Carpet stretcher

Abstract

A sliding hammer apparatus which is attachable to a gripper head part of a carpet stretching device ( 10 ), the apparatus having a body portion ( 14 ) having an elongate substantially horizontal member ( 15 ) which has a front end and a rear end, a hand operable sliding hammer ( 16 ) slidably attached to the member, a strike face ( 17 ) which is adapted to be struck by the sliding hammer ( 16 ) and attachment means to attach the apparatus to a gripper head ( 12 ) part of a carpet stretcher.

1 . A sliding hammer apparatus which is attachable to a gripper head part of a carpet stretching device, the gripper head having a stem, the apparatus having a body portion which has a front end and a rear end, a first member extending upwardly from the body portion and adjacent the front end, a second member extending upwardly from the body portion and adjacent the rear end, a elongate substantially horizontal guide member which extends between the first member and the second member, and adjacent upper ends of the first member and the second member, and which has a front end and a rear end, a hand operable sliding hammer slidably attached to the elongate member, a strike face adjacent the front end of the elongate member, the strike face comprising part of the first member and which is adapted to be struck by the sliding hammer, and attachment means to attach the apparatus to the stem of a gripper head part of a carpet stretcher. 
   
   
       2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the hand operable sliding hammer is weighted. 
   
   
       3 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the substantially horizontal guide member is releasably attached to the body portion of the device, to allow replacement of the sliding hammer with a sliding hammer of the same weight a different weight or the body portion. 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 , further comprising side attachment, releasably attached to the body portion of the apparatus, adapted to prevent the carpet stretcher from deviating or to be struck using the knee in the manner of a conventional carpet stretching device of the knee kicking type. 
   
   
       5 . The apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the side attachment is padded. 
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  containing the gripper head part. 
   
   
       7 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the gripper head part is releasably attached using attachment means to the body portion. 
   
   
       8 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the attachment means used to attach the grip the head part to the body portion is a pin and slot arrangement. 
   
   
       9 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the body portion is as guide means to facilitate the attachment of a gripper head portion to the body portion. 
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of either  claim 8 , wherein the sliding hammer is adapted to facilitate hand gripping or have a grip enhancing profile.