US2798749A - Connector for two piece handles - Google Patents

Description

y 1957 M. HERMAN ET AL 2,7 ,74

CONNECTOR FOR TWO PIECE HANDLES Filed Oct. 5. 1955 INVENTORS Mos HERMAN SAM HERMAN United States Patent CONNECTOR FOR TWO PIECE HANDLES .Moe Herman and Sam Herman, Brooklyn, N. Y. Application October 5, 1953, Serial No. 384,254

1 Claim. (Cl. 287-108) This invention relates to connecting devices and, more particularly, has reference to a device of the type stated that is especially adapted for fixedly joining, in end to end, abutting relationship, adjacent sections of the handle of a mop, wax applier, broom, or the like.

It is one important object of the invention to permit manufacture of the connector at a minimum of cost, from a single piece of inexpensive sheet metal material, while still designing the same in a manner that will insure a wholly tight, strong connection between the sections to be joined.

A second object is to facilitate the manufacture and shipment of a device such as a wax applier in separate pieces that can be compactly housed in a relatively small carton, with said connector to be preferably secured, before sale of the device, to one of the handle pieces, and to be readily attached to the other handle piece with a minimum of effort.

Yet another object is to form one end of the connector with a tapered portion, that will taper in a direction away mm the other end thereof, said tapered portion to be so designed as to assume a constant diameter, cylindrical shape on extension of a handle piece thereinto, while maintaining a tight grip on said handle piece.

A further object is to provide, in association with said tapered portion, an opposite end portion having divergent wings adapted to embrace a second handle piece, said wings being bent into clamping engagement with the second handle piece to fixedly join the pieces to one another.

Still another object of importance is to effect a positive connection between each wing and the second handle piece, through the medium of inwardly struck, conically shaped, lugs adapted to bite into the second handle piece when the wings are bent into engagement therewith.

Other objects are to permit a connection to be made between adjacent handle pieces without requirement of any tools other than a simple tool of the pliers type; to reinforce a connector with particular effectiveness by a specially arranged series of outwardly struck ribs; and to facilitate the disconnection of the handle sections for storage or for other purposes.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a connector formed in accordance with the invention, as it appears prior to attachment to the handle sections.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevational view.

Fig. 4 is an end elevational view taken from the line l -4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing the connector and fragmentary portions of the handle sections to be joined thereby.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view in which the connector has been applied to the handle sections.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view on line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view on line 88 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a wax applier in which the handle sections have been joined by the connector.

The connector constituting the invention has been generally designated at 10 in the several figures of the drawing, and is formed from a single piece of sheet material which initially may be in the shape of a flat, rectangular blank, thus allowing manufacture with a minimum wastage of metal, with the design allowing quantity production at low unit cost.

When the device is manufactured, it is shaped at one end with a tapered sleeve 12 split from end to end as at 14. The slit or open-ended continuous slot 14 of the sleeve 12 is itself tapered as shown to advantage in Fig. l, with the side edges of the slit converging in the direction of the smaller end of the sleeve. It should be noted at this point that the taper of the sleeve, and of the slit formed therein, has been exaggerated in the several figures of the drawing for the purpose of clarity of under standing. in actuality, in a commercial embodiment of the invention, the taper of the sleeve, and of its associated slit, would be very slight, though distinctly a salient characteristic of the construction.

At its larger end, the sleeveis integral with a connecting portion or saddle 16 cut away transversely of the sleeve so as to be of semicircular cross section.

Integral with the saddle 16 and constituting an extension thereof is a clamp member 18 of arcuate cross section merging at its opposite sides into fiat wings 20 diverging in a direction away from the clamp member. Wings 20 are provided, adjacent their free edges, with inwardly struck, conical lugs 22, each wing having two of said lugs in the illustrated example. The number of the lugs of each wing may be varied, but it has been found that two will suflice in assuring a strong connection between the clamp member and the handle section received therein. In the preferred, illustrated form of the invention, the lugs of each wing are arranged in a series extending parallel to the longitudinal center line of the connector.

The connector, though fabricated of inexpensive sheet metal material, is of substantial strength, being formed with a specially arranged series of reinforcing ribs. The several ribs are struck outwardly from the material of the connector, and include a main rib 24 the ends of which terminate adjacent the opposite ends of the device. Rib 24 is arranged longitudinally and centrally of the sleeve 12 and clamp member 18, and that portion thereof extending along the sleeve intersects with auxiliary, transverse ribs 26. Two ribs 26 are provided, one intersecting with the main rib intermediate the ends of the main rib and the other being disposed at that end of the main rib that terminates near the smaller end of the sleeve.

Formed in the main rib, between the transverse ribs, is an aperture 28, through which a nail 29 or equivalent fastening element may be extended when handle sections 30, 32 are to be joined through use of the device.

When the handle sections are joined, the smaller end of the sleeve, which has an inner diameter slightly less than that of the handle section 32, is spread slightly to receive said section 32. To spread the sleeve, one can insert the bit of a screw driver or like tool in the smaller end of the slit, to exert a prying action on the slit edges tending to shift the same away from each other. The handle section 32 can now be extended into the sleeve, until its end registers with the inner end of the sleeve. The sleeve will now tend to spring back to its original tapered shape, but will be prevented from doing so by the Patented July 9, 1957 inserted handle section, The sleeve will thus be caused mass-amen constantdiametr, cylindrical shape as shown in Figs. 6-and--7-,- but while ofcourse exerting. a strong grip on the inserted section throughout the length of the sleeve, will be springably tensioned into particularly strong enga ement w'itlith' section atthe" outer, initially smaller end of the slee e? To insure against separation of the sleeve and handle section 32, a nail 29can be driven radially and'inwar'dly of the handle section, through aperture 28, at the option "of the user. Said 'nail' might be employed, for example, not forany lack of -a tight grip of the sleeve upon'the handle section, but to provideapositive means for holding "the sleeve and; handle section against relative rotations, H

The sleeve can be preassembled-with section 3 2 during the manufa ture of aicleaiiing' device such as a wax ap-' plier of the type shown iii'Fig'f 9, but this is not essential, and the ultimate purchaser can effect the connection'fb'e tween'section 32 andfth'e sleeve. 1 l i Asa'next'step in connecting the handle sections, the user' positions section 30' in the clamp member, in abuttingrelationto section 32. Wings20. are now bent inwardly toward one" another to 'the position shown in Fig 6, a pliers or like toolbeing used. This causes the lugs 22 tobite into the wooden handle section, as shown and the resulting handle can be usedon a wax applier in Fig; 8.

The device thus serves to fixedly connect the sections (Fig. 9) or any other implement, such as a broom, mop, etc.

While we have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of our invention, it is to be understood that we do no limit ourselves to the precise construction herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined-in the appended claim,

Having thus, describedour. inyention, what, we claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

A device for connecting handle sections in end to end relationship comprising a tubular body slotted from end to end, one end portion of said body being tapered and circular in cross section for encircling and gripping one of the handle sections, the other end portion of the body being semicircular and merging into lateral wing portions, said semicircular portion being adapted to, encircle the other handle section, a saddle portion connecting said end portions, lugs carried, on the inner. surface of the wing portions adjacent, the free edges thereot for, permanently attaching the wing portions tosaid other handle section, and longitudinal and transverse reinforcing ribs on the tubular body opposite the slot therein.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 367,584, Bartliffi Aug. 2, 1.887.-v 408,33 6 Breed Aug. 6, 1889 488,343 Baldwin Dec. 20, 1892;. 505,252 Phillips Sept. 19, 1893 55,64 9 Smith Mar. 17, 1896 1,073,828 Wallin Sept. 23 1913, 1,194,894 Standefer Aug. 15, 1916 1,248,328 Hoffman Nov. 27, 1917 1,377,101 Sparling May 3, 1921 1,972,653 Hart Sept. 4-, 1934 2,071,270 Dellinger Feb. 16, 1937 2,120,243 Droll June 14, 1938- FOREIGN PATENTS 5,585 Great. Britain Jan. 19, 1895 585,806 Germany Otc. 9, 1933

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