GB2147242A - A handle, in particular for a hand tool - Google Patents

Abstract

A hand grip in the form of a tube of resilient material has internal lugs 32-37 shaped and spaced apart to fit within recesses provided on a tang to prevent rotation of, or withdrawal of, the hand grip relative to the tang and to form air cushions between the hand grip and tang. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A handle, in particular for a hand tool This invention relates to a handle, in particular for a hand-tool such as a pair of garden shears, but applicable to other implements such for example as a tennis racquet.

According to the present invention there is provided a handle comprising a tang shaped to provide a plurality of recesses therein and a resilient hand grip which surrounds the tang and traps air in the said recesses.

A handle in accordance with the invention, and in particular for use in a pair of garden shears, will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a handle of a pair of garden shears; Figure 2 is an enlarged view of part of the handle of Fig. 1, with part of the hand grip cut away; Figure 3 is a side elevation of the handle of Fig.

1, part sectioned on the line Ill-Ill of Fig 2, and Figure 4 is a section on the line IV-IV of Fig 3.

As shown in the drawings, the handle 10 comprises a tang 11 and a hand grip 12, the hand grip being in the form of a tube of resilient material, closed at its rearward end which has been fitted on to the tang by longitudinal sliding movement.

The tang, as seen in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, is a casting or moulding, in particular of metal, of skeleton configuration formed by three relatively flat and parallel-spaced longitudinally-extending ribs 13,14,15 interconnected by centrally-located longitudinally extending connecting ribs 16,17 and transverse ribs such as 20,21,22,23 at the inner end of the handle or such as 24,25,26 as seen adjacent the rearward end of the handle. The inner end of the tang at 27 has a smooth external surface which is stepped downwardly at 28 to form a shoulder against which the inner end of the hand grip abuts, the downwardly-stepped portion 30 forming a seat for the tubular end of the hand grip. At its rearward end the tang is formed with a solid boss 31.

The skeleton shape of the tang will thus be seen to form a plurality of recesses, and the inner surface of the hand grip is formed with a plurality of lugs such as 32,33,34,35,36,37 which are shaped to be received in the recesses of the tang.

Since the hand grip is designed to be slid on to the tang, each of the lugs is formed with a rearwardly inclined or swept back forward face to facilitate the movement of the hand grip over the ribs of the tang. Similarly, the rearward faces of the lugs are abruptly formed to engage against the forward faces of the ribs and prevent rearward movement of the hand grip after it has been fully fitted on to the tang, with its leading edge pressed firmly against the shoulder 28.

It will be seen that the recesses of the tang are spaced apart both circumferentially and longitudinally so that once the hand grip has been fitted on to the tang, the inter-engagement of the lugs with the recesses of the tang will prevent both rotational movement of the hand grip on the tang and longitudinal rearward movement of the hand grip.

The lugs do not extend to the bottom of the recesses of the tang into they engage, and since the hand grip will fit tightly around the ribs, a plurality of air pockets are formed between the lugs and the bases of the recesses in which air is trapped. Accordingly, the hand grip will have a resilience greater than the resilience of the material of which it is made by virtue of the air cushion formed by each of the air pockets. It will be evident that these air pockets can be shaped and located as may be required to give a desired greater or less resilience in selected parts of the handle.

The external surface of the hand grip can have a roughened texture over a major part of its surface and can be formed with ribs, where engaged by the thumb of the user, to give additional grip.

Although it is conventional in garden shears to provide handles which are straight (since it is normal to insert a straight tang into a straight bored cylindrical hole in the handle) the present construction enables curved handles to be provided on the hand tool as indicated by Fig. 1. These will preferably be oppositely curved, ie concave towards each other, in the plane of movement of the handles.

Features of the construction described herein for the subject of our copending patent application no.81.15702.

1. A handle comprising a tang shaped to provide a plurality of recesses therein and a resilient hand grip which surrounds the tang and traps air in the said recesses.

2. A handle according to claim 1 wherein the hand grip comprises a tube moulded from resilient material and having a plurality of lugs on its inner surface each of which extends into a separate one of said recesses without filling said recess.

3. A handle according to claim 2 wherein each of said lugs is tapered.

4. A handle according to any preceding claim wherein at least some of said recesses are defined between ribs which extend longitudinally of the handle and are interconnected by centrally-located longitudinally extending ribs and relatively short transverse ribs.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (4)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION A handle, in particular for a hand tool This invention relates to a handle, in particular for a hand-tool such as a pair of garden shears, but applicable to other implements such for example as a tennis racquet. According to the present invention there is provided a handle comprising a tang shaped to provide a plurality of recesses therein and a resilient hand grip which surrounds the tang and traps air in the said recesses. A handle in accordance with the invention, and in particular for use in a pair of garden shears, will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a handle of a pair of garden shears; Figure 2 is an enlarged view of part of the handle of Fig. 1, with part of the hand grip cut away; Figure 3 is a side elevation of the handle of Fig. 1, part sectioned on the line Ill-Ill of Fig 2, and Figure 4 is a section on the line IV-IV of Fig 3. As shown in the drawings, the handle 10 comprises a tang 11 and a hand grip 12, the hand grip being in the form of a tube of resilient material, closed at its rearward end which has been fitted on to the tang by longitudinal sliding movement. The tang, as seen in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, is a casting or moulding, in particular of metal, of skeleton configuration formed by three relatively flat and parallel-spaced longitudinally-extending ribs 13,14,15 interconnected by centrally-located longitudinally extending connecting ribs 16,17 and transverse ribs such as 20,21,22,23 at the inner end of the handle or such as 24,25,26 as seen adjacent the rearward end of the handle. The inner end of the tang at 27 has a smooth external surface which is stepped downwardly at 28 to form a shoulder against which the inner end of the hand grip abuts, the downwardly-stepped portion 30 forming a seat for the tubular end of the hand grip. At its rearward end the tang is formed with a solid boss 31. The skeleton shape of the tang will thus be seen to form a plurality of recesses, and the inner surface of the hand grip is formed with a plurality of lugs such as 32,33,34,35,36,37 which are shaped to be received in the recesses of the tang. Since the hand grip is designed to be slid on to the tang, each of the lugs is formed with a rearwardly inclined or swept back forward face to facilitate the movement of the hand grip over the ribs of the tang. Similarly, the rearward faces of the lugs are abruptly formed to engage against the forward faces of the ribs and prevent rearward movement of the hand grip after it has been fully fitted on to the tang, with its leading edge pressed firmly against the shoulder 28. It will be seen that the recesses of the tang are spaced apart both circumferentially and longitudinally so that once the hand grip has been fitted on to the tang, the inter-engagement of the lugs with the recesses of the tang will prevent both rotational movement of the hand grip on the tang and longitudinal rearward movement of the hand grip. The lugs do not extend to the bottom of the recesses of the tang into they engage, and since the hand grip will fit tightly around the ribs, a plurality of air pockets are formed between the lugs and the bases of the recesses in which air is trapped. Accordingly, the hand grip will have a resilience greater than the resilience of the material of which it is made by virtue of the air cushion formed by each of the air pockets. It will be evident that these air pockets can be shaped and located as may be required to give a desired greater or less resilience in selected parts of the handle. The external surface of the hand grip can have a roughened texture over a major part of its surface and can be formed with ribs, where engaged by the thumb of the user, to give additional grip. Although it is conventional in garden shears to provide handles which are straight (since it is normal to insert a straight tang into a straight bored cylindrical hole in the handle) the present construction enables curved handles to be provided on the hand tool as indicated by Fig. 1. These will preferably be oppositely curved, ie concave towards each other, in the plane of movement of the handles. Features of the construction described herein for the subject of our copending patent application no.81.15702. CLAIMS

1. A handle comprising a tang shaped to provide a plurality of recesses therein and a resilient hand grip which surrounds the tang and traps air in the said recesses.

2. A handle according to claim 1 wherein the hand grip comprises a tube moulded from resilient material and having a plurality of lugs on its inner surface each of which extends into a separate one of said recesses without filling said recess.

3. A handle according to claim 2 wherein each of said lugs is tapered.

4. A handle according to any preceding claim wherein at least some of said recesses are defined between ribs which extend longitudinally of the handle and are interconnected by centrally-located longitudinally extending ribs and relatively short transverse ribs.