Abstract:
A hand-held instrument has a business end and a handle attached to the business end. The handle has a gripping portion and a longitudinal axis. A knob is provided on the gripping portion of the handle to facilitate the wielding of the hand-held instrument. The knob is disposed such that it projects away from the handle in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the handle. In a preferred, but not required embodiment, the knob is removably attached to the handle by a quick release attachment device. In a typical, but not required, such embodiment, the quick release attachment device includes a male connection pin disposed within the knob and a female receptor disposed within the hand tool.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/773,992 filed Feb. 6, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,017,236, which was a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/864,519 filed May 23, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,732,411. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention is directed to hand tools for pounding, chopping or swinging, such as hammers and hatchets. The invention addresses the problem of how to maximize control of the tool and minimize fatigue to the user of the tool. 

   
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     These features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims and accompanying figures where: 
       FIG. 1  is a side view of a basket having features of the invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a bottom side view of the basket illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a reverse side view of the basket illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a butt end view of the basket illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 5  is an exploded view of the basket illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a side view of a tool carrying the basket illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the tool being shown engaged with a safety scabbard; 
       FIG. 7  is a detail view of the tool illustrated in  FIG. 6 ; 
       FIG. 8  is a detail view of the hand tool illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the tool being shown disengaged from the safety scabbard; 
       FIG. 9  is an exploded view of a grip guard having features of the invention; 
       FIG. 10  is a back side view of the grip guard illustrated in  FIG. 9 ; 
       FIG. 11  is an end view of the grip guard illustrated in  FIG. 9 ; 
       FIG. 12  is a side view of the grip guard illustrated in  FIG. 9 ; 
       FIG. 13  is a side view of a handle carrying a grip guard having features of the invention; 
       FIG. 14  illustrates the hand tool and grip guard combination illustrated in  FIG. 13 , wherein the combination is being gripped by the user in an alternative manner; 
       FIG. 15  is a isometric view of a hand tool and thumb spur combination having features of the invention; 
       FIG. 16  is a cross-sectional side view of the thumb spur illustrated in  FIG. 15 ; 
       FIG. 17  is a isometric view of a handle and thumb spur combination having features of the invention; 
       FIG. 18  is an isometric view of an alternative hand tool and thumb spur combination having features of the invention; 
       FIG. 19  is an isometric view of a hand tool, thumb spur and chrysalis combination having features of the invention, wherein the chrysalis is shown in a pre-wrapped position; 
       FIG. 20  is an isometric view of the combination of  FIG. 19  showing the chrysalis attached to the handle; and 
       FIG. 21  is an isometric view of the combination illustrated in  FIG. 20 , showing the combination in use. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   The following discussion describes in detail one embodiment of the invention and several variations of that embodiment. This discussion should not be construed, however, as limiting the invention to those particular embodiments. Practitioners skilled in the art will recognize numerous other embodiments as well. 
   In yet another embedment of the invention, one or more of the worker&#39;s hand tools  12  are readily attachable and deattachable by a lanyard  14  which prevents the hand tool  12  from falling away from the worker. 
   The lanyard  14  comprises a short length of flexible cable  16  retained on a cable retainer spool  14 . At the free end  20  of the cable  16  is a tool attachment connector  22  which allows the lanyard  14  to be readily attached to and deattached from a hand tool  12 . The cable  16  is typically made from a thin metallic material. Other materials, such as nylon cord, chain, braided cable, woven elastic cord (“bungee cord”), plastic mono-filament line (“fishing line”), and even string can also be used. Typically, the cable  12  has a length of between about 2 feet and about 4 feet. 
   The cable  16  should be sufficiently strong so as to not break when a hand tool  12  used with the lanyard  14  is inadvertently dropped by the user. The cable  16  also should be sufficiently flexible to allow full use of the hand tool  12  when the hand tool  12  is attached to the lanyard  14 . 
   The cable retainer spool  18  typically comprises a rotatable spool  24  disposed within a spool housing  26 . Preferably, the rotatable spool  24  is spring mounted within the spool housing  26  so as to make the cable  16  retractable. Preferably, the spring mounted rotatable spool  24  only exerts sufficient force to draw the cable  16  back into the cable housing  26  when the tool  12  to which the lanyard  14  is attached is not in use. 
   The spool housing  26  can be conveniently housed within a pouch  28 , such as a leather pouch, as illustrated in the drawings. 
   The lanyard  14  further comprises a retainer spool attachment device  30 , such as clips, clamps or other mechanical attachment means which facilitate the rapid attachment and deattachment of the cable retainer spool  24  to the person of the user or to a solid object proximate to where the user is working.  FIGS. 11 and 12  illustrate how the cable retainer spool  24  is attached to the shoulder strap  31  of the user.  FIGS. 1-3  illustrate how the cable retainer spool  24  is attached to the worker&#39;s tool belt  32 .  FIGS. 6 ,  8  and  10  illustrate the attachment of the cable retainer spool  24  to the wrist of the user using a wrist band  34 . The wrist band  34  is typically made from a nylon cloth or leather construction. The wrist band  34  has the additional advantage of acting as an elastic bandage, thereby supporting the wrist and reducing fatigue in the wrist. Typically, the wrist band  34  is attachable and deattachable to the user using hook and loop fasteners or snaps. 
   The tool attachment connector  22  is preferably of the “snap-on” variety, wherein the tool attachment connector can be readily attached and de-attached from a corresponding lanyard receiving connector  36  located within a hand tool  12 . In a preferred embodiment, the tool attachment connector  22  is a push-release, spring-loaded, ball bearing locking pin, as illustrated in  FIG. 7 . In this embodiment, the tool attachment connector  22  is a male-type connector adapted to be received and retained within a corresponding female receptor  40 . This female connector  40  comprises an inwardly projecting flange  42  suitable for engaging and retaining retractable projection members  44 , such as ball bearings disposed within the tool attachment connector  22 . In a typical embodiment, the tool attachment connector  22  is readily disengaged from the lanyard receiving connector  36  in the hand tool  12  by depressing a spring-loaded button  46  on the back side  48  of the tool attachment connector  22 . 
   Other attachment devices can also be used as the tool attachment connector  22 , such as clips, screws, snaps, clamps, hook and loop fasteners and the like. 
   As illustrated in the drawings, lanyard receiving connectors  36  can be disposed within a wide variety of hand tools  12 , including tape measures, screwdrivers, hammers, axes, pliers, screw guns and cutting tools. 
   In one embodiment of the invention, the lanyard receiving connector  36  is disposed within a removable handle gripping pad  48  as illustrated in  FIGS. 3-5 . In this embodiment, the handle gripping pad  48  can be easily attached and deattached from the handle  50  of a hand tool  12  by hook and loop fasteners or snaps. 
   The lanyard  14  can be used in a wide variety of activities where the dropping of tools  12  presents a significant problem, such as high construction, welding, electrical and telephone work. Also, the lanyard  14  is useful in scuba diving, sky diving, rock climbing, mineralogy, ice climbing, fire fighting and aerial rescue efforts. 
   In operation, a worker intending to use a particular hand tool  12  disposed within the worker&#39;s tool belt  32  first grips the tool attachment connector  22  and pulls a length of the cable  16  out from the cable retainer spool  18  sufficient to reach the hand tool  12  to be used. Next, the worker snaps the tool attachment connector  22  into the corresponding lanyard receiving connector  36  disposed within the tool  12 . The worker then uses the hand tool  12  in the usual manner. The fact that the hand tool  12  is tethered to the lanyard  14  does not effect the use of the tool  12  because the retractive force of the spring within the cable retainer spool  18  is almost imperceptibly slight. If the worker should inadvertently drop the tool  12  during its use, the tool  12  only falls the distance of the cable  16 . Since the cable  16  is typically only about 3 feet in length, the inadvertently dropping of the tool  12  causes no danger to the tool  12  itself or to other individuals working beneath the worker. When the worker is finished with the hand tool  12 , the hand tool  12  is disposed back into the worker&#39;s tool belt  32  and the tool attachment connector  22  can be removed from the lanyard receiving connector  36 . The lanyard  14  is then ready to be used with a different tool  12  to be selected by the worker from his or her tool belt  32 . 
   In one embodiment of the invention, the base end  12  of a hand tool handle  14  is provided with a “basket”  16  as illustrated in  FIGS. 1-8 . The basket  16  comprises a “knuckle guard”  18  made from a metal or strong plastic. The knuckle guard  18  comprises one or more finger openings  20 . In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the knuckle guard  18  is attached to the underside  22  of the base end  12  of the hand tool handle  14  with a rear plate  24  and a pair of clamps  26 . In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, both the rear plate  24  and the clamps  26  are secured by screws  28 . 
   The basket  16  can be used with a hand-tool which is a hammer or a hatchet. 
   The basket  16  provides the user with additional gripping surfaces  30 , making it less arduous to securely hold the handle  14  of the tool  32  during use. This makes it less likely that the user will lose control of the tool  32 . It also results in markedly decreased fatigue to the hand muscles of the user, especially after prolonged use of the tool  32 . The knuckle guard  18  also protects the fingers of the user from injury due to inadvertent contact of the user&#39;s fingers with hard and/or sharp surfaces existing within the work area. 
   In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the knuckle guard  18  includes a forward facing opening  34  which allows a hand tool  34  using the basket  16  to be readily inserted and removed from my safety scabbard invention  33  disclosed in my pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/417,529, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,237,822, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by this reference. The forward facing opening  34  is adapted to surround the guide rail  35  of the safety scabbard  33  as illustrated in  FIGS. 6-8 . 
   In another embodiment, the invention is a “grip guard”  36  illustrated in  FIGS. 9-14 . Like the basket  16 , the grip guard  36  comprises a knuckle guard  38  having one or more finger holes  40 . 
   In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the grip guard  36  is attached to the base end  12  of the tool handle  14  using a single snap-on male connection pin  42  and one locator pin  44 . Both pins  42  and  44  are adapted to be received within corresponding holes  46  disposed within the base end  12  of the hand tool handle  14 . The hole  46  in the handle  14  which receives the male connection pin  42  comprises a corresponding female connector  48  adapted to rigidly retain the male connection pin  42  during use. The male connection pin  42  and the female connection pin  48  can be of the same types illustrated in  FIG. 16 . The embodiment of the grip guard  36  illustrated in the drawings is easily attached and deattached from the base end  12  of the hand tool handle  14  by depressing a spring loaded button  50  on the outside surface  52  of the grip guard  36  to release ball bearings (not shown) projecting laterally into the female connector  48 . 
   Additional snap-on connection pins  42  can also be used in the securing of the grip guard  36  to the handle  14  of the hand tool  32 . 
   In a preferred embodiment, the grip guard further comprises a lanyard receiving connection  53  suitable for attaching the grip guard to my lanyard invention fully described in my co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 09/864,520, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,487,756, entitled “Hand Tool Lanyard System,” which is incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference. 
   The basket  16  can be used with a hand-tool which is a hammer, axe or cutting tool. 
   Like the basket  16 , the grip guard  36  minimizes the chances that the user will Inadvertently lose control of the tool  32 . Also like the basket  16 , the grip guard  36  markedly reduces fatigue to the hand muscles of the user by providing the user with additional gripping surfaces  54 . 
   As illustrated in  FIG. 14 , the grip guard  36  also allows the user to conveniently “choke up” on the handle  14  of the tool  32  where required by the job to be accomplished. 
   In another embodiment, the invention is a thumb spur  56  as illustrated in  FIGS. 15-18 . The thumb spur  56  is a knob which is readily attachable and deattachable to the base end  12  of the hand tool handle  14 . In a typical embodiment, the thumb spur  56  comprises an elastomeric body  58  with a quick release male connection pin  60  disposed down the center of the body  58 . Typically, the body  58  is made from a soft rubber or synthetic rubber material. Like the snap-on connection pin  42  used in the grip guard  36 , the quick release male connection pin  60  allows the snap-on connection of the thumb spur  56  to a corresponding female receptor  62  disposed within the base  12  of the hand tool. In an alternative embodiment, the body  58  of the thumb spur  56  may be attachable to the handle  14  of the hand tool  32  via a threaded screw connection or other connection means known to the art. 
   The body  58  of the thumb spur  56  is typically between about ¾ inches and about 1¼ inches in length and has a diameter of between about ½ inches and about ¾ inches. Preferably, the male connection pin  60  is freely rotatable within the female connector  62  to minimize blistering of the user&#39;s abutting thumb or fingers during use. 
   The thumb spur  56  can be effectively used when attached to the side  64  of the hand tool handle  14  as illustrated in  FIGS. 16 and 17 . Alternatively, the thumb spur  56  can be effectively used when attached to the underside  22  of the hand tool handle  14  as illustrated in  FIG. 18 . When attached to the side  64  of the handle  14 , the thumb spur  56  provides the thumb and a finger of the user with additional gripping surfaces  66 . When the thumb spur is used on the underside  22  of the hand tool handle  14 , the thumb spur  56  provides the additional gripping surfaces  66  to the fingers of the user. 
   The thumb spur  56  has been found to provide additional gripping ability and control for a wide variety of elongate items. For example, the thumb spur can be used to increase gripping ability and support to baseball bats, tennis rackets, golf clubs, javelins, hockey sticks, pole vault poles, cricket bats, ski poles, hand gun stocks, rifle and shot gun stocks, archery bows, etc. Also, the thumb spur can be advantageously used on a variety of handled tools, such as rakes, picks, mattocks, hoes, long-reach trimmers, brooms, weed whackers, wheel barrows, chain saws, machetes, large knives, cleavers, tenderizers, pot and pan handles, etc. In fact, the thumb spur can be advantageously used with virtually any tool or other object having a handle. The handles of all such tools and objects are preferably manufactured with one or more female receptors  62  so that a thumb spur  56  can be conveniently used with the tool or objects whenever it would be advantageous to do so. 
   In another embodiment, the invention is a chrysalis  68 . The chrysalis  68  comprises a sheet of flexible material  70  adapted to be wrapped around the base end  12  of the hand tool handle  14 . Preferably, the flexible material is padded to provide comfort to the hand of the user during use. In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the chrysalis  68  is secured to the handle  14  using hook and loop fasteners  72 . 
   Preferably, the chrysalis  68  further comprises a control strap  74  adapted to conform to the back side of the user&#39;s hand. Most preferably, the control strap  74  is made from two opposed strap members  76  which are attachable and readily adjustable by hook and loop fasteners  78 . 
   In the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, the chrysalis  68  is further secured to the handle of the hand tool  32  using a thumb spur  56  disposed within a reenforced thumb spur opening  80 . 
   The use of the chrysalis  68 , especially in combination with a thumb spur  56 , has been found to markedly increase control and comfort in the use of heavy pounding and chopping tools  32 , such as hammers and hatchets. 
   Having thus described the invention, it should be apparent that numerous structural modifications and adaptations may be resorted to without departing from the scope and fair meaning of the instant invention as set forth hereinabove and as described hereinbelow by the claims.