US2086694A - Driving implement - Google Patents

Description

July 13, 1937. R. E. BEEGLE DRIVING IMPLEMEN T Filed Feb. 20, 1935 INVETbR. w -nb 6 I Patented July 13, 1937 UNITED STATES Arm OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in driving implements, and more particularly to the head structure of implements or toolssuch as mauls, sledges and hammers utilized for the driving placement of spikes, irons, nails and metal fastening devices generally.

It is a general object of the invention so to improve the head structure of hammers, mauls and the like as to provide a more favorable and efficient angle of engagement of the impacting surfaces with the object to be driven, such as a spike or nail.

A further object of the invention is to provide in the head of a maul, hammer or the like, a distinct rearwarclly extending neck, serving as a counterbalancing portion, whereby to reduce the usual rotative moments of the headin a manner to minimize handle'breakage and which further minimizes the'shock to the hands and arm of the user, incident to driving impact.

An additional object of the invention is attained in a maul or other hammer head provided with the aforesaid thickened neck portion for counter-balancing purposes in combination with obliquely set driving arms, thus conducing to less stooping on the part of the user, and a more comfortable driving stance.

Another object of the invention is attained in an improved driving surface, or a plurality of different driving surfaces, such that each of the driving heads, where more than one is provided, is best adapted to the work at hand, and tends, in view of the angle at which the head engages the driven'object, to prevent slippage of the hammer therefrom. I

Yet another object of the invention is attained in an improved self-centering driving head and face, such that the head, if slightly displaced with respect to the head of a driven spike, will tend to center or align itself axially with the driven object.

" A still further object of the invention. is attained in the provision of a self-centering driving head of such a nature that it is characterized by the absence of any sharp'edges, corners or angulate projections apt to spall or chip away from the body of the head under driving impact.

A still further object of the invention is attained in an improved head for hammers, sledges, mauls and the like, in which the two arms of the head are formed about divergent axes, with each axis at an angle somewhat greater than normal to the axis of the handle, whereby when driving in close quarters, a greater clearance is afforded the user of the hammer and whereby the hammer stroke is terminated at a more convenient angle than is the case when the head is formed about a single axis normal to that of the handle, and whereby, upon a more simple and natural driving movement, the axis of the striking portion of the head is more naturally produced as a continuation of the axis of the spike or nail, upon driving impact therewith.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear asthe description proceeds, and from the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a track maul constructed according to the present invention, a portion of the handle being broken away, and the driving extremities of the head being shown in section; Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the maul shown by Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan view of one of the driving faces of the maul appearing in Figs. 1 and'Z, and Fig. 4 is a similar plan View of the opposite driving face.

Referring now by characters of reference to the drawing, the handle 5 may be of wood as shown, and of usual form, although a metal or other handle may equally well be employed in utilizing the features of the present'invention.

'Ihe outer end of the handle 6 is, by preference, of oval or elliptical section, and corresponds in shape to the eye i through which it extends. The head end of the handle 5 is, according to known and common practice, provided with a metal wedge 8 by which the handle end is expanded into snug frictional engagement with the eye. Although I have shown the handle 5 in engagement with the eye 7 and assembled thereto by conventional means, it is my preference to employ a resilient shock absorbing connection for this purpose, such asdisolosed by my copending application of Serial Number 8986, filed March 2, 1935. It is the usual practice to form the two arms, ,such as 9 and ll] of a track maul, of different length, and to provide driving faces thereon of different diameters. It is preferred to follow this practice in the construction of a maul embodying the present improvements, in which, as best appears from Fig. 1, the arm 9 is of somewhat lesser length than the arm ill, the driving face portion ll of which is of somewhat larger diameter than the opposite face portion l2. As distinguishing the head of the maul disclosed from driving implements of the prevalent prior art, it will be seen that the axis of each of the arms 9 and ii! is projected outwardly from the usual position, so that the two axes are rectilinear and divergent with respect to the handle 5. It results 55 from this that when used for driving spikes for example, whether in a horizontal or a vertical surface, it is not necessary to bring thehandle 5 to as low a point, nor to swing in through as great an arc, as in the case of hammers, mauls or sledges of heretofore prevailing type.

It has been found by experiments conducted in driving track spikes with hammers of the type herein disclosed, that upon completion of the stroke the driving arm such as it tends, for rea sons hereafter discussed, to center itself over the head of the spike and by reason of the angularity of the arms 9 and H3, tends to locate itself so that its axis forms a virtual continuation of that of the spike being driven. The angularity of the arms 9 and iii is preferably such that when one of the arms, say It, is utilized for driving, the angular offset of the other arm such as 9, tends markedly to bring the arm in use, into centered relation with the spike or nail. Otherwise expressed, the angulate relation of the two arms provides a distinctly desirable balancing effect not experienced in hammer heads of the usual type.

Proceeding now to a discussion of the structure and advantages of the driving faces, it will appear from a comparison of the driving terminal and face portion H, with the opposite portion [2, that the former is of somewhat larger area than the latter. It has been known to construct the opposite driving faces of track mauls, of different diameter or area, and as shown, in a structure in which one of the arms of the head is longer than the other, to construct the driving face of the longer arm, of lesser area. According to usual practice and in the example shown, when the maul is to be employed for track spikes of standard form, the face portion l2 will be of a diameter, say, of one and one-quarter inches, while the face portion H is of a diameter of one and one-half inches. diameterlocated on the longer arm of the head, is of advantage in driving spikes between the main rail and a guard rail, or under other conditions wherein driving clearances are at a minimum. The larger face such as H of the present disclosure, provides the desired greater area of impact where clearances permit its use.

As will best appear from Fig. 4, the terminal and face portion of the arm l0, indicated gena track spike, the depression or pocket l3 will tend to center the arm ID so as to bring its axis into alignment or register with the axis of the spike being driven. It is importantly to be noted that, while the faces of hammer implements of certain types heretofore have been provided with a central concavity, those which have been noted are bounded by cornered or angulate elements, which,

as indicated by experience, are apt to spall or chip oif after a short period of driving usage. The rounded conformity of the annular bead I 4, and the gradual'merger of this portion with the outer surface of the arm and with the depression 13, effectively minimizes thisformer difficulty.

The terminal and face portion I l on the arm 9 The driving head of smaller I is of a general convex, part-cylindrical aspect as will appear from a comparison of Figs. 1 and 2, the radius of curvature being substantially onehalf the length of the arm by which the face is carried, such as 9. As in the case of the end l2, the end II is characterized by a marginal annular head 15 internally bounded by a circular channel it. This channel, and a smaller concentric channel I! constitute the outer and inner bounds respective of a smaller concentric annular bead or roll l8. A central button-like portion 19 is, similarly to the face I2, provided with a central concave depression 20. This depression tends, like the pocket l3, to center and align the arm 9 with respect to the spike being driven, upon impact with the rounded head thereof. It will best appear from Fig. 3 that the features l5, l6, El, l8, l9 and 29 are all, by preference, formed about a common center coincident with the axis of the arm 9. It will appear from the upper portion of Fig. 1 and from Fig. 3, that the structural features last enumerated merge gradually into each other along curved lines, and so effectively tend to minimize chipping or spalling as a result of driving impact. My preference in forming the driving faces, is that a chord of each face, in the plane of the handle axis, lies at an acute angle to the handle, and normal to the axis of the associated driving arm.

While the terminal face portion II is shown as carried by the shorter arm 9, and the terminal end face portion I2 by the arm Ill, it is obvious that the same design and conformity of the faces may prevail irrespective of whether the opposite arms of the driving head are of the same or dissimilar length; further, that either style of driving face may be employed on both ends of the maul or other hammer, to the exclusion of the other style or design, depending upon the specific use for which the implement is intended.

A further important advantage of the present design is embodied in a thickened neck portion such as 22, which, as appears from Fig. 1, is the rearmost central portion of the head. This portion 22 serves to load the rear part of the eye portion of the head considerably in excess of the loading of this part of the implement in accordance with prevailing practice. It has been found by repeated trials that this added metal serves materially to counterbalance the head, and to minimize the rotative moments thereof which ordinarily occur upon impact with the spike or other driven object. In the usage, particularly of track mauls, a great deal of trouble has been experienced in the breakage of handles, this breakage occurring in nearly all cases adjacent the eye, due to excessive shearing stresses in this zone, which have been found materially to be minimized by augmentingthe metal at this point. This counterbalancing effect is most advantageously realized ina maul of the general type disclosed, via, one in which the driving arms of the head are obliquely disposed at an obtuse angle exceeding the usual right angular setting, for example, by about five degrees. This angularity will, of course, depend upon the use for which the maul or other hammer is designed, upon the length of the driving arms of the head, and upon other factors of service.

While the invention has been described by specific reference to an embodiment in a track maul, it will be understood that the major features, such for example as the divergent arms, may be employed in the design of sledges, hammers, mauls and impact implements generally,

with the advantages noted. It is further to be understood that the present invention may be embodied in hammers or sledges for the driving placement of antisplitting devices for railroad 5 ties and timber, and as well for driving bridge spikes, nails and any other form of driven fastening element. Accordingly, the invention is not to be regarded as restricted except by the limitations of the claims hereunto appended.

I claim as my invention:

1. An impact driving tool of a type to be actuated by an overhand swing, such as a sledge or maul, and including a handle and a driving head formed to provide a pair of arms, one of the arms 16 terminating in a driving face portion and related to the handle so that the angle between said one arm and the handle is substantially greater than a right angle, and such that upon impact of the face portion with a driven object, the handle is 20 not required to attain a horizontal position, and

materially reduces the stoop of the person utilizing the tool; the other arm being also extended forwardly of a plane normal to the handle, whereby materially to improve the balance of the tool during the swing and upon impact.

2. In a sledge or like driving tool of impact type to be actuated by an overhand swing, a handle, a driving head formed to provide a pair of driving arms each terminating in a driving face portion, each of the arms being pitched forwardly of a line normal to the handle so that the angle between each arm and the handle is substantially greater than a right angle, and such that upon impact of the face portion of either arm with an object being driven, the handle is not required to be brought to a horizontal position, thus materially reducing the requisite stoop of the person utilizing the tool; the relative angularity of the two driving arms further being such that, as either thereof is utilized as the driving end of the sledge, the other arm due to its forward pitch, approximates a position of optimum balance of the entire tool upon impact with the object being driven.

RAYMOND E. BEEGLE.

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