BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to improvements in and relating to nail removal. The term "nail" for the purposes of this specification is intended to cover any elongate building or construction member having an elongate shank such as a nail, rod, screw or the like and which typically after being used for a building or construction purpose needs to be removed.

Particularly in the removal of nails already placed in construction materials such as timber, the removal of that nail generally requires hammering the nail back through the wood until the head of the nail is exposed and then withdrawing the nail with use of a claw hammer or similar. In hammering the nail back through the timber or similar to expose the head, difficulties can arise with the bending of the nail. This may require straightening or, in some cases, inhibit the removal of the nail at all. Often this may result in the need to cut the end of the nail off and leave the head of the nail in the timber.

Due to these problems, it is often preferable to draw the nail out from its pointed end. Traditionally this is achieved using pliers or similar to grip the nail shank. However, there is still risk of damage to the surface of the wood in using such apparatus and this is not always successful.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for nail removal which overcomes some of the disadvantages of the prior art or at least provides the public with a useful choice.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, in a first aspect, the invention comprises a tool for pulling nails (as herein defined) comprising a body portion adapted to provide leverage against a surface, an end portion having at least first and second gripping surfaces defining a gap there between and to which a shank of a nail can be introduced and wherein said first gripping surface is provided on a first rotatable member and is pivotally mounted relative to said second gripping surface so that following the introduction of the shank between said members, said first rotatable member can move toward said second gripping surface closing said gap and gripping said shank between said surfaces.

Accordingly, in a second aspect, the invention comprises a method of pulling nails (as herein defined) comprising:

providing a tool with a body portion adapted to provide leverage against a surface;

providing at least first and second gripping surfaces defining a gap there between and to which a shank of a nail can be introduced;

providing said first gripping surface on a first rotatable member pivotally mounted relative to said second gripping surface so that it is able to move relative to said second gripping surface closing said gap to grip said shank there between; and

introducing said shank between said gripping surfaces and levering said body portion against said surface whereby said shank is gripped between said gripping surfaces and said nail is pulled from said surface.

Accordingly, in a third aspect, the invention comprises a tool for pulling nails (as herein defined) and/or a method of pulling nails (as herein defined) substantially as herein described and/or with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Further aspects of this invention which should be considered in all its novel aspects will become apparent from the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described and given by way of example of possible embodiments thereof and in which reference is made to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 : shows diagrammatically a perspective view of a nail pulling tool according to one possible embodiment of the invention;

Fiqure 2: shows diagrammatically an enlarged view of an end portion of the tool of Figure 1 ;

Fiqure 3: shows an elevational view of a further possible embodiment of the invention; and

Fiqure 4: shows a planned view of the embodiment of

Figure 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings. In Figure 1 , a tool reference generally by arrow 1 is shown comprising a bar or other elongate member. This member may be provided with a curved portion 2 which can abut against a surface (not shown) in which a nail or the like 3 is embedded.

The tool 1 is shown with a further curvature or bend 14 leading to an end portion 1 5. This is an optional feature to provide easier manipulation of the tool 1 .

An opposite end portion 1 6 is shown provided with a slot aperture 4. Positioned within the slot 4 may be a pair of rotatable members 6 and 8, both of which are shown rotatably mounted about respective pivots 7 and 1 1 . The members 6, 8 may, as shown, be provided with milled or serrated gripping surfaces 12, 1 3. One or both of these members 6, 8 may also be provided with a groove or guide means facilitating the positioning the shank 10 of the nail 3.

In an alternative embodiment, the member 8 can be provided as a pair of discrete members 8a, 8b, which may be of different diameters providing a step 18 between them. In a further and preferred embodiment, the rotatable member 8 is provided as a stepped member as demonstrated by the discrete members 8a and 8b, however, they may be made from a unitary construction, having a step at the position 1 8 rather than being two separate coaxially mounted rotatable members.

In either case, the stepped arrangement of the preferred member 8 facilitates a thinner shank being accommodated by the larger size member 8b.

The member 6 may be movable relative to the member 8 as indicated by the arrows A. Such movement will close up the gap reference generally by arrow 9 between the members 6 and 8, and in doing so, will act so as to grip the shank 10 between the members 6 and 8.

As shown, the movement of the member 6 relative to the gripping surface 1 3 may be provided by the pivotal mounting 7 of the member 6 being

off-set from the centre line of the rotatable member 6 so that as the member 6 rotates, its spacing from member 8 will be correspondingly altered.

A bar, rod or other abutment means 5 is shown extending across the slot 4 to act as a stop member to further outward movement of the member 6. In a preferred form, rather than providing a rod 5, the slot 4 is provided as an aperture so that an end portion of the tool 1 extends across the region defined by the bar 5.

In use, the shank of a nail or the like 3 can be introduced between the member 6 and 8. The guide means 18 may facilitate the positioning of the shank 10.

Rotation of the member 6 will draw the members closer together, such that the shank 10 is gripped between the two members 6 and 8 and their respective gripping surfaces 12 and 13.

By applying a lever action on the tool 1 to raise the head 1 6 relative to the abutment of the tool 1 by its curved portion 2 on the surface of the timber or the like in which the nail is embedded will act so as to move the member 6 as it rotates towards the member 8. The member 6 being provided as a rotatable member with a gripping surface 1 2 will cause this member to try and rotate as the gripping surface engages against the shank 10 so that the member 6 "rolls up" the shank 10. With the provision of an off centre pivot, rotation in that direction draws the rotatable member 6 closer to the member 8 such that, as the head portion 1 6 is raised through the lever action and the member 6 tries to rotate up the shank 10, the shank is gripped

tighter between the two gripping surfaces 1 2 and 1 3. Continued levering of the tool 1 will draw the nail or the like 3 from the surface of the timber or similar material in which it is embedded.

Once a nail 3 has been pulled from the surface, it can be readily released as the member 6 moves away from the member 8 and once again, reopening the gap between those members.

As shown in Figure 1 , lifting of the end 1 6 relative to the surface can be achieved by downward pressure being placed on the end portion 1 5.

As shown, the tool 1 may include a slot or the like 30 at its end portion 1 5 whereby the head 29 of a nail 3 may be accommodated so as to provide the option of lifting the nail 3 by means of its head 29 if that is accessible and with leverage being provided about the surface by means of the abutment of the curved portion 14 on that surface.

An aperture 32 as shown provided to facilitate the location of the tool 1 when not required for use, or by means of a strap or the like facilitating its being carried. In the accompanying drawings, tool 1 is shown as comprising a bar of a rigid material suitably metal in which a slot 4 can be conveniently provided at one end and in which the members 6 and 8 can be located. It is to be appreciated that in alternative embodiments, the tool 1 could consist essentially of the end portion 1 6 with its rotatable members 6 and 8, which may then be attached or securable with an appropriate handle means or the like to form a composite tool.

Tool 1 may be formed from any suitable material and by any suitable technique.

In a further embodiment shown in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings, an embodiment is shown in which the tool 1 has a handle 50 attached to a head portion 52. Again, an abutment surface 2 is provided so that levering of the handle 50 causes the head 52 to be raised.

In this instance, the gripping surfaces 12 and 13 are provided on one non-rotational member and one rotational member. Again, the rotational member is provided with an off-set pivot 53 to facilitate its movement towards the non-rotational surface in use.

Thus, it can be seen that the tool provides an apparatus and a method of removing a nail or similar member by means of gripping the shank.

Where in the foregoing description reference has been made to specific components or integers of the invention having known equivalents then such equivalents are herein incorporated as if individually set forth.

Although this invention has been described by way of example and with reference to possible embodiments thereof it is to be understood that modifications or improvements may be made thereto without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.