Hand tool for joining objects

Abstract

A hand tool for assembling two or more articles along an extended plane. Arcuate motion of a movable handle is converted to axial movement of a presser plate to assemble the articles placed on an aligned platen. The movable handle controls a drive bar which is coupled to the tool frame by pivotally movable links which move the drive bar in two orthogonal directions and to the presser plate .[.to move it in two orthogonal directions.]. by means of pivotally movable links coupled to the drive bar. The .[.movements along one orthogonal axis cancel one another and the movements along the other orthogonal axis are cumulative whereby the.]. presser plate is moved only in the direction of the platen.

I claim: 
     
       1. A hand tool for joining two or more objects together comprising: a frame member having a first end portion, a second end portion and an intermediate portion therebetween; a movable support member having first and second ends, said first end pivotally coupled to said intermediate portion of said frame member to permit movement of said support member second end with respect to said frame member second end portion; a latch bar pivotally coupled to said second end of said support member and releasably coupled to said frame member second end portion to prevent relative movement of said support member with respect to said frame member; handle means having first and second ends, .[.said second end of said handle means pivotally coupled to said intermediate portion of said frame member;.]. presser plate means; first coupling means coupled to said presser plate means and said frame member between said intermediate portion and said second end portion; and second coupling means coupling said presser plate .Iadd.means .Iaddend.to said second end of said handle means; the arcuate movement of said first end of said handle means towards said first end portion of said frame member driving said presser plate .Iadd.means .Iaddend.axially towards said support member. 
     
     
       2. A tool as defined in claim 1, wherein said first coupling means comprises pivotally mounted links. 
     
     
       3. A tool as defined in claim 1, wherein said first coupling means comprises a plurality of pivotally mounted link pairs. 
     
     
       4. A tool as defined in claim 1, wherein said first coupling means comprises a drive bar and pivotally mounted links. 
     
     
       5. A tool as defined in claim 1, wherein said first coupling means comprising a drive bar and a plurality of pivotally mounted links. 
     
     
       6. A tool as defined in claim 1, wherein said first coupling means comprises a drive bar and first links each having a first end and a second end, said first ends of each of said first links pivotally mounted to said frame member and said second ends of each of said first links pivotally mounted to said drive bar. 
     
     
       7. A tool as defined in claim 1, wherein said first coupling means comprises a drive bar .Iadd.and a presser plate.Iaddend.; first links each having a first end and a second end, said first ends of each of said first links pivotally mounted to said frame member and said second ends of each of said first links pivotally mounted to said drive bar; and second links each having a third end and a fourth end, said third ends of each of said second links pivotally mounted to said drive bar and each of said fourth ends of said second links pivotally mounted to said presser plate. 
     
     
       8. A tool as defined in claim 1 wherein .Iadd.said presser plate means comprises a presser plate;.Iaddend.said second coupling means comprises a pivoted connection between said second end of said handle means and said presser plate. 
     
     
       9. A tool as defined in claim 1, wherein said first coupling means comprises a drive bar .Iadd.and a presser plate .Iaddend.and first links each having a first and a second end, said first ends of each of said first links pivotally mounted to said frame member and said second ends of each first links pivotally mounted to said drive bar; and said second coupling means comprising a pivotal connection between said second end of said handle means and said presser plate. 
     
     
       10. A tool as defined in claim 1, wherein said first coupling means comprises a drive bar .Iadd.and a presser plate.Iaddend.; first links having first and second ends, said first ends of each of said first links pivotally mounted to said frame member and said second ends of each of said first links pivotally mounted to said drive bar; second links each having a third and a fourth end, said third ends of each of said second links pivotally mounted to said drive bar and each of said fourth ends of said second links pivotally mounted to said presser plate; and said second coupling means comprising a pivotal connection between said second end of said handle means and said presser plate. 
     
     
       11. A tool as defined in claim 1, further comprising a platen selectively installable to said support member, said platen configured to accept and support the objects to be joined. 
     
     
       12. A tool as defined in claim 1, further comprising a resilient member urging said latch bar into a locking condition with said second end portion of said frame member. 
     
     
       13. A hand tool for joining two or more objects together comprising: a frame member having a first end portion, a second end portion and an intermediate portion therebetween; a support member having first and second ends, said first end coupled to said intermediate portion and said second end coupled to said second end portion; handle means having first and second ends .[.said second end of said handle means pivotally coupled to said intermediate portion of said frame member.].; .Iadd.a .Iaddend.presser plate .[.means.].; first coupling means coupled to said presser plate means and said frame member between said intermediate portion and said second end portion; said first coupling means comprising a drive bar; first links having first and second ends, said first ends of each of said first links pivotally mounted to said frame member and said second ends of each of said first links pivotally mounted to said drive bar; second links each having a third and a fourth end, said third ends of each of said second links pivotally mounted to said drive bar and each of said fourth ends of said second links pivotally mounted to said presser plate; and second coupling means coupling said presser plate to said second end of said handle means; said second coupling means comprising a pivotal connection between said second end of said handle means and said presser plate and a pivotal connection between said second end of said handle means and said drive bar; the arcuate movement of said first end of said handle means towards said first end portion of said frame member driving said presser plate axially towards said support member. .[.14. A tool as defined in claim 13, wherein the arcuate movement of said first end of said handle means towards said first end portion of said frame member tending to drive said presser plate in a first direction and said drive bar in an opposite direction..]. .[.15. A tool as defined in claim 13, wherein the arcuate movement of said first end of said handle means towards said first end portion of said frame member tending to drive said presser plate in a first direction and said drive bar in an opposite direction, the movements of said presser plate and said drive bar being substantially equal in magnitude and cancelling any movement of said presser plate in a plane perpendicular to the axis of movement of the presser plate towards the support member..]. .[.16. A tool as defined in claim 13, wherein the arcuate movement of said first end of said handle means towards said first end portion of said frame member tending to drive said presser plate in a first direction along the axis of movement of the presser plate towards the support member and along an axis perpendicular to said axis of movement and said drive bar in said first direction and along an axis perpendicular to said axis of movement and opposite in direction to the movement of said presser plate; the movements of said presser plate and said drive bar being substantially equal in magnitude cancelling any movement of said presser plate in a plane perpendicular to the axis of movement of the presser plate towards the support member; and the movements of said presser plate and said drive bar being in the same direction along said axis, said presser plate is moved a distance equal to the total movement along said axis of said presser plate and said drive bar..]. .Iadd.17. A tool for joining objects together, comprising: (a) a frame member having a first end portion, a second end portion and an intermediate portion therebetween;   (b) drive bar means for receiving actuating force applied to said tool at said frame member first end portion;   (c) first coupling means for interconnecting said drive bar means to said frame member intermediate portion and for displacing said drive bar means along first and second mutually orthogonal axes upon such application of actuating force to said drive bar means;   (d) compression means in said frame member for controlling the position of said drive bar means;   (e) presser plate means for engaging said objects;   (f) guide means for constraining movement of said presser plate means to movement along said first axis; and   (g) second coupling means for interconnecting said presser plate means to said drive bar means for imparting such first axis movement to said presser plate means in the course of such displacement of said drive bar means along said first and second axes. .Iaddend. .Iadd.18. The tool as defined in claim 17 including means for adjusting said compression means to provide for variation in such positioning of said drive bar means.   
     
     
        .Iaddend. .Iadd.19.  The tool as defined in claim 17 wherein said drive bar means comprises drive bar having first and second ends, said drive bar defining at said first end a pivotal connection for such actuating force receipt, said compression means comprising a spring member disposed between said drive bar second end and said frame member second end portion. .Iaddend. .Iadd.20. The tool as defined in claim 19 wherein said first coupling means comprises links pivotally connected to said frame member intermediate portion and to said drive bar and wherein said second coupling means comprises links pivotally connected to said drive bar and said presser plate means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.21. The tool as defined in claim 20 wherein said links of said first coupling means and said links of said second coupling means have respective different attitudes with respect to said first axis in the absence of application of actuating force to said drive bar means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.22. The tool as defined in claim 17 further including a support member having first and second ends, said first end pivotally coupled to said intermediate portion of said frame member and said second end releasably coupled to said second end portion of said frame member, and platen means supported by said support member for engaging said objects. .Iaddend. .Iadd.23. The tool as defined in claim 22 wherein said platen means is releasably secured to said support member. .Iaddend.