Multi-mode carrier for installing shingles

Abstract

A shingle installation system for shingle installers in which shingles supported in a carrier are supported both by a waist belt and a shoulder yoke in a primary operational mode and solely by the shoulder yoke in a secondary operational mode wherein the supportive connections between the carrier, waist belt and shoulder yoke are by multi two-part quick connection means.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention primarily relates to the installation of wooden siding shingles to a building. Such siding shingles are usually formed from cedar wood and produced in random widths but equal height sizes and assembled or packed in bundles fastened together with metal banding. Presently, the shingles are installed, that is, nailed or stapled, to the siding of a building side by side along a guide board or chalk line by a carpenter or shingle installation tradesman working from the ground, a ladder or a raised platform such as scaffolding. After removing the banding, the carpenter or installer either places the bundle next to the work position and takes the shingles as they, come off the bundle or grabs a handful of the shingles to the siding position or even places a number of shingles in a container such as an empty milk crate and the like and then places the crate next to the installation position.

These above present installation modes are inefficient and problematic in that it is difficult to position and nail or staple a single shingle to siding while simultaneously holding other shingles in one's opposite hand. Also working off a stationary bundle is time consuming and hinders visual observation and thus the selection of the desired shingle width needed for the next shingle placement. Use of a milk crate with shingles placed beside the installer is an improvement over working directly from the bundle but still requires going back and forth to the crate to select the next shingle.

Thus, in light of the shortcomings of all the present installation modes, it would be desirable to provide a device or system that eliminates such prior shortcomings and provides a method to transport shingles, mobility and hands free operation while applying shingles.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a device or system that provides the above-mentioned benefits while also enabling the installer better visual access to a group of shingles to improve the selection process of the next shingle to be applied. The above and further objects of the present invention are provided by a system for carrying objects in an installation workplace such as wooden shingles for installation on the siding of a building comprising: a carrier for such objects, a waist belt supporting said carrier and adapted to encircle the waist of an installer of such objects and a shoulder yoke having a shoulder encircling mid portion terminating in a pair of yoke arms downwardly extending from said shoulder mid portion on either side thereof adapted to be supported by the shoulders of the installer and adapted for connection to said waist belt to support such belt and to alternatively solely support said carrier, said carrier having walls including a rear wall so as to define an open topped configuration for receipt of said objects, said waist belt comprising an elongated web having opposed ends having connection means to connect said opposed web ends to position the belt on the installer's waist, said waist belt web having inner and outer planar surfaces wherein said inner surface is adapted to contact the installer's waist and said waist belt web having the first part of a pair of main two-part quick connect means attached thereto in longitudinally spaced relationship thereon, the second part of said pair of main quick connect means being attached to said rear wall of said carrier in the approximately same longitudinally spaced relationship as said spacing of said first part of said pair of main two-part quick connect means positioned on said belt such that when the first and second parts of said main quick connect means are interconnected with each other the carrier will be supported in front of the installer with the open top thereof accessible to the installer, a pair of secondary two-part quick connect means mounted respectively between said waist belt web and said yoke so as to provide secondary support to said belt and thus said carrier when the shoulder yoke is worn by the installer and when both the first and second parts of the secondary quick connect means are interconnected with each other, the first part of said two-part secondary quick connect means mounted on said waist belt web in longitudinally spaced relation thereon and proximal to the mounting of the first part of the pair of the main two-part quick connection means, the second parts of the secondary quick connect means mounted at said ends of said yoke arms, said second parts of the secondary quick connect means releasable from their respective first parts and adapted to interconnect with the second parts of the main quick connect means that are attached to the rear wall of the carrier so that the carrier when separated from the belt can be supported entirely by the yoke in an alternate position to the side of the installer as when climbing a ladder.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings which illustrate the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the present invention:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the device of the present invention being worn by an installer in the primary operational mode thereof;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view similar to FIG. 1 but with the carrier removed from the system;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial perspective view showing the manner in which the shoulder yoke is attached to the carrier in the secondary mode of operation of the system;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial perspective view showing how the yoke is attached to the waist belt and further showing the first part of a pair of main two-part quick connect means attached to the waist belt and ready to receive the carrier via the second part of the main quick connect means (shown in FIG. 1);

FIG. 5 is a view showing an installer in the process of nailing a shingle to the siding of a structure wherein the system is shown in its primary operational mode with both the shoulder yoke and waist belt supporting the carrier directly in front of the installer and having a selection of shingles positioned in the carrier clearly visible and easily accessible to the installer;

FIG. 6 is a partial elevational side view of FIG. 6 showing the support of the carrier by both the waist belt and yoke and depicting the carrier tilted away from the installer to improve visibility and accessibility of the shingles contained therein; and

FIG. 7 is a view showing the installer wearing the system device in its secondary operational mode wherein the carrier has been completely detached from the waist belt and reattached directly to the yoke such that the carrier can be shifted to the side thus better enabling the installer to ascend a ladder to reach a platform and/or install shingles directly from the ladder.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Turning now to the drawings, the system of the present invention includes an assembly 10 comprising a carrier 12, a waist belt 14 and a shoulder yoke 16. In the primary operational mode of operation of the system, the carrier 12 is directly connected to the waist belt 14 via a pair of main two-part connection means 20 that is directly supported by the waist belt 14, and the shoulder yoke 16 that is directly connected to the waist belt 14 via a pair of secondary quick connect means 22 thus indirectly supporting the carrier 12. It is in this primary mode depicted in FIGS. 1, 5 and 6 that the installer has the most optimal operational freedom to view and select individual shingles that have been placed in the carrier 12 while having both hands free to place and nail the selected shingle to the siding. Thus by using the primary mode system, the installer is mobile with a shingles supply that is easily within reach directly in front of him/her thus eliminating all the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art systems.

In the secondary mode of operation of the system, the main two-part connect means 20 have been disconnected from the carrier 12 and the secondary quick connect means 22 that extend from the shoulder yoke 16 attached to carrier 12 such that the carrier 12 is entirely supported by the shoulder yoke 16. This secondary operational mode shown in FIGS. 3 and 7 enables the installer to easily shift the carrier to his/her side making it easier to climb a ladder to reach an installation platform or to directly apply shingles from this ladder position. This secondary mode achieves part of the invention's objects by providing mobility, hands free operation and improved sight and physical access to the shingle supply in the carrier 12.

Turning now to FIGS. 1, 4 and 6, the construction of the waist belt 14 and the belt's relationship to the other components of the assembly 10 is best shown. Therein, the waist belt 14 comprises an elongated web 26 of sturdy preferably fabric material having inner and outer surfaces 28, 30 respectively and ends 32. The ends 32 are adapted to connect to each other in any known manner to encircle the waist in an adjustable manner such that the waist belt 14 can be firmly but comfortably supported on the installer's waist.

The first part 36 of a pair of the main two-part quick connect means 20 are fastened to the outer surface 30 of the waist belt 14 at longitudinally spaced locations on the front 34 of the belt 14, that is, the area that overlies the installer's stomach area. The second part 38 of the quick connect means 20 is, in turn, attached to the rear wall 40 of the carrier 12 in longitudinally spaced locations generally corresponding to the spacing at which the first parts 36 of the main quick connect means 20 are mounted on the waist belt 14.

The carrier 12 comprises rear, front, bottom and sidewalls 40, 42, 43, 44 respectively that are formed of sturdy material interconnected to form a container or pouch, i.e., the carrier 12, with an open top 46 in which the shingles S are placed. The shingles are placed in the carrier 12 lengthwise such that their varying widths can easily be viewed for selection by the installer. Most commonly, siding shingles are of equal length but vary in width such that when the shingles are installed there is a slight spacing or gap between the vertical sides of adjacent shingles of a lateral row or course thereof. When the next row or course of shingles is installed above the preceding row, care must be taken to ensure that such spacing between adjacent shingles is offset from the shingles' spacing directly below to prevent rain seepage—this is one of the reasons that an installer should have good visibility of the shingles to select an appropriate width shingle to assure such coverage. Stated differently, it is very important in single applications that the installer choose a shingle width that adequately spans across the gap of the two adjoining shingles in the shingle course immediately below to prevent water from seeping behind the shingles and ultimately causing rot or decay to the structure's substrate.

As above indicated, each of the main quick connect means 20 includes a first part 36 and a second part 38. The first part 36 is depicted as a member 48 having a body 50 from which a pair of snap connect fingers 51 downwardly extend for receipt into a receiving chamber 52 within a housing 54 of the second part 38 of the main quick connect means 20. Both the housing 54 and the body 50 include slotted extensions 55 through which a short material web 56 may be looped such that the ends 58 thereof may be fastened to the waist belt 14 and rear carrier wall 40 respectively as by the mounting bolt, nut and washer clamps 60 depicted. The housing 54 includes a central cut-a-way section 62 into which the fingers 51 extend and connect and thus can be squeezed inwardly to easily separate the two parts from each other and thus the carrier 12 from the waist belt 14. The height at which the second part 38 of the main quick connect means 20 is mounted to the rear wall 40 of the carrier 12 is important as such height along with the length of the webs 56 determines the angle at which the carrier is disposed vis-à-vis the installer (see FIG. 6) wherein a desirable tilt away from the installer is achieved in part by mounting the second parts 38 of the main quick connect means 20 high on the rear wall 40 of the carrier 12 proximal the open top 46 thereof. An approximate angle between ten and 20 degrees has been found desirable. This orientation enables the installer to view the shingle selection and to remove a shingle of an appropriate width easily and away from his/her body. It should be pointed out that the first and second parts 36, 38 respectively of this main quick connect means 20 could be alternated, that is, the first part 36 could be connected to the container, i.e., the carrier 12, and the second part 38 attached to the waist belt 14 although the upward separation action of the first part 36 from the second part 38 and as illustrated in the drawings is more natural and easier for the installer.

Turning now in particular to FIGS. 1, 3, 4 and 7, the construction of the shoulder yoke 16 is best illustrated. Therein, the shoulder yoke 16 includes a generally U-shaped mid portion 70 formed from a relatively wide material web 71 to enhance the wearer's, i.e., installer's, comfort when positioned around his/her neck and supported by his/her shoulders. The web 71 may be padded for this purpose, if desired. A pair of arms 72 downwardly extends from the shoulder yoke's mid portion on either side thereof and terminates just above where the waist belt 14 is positioned on the installer. The secondary two-part quick connect means 22 is attached to the terminal end 74 of each yoke arm 72 such that the shoulder yoke 16 may, in turn, be connected to the waist belt 14 so as to additionally vertically support the waist belt 14 as well as the weight of the carrier 12 in the primary mode of operation. Such attachment is brought about by either directly attaching the material webs 32 of the first parts 78 of the two-part secondary quick connect means 22 to the yoke arm ends 74 as by sewing, fusing or by clamps 60 as shown in reference to the primary quick connect means 20 or by an intermediate length adjustment loop 84 to provide for vertical adjustment of the secondary quick connect means 22. The second part 86 of the secondary quick connect means 22 is attached similarly to the waist belt 14 at locations proximal to the connection points of the first part of the primary quick connect means 20 to the waist belt 14. This connection placement is important as such placement essentially aligns the location of both connection means 20, 22 such that when the installer converts from the primary operational mode to the secondary operational mode, the installer can initially simply disconnect the yoke ends 74 from the waist belt 14 and the carrier 12 from the waist belt 14 and then fasten the carrier 12 to the shoulder yoke 16 since the second and main quick connections 20, 22 are each essentially vertically aligned and in the same area. It is also important that the attachment of the second part 86 of the secondary quick connect means 22 be located on the outside surface 30 of the waist belt 14 so that the release and reconnection manipulation of the primary and secondary quick connect means be away from the installer's body. The secondary quick connect means 22 is preferably of the same construction as the primary quick connect means 20 as detailed above in the description of the manners of connecting and disconnecting the carrier 12 from the waist belt 14.

While there is shown and described herein certain specific structure embodying this invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in the art that various modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive concept and that the same is not limited to the particular forms herein shown and described except insofar as indicated by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A system for carrying objects in an installation workplace such as wooden shingles for installation on the siding of a building comprising: a carrier for such objects, a waist belt supporting said carrier and adapted to encircle the waist of an installer of such objects and a shoulder yoke having a shoulder encircling mid portion terminating in a pair of yoke arms downwardly extending from said shoulder mid portion on either side thereof adapted to be supported by the shoulders of the installer and adapted for connection to said waist belt to support such belt and to alternatively solely support said carrier, said carrier having walls including a rear wall so as to define an open topped configuration for receipt of said objects, said waist belt comprising an elongated web having opposed ends having connection means to connect said opposed web ends to position the belt on the installer's waist, said waist belt web having inner and outer planar surfaces wherein said inner surface is adapted to contact the installer's waist and said waist belt web having the first part of a pair of main two-part quick connect means attached thereto in longitudinally spaced relationship thereon, the second part of said pair of main quick connect means being attached to said rear wall of said carrier in the approximately same longitudinally spaced relationship as said spacing of said first part of said pair of main two-part quick connect means positioned on said belt such that when the first and second parts of said main quick connect means are interconnected with each other the carrier will be supported in front of the installer with the open top thereof accessible to the installer, a pair of secondary two-part quick connect means mounted respectively between said waist belt web and said yoke so as to provide secondary support to said belt and thus said carrier when the shoulder yoke is worn by the installer and when both the first and second parts of the secondary quick connect means are interconnected with each other, the first part of said two-part secondary quick connect means mounted on said waist belt web in longitudinally spaced relation thereon and proximal to the mounting of the first part of the pair of the main two-part quick is connection means, the second parts of the secondary quick connect means mounted at said ends of said yoke arms, said second parts of the secondary quick connect means releasable from their respective first parts and adapted to interconnect with the second parts of the main quick connect means that are attached to the rear wall of the carrier so that the carrier when separated from the belt can be supported entirely by the yoke in an alternate position to the side of the installer as when climbing a ladder.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein both said first part of the main quick connect means and said second part of the secondary quick connect means are positioned on the outer planar wall of said waist belt web.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said carrier has interconnected bottom, front, rear and opposed sidewalls.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said second parts of said main quick connect means are attached to upper portions of said rear wall proximal to the open top thereof.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said carrier is tilted forward away from the installer at an angle of approximately ten degrees to twenty degrees when the system is in the primary mode.