WO2021030751A1 - Hawk for semi-viscous materials - Google Patents

Abstract

A hawk for semi-viscous material, such as drywall finishing compound, includes a panel with upper and lower surfaces and a perimeter. A handle is threadably connected to said panel and extends downwardly from a central portion of said panel lower surface. The panel includes hard-coat anodized surfaces, which facilitate cleaning and provide resistance to scratching and corrosion.

Description

HAWK FOR SEMI-VISCOUS MATERIALS

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application is a Non-Provisional of and claims priority in U.S.

Provisional Patent Application No. 62/886,788 filed August 14, 2019, which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates generally to construction tools for applying semi- viscous materials, such as drywall finishing compound (“mud”), grout, mortar and adhesive. More specifically, an easy-to-clean, scratch resistant and corrosion-resistant hawk for drywall finishing compound is provided.

2. Description of the Related Art

[0003] In the construction trades, joint compound and finishing compound are commonly applied to walls, ceilings and other surfaces with trowels, taping knives, putty knives and similar hand tools. Conventional application tools include “hawks.” A typical, prior art hawk comprises a panel mounted on a handle extending perpendicularly from the panel bottom surface. However, drywall compound, i.e., “mud,” tends to adhere to the top surfaces of conventional hawks. Drywall finishing compound and other semi-viscous materials can be difficult to remove, especially as they dry. Soap-and-water scrubbing may be required for proper cleaning. Such cleaning tasks divert construction workers from other, more productive activities.

[0004] Moreover, prior art hawks were susceptible to scratches from the metal tools typically used to apply the compound to building surfaces. Such scratches caused the material to adhere to the hawk panel surfaces, and could accelerate metal corrosion.

[0005] Heretofore there has not been available a non-stick hawk for semi-viscous materials with the advantages and features of the present invention. Such advantages and features include ease of cleaning, scratch resistance and corrosion resistance. Moreover, the dark panel surface of the present invention is easily distinguishable from the typical light - colored joint and finishing compounds. Drywall installers and other workers can thus glance at the hawk and quickly estimate the remaining material load thereon.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0006] The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the present invention illustrating various objects and features thereof.

[0007] Fig. 1 is a lower isometric view of a hawk embodying an aspect of the present invention.

[0008] Fig. 2 is an upper isometric view of the hawk.

[0009] Fig. 3 is an exploded view of the hawk, particularly showing the threaded interconnection of a handle and a panel.

[0010] Fig. 4 is an upper isometric view of the hawk with a load of drywall compound.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS I. Introduction and Environment

[0011] As required, detailed aspects of the present invention are disclosed herein, however, it is to be understood that the disclosed aspects are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art how to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. II. Hawk for Semi-Viscous Materials.

[0012] Referring to the drawings in more detail, a hawk 2 is shown which comprises an aspect or embodiment of the present invention and generally includes a panel 4 with upper and lower surfaces 4a, 4b and a panel perimeter 5. A handle 6 extends downwardly from a central portion of the panel lower surface 4b.

[0013] The panel surfaces are hard-coat anodized to facilitate cleaning and for resistance to scratches and corrosion. Moreover, hard-coat anodizing provides resistance to corrosion and scratching, whereby the useful life of the hawk according to the present invention is indefinite. Anodizing is an electrolytic passivation process, which is commonly used to increase the thicknesses of the natural oxide layers on the surfaces of metal parts, e.g., the panel 4 of the present invention.

[0014] The handle 6 is preferably mounted at a central portion of the panel lower surface 4b and extends downwardly in a direction normal/perpendicular to the panel back surface 4b. The handle 6 mounts a handle disk 8, which can comprise a resilient material for user comfort. As shown in Fig. 3, the panel 4 and the handle 6 are threadably interconnected. The handle 6 includes a mounting bolt 12 with a male-threaded shaft 14. A head (not shown) of the mounting bolt 12 can be embedded in a body of the handle 6 for resisting rotation during assembly and disassembly.

[0015] A panel mount 16 is centrally placed on the panel lower surface 4b and includes a circular panel disk 18 secured on the panel lower surface 4b by multiple flush- mount rivets 20. With the hawk 2 assembled, the panel disk 18 is engaged by the handle disk 8. A user’s hand gripping the handle 6 can comfortably engage the handle disk 8. A female- threaded boss 22 extends concentrically downwardly from the panel disk 18 and threadably receives the mounting bolt shaft 14. The hawk 2 can thus be easily disassembled into the panel 4 and handle 6, and easily reassembled.

[0016] In operation, the hawk 2 is loaded by placing a quantity of semi-viscous material 24 on the panel upper surface 4a (Fig. 4). The hawk 2 can contribute to worker efficiency by facilitating the removal of finishing materials from the hawk panel surfaces minimal effort. For example, drywall compounds can normally be cleaned with soap and water. Moreover, the hard-coat anodized surfaces can be black or some other dark color for contrasting with the color of the finishing compound or putty. Such materials are commonly white or similar light colors. The contrast with the dark-colored panel 4 enables a worker to observe material on the hawk at a glance, thus facilitating the worker scraping the material from the hawk panel surface efficiently.

[0017] It is to be understood that while certain embodiments and/or aspects of the invention have been shown and described, the invention is not limited thereto and encompasses various other embodiments and aspects.

Claims

CLAIMS Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A semi- viscous material hawk, which comprises: a hard-coat anodized panel with a perimeter and upper and lower surfaces; said panel upper surface configured for dispensing a quantity of semi-viscous material with a hand tool; and a handle extending downwardly from said lower surface.

2. The hawk according to claim 1, which includes: said handle being threadably connected to a central portion of said panel lower surface.

3. The hawk according to claim 2, which includes: a male-threaded connector on one of said plate and said handle; a female-threaded connector on the other of said plate and said handle; and said female-threaded connector threadably receiving said mail-threaded connector with said hawk assembled.

4. The hawk according to claim 3, which includes: said panel including a panel mount with a panel disk attached to said panel lower surface; said panel mount including a female-threaded boss extending downwardly from said panel disc; and said handle including a bolt with a head embedded in said handle and an upwardly- extending, male-threaded shaft threadably received in said boss with said hawk assembled.

5. The hawk according to claim 4, which includes: multiple flush-mounted rivets securing said panel mount on said panel; and each said rivet including a head generally flush with said panel upper surface.

6. The hawk according to claim 1 wherein said anodized panel is configured for soap-and-water cleaning.

7. The hawk according to claim 1 wherein said anodized panel is scratch- resistant.

8. The hawk according to claim 1 wherein said anodized panel is corrosion-resistant.

9. The hawk according to claim 1 wherein said handle includes upper and lower ends, said handle upper end mounting a handle disk engaging said panel lower surface with said hawk assembled.

10. The hawk according to claim 1 wherein said handle disk comprises a resilient, compressible material.

11. The hawk according to claim 1 wherein said panel comprises a dark color.

12. A semi- viscous material hawk, which comprises: a hard-coat anodized panel with a perimeter and upper and lower surfaces; said panel upper surface configured for dispensing a quantity of semi-viscous material with a hand tool; said panel including a panel mount with a panel disk attached to said panel lower surface; said panel mount including a female-threaded boss extending downwardly from said panel disc; multiple flush-mounted rivets securing said panel mount on said panel; each said rivet including a head generally flush with said panel upper surface; and a handle including a bolt with a head embedded in a body of said handle and an upwardly-extending, male-threaded shaft threadably received in said boss with said hawk assembled.

13. The hawk according to claim 12 wherein said anodized panel is configured for soap-and-water cleaning.

14. The hawk according to claim 12 wherein said anodized panel is scratch-resistant.

15. The hawk according to claim 12 wherein said anodized panel is corrosion-resistant.