REFERENCE NUMBERS IN DRAWING

[0011] 10 back panel 24 combination wrench rack 11 left side panel 25 adaptor-universal joint rack 12 right side panel 26 1/4 drive extensions rack 13 tool cart assembly 27 spark plug socket rack 14 tool cart top tray 28 1/4 &3/8 short inch socket rack 15 carriage bolt 29 tool panel assembly 16 washer 30 security cover assembly 17 locking nut 31 security cover front panel 18 ratchet rack 32 security cover left side panel 19 screwdrivers-pliers rack 33 security cover top panel 20 3/8 drive extensions rack 34 security cover right side panel 21 1/4 &3/8 deep inch socket rack 35 padlock hasp assembly 22 short & deep metric socket rack 36 security cover back panel 23 1/2 drive socket rack 37 hasp plate

[0012] Description—FIG. 1

[0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective drawing of the main embodiment of the invention, the tool panel, which is shown superimposed over a standard metal automotive tool cart. The tool cart is not presently an integral part of this invention but is essential to the operation and advantages of this tool panel. The dimensions and shape of the tool panel are dictated by the size and construction of the tool cart which is 37 inches tall, including the wheels, and has two or three, approximately 30 inches long, by 16 inches wide, 3 inch deep, box-like metal tool trays or shelves spaced vertically between its four legs. The tool panel assembly is designed to fit easily, with room to spare, into the top metal tray of the cart. Future models of this tool panel may be incorporated into the tool cart itself as a one piece assembly.

[0014] The use of birch wood and wood construction processes described here were chosen for the current design for simplicity of manufacture, the warm, pleasing appearance, and the sound deadening qualities of wood. Future models of this invention will be constructed of both plastic and metal.

[0015] The back panel (10), the left side panel (11), and the right side panel (12) tool panel in the drawing are constructed of {fraction (1/2)} inch thick birch veneer plywood. The back panel is 24 inches tall and 26¾ inches wide. The two side panels are each 24 inches tall and 10½ inches wide. The back edges of two side panels are attached to the inside face of the back panel at the ends and secured with urethane or carpenters glue and six countersunk drywall screws through the outside face of the back panel. The three assembled panels are finish sanded and sealed with one light coat of urethane and dried.

[0016] All of the tool-holding racks on the tool panel are made of 1½ inch wide by {fraction (3/4)} inch thick solid birch wood stock. Holes are drill into the 1{fraction (1/2)} inch wide top face of each rack, either completely through the rack, as in the case of the screwdrivers/pliers rack (19), or partially into the rack to hold the inserted and glued dowel pegs as in the case of the spark plug socket rack (27). All the holes in all the racks are drilled on the centerline of the top of the rack. Those holes drilled completely through the rack are chamfered and deburred on the top and the bottom. All pegs used are made of maple dowel stock and are chamfered on the exposed end. All pegs are inserted and glued into holes drilled vertically, approximately {fraction (1/2)} inch deep, into the rack, except for the pegs on the combination wrench rack (24) which are drilled at a fifteen degree angle. All pegs, except the pegs for the combination wrench rack (24), extend vertically out of the top of the rack a prescribed amount. The {fraction (1/2)} inch pegs extend {fraction (9/16)} inch, the {fraction (3/8)} inch pegs extend {fraction (7/16)} inch, and the {fraction (1/4)} inch pegs extend {fraction (5/16)} inch above the top of the rack. All rack ends that have sharp exposed ends have those corners sanded and rounded slightly. All racks are finished sanded and sprayed with a light sealing coat of polyurethane finish and dried before attachment to the panels. All racks, except the combination wrench rack (24), are mounted horizontally with their {fraction (3/4)} inch back edges attached to the inside faces of the back and side panels with a small amount of urethane glue and two to three countersunk 1⅝ inch drywall screws screwed through the back of the panels into the rack edge. The combination wrench rack (24) is attached horizontally with its 1½ inch back face flat against the back panel and secured with a little glue and three 1 inch drywall screws through the back of the panel.

[0017] The screwdrivers-pliers rack (19) is 25¾ inches long. It is marked on the centerline for drilling. Starting at the left end of the rack, eleven round are holes drilled with their center points approximately 1⅛ inch apart, the first starting 1⅛ inch from the left end of the rack and the last being near the center of the rack. Starting at the left end of the rack, the first two holes are drilled through the wood with a {fraction (1/2)} inch drill, the next four holes are drilled with a {fraction (7/16)} inch drill, and the next five holes are drilled with a {fraction (3/8)} inch drill. The different size holes are for the different sized screwdrivers with the largest and longest inserted through the holes at the left.

[0018] The location of the five elongated holes designed for holding pliers are also marked out on the centerline of the same rack. The holes are made by drilling three holes in a line, each hole touching at their circumferences. After drilling, the remaining webs of wood between each hole are removed with a chisel and sanded smooth with a small spindle sander, leaving an elongated hole. These holes can be made by other processes or machines. The first three of these elongated holes is drilled with a {fraction (1/2)} drill, starting from the right end of the rack, producing an elongated hole {fraction (1/2)} inch wide by 1½ inches long. The end of this first elongated hole is {fraction (3/4)} inch from the right end of the rack. The second and third elongated holes are laid out and drilled exactly the same as the first with the ends of the elongated holes being spaced 1 inch apart. The forth and fifth elongated holes are drilled with a {fraction (3/8)} inch drill and their finished size is {fraction (3/8)} inch wide by 1⅛ inch long. The spaces between the ends of third, fourth, and fifth elongated holes are also 1 inch. When finished, the screwdrivers-pliers rack (19) is attached horizontally to the inside of the back panel (10) with the top of the rack 1¼ inch below the top of the back panel and running from the right side panel (12) to the left side panel (11).

[0019] The ratchet rack (18) is 9 inches long. It has five evenly spaced {fraction (3/4)} inch holes drilled on the centerline of the rack. The center point for the first hole is 1 inch from the front end of the rack; from there the center points of all the holes are 1⅛ inch apart. This rack is attached to the left side panel (11) with the top of the rack 1¼ inch below the top of the left side panel and running from the front edge of the left side panel to the front edge of the screwdrivers/pliers rack (19).

[0020] The ⅜ extensions rack (20) is 9 inches long. It has nine evenly spaced {fraction (9/16)} inch holes drilled on the centerline of the rack which will hold the long slender socket extension bars. The center point of the first hole is {fraction (1/2)} inch from the front end of the rack and from there the center points of all the holes are 1 inch apart. This rack is attached to the right side panel (12) with the top of the rack 1¼ inch below the top of the right side panel and running from the front edge of the panel to the front edge screwdrivers/pliers rack (19).

[0021] The ¼ extensions rack (26) is 7 inches long. It has nine evenly spaced {fraction (7/16)} inch holes drilled on the centerline of the rack. The center point of the first hole is {fraction (1/2)} inch from the front end of the rack and from there each center point is spaced {fraction (3/4)} inch apart. This rack is attached to the right side panel (12) with the top of the rack 8¼ inches below the top of the right side panel and the front of the rack is flush with the front edge of the right side panel. The combination wrench rack (24) is 18 inches long. It has 15 pegs projecting 1¼ inch outward from the 1½ inch wide front face of the rack and angled upward at a fifteen degree angle. These pegs are made of three sizes of maple dowels glued and inserted into holes drilled into the rack at a fifteen degree angle. It is designed for combination wrenches and similar tools to hang from these pegs by their “box” ends. These pegs are arranged to hold two different sets of these wrenches, one metric and one inch sizes, each in descending order of size toward the center. There are seven pegs arranged just to the left of center and eight pegs arranged to the right of center. There is a small gap between the two sets of wrenches at the center. The outer five pegs on each side of center are {fraction (3/8)} inch in diameter, the next two pegs toward the center on both sides are {fraction (5/16)} inch in diameter, and finally one peg on the right side nearest the center is {fraction (1/4)} inch in diameter. The exact spacing of each peg next to each other is based on the different widths and sizes of each adjacent wrench plus an added uniform small space, approximately {fraction (3/16)} inch, which separates each wrench. The end result of this spacing is to have the same space between each wrench no mater the size of the adjacent wrenches, for visual symmetry across the rack. After finishing, the combination wrench rack (20) is attached horizontally with the 1¾ inch wide back of the birch stock flat against the inside of the back panel (10) with the top edge of the rack 6½ inches below the top edge of the back panel, and the right end of the rack 1¾ inches to the left of the inside of the right side panel (12). The short and deep metric socket rack (22) is 25¾ inches long and has fourteen {fraction (3/8)} inch and twelve {fraction (1/4)} inch pegs extending vertically from the centerline of the top of the rack. These pegs are for holding socket wrench sets securely in place by their {fraction (3/8)} inch and {fraction (1/4)} inch socket drive holes. This rack holds four sets of socket wrenches. From the left end of the rack there is a set of seven {fraction (3/8)} inch drive deep metric sockets, 19 mm thru 10 mm. Next, there is a set of seven ⅜ drive short metric socket wrenches, 19 mm thru 10 mm. Next, toward the right, is a set of six short {fraction (1/4)} inch drive short metric sockets, 10 mm thru 14 mm, and on the far right is a set of six {fraction (1/4)} inch drive deep metric sockets, 10 mm thru 14 mm. There is a small space between each set to separate the sets. There is a small space at the ends of the rack between the last socket and the side panels. The sockets are arranged in descending order of size within each set toward the center. The spacing of the individual sockets in each set is again based on having the sockets of different widths being separated by a uniform even, approximately {fraction (1/8)} inch, spacing to give a visual symmetry to all the sockets on the rack. After finishing, this rack is attached horizontally to the lower inside face of the of the back panel (10) with the top of the rack, not including the pegs, approximately 21 inches from the top edge of the back panel and with its length running from the left side panel (11) to the right side panel (12). The ½ drive socket rack is 9 inches long and has seven {fraction (1/2)} inch diameter pegs extending vertically from the centerline of the top of the rack. These pegs are for holding a set of {fraction (1/2)} inch drive sockets arranged in descending order with the largest, approximately a 24 mm socket, to the rear and the smallest size, approximately a 14 mm socket, at the front. There is a small clearance space between the end sockets and the end of the rack and the rest of the sockets are arranged in a visually symmetrical order with even spacing, approximately {fraction (1/8)} inch apart, between each socket. After finishing, this rack is attached to the right side panel with the top of the rack, not including the pegs, 21 inches from the top of the right side panel (12). The front end of the rack is flush with the front edge of the panel, and the back end is tight against the front edge of the short and deep metric socket rack (22). The ¼ and ⅜ deep inch socket rack (21) is 9 inches long and has five pegs {fraction (3/8)} inch in diameter pegs and five pegs {fraction (1/4)} inch in diameter extending vertically from the centerline of the top of the rack. The {fraction (3/8)} inch pegs are arranged toward the back of the rack and the {fraction (1/4)} inch pegs toward the front in two slightly separated groups. The {fraction (3/8)} inch drive deep sockets, {fraction (11/16)} thru {fraction (7/16)} inch, are toward the back of the rack and arranged in descending size order toward the front. The {fraction (1/4)} inch drive deep sockets, {fraction (9/16)} thru {fraction (5/16)} inch, are also arranged in descending size order toward the front end of the rack. The spacing of the sockets in each set is again based on the adjacent sockets having differing diameters but separated by the same uniform space, approximately {fraction (1/8)} inch, between them for the visual symmetry on the rack. After finishing, this rack is attached horizontally to the inside of the left side rack 21 inches, not counting the pegs, below the top of the left side panel (11), with the front end of the rack flush with the front edge of the panel and its back end tight against the front edge of the short and deep metric socket rack (22).

[0022] The ¼ and ⅜ short inch socket rack (28) is also 9 inches long and has exactly the same description as the previous ¼ and ⅜ deep socket rack (21) except that this rack holds the short sockets of the same sizes. This rack is attached horizontally to the inside of the left side panel (11) with the top of the rack, not including the pegs, 16 inches below the top of the left side panel and with the front end of the rack flush with the front edge of the left side panel.

[0023] The spark plug socket rack (27) is 6½ inches long and has six pegs on the centerline of the top of the rack. The center points for the pegs on either end of the rack are {fraction (3/4)} inch from the ends of the rack and the center points of all the pegs are evenly spaced 1 inch apart. After finishing, this rack is attached to the inside of the left side panel (11) with the top of the rack, not including the pegs, 12½ inches below the top of the panel and with the front end of the rack flush with the front edge of the left side panel (11).

[0024] The adaptor-universal joint rack (25) is 6½ inches long with 7 pegs on the centerline of the top of the rack. From left to right, there are two ½ diameter inch pegs, three {fraction (3/8)} inch diameter pegs, and two {fraction (1/4)} inch diameter pegs. The center points for the two end pegs are spaced {fraction (1/2)} inch away from the ends of the rack. There is 1⅛ inch distance between the center points of the two {fraction (1/2)} inch pegs on the left, 1 inch between the center points of the second {fraction (1/2)} inch and the first {fraction (3/8)} inch peg, and {fraction (7/8)} inch between the center points of all the remaining pegs. After finishing, this rack is attached horizontally to the inside of the back panel (10) with the top of the rack, not including the pegs, 17 inches from the top of the back panel and the right end of the rack is 7 inches away from the right side panel (12).

[0025] After the panel is completely assembled, checked for defects, and spot sanded, it is sprayed with a final finish of polyurethane and dried. A padlock hasp plate (37) is located and installed with pop rivets on the outside of the right side panel 6 inches above the bottom of the right side panel and in the correct position to be used with the padlock hasp assembly (35) which is attached to the outside of the security cover front panel (31).

[0026] The completed panel is centered on the top tool tray (14) of the tool cart (13) and pushed tightly against the back of the top tool tray. The tool panel is attached to the tool cart simply by drilling a {fraction (5/16)} inch hole through the side wall of the top tool tray (14), then through the right side tool panel (12) at a point approximately 1½ inch up from the bottom edge of the panel and 1½ inch back from the front edge of the right side panel. A {fraction (1/4)} inch carriage bolt (15) is inserted through the hole drilled in the tool tray (14) and through the side panel and secured with a washer (16) and a locking nut (17). This attachment process is repeated on the left side of the tool panel and tool cart.

[0027] Description—FIG. 2

[0028] FIG. 2 shows a side view of the tool panel assembly (29) installed on the top tool tray (14) of the tool cart assembly (13) and secured to the tool cart with the two carriage bolts (15). Installed over the top of the tool panel assembly (29) is the security cover assembly (30) which is capable of being locked to the tool panel with a padlock through the padlock hasp assembly (35). The security cover front panel (31) fits flat against the front edges of the left (11) and right side panels (12) of the tool panel assembly (29).

[0029] Description—FIG. 3

[0030] In the current version of the security cover assembly (30) all parts are made of {fraction (1/2)} inch thick birch plywood. It has a front panel (31) which is 28 inches tall and 27 inches wide. The back security cover panel (36) is 7 inches tall and 27 inches wide. The security cover top panel (33), measuring 11⅛ inches by 27 inches, is secured with glue and screws between the front panel (31) and the back panel (36). The security cover right side panel (34) and the left side panel (32) are attached with glue and screws to the flush ends of the front, top and back security cover panels (31) (33) (36). The security cover assembly (30) is finish sanded and sprayed with two coats of polyurethane finish and dried. A padlock hasp assembly (35) is attached to the outside of the security cover front panel (31), 6 inches above the bottom of the panel, with pop rivets and washers.

[0031] Operations—FIGS. 1, 2, 3

[0032] The operation of this tool-holding panel invention is simple. The tool panel assembly is installed and secured onto a new or already owned mechanic's tool cart as described above. The mechanic chooses the type and sizes of hand tools he used on a constant basis and installs them in the racks designed for that type of tool. The panel is designed with some flexibility of choices for the mechanic. The tools he selects are installed in the arrangement designed into the racks and tool panel. Clearances are provided for long tools by the unique design and arrangement of the racks. When finished, a seemingly bare tool panel is now filled with easily removed tools. Because the tool panel is attached to the mechanic's tool cart, it can now be rolled to within inches of the mechanic's hands and work area.

[0033] At the end of work, the mechanic can place the security cover easily over the top and front of the tool panel and secure it from theft or tampering with a simple padlock. The tools having long handles, such as screwdrivers or pliers, which may extend above the top of the tool panel do not need to be removed since they are easily covered by the extra space provided in the top of the security cover.

CONCLUSIONS, RAMIFICATIONS, AND SCOPE

[0034] This tool panel was designed by a mechanic to solve very fundamental problems faced by all mechanics. This invention provides a number of functions and advantages currently unavailable in any known single invention.

[0035] 1. This invention is extremely simple in design and construction thereby reducing the complexity and cost of manufacturing.

[0036] 2. By mounting it on a tool cart already favored and used by nearly every mechanic, its acceptance and use will be quick and familiar.

[0037] 3. The matching wood grain and warm furniture-like color and appearance rather than seeming out of place, provides a small, bright, pleasing, personalized point of contrast to the rest of the cold metal and machines of the auto repair shop.

[0038] 4. The very durable finish is easy to keep clean with most shop cleaners.

[0039] 5. The tool panel and cart combination is relatively small, stable, and easily maneuverable in tight places.

[0040] 6. This tool holder is not cluttered with general work tools but holds only those specific automotive tools that are constantly used by a professional mechanic.

[0041] 7. The unique, compact, space-saving arrangement of the tool holders is designed to hold large numbers of tools without being crowded.

[0042] 8. The tool holders can be modified, or the tool arrangement changed, to suit the mechanic's individual needs.

[0043] 9. By using this tool panel and cart combination an automotive mechanic can easily bring all the tools needed directly to within inches of the work area and can be repositioned as the tasks change to different areas on the vehicle.

[0044] 10. The mechanic is relieved of the constant fatigue and frustration created by repeated trips to the tool chest which is often far from the work area.

[0045] 11. These essential tools are now securely stored in a vertical position, out of the way, in clear view, and within easy reach.

[0046] 12. The top tool tray is no longer cluttered with tools; now it is open, clear, and available for automotive parts or other uses.

[0047] 13. The security cover allows the tools to be left in place and ready for use at all times.

[0048] 14. The security cover ends the need to put away all of the tools into the tool chest at lunchtime or at the end of the day.

[0049] 15. With this invention the mechanic will save time and energy and become more productive and profitable.

[0050] 16. Because the tools are always set up in the tool panel, the mechanic can now begin work immediately in the morning and will be able to grab his tools quickly to take care of automotive emergencies.

[0051] 17. Because of the simplicity of construction and manufacture, the tool panel can be offered at an irresistible price for every mechanic to own.

[0052] 18. Different models of this tool panel can be easily made of metal and/or plastic to provide the advantages of these materials.

[0053] 19. Future models of this invention may be manufactured with the tool panel and tool cart being combined into a single integrated assembly.

[0054] 20. The functions and advantages of this invention are immediately obvious and using it for even a short time makes it indispensable.

[0055] Although the description of the invention above contains many specific measurements, arrangements, materials, processes, and design details, it is not the intention of this description to limit the scope of this invention. There will arise any number of improvements and changes to the invention which may include the use of other materials, construction methods, dimensions, or even the incorporation of the tool panel into the work cart as a single unit assembly. These changes will not alter the unique purpose, function, and advantages inherent in this mobile tool panel.