US3018497A - Tool having a hand grip construction - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 30, 1962 IN V EN TOR.

Zfiflamam Malfsan.

ATTOQN EY United States Patent 3,018,497 Patented Jan. 30, 1962 3,tl18,47 T061. HAVING A H. ND GREP CONTRUT10N Elchanan Echikson, South Grange, N.J., assignor to Red Devil Tools, Union, N..l., a corporation Filed Dec. 14, 1959, Ser. No. 359,332 1 Claim. (Cl. 15-143) The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in structural refinements in tools and is directed more particularly to the provision of a handle construction having general utility in the arts.

The invention resides in the particular construction, arrangement, combination, and relationship of the various elements, components and instrumentalities of a bandle construction for the tangs or shanks of bladed tools, such as putty knives, wall scrapers or the like, as exemplified in the detailed disclosure hereinafter set forth wherein the objects of the invention, as defined in the paragraphs below, will be apparent.

The invention, accordingly, embraces broadly the concept of a handle construction for the tangs of tools, such as putty knives, wall scrapers or the like, and it will be helpful to an understanding of my invention to first briefly consider some of the more important features and aspects thereof, so that the same may be kept in mind during the subsequent reading of the detailed description of the practical embodiment of my improvements and of the illustration thereof in the annexed drawing.

Accordingly, it is first to be noted that my invention may be embodied in any device having a handle construction affording an ample grip for the user of the tool.

According to novel features of the invention, the handle construction includes a pair of metal members, called shells, which are recessed on their outer sides and have inserts seated therein. The shells are superposed on op posite sides of a tang, and with the inserts seated therein, are riveted to the tang so as to form a rigid and strong handle structure.

The shells each have bottom longitudinal side, upper, and rear end walls with bolster portions at the inner forward ends thereof. The walls forming the shells preferentially are relatively thin, are formed from stiff metal, are made to provide the desired strength and rigidity, and are shaped to provide a desirable hand grip. The bolster portions are extremely rigid and strong, as is necessary in tools of the type to which the invention relates.

The parts are readily and easily assembled in the manufacture of the tool, and the means securing the components to the tang provide a tight connection not likely to become loose in the use thereof.

As a further refinement, the inserts for the recesses of the shells may be formed from numerous materials to provide the desired strength and rigidity. Wood, various types of plastic, vulcanized fiber, hard or semi-hard rubber, and/or pressed products have been found to be desirable, and material for the inserts may be selected for the color or ornamental characteristics thereof, should that be desired.

In addition to the practical advantages which I have herein before ascribed to my novel handle construction, it will be observable that a chief feature of the invention resides in the combination of an elongated shell formed from relatively thin rigid metal to have an arcuate outer rear end wall and opposite longitudinal side walls extending forwardly therefrom in relatively converging relation to an inner forward end formed as a bolster, with the side and rear end walls having upper portions curving over inwardly and terminating in an upper wall, and with the upper wall provided with a longitudinal slot having side edges relatively converging from the outer rear end of the shell in parallelism with the side walls, and with rear and forward end portions of the upper wall at the opposite ends of the slot depending from the plane of the upper wall and terminating in parallel bottom Wall portions extending towards one another, and with the slot and rear and forward end portions of the upper wall and sides of the slot cooperating to form an insert receiving recess.

Further objects hereof are to provide a tool conformable to the desiderata of the preceding paragraphs and offering specific improvements in the various operating instrumentalities comprising same, which themselves are minimum in number, so that it is simple and compact in accordance with the demands and desires of manufacturers and purchasers alike and so as to provide distinct advantages in that it is distinctive in its appearance, practical in its value, durable in its organization, reliable in its opera-tion, and eflicient in its use.

These objects and other incidental ends and advantages, some of which will in part be obvious and apparent and some of which will in part be more fully pointed out in the progress of the disclosure, and to the end of attaining these and any other object and advantage hereinafter reasonably appearing, it will be explained that the invention consists substantially in the combination, construction, location and relative arrangement of parts, as described in detail hereinafter, as shown in the annexed drawing, and as defined with particularity in the appended claim forming a part hereof.

It will be apparent however that the physical embodiment delineated is only indicative of but one of the various ways, albeit the preferred exemplification, in which the principles of the invention may be employed and in which the component parts may be combined and arranged. Same is submitted as one best known embodiment of the invention in accordance with the patent statutes and is given with a view to illustrating and explaining the precise nature of the principles of the invention and their embodiment for practical use, in order that others skilled in the art may be enabled to adapt and modify them in numerous embodiments, variations and modifications, each as may be best adapted to the conditions of any particular use.

The protection which is sought for this invention is covered by the language of the specification and the spirit represented thereby and same is limited only by the prior art and the scope of the appended claim.

I wish it understood that the objects of the invention are susceptible of attainment by use of constructions different in certain respects from that disclosed, minor changes and variations in the size, shape, thickness, form and variations in size, shape, thickness, form, proportion, dimensions, integration, cooperation of material and/or type of subassembly an accessory utilized in the inven tion being previously reverted to, all without departing fromthe underlying principles, scope and spirit of the appended claim.

It is premised, however that such adaptations and/or modifications should be and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the below subjoined claim there being no intent to have this invention limited to or circumscribed by any specific details.

These above named objects we accomplish by means of such structure as will fully appear from a perusal of the description which follows and the illustrations in the accompanying drawing, where like characters of reference are employed to designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the shell component of the handle construction of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional elevational view on the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of an insert component of the handle construction of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a tool having the handle construction secured thereto; and

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view through the tool shown in FIG. 4.

With continued reference now to the drawing, which illustrates a typical and preferred embodiment of the invention for the purpose of disclosure and forms a part of this specification, I have shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 a pair of similar handle forming shells 2 with which my invention may be advantageously incorporated.

Each said shell 2 is formed from relatively thin and stiff or rigid metal to have longitudinal opposite side walls 4, and an outer rear end wall 6, all of which are vertically disposed. At upper portions, said walls curve inwardly to merge with an upper wall 8.

The rear end wall 6 is arcuate in shape, and the side walls 4 relatively converge therefrom to an inner forward end wall of the shell. Said inner wall provides a strong rigid bolster portion B which is desirable in handles of tools of the type to which the invention relates.

The upper wall 8 of the shell is slotted at 10, with the edges of said slot being disposed substantially parallel to the side walls 4 of the shell, as shown.

An outer rear end portion 12 of the upper wall 3 and an inner forward portion 14 thereof extend downwardly from the plane of the upper wall 8 to a pair of lower bottom wall portions 16, same being horizontally spaced from each other to provide an opening 17 therebetween. Thus, the shell is provided with a recess in which an insert is seated in the assembly of the components forming the handle construction.

The shell 2 may be formed by any well known metal working method, and the bottom wall portions 16 are provided with openings 18 and 20 for securing means. To provide the end wall portions 12 and 14, the bottom wall portions 16 and 16 are displaced relative to the plane thereof.

A pair of inserts are provided, such as shown in FIG. 3. Said inserts are formed to be receivable in the recesses of the shells, and may be formed from wood, pressed material, vulcanized fiber, or from any of the numerous types of plastic.

Said inserts are provided with openings 32, 34 and 36, having counter-bores for use as securing means.

In assembling the components of the handle construction, the shells have the bottom wall portions superposed on opposite faces of the tang portion 42 of the tool.

With the inserts 30 in the recesses of the shells, the components securing means extend through openings of the shells and inserts, as well as through openings in the tang. Such securing means may take the form of rivets 44, 46, 48, hollow or otherwise, with opposite ends thereof being disposed in the counterbores of the inserts.

Thus, not only is the handle construction rigid and strong because of the stifi relatively thin walled shells and inserts, but the bolster portions are rugged so as to withstand the usage of the tool.

The handle construction is. economical to produce, and provides an eflicient and comfortable hand grip for the user of the tool.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have described the principle of operation of my invention together with the apparatus which I now believe to represent the best embodiment thereof, but desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown and described is only illustrative and that my invention may be carried out by other arrangement.

It is to be further understood that the phraseology or terminology herein employed is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Although specific terms and expressions are employed for purposes of identifying various components, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation and are intended to be as generic in their application as the art will permit.

Without further analysis, the foregoing is intended to so fully reveal the gist of my invention and its construction and operation that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features which, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of its generic and/ or specific aspects. The substitution of equivalents and other changes, modifications and alterations as circumstances may suggest or render expedient, are contemplated since the invention is susceptible of such without departing from its real spirit or underlying principles. Stated otherwise, it is not desired to limit this invention to the exact construction shown and described as the objects hereof may be attained by the use of constructions different in certain respects from that disclosed.

The invention is claimed, broadly as well as specifically, as indicated in the appended claim, and same are desired to include within the scope thereof all of said suitable variations, modifications and equivalents by which substantially the results of the invention may be obtained through the use of substantially the same or equivalent devices or means. Accordingly, limitation hereof should only be made as determined by a proper interpretation of the subjoined claim.

What is claimed as new and useful is:

The combination with the flat tang portion of a hand scraper of a hand grip construction comprising a pair of elongated similar shells, each said shell formed from relatively thin, rigid metal and having vertically disposed longitudinally extending side walls and a vertically disposed outer rear end wall and a forward inner end bolster portion, said side walls of said shells relatively inwardly converging from the outer rear ends thereof, said outer rear and side walls curving inwardly to form a generally horizontally extending upper wall provided with an elongated slot, rear and forward portions of said upper Wall extending downwardly from said upper wall and terminating in horizontally-extending bottom wall portions contiguous with opposite faces of said tang portion, said slot and rear and forward portions of said upper wall and bottom wall portions providing an elongated recess, inserts seated in the recesses of the shells, and means extending through said inserts and bottom wall portions of the shells and tang securing them in rigid grip forming relation to said tang.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 656,457 Hirsch Aug. 21, 1900 2,271,290 Echikson Jan. 27, 1942 2,581,062 Allen Jan. 1, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 256,386 France May 15, 1896

Images