GB2312465A

GB2312465A - A plasterer's hawk with a side handle and stabilising feet

Info

Publication number: GB2312465A
Application number: GB9613002A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Roy Anthony Kelly
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-04-24
Filing date: 1996-06-20
Publication date: 1997-10-29
Also published as: GB9608577D0; GB9613002D0

Abstract

A plasterer's hawk 1 is in the form of a trough 2 having a handle 7 or attachment means for a handle at one side or end. The trough 2 has substantially flat walls 3, is of V-cross-section and is provided with one or more feet 5 arranged to stabilise the trough in a level orientation on a horizontal surface. The handle may be inclined relative to the horizontally held trough by between 30{ and 60{ and it may also be detachable. Means for attaching a detachable handle comprise an inter-engaging dovetail arrangement 9, 11 on the handle and wall of the trough. Further a dovetail section 13 may also run beneath the trough to provide an alternative placement position for the handle 7.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN PLASTERER'S HAWKS This invention relates to a plasterer's hawk.

The classical form of plasterer's hawk consists of a flat square board mounted on a central cylindrical handle. Such have been known for very many years and have been made from a variety of materials, for example a plywood board attached to a wooden handle. They are currently available moulded from fibre reinforced plastics material.

Such hawks suffer from a number of disadvantages which it is an object of this invention to alleviate.

According to this invention there is provided a plasterer's hawk in the form of a trough having a handle, or attachment means for a handle, at one side or end.

This has the advantage of greatly simplifying the mixing of plaster and water.

Using a conventional hawk, it is necessary to pile the plaster powder, make a well in the powder pile and pour water into that well and then fold the plaster over into the well and mix the powder with the water, all the while keeping the hawk level so as not to spill the material. Mixing plaster and water using a hawk according to this invention is very much simpler. Powder is added to the trough and water is added to the powder, and they are mixed together. The material is retained by the walls of the trough.

Mixing and dispensing of plaster from the hawk is simplified if, as is preferred1 the trough has substantially flat walls and is of V-cross-section.

In the most preferred embodiments of this invention, the trough is provided with one or more feet arranged to stabilise the trough in a level orientation on a horizontal surface. Thus the hawk of the invention can be rested for example on a work bench or ladder plafform while plaster is mixed or at other times. It will be appreciated that a classical hawk cannot always be set down easily with its plaster holding face level because its handle gets in the way.

The trough advantageously has a capacity of between one half and two litres.

Such a capacity allows mixing of convenient quantities of plaster for immediate use. It allows the mixing of as much plaster as can conveniently be supported in the hawk and applied before it sets without strain to the arm of the amateur plasterer holding the hawk, and without the inconvenience of unnecessarily frequent pauses for mixing fresh plaster.

It is convenient to have a single handle which may be set at one end of the hawk.

When the trough is held level, its handle is preferably inclined to the horizontal by at least 30 , and most preferably by at least 60". This allows the hawk to be held level with the hand in a more natural position thus ensuring less strain to the user.

The handle may take the form of a closed loop or it may be in the form of a pistol grip. It may be shaped so that it is especially adapted to be hooked over and supported by a ladder in order to hold the trough in a level orientation.

In some particularly preferred embodiments of the invention, said handle is detachable. Means for attaching a detachable handle may suitably comprise an inter-engaging dovetail arrangement provided on the handle and the trough. In such embodiments, it is preferred that there should also be a corresponding dovetail section running beneath the trough. This allows the handle to be removed from the end of the trough and placed beneath it so as to allow easier and more relaxed manual support.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation of an embodiment of plasterer's hawk according to this invention showing a handle in each of two altemative positions, Figure 2 is an end elevation of the hawk without its handle, and Figure 3 is a view of the handle In the drawings, a plasterer's hawk 1 comprises a trough 2 which, in the embodiment illustrated is of V-form having flat inclined sides 3 and flat vertical ends 4. The sides 3 of the trough are provided with at least one stabilising foot 5 so that the hawk may be set down on a flat surface with its rim 6 horizontal. At one end, the trough 2 is provided with a handle 7 of pistol grip form which has an axis 8 aligned at an angle of about 45" to the horizontal plane of the rim 6 of the trough.

The handle 7 has an enlarged end portion 9 which incorporates a dovetailreceiving slot 10 which co-operates with a dovetail rib 11 formed on an end face 4 of the trough to secure it in position. Secure fitting may be ensured by providing a slight taper on the rib 11 if required. Altematively, or in addition, and end abutment 12 may be provided at the top of the rib 11 to ensure that the trough remains gripped by the handle. According to a preferred feature, a second dovetail rib 13 is provided on the trough, and this second dovetail rib 13 leads along the base of the trough. This second rib 13 is provided so that the handle may be slid along it to a position as indicated at 7a so that the hawk may be supported from beneath its centre of gravity during the dispensing of plaster.

The trough and handle may each be formed as an integral moulding of any suitable plastics material. Examples of such materials are polyethylene and polyamides.

Claims

1. A plasterer's hawk in the form of a trough having a handle, or attachment means for a handle, at one side or end.

2. A plasterer's hawk according to claim 1, wherein the trough has substantially flat walls and is of V-cross-section.

3. A plasterer's hawk according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the trough is provided with one or more feet arranged to stabilise the trough in a level orientation on a horizontal surface.

4. A plasterer's hawk according to any preceding claim, wherein the trough has a capacity of between one half and two litres.

5. A plasterer's hawk according to any preceding claim, wherein the trough has a single handle which may be set at one end of the hawk.

6. A plasterer's hawk according to any preceding claim, wherein the trough has a single which is inclined to the horizontal by between 30 and 60C when the trough is held level.

7. A plasterer's hawk according to any preceding claim, wherein said handle is detachable.

8. A plasterer's hawk according to claim 7, wherein means for attaching a detachable handle comprise an inter-engaging dovetail arrangement provided on the handle and the trough.

9. A plasterer's hawk according to claim 8, wherein there is also a corresponding dovetail section running beneath the trough.

10. A plasterer's hawk according to any preceding claim, and substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.