GB2141964A

GB2141964A - Connection of a hand tool head to a handle

Info

Publication number: GB2141964A
Application number: GB08411240A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Malcolm Adrian Haden
Original assignee: Spear & Jackson
Current assignee: Spear & Jackson
Priority date: 1983-06-23
Filing date: 1984-05-02
Publication date: 1985-01-09
Also published as: GB8411240D0

Abstract

The costs inherent in the provision of a socket on a hand tool head to fit over a handle are avoided and the efficiency of simply driving a spike-like tang formed on the head into the handle is improved by providing a resilient spigot 2 the cross-sectional shape of which corresponds to that of the inside of a handle 1, the spigot being a force fit within the handle and having a through bore or blind hole to receive a correspondingly shaped tang on a hand tool head, the tang being a force fit within the bore on the spigot. The bore and tang may be of non-circular cross-section, eg. D-shaped. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Hand tool This invention relates to hand tools, and is particularly, though not necessarily exclusively concerned with garden tools.

With all hand tools and particularly with garden tools, a significant part of the cost is the means by which the head of the tool is secured to its handle. Ordinarily, garden tools are provided with handles of circular section and it is known to provide an appropriate head with a socket to fit over the handle and be secured to the handle by pins, screws and the like. The formation of a socket on a head adds considerably to the cost of the head, and there is still further added cost stemming from the appreciation of the head on the handle and the placement of the pins, screws and the like.With other forms of garden tool, but usually the smaller variety, e.g., trowels and the like, the head is formed with a spike-like tang that is driven into a handle and whilst the costs of providing a spike-like tang are less than the costs of providing a socket on the head, the driving of the spike into the handle must be effected with accuracy and the resultant connection is not particularly efficient.

The object of the present invention is to provide a means of securing the head of a hand tool to a handle which avoids the afore -mentioned difficulties.

According to the present invention, a hand tool comprises a hollow handle and a connecting member formed as a resilient spigot, the crosssectional shape of the spigot corresponding to that of the inside of the handle, and the dimensions of the spigot in relation to the inside dimensions of the handle being such that the spigot is a force fit within the handle, the spigot having a blind hole or through bore to receive a correspondingly shaped tang on a hand tool head, the dimensions of the tang in relation to the dimensions of the blind hole or bore being such that the tang is a force fit within the blind hold or bore on the spigot.

Thus, in its simplest form, the handle of a hand tool is tubular and the connecting member correspondingly circular in section. Similarly the blind hole or through bore in the connecting member can be circular and when the tang on the hand tool head can simply be a round sectioned bar.

It is further preferred that the connector is a moulding of a resilient plastics material such as propylene ethylene copolymer e.g., polypropylene.

To prevent the connecting member from being pushed too far along the tubular handle, it is preferred to provide an abutment on the connecting member such that the connecting member can be forced into the tubular member until the abutment meets the end of the handle. Thus, the connecting member may be moulded with a head providing a flange to serve as the abutment means. To position the hand tool head, the head of the connecting member may be tapered inwardly in a direction away from the handle such that with a hand tool head tang forced down a through bore of the connecting member until it meets the end face of the head, the hand tool head is positioned and there is provided an aesthetically acceptable transition between the hand tool handle and the hand tool head.

Alternatively, the hand tool head may be positioned by forcing a hand tool head tang down a blind hole of the connecting member until it reaches the bottom of the hole, or a through bore may be provided with an annular flange along its length to be contacted by the end of the tang.

Two examples of hand tool connecting members will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation of one embodiment of hand tool connecting member according to the invention; Figure 2 is an end elevation of Figure 1; Figure 3 corresponds to Figure 1, but shows a second embodiment of the invention; and Figure 4 is an end elevation of Figure 3.

In Figures 1 and 2, a hand tool particularly a gardcn hand tool such as a draw-hoe or rake, has a tubular handle 1. Into the end of the tubular handle is fitted a connecting member 2 of, e.g. propylene ethylene copolymer of melt flow index 4 at 230"C/2. 16kg. The connector has a body portion 3 of circular section, the outside diameter of which in relation to the inside diameter of the tubular handle is such that the body portion is a tight force fit within the tubular handle. To assist insertion of the connecting member, the end section 4 of the body portion has an external taper, and to prevent the connecting member from penetrating too far into the handle, an integral head portion 5 is provided having an annular flange 6 to abut the end of the handle. The head portion also serves to blend smoothly the handle to the hand tool head 7.

The connecting member 2 has a bore 8 of circular scction, into which is fitted a tang 9 of the head 7, the tang 9 being of circular section and with an outside diameter that is related to the diameter of the bore 8 such that the tang is a tight force fit within the bore.

In Figures 3 and 4, there is again shown a tubular hand tool handle 1, a connecting member 2 of the material of Figure 1, with a tubular body portion 3, a tapered end section 4 and a head 5, and where the body portion is a tight force fit in the tubular handle. In this embodiment the connecting member is provided with a bore 10 that is non-circular in section, and a tang 11 on a hand tool head 7 correspondingly non-circular. Thus the bore and the tang are correspondingly part-circular with a flat 12, and have corresponding dimensions such that the tang is a tight force fit in the bore. In this embodiment the corresponding flats on the bore and tang enable precise orientation of the head in relation to the handle, and give added assistance in resisting any tendency of the head to rotate in relation to the handle.

The invention therefore provides an extremely simple, cost effective means of connecting a hand tool head to a tubular handle utilising relatively low cost components and avoiding any complexity in assembling the components together, and yet at the same time produces a most efficient connection between the hand tool head and its handle.

Claims

1. A hand tool comprising a hollow handle and a connecting member formed as a resilient spigot, the cross-sectional shape of the spigot corresponding to that of the inside of the handle, and the dimensions of the spigot in relation to the inside dimensions of the handle being such that the spigot is a force fit within the handle, the spigot having a blind hole or through bore to receive a correspondingly shaped tang on a hand tool head, the dimensions of the tang in relation to the dimensions of the blind hole or through bore being such that the tang is a force fit within the blind hole or through bore on the spigot.

2. A hand tool as in Claim 1, wherein the handle of a hand tool. is tubular and the connecting member correspondingly circular in section.

3. A hand tool as in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the blind hole or through bore in the connecting member is circular and when the tang on the hand tool head is simply a round sectioned bar.

4. A hand tool as in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the blind hole or through bore in the conecting member and the tang on the hand tool head are correspondingly non-circular.

5. A hand tool as in any of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the connector is a moulding of a resilient plastics material such as propylene ethylene copolymer.

6. A hand tool as in any of Claims 1 to 5, wherein to prevent the connecting member from being pushed too far along the tubular handle, there is an abutment the connecting member such that the connecting member can be forced into the tubular member until the abutment meets the end of the handle.

7. A hand tool as in Claim 6, wherein the connecting member is moulded with a head providing a flange to serve as the abutment means.

8. A hand tool as in Claim 7, wherein the head is tapered inwardly in a direction away from the handle.

9. A hand tool as in any of Claims 6 to 8, wherein to position a hand tool head, a tang on the hand tool head is forced down a through bore in the spigot-until the hand tool head meets the head on the spigot.

10. A hand tool as in any of Claims 1 to 8, wherein to position a hand tool head, a tang on the hand tool head is forced down a blind hole in the spigot until the end of the tang meets the bottom of the hole.

11. A hand tool as in any of Claims 1 to 8, wherein to position a hand tool head, a tang on the hand tool head is forced down a through bore on the spigot until the end of the tang meets an annular flange along the length of the through bore.

12. A hand tool substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures and 2 of the accompanying drawings.

1 3. A hand tool substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.