Nail Set

Abstract

An improved nail set and nail set kit that includes nail set having a body having a head adapted for striking with a hammer and a tip portion that includes a notch therein that is sized to accommodate the rectangular head of a pneumatically driven finish nail.

Claims

1. A nail set comprising: a head dimensioned to be struck by a hammer; a body comprising a first end and a second end, wherein said head is disposed at said first end of said body; a tapered portion comprising a wide end that tapers into a narrow end, wherein said wide end is disposed at said second end of said body; and a tip portion disposed at said narrow end of said tapered portion, wherein said tip portion comprises a notch that is sized to accommodate a head of a finish nail.

2. The nail set as claimed in claim 1, wherein said notch passes through said tip portion.

3. The nail set as claimed in claim 1, wherein said notch is rectangular.

4. The nail set as claimed in claim 1, wherein said notch is trapezoidal.

5. The nail set as claimed in claim 1, wherein said notch is oval shaped.

6. The nail set as claimed in claim 1, wherein said notch is v-shaped.

7. A nail set kit comprising: a first nail set comprising: a head dimensioned to be struck by a hammer; a body comprising a first end and a second end, wherein said head is disposed at said first end of said body; a tapered portion comprising a wide end that tapers into a narrow end, wherein said wide end is disposed at said second end of said body; and a tip portion disposed at said narrow end of said tapered portion, wherein said tip portion comprises a notch having a first shape; and a second nail set comprising: a head dimensioned to be struck by a hammer; a body comprising a first end and a second end, wherein said head is disposed at said first end of said body; a tapered portion comprising a wide end that tapers into a narrow end, wherein said wide end is disposed at said second end of said body; and a tip portion disposed at said narrow end of said tapered portion, wherein said tip portion comprises a notch having a second shape;

8. The nail set kit as claimed in claim 7, wherein said notch of said first nail set passes through said tip portion.

9. The nail set kit as claimed in claim 7, wherein said first shape of said notch of said first nail set is rectangular.

10. The nail set kit as claimed in claim 7, wherein said first shape of said notch of said first nail set is trapezoidal.

11. The nail set kit as claimed in claim 7, wherein said first shape of said notch of said first nail set is oval shaped.

12. The nail set kit as claimed in claim 7, wherein said first shape of said notch of said first nail set is v-shaped.

13. The nail set kit as claimed in claim 7 further comprising a third nail set comprising: a head dimensioned to be struck by a hammer; a body comprising a first end and a second end, wherein said head is disposed at said first end of said body; a tapered portion comprising a wide end that tapers into a narrow end, wherein said wide end is disposed at said second end of said body; and a tip portion disposed at said narrow end of said tapered portion, wherein said tip portion comprises a notch having a third shape.

14. A nail set kit comprising: a nail set comprising: a head dimensioned to be struck by a hammer; a body comprising a first end and a second end, wherein said head is disposed at said first end of said body; a tapered portion comprising a wide end that tapers into a narrow end, wherein said wide end is disposed at said second end of said body; and a tip portion disposed at said narrow end of said tapered portion, wherein said tip portion comprises a notch; and at least one finish nail comprising a head, wherein said notch of said nail set is sized and shaped to accommodate said head of said finish nail.

15. The nail set kit as claimed in claim 14, wherein said notch of said nail set passes through said tip portion.

16. The nail set kit as claimed in claim 14, wherein said notch of said nail set is rectangular.

17. The nail set kit as claimed in claim 14, wherein said notch of said nail set is trapezoidal.

18. The nail set kit as claimed in claim 14, wherein said notch of said nail set is oval shaped.

19. The nail set kit as claimed in claim 14, wherein said notch of said nail set is v-shaped.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a prior art nail set being used to drive a finish nail into a work-piece

[0015] FIG. 2A. is a front view of a prior art nail set with its tip aligned on the head of a finish nail.

[0016] FIG. 2B. is a front view of a prior art nail set with its tip embedded into a work-piece after slipping off the head of a finish nail.

[0017] FIG. 3A is an end view of the preferred embodiment of the nail set of the present invention having a rectangular notch.

[0018] FIG. 3B is a side view of the preferred embodiment of the nail set of FIG. 3A.

[0019] FIG. 4A is an end view of an alternative embodiment of the nail set of the present invention having a trapezoidal notch.

[0020] FIG. 4B is a side view of the embodiment of the nail set of FIG. 4A.

[0021] FIG. 5A is an end view of an alternative embodiment of the nail set of the present invention having an oval shaped notch.

[0022] FIG. 5B is a side view of the embodiment of the nail set of FIG. 5A.

[0023] FIG. 6A is an end view of alternative embodiment of the nail set of the present invention having a v-shaped notch.

[0024] FIG. 6B is a side view of the embodiment of the nail set of FIG. 6A.

[0025] FIG. 7A is a side view of the preferred embodiment of the nail set of the present invention in position to engage the rectangular head of a finish nail.

[0026] FIG. 7B is another side view of the embodiment of FIG. 7A rotated 90 degrees.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] Looking first to prior art FIGS. 2A and 2B, the nail set of the present invention includes all of the features of a conventional nail set 10, including a head 18 dimensioned to be struck by a hammer 50, a body 16 including first end 15 near head 18 and second end 17 near a tapered portion 12, and a tip portion 14. The body 16, head 18, tapered portion 12, and tip portion 14 are preferably manufactured from a single piece of metal, such as tool steel. In some embodiments, the outside of the body 16 is covered with a plastic or rubberized material (not shown) to enhance grip on the nail set 10, but such a covering is not required.

[0028] FIGS. 3A and 3B show the tapered portion 12 and tip portion 14 of the preferred nail set 10. In this embodiment, the tip portion 14 includes a substantially rectangular notch 32 that passes through the tip portion 14. As used herein, when it is said that notch 32 passes through tip portion 14, it is understood that notch 32 is a cutaway all the way through tip portion 14, as shown in FIG. 3B, for example. It is understood that notch 32 may also be entirely within tip portion 14. That is to say, it is possible for the tip portion 14 of a nail set 10 of the present invention to appear from its sides to be the same as a prior art nail set, but to include notch 32 within tip portion 14. The notch 32 is sized to accommodate the rectangular head of a pneumatic finish nail and to hold the tip portion 14 in place on the head while it is being driven.

[0029] FIGS. 4A and 4B show the tapered portion 12 and tip portion 14 of an alternative nail set 10. In this embodiment, the tip portion 14 includes a substantially trapezoidal notch 32 that passes through the tip portion 14. The trapezoidal notch 32 is sized to accommodate the rectangular heads of a number of different sizes of pneumatic finish nails and to hold the tip portion 14 in place on the head while it is being driven.

[0030] FIGS. 5A and 5B show the tapered portion 12 and tip portion 14 of another alternative nail set 10. In this embodiment, the tip portion 14 includes a substantially oval notch 32 that passes through the tip portion 14. The oval notch 32 is also sized to accommodate the rectangular heads of a number of different sizes of pneumatic finish nails and to hold the tip portion 14 in place on the head while it is being driven. However, as it is more prone to slippage, the oval notch is not preferred.

[0031] FIGS. 6A and 6B show the tapered portion 12 and tip portion 14 of another alternative nail set 10. In this embodiment, the tip portion 14 includes a substantially v-shaped notch 32 that passes through the tip portion 14. The v-shaped notch 32 is also sized to accommodate the rectangular heads of a number of different sizes of pneumatic finish nails and to hold the tip portion 14 in place on the head while it is being driven. However, as was the case with the oval notch of FIG. 5A, it is more prone to slippage and is not preferred.

[0032] FIGS. 7A and 7B show the tapered portion 12 and tip portion 14 of the preferred nail set 10 in position to engage the rectangular head 42 of a pneumatic finish nail 40. The dashed line in FIG. 7B represents the top of notch 32 within the tip portion 14.

[0033] Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions would be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the description should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein.