CA2227489A1 - Carpenter hammer - Google Patents

Abstract

A hammerhead made of tool steel and having in combination a pair of asymmetric claws and a magnetic nail holder, the holder being in the form of a T-shaped notch and a permanent magnet having a very high field intensity as compared to the conventional permannet magnet.

Description

CARPENTER HAMMER
FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention pertains to a Carpenter Hammer and in particular to a unique combination involving the claws and the shank.
The prior art illustrates two problems extant in the industry, namely the need for a hammer with specially shaped claws that can extract nails in inaccesible or hard to position areas. The art ;also recognized that it would be useful in many instances to secure a nail in a hammerhead instead of holding it between the fingers in order to nail the same, especially in locations beyond the normal reach of the user. Despite the existence of these two separate but related advances in hammer design, it seemed never to have occurred to those skilled in the art to combine theae separate and distinct features in one integral unit;
moreover, despite the statement of one patentee, that his magnet, unlike those of the prior art with respect to his patent, is superior in retention of magnetic flux force, there is no explanation in the patent as to why this is so. In fact the claims define his magnet as a conventional natural magnet. Similarly there is no structure indicated that would make his hammerhead more easily retrofitted into existing hammc:rhead.than any other of the cited patents.
It is therefore an object of this invention to design a carpenter hammer which combines the features of special claws and a magnetic device in the shank of a hammer.
It is still an object of this invention because of the combined features mentioned above is not only ergonomic: but also economic as well..
It is also an object of this invention to utilize as a nail holding device a magnet that has far greater flux than any of the aforementioned patents.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The carpenter hammer of this invention is a drop forged tool steel device that includes a pair of claws, one of which is a shorter claw with a flat end and a longer pointed that allows bent nails to be easily removed especially in tight places. The striking face of the hammer is scored and beyond the region of the claws is a square configuration. The top of the hammer extending from the striking facie contains a specially designed notch to seat a nail. A
powerful magnet is embedded just: below the notch to contain the nail while it is being driven into a desired object.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is an isometric view of the hammer.
Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a plan view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Fig. 1 show: a hammer 1 with a square head having a T-shaped notch 2 in the top of the shank 3 midway of its sides 3a. The notch portion 4, that is in a plane parallel to the top surface of the shank is semicircular and starts from a scored face 5, extending inwardly to such a distance as to accomodate the different size nails. The notch portion terminates in a transverse section 6 that is somewhat greater in depth than the notch to allow for the head of a nail 7. The head of the nail abuts firmly against the wall 8 of the shank adjacent the transverse section while the shank of the nail is firmly aligned in the notch. In the center of the length of the notch and below thereof i:; a cavity 9 wider than the notch and circular in shape. A
disk like permanent magnet 10 is placed within this cavity so that its upper surface is about flush with lower surface of the nail. The magnet preferably used is known by the TM "Magnequench" and is an alloy of neodymium, iron and boron. These elements are poured in a molten state into a chilled rotating wheel that produces flakes that are bonded with an epoxy resin, and are either crushed in a press to shape or subjected to a plastic deformation which causes the magnetic crystals to align in the direction of the deforming pressure. These so-called MQ3 magnets develop an energy product of 45 MGOe, approximately 10 times the magnetic field of conventional permanent magnets. The energy product is a product of Bx H where B equals magnetic induction and H
equals magnetizing force. The maximum energy product is defined as the point on a demagnetizing curve where the product of BxH is a maximum and the required volume of magnetic material necessary to project a given energy into its sun-oundings is a minimum. MGOe represents a million gauss oersteds. (See http:l/www.magnetsales.com/materials.html). On the side of the hammerhead opposite the striking face are a a pair of assymetric claws 11, wherein claw 11 a is a longer curved, pointed claw, whereas claw 11 b is a shorter claw having a flat end and whose bottom surface as seen in Fig. 3 has a far smaller area than its top surface. The result is a bevel groove 12 between the straight claw and the pointed claw.
The hammerhead is generally of thES drop-forged, tool steel type although wooden hammers can also be used. A
handle 13, attached to the head, is enclosed in a protection ring 14 to provide a more secure connection between the head and handle and to prevent damage to the head on impact.
In summation, starting a nail in a corner, for example is simplified using the notch and its associated ma~~net, while using the assymetric claws in the case of a bent nail, makes the task much easier. The scored face and square head provides an improved impact surface than the conventional round head hammer with the smooth face.
The invention, as it has been conceived, is susceptible to many modifications and variations as would be obvious to one skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (4)

1. A hammerhead having in combination a pair of asymmetric claws at one end and a shank portion having a magnetic nail holder:
a) said claws including a longer pointed claw and a shorter claw having a flat end, said shorter claw having a smaller surface area on its bottom, said claws defining a beveled groove between them, b) said shank portion having a T- shaped notch with a notch portion extending from a face of said shank portion rearwardly thereof for such a distance as to accommodate different size nails, said notch portion terminating in a transverse section having a greater depth than said notch portion to accommodate a head of a nail, said head abutting against a wall of said shank and a length of said nail being firmly aligned in said notch, a cavity wider than said notch and located about midway of said face and said transverse section and below said notch, a permanent magnet that is inserted into said cavity, said magnet having a high energy product expressed as Mega Gauss Oersteds (MGOe) and an upper surface that is about flush with a lower surface of said notch, c) said hammerhead being attached to a handle and a protection ring surrounding said handle at the point of attachment.
d) said magnetic holder enabling the starting of a nail that is not within an arm reach of a user and said asymmetric claws allowing easy access for removal of bent nails in tight places with the longer claw allowing pickup of heavy pieces of material.

2. A hammer head as in Claim 1 wherein said shank portion is square shaped and said face is scored.

3. A hammer head as in Claim 1 wherein said permanent magnet is in the shape of a disk and said cavity conforms to said shape, and said magnet has ten times the magnetic field intensity of conventional permanent magnets.

4. A hammer head as in Claim 1 wherein said head is of the drop-forged tool steel type.