Surface leveling tool

• US 5,855,505 A
• Filed: 05/29/1997
• Issued: 01/05/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Joshua E. Letts
• Original Assignee: Joshua E. Letts
• Inventors: Letts, Joshua E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rose, Robert A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, GEORGE BINH MINH
• Application Number:
  US08/865,105
• Time in Patent Office: 586 Days
• Field of Search: 451/523, 451/350, 451/352, 451/355, 451/354, 451/524, 7/165
• US Class Current: 451/523
• CPC Class Codes: B24D 15/04 resilient; with resiliently-mounted operative surface

Abstract

A surface leveling tool for sanding wooden, painted and plastic surfaces without gouging. The tool comprises a handle of variable length attached to a head with a clamping element which holds a flexible plastic sandpaper insert. A specially formatted sandpaper sheet is adhered to the flexible plastic insert. The plastic insert has a cross-section analogous to a J-shape and is clamped only by the hooked portion. This arrangement provides for space between the unclamped portion of the sandpaper covered insert and the clamp. The clamp utilizes fasteners which are tightened. and loosened by a hidden screwdriver in the grip of the handle.

Claims

1. A surface leveling tool comprising:

a handle with a longitudinal axis, a proximate end and a distal end;

a head element having a front side, a rear side, a topside, and an underside, and the rear side having an extension attachable to the proximate end of the handle along said longitudinal axis of said handle;

a planar clamping element, substantially commensurate in shape with said head element, and attachable to the underside of said head element;

a rectangularly shaped sandpaper element; and

a rectangularly shaped flexible support element having a J-shaped cross-section and a hook portion for supporting said sandpaper element;

whereby the hook portion of the flexible support element supporting the sandpaper element is held by the clamping element to permit a space between the clamping element and the sandpaper element for sanding surfaces without gouging.

2. The floor leveling tool as defined in claim 1, further comprising a grip, removably attachable to the distal end of the handle.

3. The surface leveling tool as defined in claim 2, said handle having means defining a hollow therein, and wherein said grip contains a screwdriver fitting into said hollow of the handle at the distal end.

4. The surface leveling tool as defined in claim 1, wherein said handle is hollow.

5. The floor leveling tool as defined in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of fasteners located in the head element, for fastening the clamping element to the head element.

6. The floor leveling tool as defined in claim 1, the sandpaper element comprising an abrasive portion, bordered on three sides with a non-abrasive margin.

7. The floor leveling tool as defined in claim 6, including adhesive, wherein the sandpaper element is supported by the flexible support element by said adhesive.

8. The floor leveling tool as defined in claim 6, there further being means defining a threaded connection for interconnecting the head element and the handle.

9. The floor leveling tool as defined in claim 6, including a friction fitting connection, the head element and the handle being attached by said friction fitting connection.

10. The floor leveling tool as defined in claim 6, wherein the sandpaper support element is made of vinyl rubber.

11. A flexible sandpaper support element for a sanding tool comprising:

a rectangularly shaped sandpaper element of one size having an abrasive surface portion bordered on three sides by a margin devoid of abrasive material;

a rectangularly shaped flexible support element of a smaller size having a J-shaped cross-section and a hook portion with an outside surface; and

the sandpaper element of one size being secured to the flexible support of a smaller size on an outside surface, to form a flexible sandpaper support element for a sanding tool.

12. The flexible sandpaper support element as defined in claim 11, wherein the sandpaper support element is made of vinyl rubber.