Board straightener

Claim 2

A board straightener tool which comprises: (a) a U-shaped saddle having two spaced apart arms so that said saddle can be placed on a joist; (b) a hand lever; and (c) a pivotal connection between bottom end of said hand lever and one of said arms of said saddle so that said hand lever can come into contact with a board on top of said joist and by using leverage move said board to decrease size of a gap between said board and another board for constructing decks, wherein said hand lever includes a pry bar at top end so that when said hand lever is removed from said pivotal connection said pry bar can be used to increase size of said gap between said boards, wherein said pivotal connection comprises: (d) a shaft mounted transversely to said arm of said saddle, said shaft having a transverse aperture at free end; (e) said hand lever having a hole at said bottom end so that said hand lever can pivot about said shaft; (f) a washer placed on said shaft; and (g) a clevis pin placed through said transverse aperture at said free end of said shaft to hold said washer and said hand lever thereto, wherein said shaft is mounted at an obtuse angle to said arm of said saddle so that when said hand lever comes into contact with said board said saddle will twist to make better contact with said joist.

Claim 3

A board straightener tool which comprises: (a) a U-shaped saddle having two spaced apart arms so that said saddle can be placed on a joist; (b) a hand lever; and (c) a pivotal connection between bottom end of said hand lever and one of said arms of said saddle so that said hand lever can come into contact with a board on top of said joist and by using leverage move said board to decrease size of a gap between said board and another board for constructing decks, wherein said hand lever includes a pry bar at top end so that when said hand lever is removed from said pivotal connection said pry bar can be used to increase size of said gap between said boards, wherein said pivotal connection comprises: (d) said arm of said saddle having a threaded aperture therethrough; (e) a shaft having threads and a large flat head at one end and a keyway at other end, said threads of said shaft in engagement with said threaded aperture in said arm of said saddle so that said large flat head will be inside said saddle between said arms; (f) said hand lever having a hold with a keyway at said bottom end so that said hand lever can pivot about the unthreaded portion of said shaft; and (g) a key to engage said keyways of said hand lever and said shaft so that when said key is installed said hand lever will turn said shaft until said large flat head will contact side of said joist and clamp said joist to other said arm.

Claim 4

A board straightener tool which comprises: (a) a U-shaped saddle having two spaced apart arms so that said saddle can be placed on a joist; (b) a hand lever; and (c) a pivotal connection between bottom end of said hand lever and one of said arms of said saddle so that said hand lever can come into contact with a board on top of said joist and by using leverage move said board to decrease size of a gap between said board and another board for constructing decks, wherein said hand lever includes a pry bar at top end so that when said hand lever is removed from said pivotal connection said pry bar can be used to increase size of said gap between said boards, wherein said pivotal connection comprises: (d) said arm of said saddle having a threaded aperture therethrough; (e) a shaft having threads and a large flat head at one end and a keyway at other end, said threads of said shaft in engagement with said threaded aperture in said arm of said saddle so that said large flat head will be inside said saddle between said arms; (f) said hand lever having a hold with a keyway at said bottom end so that said hand lever can pivot about the unthreaded portion of said shaft; and (g) a key to engage said keyways of said hand lever and said shaft so that when said key is installed said hand lever will turn said shaft until said large flat head will contact side of said joist and clamp said joist to other said arm.