Adjustable joist gripper

Abstract

A carpentry tool for the installation of parallel boards includes an elongated lever having a rotatable cam pivotally affixed adjacent to a distal end of the lever, a gripper body pivotally affixed at a distal end of the lever, the gripper body having two lugs or brackets extending downward from the lower end of the gripper body, wherein the gripper body includes a two-piece telescopic section having an outer tubing member and an inner tubing member in slidable engagement, the inner tubing member including a first lug or bracket on a lower face thereof, the outer tubing member including a second lug or bracket on a lower face thereof, opposing the first bracket, and a spindle extending from an upper face thereof, and a mechanism for reversibly affixing the sliding inner and outer tubing members at predetermined points. Further disclosed are novel adjustable joist grippers for use with the apparatus.

1 . An adjustable joist gripper, comprising: 
 a two-piece telescopic section having an outer tubing member and an inner tubing member in slidable engagement;    said inner tubing member comprising a first lug or bracket on a lower face thereof;    said outer tubing member comprising a second lug or bracket on a lower face thereof, opposing said first bracket; and    means for reversibly affixing said sliding inner and outer tubing members at predetermined points.    
   
   
       2 . The adjustable joist gripper of  claim 1 , wherein said outer tubing member further comprises a spindle extending from an upper face thereof.  
   
   
       3 . The adjustable joist gripper of  claim 1 , wherein said outer tubing member further comprises a tubular member extending from a face thereof.  
   
   
       4 . The adjustable joist gripper of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of said lugs or brackets comprises a wide surface running substantially parallel to a joist or other structure gripped.  
   
   
       5 . The adjustable joist gripper of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of said lugs or brackets comprises a cutout or void near an upper portion of said lug.  
   
   
       6 . The adjustable joist gripper of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of said lugs or brackets comprises an angle bracket.  
   
   
       7 . The adjustable joist gripper of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of said lugs or brackets comprises a round or similar leg extending axially down, and a flat plate is rigidly fixed to the bottom end of this leg.  
   
   
       8 . The adjustable joist gripper of  claim 1 , wherein one of said lugs or brackets is shorter than the other.  
   
   
       9 . A carpentry tool for the installation of parallel boards, comprising: 
 an elongated lever having a rotatable cam pivotally affixed adjacent to a distal end of the lever;    a gripper body pivotally affixed at a distal end of the lever, said gripper body having two lugs or brackets extending downward from the lower end of the gripper body;    wherein said gripper body comprises a two-piece telescopic section having an outer tubing member and an inner tubing member in slidable engagement;    said inner tubing member comprising a first lug or bracket on a lower face thereof;    said outer tubing member comprising a second lug or bracket on a lower face thereof, opposing said first bracket, and a spindle extending from an upper face thereof; and    means for reversibly affixing said sliding inner and outer tubing members at predetermined points.    
   
   
       10 . The adjustable joist gripper of  claim 9 , wherein said outer tubing member further comprises a tubular member extending from a face thereof.  
   
   
       11 . The adjustable joist gripper of  claim 9 , wherein one or more of said lugs or brackets comprises a wide surface running substantially parallel to a joist or other structure gripped.  
   
   
       12 . The adjustable joist gripper of  claim 9 , wherein one or more of said lugs or brackets comprises a cutout or void near an upper portion of said lug.  
   
   
       13 . The adjustable joist gripper of  claim 9 , wherein one or more of said lugs or brackets comprises an angle bracket.  
   
   
       14 . The adjustable joist gripper of  claim 9 , wherein one or more of said lugs or brackets comprises a round or similar leg extending axially down, and a flat plate is rigidly fixed to the bottom end of this leg.  
   
   
       15 . The adjustable joist gripper of  claim 9 , wherein one of said lugs or brackets adjustable leg shorter than the other.