Staple removal tool

Claim 1

A tool for the removal of a staple employed for attachment of a cable to a support structure without damaging the cable, the staple including a pair of generally parallel spaced legs extending at least partially into the support structure on both lateral sides of the cable, the legs being interconnected by a crown which spans the cable and secures the cable to the support structure, the tool comprising: a head member having generally parallel spaced lateral sides and including a pair of outwardly extending, generally parallel flat plates spaced apart a distance which is less than the distance between the legs of the staple and which is greater than the lateral width of the cable, each of the flat plates being secured to a lateral side of the head member such that the plane of each plate is generally parallel to the plane of the lateral side to which it is secured, a workpiece engaging surface being located on each plate perpendicular to the plane of each plate for engaging the crown of the staple between the legs and between the crown and the support structure, the plates include a support structure engaging surface which is generally curved; and a handle member for engaging the head member in a manner such that the application of a force upon the handle member causes the flat plates to exert a force upon the crown of the staple to move the crown away from the support structure and to remove the legs of the staple from the support structure.