mounting tube
through the lower guide/bushing while inserting the tool driver and
the tool mounting tube. This mounting method reduces the amount of
bending that both the tool mounting tube and the tool driver
experience individually during use. The insertion of the tool
driver into the tool mounting tube effectively increases moment of
inertia of the combined members to resist bending. The two members
are then joined together on either sided of the bushing/guide by
pinning. The pinning locations also serve as limits for
transitional movement of the tool, tool driver, and the air
cylinder piston.
[0008] The fame lower end is an open square tube tat can be used to
insert and pin fixtures for use with the tools attached to the tool
driver.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0009] Drawings:
[0010] FIG. 1: Provides overall external view of nail/fastener
removal tool "Demolition Demons" side view.
[0011] FIG. 2: Provides an overall external view of the
nail/fastener removal tool "Demolition Demon" top view
[0012] FIG. 3: Provides a section view of the air cylinder (double
acting, nose mounted) with one piece piston and shaft
[0013] FIG. 4: Is a graph illustrating the impact power associated
with a high mass piston and shaft air cylinder versus a
conventional air hammer.
[0014] FIGS. 5 Through 8: Samples of tools that may be attached
using the common interface.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Description of the Preferred Embodiment
[0015] The preferred embodiment of the tool is a combination tool
incorporating the following: D or T-handle (3) with integral
trigger (2) and air inlet (1) mounted to a stiff frame with guides
and mounting locations for other components of the system: a
nose-mounted double-acting air-cylinder (6), a trigger (2),
multi-port valve (4), tool driver (8), tool (15) and stops (11).
The "T" or "D" handle allows the operator to push on the tool with
the palm of his hand perpendicular to the motion rather than along
the axis of the motion of the tool. The operator gains further
control by grasping the tubular handle (26) that extends from the
side of the frame (3). The air cylinder has a high mass
piston/shaft (23 & 18) single piece unit enclosed in the air
cylinder. The top cap (17) of the air cylinder is mountable to the
frame (3) and contains a threaded port (20) to allow for air
delivery to the top of the piston (23). The bottom cap (18)
contains a bushing (25) that provides support and alignment of the
shaft The bottom cap (18) is mountable to the frame and has holes
(24) to provide for exhaust and intake of air below the piston
during its motion back and forth within the air cylinder (6). Both
caps are sealed with o-rings (21) and are removable once detached
from the stiff frame of the tool. The frame mounting provides
secure mounting (13 & 14) of the air cylinder caps to prevent
them from blowing off under pressure. The use of commercially
available air switch/pilot valve (2) and multi-port valve (4)
provides air control for the air cylinder. The tool driver (9),
which in operation is impacted by the end of the air cylinder shaft
(8), is a structural member that transmits the impact to the tool
(15). The tool driver is mounted in the frame using guides/bushings
(10 & 16) that limit rotation while allowing translational
movement. The tool driver is hardened and has a solid end, in order
to survive the impact of the air cylinder shaft. The tools (See
FIGS. 5, 6, 7, & 8) are mounted by attaching them to the tool
driver by pinning There is a selection of tools available that may
be interchanged by using a common interface mounting arrangement.
The tools all have a mounting tube (12) that fits over/surrounds
the tool driver, nests the tool driver, by having a slightly larger
inside dimensions than the tool driver has outside dimensions. The
tool mounting tube, while enclosing the bottom end of the tool
driver provides the bearing surface within the bottom guide (10) on
the frame, thereby allowing use of lighter members to provide
adequate bending resistance when in use. The tools are pinned in
place and the pins (11) also serve as stops to regulate the travel
of the tool driver (9) and tool (15). The frame (3) while providing
support and alignment of the components also provides a mounting
position for fulcrums and engagement/holding fixtures that may be
used with some of the tools. The main tube of the tool frame is
tubular and as a result a fulcrum or engagement fixture (26) can be
mounted to the frame by inserting and pinning (27) at the lower end
of the frame, below the lower bushing/guide (16). The tubing
connections from the trigger (2) are not shown as the tubing will
be routed inside the frame/handle. The tubing (5) from the 4-port
multi-port valve (5) will be covered by a shield to protect them
from damage. There will also be a shield that encloses the air
cylinder shaft (8) to shield the operator from getting his hand or
clothing caught up in the impact between the air cylinder shaft (8)
and the tool driver (9). The shield for the impact area will be a
tube that is mounted between the lower cap bracket (14) and the
upper tool driver bushing (10).
SUMMARY OF TOOLS FUNCTIONING
[0016] The "Demolition Demon" tool is attached to an air compressor
by means of a hose. The air enters an air inlet connected to both
the multi-port valve and the trigger/pilot valve. To operate the
tool the user slides the tool into position to remove the nail, by
attempting to get the blade of the tool close enough to engaging
the underside of the head of the nail/fastener. The operator then
squeezes the trigger. The air cylinder receives no air until the
trigger is pulled. When the trigger is pulled the multi-port valve
provides high pressure air to the top of the piston in the air
cylinder, driving the piston rapidly down the cylinder. The air
under the piston is driven out of port/ports in lower end cap of
the air cylinder. The air cylinder shaft extends out and impacts
the tool driver. The tool driver shaft has limits that establish
the distance of travel required by the air cylinder shaft to make
contact with the tool driver and also the amount of travel the tool
driver can move forward with respect to the tool frame. The tool
driver drives the attached tool blade under the fastener/fasteners.
The operator now pushes down on the handle of the "Demolition
Demon" extracting the nails/fasteners from the roof sheathing. When
the operator releases the trigger, the air in the air cylinder is
exhausted out the air inlet port of the Multi-port valve and the
tool is free to return to the top of its travel as it engages a
nail or resistance of some kind.
[0017] When using the scrapper, the same basic principle can be
applied, when the scrapper gets stuck the air-cylinder can be
fired. When using a specialty tool for demolition, such as a wedge
that is guided along a rafter or floor joist to remove sheathing,
the same manual controlled firing of the air-cylinder can be used.
The advantages to having the bulk of the weight up by the handle
and the weight at the lower end of the tool reduced to the extent
possible is that the tool is less tiring to use and easier to
manipulate. These are significant attributes to the operator who is
doing a lot of shingle removal or anything that requires him to
move the head of the tool frequently and for long periods of
time.
* * * * *