Multiple center punch tool
Unite States Patent [191 Murphy [451 Apr. 29, 1975 MULTIPLE CENTER PUNCH TOOL [76] Inventor: Patrick W. Murphy, 126 Dunlop Ave Tonawanda, NY. 14150 [22] Filed: Oct. 29, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 410,620  
 [52] US. Cl. 30/366; 7/17; 30/359;364; 145/46;50 B;5O C [51] Int. Cl B26f 1/32 [58] Field of Search 30/366, 367, 368, 358, 30/359, 364; 7/17; 145/50 B, 50 C, 46  
 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 90,704 6/1869 Tuttlc 7/17 534,143 2/1895 Dowling 145/46 851,351 4/1907 Hanley 7/17 1,387,316 8/1921 Schmidt 1 145/46 1,409,711 3/1922 Hanley 145/46 1,440,072 12/1922 Greener 145/46 Primary Examiner-Al Lawrence Smith Assistant Examiner-l T. Zatarga Attorney, Agent, or FirmRaymond F. Kramer [57] ABSTRACT A multiple center punch tool for use in multiple punching, marking, starting and indenting operations as a plurality of center punches, comprises a generally circularly disposed body structure with several punch points of different types of periphery thereof and anvils or striking heads opposed to the punch points. The punch members (points and anvils connected by the tool body) are arranged in sequential order, according to size or type, for convenience in selecting a particular punch and for ease of identification for sequential uses of the punches.  
 10 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures MULTIPLE CENTER PUNCH TOOL This invention relates to punching tools and, in particular to a punching tool having a multiplicity of punch members contained in a single structure and arranged for maximum utility and convenience to the user.  
  Punching tools such as center punches are well known and are in common use in the metal working trades. Such punches are generally available in sets, each set including several separate and individual tools similar in general appearance but of different working head or punch point sizes and shapes. In the use of such sets of similarly appearing tools, a common annoyance or inconvenience to the worker involves the likelihood of losing or mislaying an individual member of the set. Furthermore, each time the worker requires a punch having a particular point size or shape he is faced with the inconvenience of having to distinguish that punch from among several individual tools of similar general appearance.  
  A common practice in metal working involves the marking of a piece of work lightly with a scriber, after which a center punch mark for drilling is made. A fine center punch mark may be made first, followed by a heavier mark made by a heavier punch, usually having a more blunt point, to enlarge the depression so as to provide a convenient and accurate starting point for drilling. Thus, a single operation, such as the preparation of a metal piece for drilling a single hole, may involve the use of a plurality of punch points. In other typical instances fine-pointed tools such as center punches, which may be employed as prick punches, may be used for layout tasks such as to increase the vis ibility of layout lines and to mark the intersections of layout lines. Commonly, one or more center punches may also be employed on the same piece of work, for example, to provide punch marks for drill holes. Thus, it may be seen that the availability of several selected punches in the same tool, in accordance with the present invention, minimizes the amount of handling and the effort of finding tools and affords a substantial convenience to the worker.  
  It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel and useful multiple punch tool wherein the mentioned disadvantages of the prior art tools are avoided or minimized. It is also an object of the invention to provide a punching tool which affords the user all of the utility ofa set of punch tools, while at the same time avoiding the disadvantages inherent in the use and maintenance of such a set. It is a further object to provide a multiple punch tool wherein the several punch members thereof are arranged in such a manner as to provide maximum ease in selection and use of a particular punch member. It is yet another object to facilitate holding and handling of the multiple tool by the user. An additional object is to provide an increased mass for the tool and for individual center punch parts to be used, facilitating the accurate making of deep impressions and lessening the chance of the center punch flying away when struck by a hammer blow. A further aim of the invention is to include with the center punch tools other impact or marking tools and means for holding or positioning them.  
  In accordance with the present invention a multiple punch tool comprises a body having thereabout a multiplicity of adjacent center punch point portions and matching opposed anvils. Such a tool very preferably includes a circular body and at least four center punch points and at least four opposed anvils, with the point portions and anvils in direct radial alignments and with the points in sequence according to size.  
  Other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:  
  FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the multiple punch tool of the present invention;  
  FIG. 2 is a sectional elevation taken along plane 22 of FIG. 1;  
  FIG. 3 is a sectional elevation taken along plane 3-3 of FIG. 1;  
  FIG. 4 is a sectional elevation taken along plane 4-4 of FIG. 1;  
  FIG. 5 is a sectional elevation taken along plane 5-5 of FIG. I; and  
  FIG. 6 is a sectional elevation taken along plane 6-6 of FIG. 1.  
  The multiple punch tool of the present invention comprises a single unit having a generally circularly dis.- posed or disc-shaped main body portion 11 with a series of punch members 12, I3, 14, 15 and 16 and a series of anvil heads 17, I8, 19, 20 and 21 located around the outside or along the periphery thereof. Each of the punch members 12-16 terminates at a punch point, 22, 23, 24, 25 and 26, respectively and the heads or stricken ends of the punches terminate in anvils or impact surfaces 27, 28, 29, 30 and 31, respectively. The punch members are situated adjacent to one another and in sequence according to point size, varying, for example, from a point angle of 1 10 for point 22, to 50 for point 26. As shown, points 23, 24 and 25 have point angles of 100, 90 and respectively. The anvil heads are similarly disposed adjacent to one another on the opposite side of the tool, one connected to and opposite each punch portion of the tool. The tool additionally has a central opening through the main body to assist in hand holding the tool, to provide an opening for the attachment of a handle thereto or for fitting onto a storage peg or other holder.  
  To facilitate the use of the present tool, it is important that the punch members be arranged in sequence according to size. Such an arrangement simplifies the task of locating or selecting a particular punch member. Furthermore, it is highly preferable for the punch members to be located consecutively, that is, on the same side of the tool, with the anvil heads on the opposite side, as shown in the illustrations. Thus, with all of the punch members situated on the same side of the tool and in sequential order, the user can readily change or re-orient the tool from the use of one point size to the use of another without having to stop and closely examine the points. The ease of use and selection of punch members may be further facilitated through the use of indicia stamped, engraved, embossed or otherwise marked on the tool to distinguish one side of the tool from the other or to indicate specific punch members. The arrangement of the multiple punch tool with all of the punch members consecutive, that is on the same side, and all of the anvil heads on the opposite side, affords a further advantage over other arrangements such as alternating punch pointanvil head arrangements, because the present tool minimizes the possibility of a hammer blow or strike accidentally slipping off an anvil surface or missing its mark and damaging a punch point. Furthermore, it helps prevent any accidental cutting of the holding fingers by the punch points during use of the tool.  
  The tool of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 1 in an embodiment having five punch members. Although multiple punch tools having more or fewer punch members are within the scope of the present invention, based on considerations of structural strength and best sizes for ease of handling, as well as the provision of a sufficient variety of sizes to be useful in most metal working operations, the present tools include at least four punch members and preferably, five are used. More punch members may be included if desired but generally the number will not be in excess of twelve and usually will be 4 to 6. FIG. 1, depicting a tool having five punch members, represents a highly preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
  Punch points 22-26 may be shaped to whatever degrees of sharpness are desired for the intended uses of the tool. For use in metal working, center punches are commonly shaped to about a 90 point, while the points of prick punches are generally in a range of between about and 60. Tools having punch members with points ranging between about 30 and 145, preferably between and 115, are advantageous for a wide range of metalworking operations. Preferably, the multiple punch tool of the present invention comprises five sequentially arranged punching members having points shaped to angles of about 45 to to to 95 to 104, and 105 to 1 15, respectively, in that order.  
  The present tools may advantageously include a centrally located depression or opening 32 in the interior, to facilitate hand holding of the tool. Although the size of such an opening is not critical, a central opening circular in cross section having a diameter of between about one-fourth inch and seven-eights inch is advantageous from the standpoint of easy and secure holding between the fingers of the user. The opening may also be useful and convenient as a means of storing or hanging the tool in a toolbox or on a wall peg, hook, or the like, and may be a means of fastening the tool to a holder, during use, such as to a cylindrical rod or pipe holder. The central opening does not have to be circular in cross-section; it may be triangular, rectangular, hexagonal or of other shape. The attachment of a handle through the central opening may facilitate the positioning of the tool prior to striking with a hammer since it removes the visual obstacle of the users hand, making it easier for the worker to see the exact location of the point on the work. Furthermore the use of a handle provides a degree of protection for the user by obviating the need for the users hand to be directly on the tool. Thus the likelihood of the hammer head accidentally striking the hand is minimized. Opening 32 may be a square opening, for example, three-eighths inch or one half inch on a side, thus permitting the use of a standard socket wrench as the handle for the tool.  
  As will be noted in the drawing, the central opening in the body of the tool is coaxial with the tool disc or generally circular body shape. The walls 33 and 34 connecting the cylinder&#39;walls with the thicker portions of the tool body are flared outwardly, thereby producing somewhat concave gripping surfaces to promote better holding of the tool during use. These may be knurled or otherwise roughened or surface treated to improve frictional gripping. The various surfaces and intersections thereof may also be sharp edged, if desired but rounded parts are preferred.  
  The multiple punch tool of the present invention may be formed from one or more of a wide variety of materials. The particular material is not critical, provided it is of sufficient strength to withstand the necessary hammer blows and is substantially harder than the material on which the punch is to be employed. Furthermore, it may be formed as a composite of materials, for example, by forming the outer portion of a hard durable material and the inner portion, which is not subjected to as great wear, of a less durable material. Thus, the multiple punch tool may be forged, machined, cast, or otherwise shaped from a variety of non-metals, metals, and metal alloys including various alloy steels, selected for hardness, or carbon tool steel, properly hardened and tempered. Normally, any of the usually employed tool steels may be used. They will be characterized by high Brinnell hardnesses (about 250 or more) and may be carbon steels, e.g., about 0.9 percent C steel, or tungsten steels, or may be tipped with such steels or other hard materials.  
  Although the present multiple punch tool has been described and illustrated hereinabove as having a series of punch members with punch points of the type generally found on centerpunches and prick punches, it will be appreciated that other types of punch members may also be employed together with or instead of the center punches. Thus, for example, the punch members may be in the forms of center punches, prick punches, pin punches, rivet punches, starting punches, aligning punches, drift punches, nail sets, brad sets, screwdrivers, drive punches, saddlers punches, leather carving stamps and steel stamping letters and figures. Usually there will be no more than 10 or 12 center punches or tool parts present, with a lesser number being utilized for smaller tools. Thus, for normal sized work the tool diameter may be about 2 or 3 to 5 or 6 inches, with four to six tool portions thereon, but will be larger, usually from 6 to 10 inches in diameter when a greater number of tool parts is included (to provide room for them about the tool hub periphery). The smaller or normal tools may weigh about 6 ounces to 2 pounds and the larger ones are of proportionately increased weights.  
  The use of tool portions in addition to the center punches may be effected merely by substitution or addition of such portions, either altogether in a section of the tool apart from the punches or dispersed between them. For ease of identifications the tool parts may have indicia on them or may be differently surfaced or finished. For example, some tools may be knurled while others may be plated or painted. The hub or center portion of the tool may be plastic coated and various designs may be molded into such coatings. Although it is not preferred, in some aspects of the invention instead of the tool being of one piece of metal or having a central hub of a softer metal and an outer portion of harder metal, which outer portion comprises the various tool parts held to an encircling ring, individual point and anvil portions may be held to a central hub section, providing that the point and anvil parts are opposed to each other, very preferably in radial alignments. The anvils may be of different sizes, if desired, with the smaller ones being opposed to the punch portions with the finer points. In some aspects of the invention, the  
 generally circular shape of the body portion may be&#39; modified, e.g., to elliptical or other suitable shapes, but the circular shape is highly preferred. The central opening in the tool may be somewhat tapered, so as to mate with a holding tool taper or other means for maintaining the tool in place on the holding tool may be utilized.  
  The use of the present tool is a simple matter because the various center punch points of different sizes are located on an integral or unitary structure and are conveniently positioned thereon. The metal worker ordinarily merely uses the fine or prick punch point to mark the intersection of two scribed lines (a scriber on the tool may be used for making these lines or the fine pointed center punch thereof may also be employed) and lightly taps the opposite anvil after positioning of the tool, to make a light indentation. This can be done very accurately because of the fine point of the punch being employed. Also, the weight of the punch and its balanced mass help to give better control to the user so that more accurate punching is obtained. Then, without the need to pick a separate punch point or even to examine the point of the punch being employed, the craftsman may enlarge the impression by using a coarser or more blunt punch point and again tapping the anvil with the hammer to create a deeper mark. If necessary, this procedure may be repeated. As a result, good, centrally positioned punch marks are made, each of which can be made without the need for the craftsman to examine the punch for size indication, since the punch points are arranged in order of sizes. Because of the greater mass of the tool, there is less danger of punches flying as they are hit by the hammer. Obviously, it is convenient to have several punches in a single tool and no separate holder for the punches is needed. Certainly, losses of punches are diminished by use of the present device.  
  Instead of holding the punch by hand it may be held by a handled tool and such tool may be mounted on a support, not shown. in such uses, it is only necessary to move the work under the supported tool and then lightly tap the positioned punch. Such handles may also be employed for utilizing other aspects of the modified tools, e.g., screwdriver drives, Allen wrench ends. If the handle is not employed, the mass of the tool very often serves as a satisfactory handle for such other nonimpact tool parts, as well as for the impact operated portions thereof.  
  In summary, the present tools are much more convenient than individual center punches, do a better job, are safer and are less liable to loss, in addition to which they do not require storage means for maintaining sets intact. They are also more economical than sets of individual center punches, especially when loss figures are included in expense calculations.  
  It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many variations and modifications, as hereinabove set forth, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The invention is not limited to those details and applications described except as set forth in the appended claims.  
 What is claimed is:  
  l. A multiple center punch tool comprising a substantially circular body having thereabout a multiplicity of adjacent center punch point portions and matching opposed anvils, the point portions and anvils being in respective radial alignments from the central portion of the body, with at least four center punch points and at least four opposed anvils, with the point portions of the punch being in consecutive sequence according to sizes of the punch points, and with the point portions being on one half of the tool and the opposed anvils being on the other half.  
  2. A multiple center punch tool according to claim 1, made of tempered tool steel with an axial cylindrical hole in it large enough to be means for mounting the tool on a cylindrical holder for use.  
  3. A multiple center punch tool according to claim 1 of metal hardened at the point portions thereof and weighing between 6 ounces and 2 pounds.  
  4. A multiple center punch tool according to claim 1 which includes from four to 10 center punch points and from four to 10 opposed anvils.  
  5. A multiple center punch tool according to claim 4 wherein the body portion is circular and has a central opening therein parallel to the axis thereof.  
  6. A multiple center punch tool according to claim 5 wherein the tool body, center punch portions and matching opposed anvils are of a single piece of metal.  
  7. A multiple center punch tool according to claim 6 wherein there are present from four to six punch points and four to six opposed anvils, the punch points are conical and the apex angles thereof are in the range from 30 to 145.  
  8. A multiple center punch tool according to claim 7 wherein there are present five punch point portions and matching opposed anvils, with the point portions being of angles in the ranges of 45 to 55, 65 to to 94, 95 to 104 and 105 to in order.  
  9. A multiple center punch tool according to claim 7 wherein the tool body, center punch point portions and matching opposed anvils are of a single piece of tool steel, hardened at the points thereof, having a central axial walled opening therein, the walls of which flare outwardly to thicker body portions so as to produce holding surfaces to facilitate holding of the tool by hand during use.  
  10. A multiple center punch tool according to claim 7, made of tempered tool steel with a hole in it large enough to be means for mounting the tool on a cylindri-