The present invention pertains generally to magnets and magnetic devices and, more in particular, to the functional features on magnetic hand tools. These features cooperate with housed or mounted magnets and, in this case, it is a release lever, that can be used to release collected ferrous materials by normal gravitational pull.
Magnetic tools, such as hand tools, require some type of supported structure or housing for magnetized material, and other functional aspects, such as a grip, conveyance, such as wheels or other mechanisms for better or saver performance of the tool. The type and purpose of the tool dictates the mounting or housing structure for the magnet as well as the needed features.
In a hand-operated magnetic sweeper, designed to pick up ferrous objects off the floor, it is desirable to have the magnets positioned in a housing, which supports, protects and surrounds the magnets.
Then to remove any collected ferrous metal debris from the housing, it is preferred to not do this by hand to avoid any accidental injury by the sharp edges of the debris. Often, magnetic hand tools are cleaned by hand or the magnet is pulled up as to remove the magnetic flux from the metal debris. In the latter, the debris falls away from the hand tool by gravitational force. However, this action is not advised ergonomically as the operator has to bend over to pull up a heavy magnet and/or takes the risk of getting injured.
With the free floating, hinged release lever, the operator of the hand tool does not have to bend over nor have to pull up a heavy magnet to aid in the release of collected metal debris or do so by hand risking injury.
The present invention provides a free floating, hinged release lever for a magnet sweeper hand tool. In accordance with the principles of the invention, the magnet sweeper has a three-sided channel structure, which houses one or more magnets in a, generally, linear arrangement.
The open side of the channel is covered by a steel top plate, which covers the remaining exposed surface of the magnet(s). The steel top plate serves both as the primary structural member of the magnet sweeper hand tool, as well as to direct the magnetic flux downward away from the steel top plate toward a floor surface over which the tool is conveyed by wheels or other conveyance.
The steel top plate covering the open side of the extruded channel and the exposed surface of the magnet(s) is of a different material then the channel, so as to not short the magnetic circuit within the housing formed by the extruded channel and steel top plate.
As the primary structural member of the tool, the steel top plate further functions to support two axles for the mounting of wheels at opposite ends of the plate as well as a female ACME collar to facilitate the attachment of a handle.
A free-floating release lever is connected to the extruded three-sided channel housing by hinge that is slid into the track of the housing. Its design, in combination with the track portion of the extruded housing and the positioning ridge inside the inward wall of the track, make it so that there is no binding of the free-floating hinged release lever while it can be used in a fluid motion in the release of ferrous materials.
The moment metal debris is within the magnetic flux of the magnets, it will be pulled up anti-gravitationally and, as such, push the lever against the three-sided housing channel and close the gap between the free-floating hinged release lever and the extruded housing.
Then, when the lever is pushed away from the extruded housing, all metal debris is physically positioned outside the force of the magnetic flux and falls off the magnet sweeper hand tool by simple gravitational force.
Therefore, the invention is the three-sided extruded channel, that has an incorporated track for a free-floating hinged release lever. The release lever has been designed specifically as a means of easily removing ferrous material attracted by the three-sided channel, that allows to pass through the magnetic field from the magnets. As a means of incorporating minimal mechanical friction, the magnets are allowed to remain in a static position within the housing. A free-floating release lever is incorporated via a hinge into the extruded housing as to create a space gap between the magnetic field and the ferrous materials collected when operated. This allows for easy removal of the ferrous material without the operator having to be in direct contact with it.
These and other aspects of the invention are described herein in detail with reference to the accompanied Figures, which are denoted with reference numbers associated with the various components and parts of the invention.
The benefits and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent after reviewing the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, wherein:
With reference to
The track portion 14 of the extruded three-sided housing channel 11 allows for the free-floating release lever hinge 15 to pivot without mechanically fastening the three-sided extruded housing channel
Two specially formed stop washers 8,
The moment metal debris is within the magnetic flux of the magnet(s) 13, it will be collected by the magnet sweeper
When the free-floating release lever 5, 5c,
The free-floating release lever 5,
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62429382 | Dec 2016 | US |