Ice axe

An ice axe which includes a handle/shaft having a gripping end and a working end, an axe head attached to the working end, and a grip attached to the gripping end. The working end of the handle/shaft is configured with a shorter cross-sectional dimension along an axis parallel to a plane in which the axe would be swung when used. The axe head includes a pick end and an oppositely disposed hammer end, with the hammer end including a sharp ridge protruding generally in the direction of the handle/shaft and transversely thereof so as to allow the hammer end to be used as a hook for ice pockets, rock ledges, etc.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates to ice axes used for ice or mountain climbing, and 
more particularly, to an ice axe which facilitates better penetration and 
gripping of ice on which the ice axe is used. 
2. State of the Art 
Ice and mountain climbing entail the extensive use of ice axes for 
ascending and descending ice, snow and rock, for positioning and driving 
anchor screws, bolts and pins, and for clearing obstacles. In ice 
climbing, the strength and safety of given placement depends largely upon 
getting the tip of the pick portion of the ice axe securely driven into 
the ice. Bulges in the ice or rock, or other obstacles, can inhibit 
driving the pick tip securely into the ice. 
Attempts to enable driving the pick of an ice axe farther into ice or rock 
than would normally be possible, has resulted in equipment designers 
putting an exaggerated bend in the ice axe handle near the pick. That is, 
some ice axe handles have an exaggerated bend in the direction away from 
that of the pick, ostensibly to accommodate bulges or other obstacles 
which might otherwise interfere with the handle and prevent the pick from 
being driven in sufficiently far. Problems with this approach, however, 
are that (1) mass (the bend) is placed away from the center axis of the 
ice axe resulting in a higher rotational moment of inertia and making the 
axe feel unbalanced and unwieldly, and (2) the rotational center axis 
typically does not run through the handle at the grip area so it is more 
difficult keeping the axe in proper alignment for swinging the pick into 
ice or rock. Of course, it would be desirable to provide an ice axe in 
which the distance between the extreme tip of the pick and the near 
surface of the handle is maximized while at the same time configuring the 
axe such that the center axis thereof extends through the hand grip area 
of the handle to thus provide greater stability and control in using the 
ice axe. 
Ice axes typically have a hammer head opposite the pick on the axe's 
working end. This hammer is designed primarily for driving bolts or pins. 
On conventional ice axes the hammer portion of the axe head is shorter 
than the pick relative to the center of the axe handle, and typically has 
a bottom surface that is flat. Additionally, the hammer is often provided 
with rounded flat side edges surrounding the hitting surface. This 
configuration causes the hammer head to function poorly as a means of 
engaging rock or ice and inhibits use of the hammer head for support on 
small ledges or in small pockets. Because of these concerns, some ice axes 
have a shorter pick opposite the longer standard pick, instead of a hammer 
head. While this configuration is useful for shallow depth hooking 
applications, the utility of a hammer is sacrificed. Thus, the user must 
choose between the ability to hammer spikes, etc., and the ability to grip 
in shallow pockets or rock edges. 
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of the invention to provide an ice axe which allows 
superior clearance of the axe shaft for a given length pick, without 
sacrificing stability. 
It is another object of the invention to provide an ice axe which minimizes 
the distance between the central axis of the handle and the hand grip area 
of the handle. 
It is another object of the invention to provide an axe which minimizes the 
rotational moment of inertia of the axe about central axis. 
It is yet another object of the invention to provide an ice axe that allows 
for maximum adhesion between the axe head and the handle, and between the 
hand grip and the handle. 
It is a further object of the invention, in accordance with one aspect 
thereof, to provide an ice axe with hammer head which can be used 
effectively to hook or hold onto narrow ledges or shallow pockets. 
The above and other objects are realized in an ice axe which includes a 
handle or shaft having a gripping end and a working end, with an axe head 
attached to the working end and configured for use as an ice axe. The 
working end of the handle has a cross section with a long axis and a short 
axis, the short axis being substantially parallel to the plane in which 
the axe is swung when used, and its long axis being generally 
perpendicular to the plane of use of the axe. 
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the ice axe includes a 
hammer head which is configured to facilitate hooking onto rocks and ice. 
In particular, the hammer head includes a downwardly extending sharpened 
edge for use as a hook in situations where available rock or ice pocket or 
ledge is too shallow for use of the pick end of the head. 
Other objects and features of the present invention will be apparent to 
those skilled in the art, based on the following description, taken in 
combination with the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
FIG. 1 is a side view of a conventional ice axe 20, which is generally 
comprised of a shaft 22, a grip 24, and a head 26. Conventional ice axes 
may have a curve in the handle as shown, or may have a straight handle. 
When in use, the ice axe 20 is held manually by the grip 24, so as to 
allow swinging the head 26 in a plane approximately along axis Y--Y. 
FIG. 2 shows a typical cross-sectional view 28 of the handle of the 
conventional ice axe of FIG. 1 taken along line A--A. In conventional ice 
axes, this oval configuration is oriented with the large axis 
substantially parallel to axis Y--Y, and the small axis generally 
perpendicular to axis Y--Y. 
FIG. 3 shows a side view of one embodiment of an ice axe 32 made in 
accordance with the present invention, to include a shaft 34 having a 
gripping end 34a and a working end 34b. A grip 40 (shown in phantom) is 
mounted on the gripping end 34a of the shaft 34, and axe head 42 (also 
shown in phantom) is mounted on the working end 34b of the shaft. The 
shaft 34 may be constructed of wood, metal, plastics, composites, or other 
materials suitable for application of the tool. One material suitable for 
use as an ice axe shaft is a conventional carbon fiber composite material. 
When in use, the ice axe 32 is held manually by the grip 40, so as to 
enable swinging the axe head 42 in a plane approximately along axis Y--Y. 
FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the gripping end 34a of the shaft 34 
of FIG. 3 taken along line B--B. The gripping end 34a of the shaft is 
enlarged at the bottom, and is oriented with its long axis substantially 
parallel to axis Y--Y so as to have relatively long sides 38 (see also 
FIG. 3). This orientation provides a shape that is strong and comfortable 
to grip. 
FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of the working end 34b of the shaft 34 
taken along line C--C of FIG. 3. The working end 34b of the shaft has 
short sides 39, and is oriented with its long axis perpendicular to axis 
Y--Y and its short axis parallel to axis Y--Y. The short dimension of the 
cross section of the working end of the shaft is preferably in the range 
of 0.75 in. to 1.00 in., and the long dimension of the cross section of 
the working end of the shaft is in the range of 1.1 in. to 1.5 in., with 
the ratio of the short dimension to the long dimension preferably being in 
the range of 1:1.3 to 1:1.6. The shaft 34 changes cross section 
approximately in the central region 31 of the shaft (FIG. 3). The cross 
section of the shaft 34 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 is an improvement over the 
prior art by providing a greater distance 48 (FIG. 3) between an extreme 
end 44a of a pick 44 of the axe head 42, and the nearest outside surface 
47 of the working end 34b of the shaft, so as to allow maximum clearance 
between pick 44 and shaft 34 for a given cross section of the working end 
34b. This also allows for minimization of the rotational moment of inertia 
about the central axis Z--Z of the shaft over the conventional 
configuration. 
The grip 40 and the axe head 42 may be anchored to the shaft 34 by chemical 
adhesives, mechanical fasteners, or any other method suitable for 
developing a strong, rigid and durable connection. Also shown in the shaft 
34 are geometric irregularities formed in the surface of the working end 
34b, in the regions designated 36, and in the surface of the gripping end 
34a. These irregularities may comprise grooves (as shown circumferentially 
in FIG. 3), ridges, dimples, or similar structures for promoting a strong 
and durable chemical adhesive connection, and may be formed in any 
location or configuration in the gripping end 34a and the working end 34b 
of the shaft 34. These irregularities allow for developing a stronger bond 
between the grip 40 and axe head 42, to the shaft 34 with chemical 
adhesives. 
The axe head 42 is typically made of steel or other strong metal or alloy. 
The axe head of the present invention, one embodiment of which is depicted 
in FIG. 6, is comprised of a head 43, a pick 44 and a hammer 46 opposite 
the pick. The hammer 46 includes a striking face 52, a bottom side 54 and 
a rear or back 56. In FIG. 6 the bottom side 54 of the hammer end is 
formed with a sharp front edge 58 at the junction of the striking face 52 
and the bottom side 54 of the hammer head, so as to allow the bottom side 
of the hammer to engage rock or ice in a hooking manner, in addition to 
its normal use as a hammer. This configuration provides a hooking device 
which includes a distance 60 between outside surface 47 of the working end 
34b of the shaft 34 and the striking face 52. This distance 60 is 
considerably smaller than the distance 48 between the end 44a of the pick 
44, and the outside surface 47 of the working end 34b of the shaft 34. 
This allows the ice axe to be used for hooking in pockets or on ledges, 
decreasing the lever arm effect that if the longer pick 44 of the axe were 
used. This gives greater stability and security. 
FIG. 7 depicts an alternative embodiment of the axe head of the present 
invention wherein a sharp edge 58a is formed at the bottom side 54 of the 
hammer 46, located somewhere between the striking face 52 and the back 56 
of the hammer head. 
FIG. 8 illustrates an ice axe head incorporating an additional alternative 
embodiment of the present invention wherein a sharp edge 58b is formed at 
the bottom side 54 of the hammer 46 and located at the junction of the 
bottom 54 and the back 56 of the hammer head 46. 
As an alternative to the use of sharp edges at the bottom side 54 of the 
hammer 46, shown in FIGS. 6-8, a sharp point could be employed such as 
shown by dotted line 59 in FIG. 6. 
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the various specific 
embodiments described in this application are merely exemplary of the 
inventive principles and features of this invention as set forth in the 
accompanying claims and are not to be viewed as otherwise limiting.