Adjustable rug hooking implement

A rug hooking implement in which a needle is longitudinally moveable within the confines of the longitudinally oriented body of a handle. Such movement is brought about so as to adjust the projection of the needle forwardly of the body. This is accomplished by the interaction between a threaded needle shank and an adjustment wheel. The adjustment wheel is mounted upon the threaded shank and in effect captured by a rear portion of the body. A longitudinally oriented body slot enables a pin to radially inwardly extend through the slot and in contact with the needle so as to prevent rotation of the needle and its threaded shank. As the slot opens through the outer surface of the body, it forms the means by which the forward and rear movement of the needle is regulated as well as an indicating device as to the exact position of the needle with respect to the body.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to an art or craft implement and particularly one 
adapted for hooking rugs and the like. Tools of this character usually 
include a handle with a tubular needle through which yarn or thread 
extend. The needle is pointed at one end whereby it may be projected 
through the fabric forming the foundation of the rug or other item so as 
to form loops at the backing face. It is therefore advantageous to be able 
to regulate the height of such formed loops and in this regard means are 
generally provided for adjusting the length which the needle projects from 
the forward end of the housing or body of the handle. 
Various mechanisms for accomplishing these end results are now utilized but 
the need still exists for a device of improved construction which 
accomplishes such overall results. A still further desirable feature of 
implements of this type is the provision of an adjustment device for use 
in the above described implement which also may be readily observable by 
the user such that the desired height of the formed loops may be more 
readily and easily controlled. 
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become 
apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection 
with the accompanying illustrative drawing.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
As may best be seen by reference to the drawing, the implement or device 10 
includes a handle 11 having a generally elongated body 12. The handle body 
12 includes a smooth wall bore 14 extending entirely therethrough so as to 
present openings at opposite forward and rear body ends 16 and 18 
respectively. The rear body end 18 includes an extension 20 which includes 
a pair of opposed generally planar side walls 22. The side walls 22 merge 
with the remaining portions of the generally cylindrical body 12 via a 
pair of opposed upwardly angled shoulders 24. The forward end 16 of the 
body 12 terminates in a radially outward directed flange 26. In that 
regard, the flange 26 serves to present an outwardly extending shoulder 
surface 28 which forms a convenient thumb and finger grasping area when 
the body or handle is used to manipulate the implement in the desired 
manner. The body 12 is also provided with a closed longitudinally oriented 
slot 30 which terminates at opposite ends thereof in front and rear 
surface walls 32 and 34 respectively. Slot 30 opens into the bore 14 and 
extends upwardly through remaining portions of the body. 
A needle 36 is adapted for positioning with respect to the handle body 12 
such that a part of a reduced diameter portion 38 projects forwardly 
thereof and part of a threaded shank portion 40 projects rearwardly 
thereof. The overall configuration of the needle 36 is that of an 
elongated tube, that is, it is provided with a longitudinal passageway 42 
entirely therethrough. The passageway is to accomodate a textile strand 
i.e. yarn, thread, etc. depending on the craft use to which the implement 
is being applied. The forward reduced diameter portion 38 of the needle 
terminates in a beveled point 44 which in turn is provided with an opening 
46. 
The enlarged shank portion 40 of the needle is preferably provided with a 
radially extending threaded bore 48 into which the threaded end 50 of pin 
52 is adapted for interconnection as best shown in FIG. 5 of the drawing. 
The pin 52 extends through the slot 30 and thus as hereinafter will be 
brought out prevents relative rotation of the needle 36 with respect to 
the body 12. 
In order to facilitate the adjustable longitudinal movement of the needle 
36 with respect to the body 12, an adjustment wheel 54 having an 
internally threaded bore 56 is positioned at the rear body end 18 within 
an opening 58 laterally extending therethrough and in such a manner that 
portions of the opposite outer surface of the adjustment wheel 54 extend 
above the planar surface 22. The outer surfaces of the wheel 54 may be 
provided with knurls so as to better facilitate thumb and finger 
engagement therewith so as to accomplish the desired turning action. The 
wheel 54 is thus held by its cooperative mounting upon the threaded shank 
portion 40 of the needle 36 and its disposition within the slot 58 from 
longitudinal movement with respect to the body 12. Accordingly, upon 
rotation of the wheel 54, the needle 36 is moved back and forth within the 
bore 14. As previously brought out, rotation of the needle 36 is prevented 
by means of the interaction of pin 52 with respect to the sides of the 
slot 30. 
Indicia 60 is provided on the outer face of the body 12 proximal the slot 
30 such that the pin 52 additionally provides a ready indication of the 
extent to which the forward portion 38 of the needle projects outwardly of 
the body within predetermined limits set by the co-action of the pin 52 
and with slot end walls 32 and 34. In this regard it should be clear that 
the needle 36 may move longitudinally with respect to the body until the 
pin 52 engages the forward end wall 32 and rearwardly with respect to the 
body until the pin engages the rear end wall 34. Thus the longitudinal 
extent of the slot 30 determines the longitudinal adjustment or travel of 
the needle with respect to the body. It should also be pointed out that 
once this position has been set as by turning the adjustment wheel 54, 
that the needle will thereafter not normally move longitudinally with 
respect to the body of the handle unless readjusted. Thus the craft 
artisan by merely occasionally checking the position of the pin 52 can 
determine that the desired maximum projection of the needle and 
accordingly that the formed yarn loops will be in the desired range. 
The diameters of the bore 14 and the shank portion 40 of the needle are 
such that they provide a relatively close engagement therebetween which, 
however, permits free slidable movement unless restricted by the 
adjustment wheel 54 as above indicated. Accordingly, wobble of the needle 
36 with respect to the handle is essentially prevented. In addition, the 
shoulders 24 provide a secondary area in which the device may be grasped 
between the thumb and forefinger and pushed in the desired movement 
through the fabric backing of rug etc. in the intended manner although the 
shoulder 28 formed by the flange 26 is primarily adapted for such 
purposes. In operation, a threading hook 62 of conventional design is 
utilized to hook a continuous strand of yarn etc. into and through the 
needle opening 46. Thereafter upon each successive thrust of the implement 
10 through the fabric backing or foundation of the craft item up to the 
point where the flange 26 engages the lower surface of such backing, the 
withdrawal of the implement through the backing forms a yarn loop of the 
desired height at the forward face of the backing. In this regard, the 
closed hole 46 in distinction from an open slot in the point of the needle 
assists in maintaining yarn or other strand in the desired postions within 
the interior of a needle. 
While there is shown and described herein certain specific structure 
embodying the invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in the art 
that various modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be made 
without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive 
concept and that the same is not limited to the particular forms herein 
shown and described except insofar as indicated by the scope of the 
appended claims.