Tool with extensible handle

An insert is disclosed for a tool having a handle extending from a first end adjacent to a free second end. The handle has a hollow bore extending therethrough with an axis of the bore generally aligned with an axis of the handle. The insert includes a body having a longitudinal axis and sized to be inserted within the bore at the free end and moved through the bore to an inserted position adjacent the first end. The longitudinal axis is disposed parallel to the bore axis when the body is in the inserted position. An anchor is provided for fixing the body in the inserted position. The body in the inserted position presents a first surface opposing the bore axis. The first surface is provided with female threads selected to threadedly engage male threads on an end of an extension pole sized to be received within the bore.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This application pertains to tools with handles. More particularly, this 
application pertains to such tools having means permitting use of an 
extensible handle. In a preferred embodiment, this application pertains to 
paint rollers with extensible handles. 
Paint rollers having operator engagable handles are old and well known. 
Examples of such rollers are shown in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 
4,254,529 and U.S. Pat. Design 262,075. The aforesaid patents show a paint 
roller having a hollow handle with a paint roller rotatably connected to 
the handle and perpendicular thereto. In use of the paint roller, an 
operator grasps the handle to perform the painting operation. 
As discussed in the aforesaid U.S. Pat. No. 4,254,429, an extension pole 
can be used with the paint roller. The handle bore is recessed such that 
an extension pole can be forced into the handle and by frictional 
engagement kept within the handle. Column 3, lines 24-30 of the aforesaid 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,254,529 notes that the prior art included threaded 
connectors by which a shielded roller could be attached to an extension 
pole. However, the aforesaid patent notes that the prior art threaded 
connectors were cumbersome and often difficult to use. 
An example of a threaded connector for use with a paint roller or the like 
is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,194,852 to Cupp, et al., dated Mar. 25, 1980. 
In Cupp, the threaded connector is exposed at the free end of the handle 
such that when an extension pole is connected with the handle a moment is 
generated at the free end. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an insert is 
provided for a paint roller where the roller includes a handle and a 
roller rotatably mounted perpendicular to the handle. The handle extends 
from a first end adjacent the roller to a free second end. The handle has 
a hollow bore with an axis extending generally in alignment with an axis 
of the handle. The insert comprises a body having a longitudinal axis with 
the body sized to be inserted within the bore at the free end and moved 
through the bore to an inserted position adjacent the first end. When the 
body is in the inserted position, the longitudinal axis is generally 
parallel to the bore axis Means are provided for fixing the body in the 
inserted position. When in the inserted position, the body presents a 
first surface opposing the bore axis. The first surface is provided with 
female threads selected to threadedly engage male threads on an end of an 
extension pole which is sized to be received within the bore.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
According to several figures in which identical elements are numbered 
identically throughout, a description of the preferred embodiment of the 
present invention will now be set forth. The present invention is an 
insert 10 for use with the shielded paint roller 12 and an extension pole 
14. While use of the insert 10 for a paint roller 12 is a preferred use, 
it will be appreciated that the insert 10 is equally suitable for any tool 
having a hollow handle. 
The shielded paint roller 12 includes a handle 16 and a shield 18. The 
shield is intricately molded to the handle 16 and carries a roller 20 with 
the roller 20 rotatable about its cylindrical axis generally perpendicular 
to an axis X--X of a bore 24 extending through handle 16. 
Handle 16 extends from a first end 28 to a free second end 30 with bore 24 
extending completely through handle 16 and exposed through second end 30. 
Bore 24 tapers from a largest diameter at second end 30 to a narrowest 
diameter at first end 28. It will be appreciated that a shielded paint 
roller such as roller 12 with a handle, shield and bore so far described 
forms no part of this invention per se and may be such as that shown and 
described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,254,529. 
Insert 10 includes an insert body 32 and a disc shaped anchor 34. Body 32 
includes a thin, semicylindrical wall 36 having a longitudinal cylindrical 
axis Y--Y. Thin wall 36 has a convex cylindrical outer surface 36a and a 
concave cylindrical inner surface 36b. Surface 36 is smooth and sized to 
generally conform with bore defining surfaces of handle 16 when the insert 
10 is disposed in an inserted position, as will be described. Surface 36 
is provided with female threads 38 which are selected to threadedly engage 
male threads 40 of extension pole 14 when extension pole 14 is actually 
aligned with longitudinal axis Y--Y. Preferably, either the portion of 
pole 14 with threads 40 or body 32 with threads 38 are tapered so that 
threading of pole 14 into body 32 causes body 32 to expand. In FIG. 3, a 
tapered embodiment of body 32 is shown, with body 32 narrower at an end 
adjacent the handle first end in the inserted position. 
Disc anchor 34 is connected to insert body 32 by intermediate 
semi-cylindrical connector 40. Intermediate semi-cylindrical connector 40 
has its cylindrical axis being aligned with the axis Y--Y of body 32. 
Intermediate semi-cylindrical connector 40 extends axially away from an 
axial face 100 of body 32. Two slots 102 are formed through face 100 on 
opposite sides of semi-cylindrical connector 40. Disc 34 extends generally 
perpendicular to axis Y--Y with disc 34 retained in generally rigid 
perpendicular alignment by bracing ribs 42. Slight flexing of disc 34 
relative to axis Y--Y is desired so that insert 10 is not easily pulled 
from a handle. 
Preferably, insert 10 is formed of unitary construction from injection 
molded plastic as is handle 16. A friction ring 44 surrounds exterior 
surface 36 to provide friction against the interior surface of handle 16 
as will be described. 
Disposed on the bore defining surfaces of handle 16 adjacent first end 28 
is a retaining ring 48. Ring 48 is sized to have a diameter slightly 
smaller than the diameter of disc 34. The diameter of bore 24 on a side of 
retaining ring 48 opposite first end 28 is sized to pass disc 34. The size 
of the diameter of the bore 16 opposite containing ring 48 is sized so 
that anchor 34 cannot be easily urged further toward free end 28. 
Upon insertion of the insert 10 into bore 24, the insert 10 can be pushed 
to ring 48. As the insert 10 is inserted, slots 102 permit 
semi-cylindrical connector 40 to flex relative to body 32. When disc 34 
achieves the location of ring 48, an operator, by engaging either an 
extension pole or other devise to continue urging of insert 10, can urge 
disc 34 past ring 48 such that disc 34 is locked on the side of ring 48 
adjacent first end 28. In this position, the insert 10 is now locked in an 
inserted position with the insert 10 adjacent end 28. Ring 48 is not 
essential to operation but is preferred to insure a tight lock of insert 
10 within handle 16. Friction ring 44 accomodates fluctuations in bore 
diameters to insure a snug fit of insert 10 within a handle bore. 
An extension pole can now be used with the pole having its threads 40 
engaging threads 38. An advantage of the present construction is that the 
threaded location is well within the bore such that any torque or moment 
is taken up along the length of the bore rather than at the end as would 
be the case in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 4,194,852. 
From the foregoing detailed description of the present invention, it has 
been shown how the objects of invention have been attained in a preferred 
manner. However, modifications and equivalents of the disclosed concepts 
such as readily occur to those skilled in the art are intended to be 
included in the scope of this invention. Thus, the scope of the invention 
is intended to be limited only by the scope of the claims as are, or may 
hereafter be, appended hereto.