A wall plug removal device

Abstract

The wall plug removal device 99 includes an insert (10, Figure 3) and a handle 20. The insert has an elongated shank with a male screw thread 4, and a plug engagement head 5. The handle has a mating f

Description

Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a wall plug removal device, in particular a device for removal of a plug from a wall; more particularly a plastic plug which has been inserted into a wall cavity for use as a screw anchor or similar. Background Many people in many societies are increasingly likely to improve and extend their properties, domestic or commercial. As a result of which there is an increasing tendency, particularly with the ready availability of electric drivers, for people to screw holes in walls, for picture or other object hanging, or other purposes. As a result many people have formed holes in walls, which holes may be later decided to be incorrectly sited. As often people are required to use wall plugs to pad and anchor such holes, particularly in relation to older properties, these wall plugs can become problematic, if incorrectly sited. The wall plugs tend to be difficult to remove from the wall without causing significant further damage to the surrounding wall or hole. Prior Art GB 2 492 764 (BENNETT) discloses a manual hand tool to extract wall plugs wherein at one end of a centre shaft ts a screw a plug engaging portion and at the other end of the centre shaft is fitted a handle, the tool having a collar to contact the wall so that the screw can pull against it and the surrounding regions of the wall are protected, such that relative movement due to a threaded engagement between the collar and the plug engaging portion engages in opposite directions, clockwise vs anticlockwise, to prevent the extractor disengaging the plug as it is rotated to move it away from the wall. EP 1 175 968 (SCHURR) discloses a plastic wall plug removal tool which has a hook projecting from a shaft end for insertion into the interior of a plug such that a plug may be pulled from a wall. DE 19 520 308 (SPIRA et al) discloses a tool for removing plastics wall plugs from walls comprising a cylindrical component which is provided at one end with a handle element and which at its other end has a frusto-conical thread which tapers conically towards this end, such that the tapered end is introduced into the opening of the shaft of the plastics wall plug and is rotated to engage in the plug and allow its removal. Summary of the Invention According to the present invention there is provided a wall plug removal device comprising: an insert; and a handle; the insert having an elongated shank with a male screw thread, and a plug engagement head; the handle having a mating female screw thread, and laterally extending grip portion to grip the wall surrounding the plug when the insert is withdrawn from the handle. The grip portion may be envisaged to contact a wall or similar, within which the plug is located. In this way it may be envisaged that the wall plug may be pulled against the grip portion. In this way the device of the present invention provides a bipartite and easy to operate means of engaging a wall plug firstly, and subsequently allow a user to remove the plug from the wall. In some embodiments of the device the device comprises a tapering plug engagement head, so as to allow gradual or increasing engagement, of a variety of plugs. In some embodiments of the device the device comprises a screw thread on the plug engagement head, so as to allow the device to be screwed into place to engage the Plug. In some embodiments of the device the device comprises left-hand screw threads on the elongated shank and handle, and a reverse thread on the plug engagement head, such that the device does not unscrew from the plug when removed from the wall. In some embodiments of the device the grip portion comprises one or more radially extending part to an enlarged diameter, wherein it may be envisaged that the grip portion may comprise a circular wall engagement plate or pad, which may be resiliently deformable so as to provide enhanced friction. In some embodiments of the device the device comprises a funnelled opening to the handle at the first end of the handle, such that the plug may be pulled into the opening during removal, thereby enabling the plug to be pulled from the wall into the device and thereby the device to be manipulated easier from the wall. In some embodiments of the device the device comprises a first grip portion located at a first end of the handle, such that the insert moves relative to the handle, which handle may be envisaged to stay in contact with the wall in use. In some embodiments of the device the device comprises a resiliently deformable pad on end face of grip portion. In some embodiments of the device the device comprises a second grip portion for gripping by a user. In some such embodiments of the device the second grip portion is located at the second end of the handle distal the first grip portion. In some embodiments of the device the second grip portion comprises two radially extending wings for manual gripping. In some embodiments of the device the insert comprises a hexagonal shank end which may be envisaged to allow for connection of a driver bit. In turn this may enable an electric driver to quickly and efficiently withdraw the insert from the handle, and thereby plug form the wall. In some such embodiments of the device the hexagonal shank end comprises a detent. A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the Figures in which: Brief Description of Figures Figure 1 shows an isometric view of an embodiment of the device according to the present invention; Figure 2 shows a reverse isometric view of the embodiment of the device shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 shows an exploded isometric view of the embodiment of the device shown in Figure 1; Figure 4 shows a reverse exploded isometric view of the embodiment of the device shown in Figure 1; and Figure 5 shows a diagrammatic side view of the embodiment of the device shown in Figure 1. Detailed Description of Figures With reference to the figures there is shown an embodiment of a wall plug removal device 99 generally comprising: an insert 10; and a handle 20; the insert having an elongated shank with a male screw thread 4, and a plug engagement head 5; the handle having a mating female screw thread 62, and laterally extending wall gripping portion 23. In particular reference to the pictured embodiment the embodiment comprises an insert that is elongated from a first end to a second end, and is formed of a single part in hardened topi steel, and envisaged to be CNC machined or milled. The first end 1 comprises a hexagonal cross section. The hexagonal cross section 3 continues along the insert towards the second end with a reduced diameter collar 2, which is designed to be used with detent lock bit holders, ensuring high force can be applied without the first end coming apart from the screwdriver, be it electric or manual. A left-hand male screw thread 4 continues after the hexagonal cross sectional length 3, the thread having a larger diameter than the cross section. The male screw thread 4 finishes at the plug engagement head 5, which comprises a tapering point starting with a smaller diameter than the male screw thread, and which substantially comes to a point as it extends away from the male screw thread. The plug engagement head 5 further includes a wide-gauge right-hand screw thread so as to allow for the plug to be manually screwed into gradually such that the softer plastic of a wall plug may be engaged effectively and through engagement may be forced open to push against -he wall and better engage the device and the plug. The handle 20 may be envisaged to comprise a cast part, with a female screw thread 62 tapped internally. The handle has a first end 24 which comprises a widened base comprising a circular flat face which tapers back to a columnar body 22. which base is the end where the insert’s plug engagement head is located in use. The base of the first end comprises an annular resilient washer 25 or surface, which may be envisaged to contact surfaces around the wall plug in use and limit damage to such surfaces. The base 22 tapers in towards the second end, and at the second end two wings 21 extend laterally, the wings providing means to grip and manually turn the handle in use. Internally at the first end the handle includes a funnelled hole 26, which may be envisaged to accept the wall plug as it is removed, and which funnel leads to the female screw thread which will advance the male screw thread of the insert out of the wall, pulling the wall plug when it is engaged. In use: The right-hand screw thread at the end of the insert is screwed clockwise into the wall plug, using a manual or electric screwdriver. The handle is rotated anticlockwise along the insert's left-hand thread until it is firmly against the wall. While holding the handle firmly, the insert is turned clockwise, pulling the plug out of the wall. Once loose enough, the waB plug is easily removed out of the wall. The handle is screwed anti-clockwise, down onto the wall plug, allowing the user to easily remove it from the end of the insert. The invention has been described by way of examples only and it will be appreciated that variation may be made to the above-mentioned embodiments without departing from the scope of protection as defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A wall plug removal device comprising: an insert; and a handle; the insert having an elongated shank with a male screw thread, and a plug engagement head; the handle having a mating female screw thread, and laterally extending grip portion to grip tne wall surrounding the plug when the insert is withdrawn from the handle.

2. A wall plug removai device according to claim 1 comprising a tapering plug engagement head.

3. A wall plug removal device according to claim 1 or 2 comprising a screw thread on the plug engagement head.

4. A wall plug removal device according to claim 3 wherein the screw thread on the plug engagement head is a right-hand screw thread.

5. A wall plug removal device according to any preceding claim comprises lefthand screw threads on the elongated shank and handle.

6. A wall plug removal device according to any preceding claim wherein the grip portion comprises one or more radially extending part to an enlarged diameter.

7. A wall plug removal device according to any preceding claim wherein a first grip portion is located at a first end of the handle.

8. A wall plug removal device according to any preceding claim comprising a funnelled opening to the handle at the first end of the handle.

9. A wall plug removal device according to any preceding claim comprising a resiliently deformable pad on end face of grip portion.

10. A wall plug removal device according to any preceding claim comprising a first grip portion for gripping a wall and a second grip portion for a user to grip.

11. A wall plug removal device according to claim 10 wherein the second grip portion is located at the second end of the handle distal the first grip portion.

12. A wall plug removal device according to any preceding claim wherein the second grip portion comprises radially extending wings.

13. A wall plug removal device according to any preceding claim wherein the insert 5 comprises a hexagonal shank end.

14. A wall plug removal device according to claim 13 wherein the hexagonal shank end comprises a detent.

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