Auto body treatment implement
United States Patent 11 1 1111 3,878,709 Chartier 1 Apr. 22, 1975 1 AUTO BODY TREATMENT IMPLEMENT 2.493.233 1/1950 Dower 145/61 R 2.791.926 5 1957 G 17 l X 1761 Inventor: Guy Nmma&#34; Charlie&#34; 34 2.941.429 6/1960 351705 carcllffe Garden- West 1 3.113.478 12/1963 H1111. Jr. ct 111. 72/705 Ontari Canada 3.208.134 9 1965 Krcwson. Jr...... Filed: June 4 1973 3.568.657 3/1971 Gutc 173/91 [21] Appl. No.: 366,444  
  Primur E.\&#39;am1&#39;r1erAl Lawrence Sm1th Ass/slant Examiner-Roscoe V. Parker [52] US. Cl. 72/457; 173/91; 173/131; 72/705 [51] Int. Cl. B2lj 13/02; B661 3/00 158 Field 61 Search 72/705. 457; 7/14.1 R; [57] ABSTRACT 145/61 F, 61 D; 29/254, 275; 81/3 R, 177 F; lmpact autobody treatment tool is designed to supply 173/91 13] compressive as well as tensile impacts and a flexible [56] ences ed sfenglaer through which the tensile impact may be sup- UNITED STATES PATENTS 1.050.668 1/1913 Le Duc 173/126 3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures 1 AUTO BODY TREATMENT IMPLEMENT This invention relates to a manual tool ofthe impact type for straightening auto bodies by either impact compressive impact te&#39;nsile force.-  
  It isan objectof the invention to provide a tool of the impact type designedv to provide either-compressive (pushing) effects or tensile (pulling) effects relative-to the automotive body being repaired. i  
  It is an object of one facet of this invention to provide a tool of the impact which provides a flexible shank along which the impact forces when tensile or pulling, may be&#39;delivered in the infinite variety of directions available with the flexible shank.  
  It is an object of this ihvention. toprovide a tool of the impact type. designed to mount for &#39;compressive or pushing impact forces. tools designed for percussion tools.  
 In the drawings:  
  FIG. 1 shows a perspective of one embodiment of the invention; and  
  FIG. It! shows an exploded view of one portion of the device of FIG. 1.,  
  FIG. 2 shows a side view of another embodiment of the invention.  
  In the drawings. one embodiment is shown in FIG. I. There is here provided a rigid. preferably cylindrical shank 10. The surface does not necessarily have cylindrical cross-section but is designed to allow longitudinal sliding of a mass thereon. A mass 12 of sufficient weight to supply a sufficient impact force is mounted for sliding on the shank 10. The mass 12 is shaped as a surface of revolution with a central manual grasping portion 16 and raised circular flanges 18. As will be apparent from the description to follow. the radially outward edges of the flanges represent the widest projection of the device from the shank. of any of the elements of the device. In order to prevent lateral travel of the device along a surface when it is intended to have it at rest. the flanges 18 are each provided with flat surfaces both facing in the same direction which keep the device from rolling and provide stable support for the device at rest. At one end of the shank is provided the stop element 20 for the mass 12, designed so that the collision of the mass 12 with the stop element 20 creates the impact force. The stop element 20 is provided. as shown. with a surface 22 contoured for easy manual grasping, extending along the shank. The stop element is rigidly attached to the shank in any desired manner, to withstand, and transmit to the shank, the impact force created by the mass 12 impinging thereon. The end of the stop member facing the slidable mass is a wide flat surface to receive the impact shock.  
  In a preferred form of the invention, the free end of the stop element 20 is provided with means for mounting the percussion tools customarily carried by pneumatic instruments. The preferable mounting comprises a centre bore 25 in the free end of the stop element to receive the shank of the tool used -(here a pointed chisel-like implement 24). The tool shank 26 is provided with a thickened portion 28, as shown, to allow retention of the tool.  
  The outside surface of the free end of the stop member. about the bore. is provided with threading grooves 30 to receive the correspondingly coiled spring 32. The spring 32 is provided with bights 34 at each end whereby it may be slightly flexed in the uncoiling direction while being threaded onto the grooves 30 and when released recoiling to tighten in place. The outer end of the spring is provided with an additional bight 34 which contacts the outer end of the thickened portion 28 of the tool and retains it in position. When it is desired to remove or replace the tool, the bight 34&#39; is moved far enough from shank 26 that enlargement 28 may move therepast. The replacement tool may be insert ed with its portion passing 34 while the latter is deflected.  
  With such percussion tools easily attached it is possible to apply compression or pushing impulse to the tool for operation on the straightening of the auto bodies. This is the first time. to the inventors knowledge, that this has been done.  
  At the end of the shank remote from the stop element 20 mounting means for a pulling or tensile tool are provided. In this embodiment the mounting means comprises a threaded bore in the shank itself onto which various tension (pulling) tools such as tools 36 and 38 may be threaded. As examples are shown, the screw 38 and the hook 36. The tool therefore provides. in this alternative. means for applying pulling and pushing impact tools on the same device, so that auto bodies requiring both types of treatment may be treated with the same tool.  
  It will be noted, that in the embodiment shown, the mass is removably retained on the shaft by a nut 40 on the tension tool. The mass could equally have been retained in place by a nut separately screwed on threading on the outside of the shank. (Compressive force may be applied with the tool described at the end remote from stop element 20 as long as such force is less than the magnitude to damage nut 40).  
  In FIG. 2 an alternative arrangement of the tool is shown for use in tension applications only. In this arrangement. the rigid shank 10 is replaced by a flexible wire (or other strong flexible material) cable 42. The  
 mass 12 and stop element 20A are shaped as before but will not provide on member 20A mounting for compressive pushing tools. as these may only be used with the rigid shank. The wire cable at the end remote from the stop member is attached to a mounting member (here a block 44 with an internally threaded bore) on which the tension tools such as 36 and 38 may be mounted. As far as is known this device provides the first impact tensile tool with a flexible shank 42 which allows the correctional tensile force to be applied in a much wider variety of directions than with a rigid shank. The figure shows the tool 36 pulling on a dent in an automobile body with the shank 42 bent about an obstacle 46.  
  FIG. 1 also shows means for using the rigid shank tool of the drawing with a flexible pull attachment, thus achieving some of the flexibility available with the alternative shown in FIG. 2. Thus, as shown in FIG. 1, the tool may be supplied with a flexible pull by removing the tool 36 shown attached and attaching thereto the flexible lead 142 with any suitable tool (here the tool 36) attached to the free end of lead 142. The tool 36 and lead 142 may then be applied to pull in any direction (such as around an obstruction as illustrated in FIG. 2).  
 I claim:  
 I. A hand operated tool. including:  
 a longitudinally extending shank of flexible material.  
 said shank surface being shaped to allow sliding of a member longitudinally therealong.  
 a mass located on and slidable on said shank.  
 &#39; an element mounted on said shank adjacent one end thereof. designed to act as a stop for said mass. moving in one direction.  
 said mass being designed to be grasped in a hand.  
 said element being designed to be grasped in a hand.  
 means for coupling the other end of said shank to metal to be shaped by the impact of said mass on said stop element.  
  2. A hand operated tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein said mass is designed to provide two circles substantially concentric about said shank. of larger radius than the dimensions of other elements of the device measured from said shank. flat areas on each of the circular members facing outwardly relative to the shank in substantially the same direction.  
 3. A hand operated impact tool. including a longitudinally extending shank.  
 . said shank being of flexible material,  
 said element.