Abstract:
A handle for use in conjunction with a trowel or other tool having a tang for joining with the handle. The handle is constructed of a pair of shell portions that mate together to form a handle body. Each of the shell portions have radially inward extending members, such as flat annular or washer-shaped members, that have central openings. The openings align when the shell portions are mated and receive the tool tang to lock the shell portions together. A series of spaced ribs on each shell portion mates with opposed ribs and with the tang to strengthen the handle body. The exterior of the body is covered with a two-part, generally resilient and comfortable grip or cover. The cover is formed by first injection molding a part of the cover on the body. Thereafter, the body is placed in a second mold to mold the second part of the cover. Both parts of the cover extend to the surface and provide a difference in color, durometer or both.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to a handle for use in conjunction with trowels and related hand tools. The handle is designed to provide a comfortable and conforming grip that allows the user to control the tool, while also being lightweight. 
     Craftsmen and tradesmen use various hand tools such as trowels for finishing concrete, plaster and the like on a daily basis. It is important to these craftsmen that the tools be lightweight and very controllable by the craftsman. Likewise, it is important that the grip be conforming to the craftsman&#39;s hand and be comfortable during many hours of continuous use. 
     Historically, handles for tools of this type were often constructed of solid wood. The wood could be shaped and formed to fit the hand of the user, but added a substantial amount of weight to the overall device and, because the wood was not very soft or pliable, was not always comfortable after long usage. 
     More recently, trowel handles have been designed that have a relatively open interior chamber surrounded by an outer shell. In such constructions, there are many different points of construction that must be considered. In particular, it is important to provide a grip that is easy and comfortable to hold, that allows the craftsman to fully control the tool and that is soft and pliable so as to reduce stress and fatigue associated with use. It is also desirable to design the handle so that the interior will resist the entry of water into the interior of the handle when the tool is washed or soaked in a bucket of water. 
     It is further important to provide an open interior to reduce weight, but also provide support the exterior of the handle in such a way that it is not easily collapsed or compressed by the grip of the user. It is also desirable to have a construction which is comparatively easy to assemble. Finally, it is also important that the user be able to exert forces against the handle to control the tool and that those forces will be passed on to the tool without slippage or extensive wear at the location where the remainder of the tool joins the handle. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A handle is provided for use in conjunction with various hand tools, especially trowels and the like, wherein the tool has a post that extends upwardly from the tool which in turn is attached to a rearwardly extending tang. The handle is mounted bayonet style on the tang. 
     The handle has an upper shell and a lower shell which mate together so as to provide an exterior surface which is then covered with a soft, pliable and elastic material such as polyurethane, especially a thermoplastic elastomer, preferably in two similar but separate molded components that are molded adjacent to each other. 
     Each of the handle shells has attached thereto a radially inward extending, relatively flat, annular member which has a washer-shaped appearance. Preferably, two of the annular members are positioned at the front end of each shell section and one at the rear end of each shell section. As the shell sections are mated, the annular members also slide together and interleaf or overlap to form a slightly spaced but side-by-side and parallel configuration relative to one another. An opening in each of the front annular members is square shaped and an opening in each of the rear annular members is circular in shape. All of the openings in the annular members are coaxially aligned and sized and shaped to axially receive the tang with the front openings grasping a similarly shaped front portion of the tang to prevent rotation therebetween. Preferably, the openings in each of the annular members is sized so as to snuggly receive the tang as it passes therethrough. As the front openings are not circular, this allows the handle to transfer forces without relative slippage so as to control the rotation of the tang and to likewise transfer the movements of the craftsman from the handle to the tang and then to the remainder of the tool. Likewise in this manner, the tang locks and holds the two shell sections of the handle together, both at the front and the rear. 
     The handle also includes a series of internal ribs which extend radially inward from the exterior of each of the shell sections at spaced intervals and which are sized and shaped to mate with opposing ribs on the opposite shell section as well as mate with and be supported by the tang. In this way, the exterior of each shell section is supported against collapse by the ribs and by the annular members. 
     The front of the handle mates with the post supporting the tang so as to generally seal thereabout. Likewise the rear of the tang is threaded and passes exteriorly through and out of the handle to be held in place by a nut. 
     The outer cover is applied in a two-stage injection molding process. In particular, the handle body comprising the combined shell sections is placed in a first mold in which a first component of the outer cover is applied. Thereafter, the handle body is placed in a second mold wherein a second component of the outer cover is applied. 
     OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION 
     Therefore, the objects of the present invention are: to provide a handle for use in conjunction with trowels and other hand tools which is lightweight and well suited to fit and be comfortable in the hand of the user over long periods of use; to provide such a handle which includes two shell sections that are secured and held together by insertion of a tang of the tool to which the handle is mounted; to provide such a handle wherein each of the shell sections includes radially inward projecting annular members that have central openings that coaxially align when the two shell sections are placed together and that are locked in relative position to each other by insertion of the tool tang through all of the openings; to provide such a handle having a series of spaced ribs that extend between the inner surface of the shells and the tang to support the shells and prevent collapse of the handle; to provide such a handle having an exterior molded over coating of a soft and elastic material suited for providing a good grip and sealing about the sides of the handle; to provide such a handle wherein the over coating is made of two similar but slightly different materials in a two-stage molding process to offer differences in color, texture, durometer and the like; to provide such a handle which is resistant to entry of water into the interior of the handle; to provide such a handle and tool which are especially well suited for each other and wherein the handle is adapted to control the tool and withstand forces exerted by the user; and to provide such a handle and tool which are especially adapted for use in conjunction with each other, relatively inexpensive to produce and especially well suited for the intended purpose thereof. 
     Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth, by way of illustration and example, certain embodiments of this invention. 
     The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the present invention and illustrate various objects and features thereof. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tool having a handle in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged and exploded view of the tool and handle showing internal portions of the handle and location of placement of a tang of the tool with respect to the handle. 
     FIG. 3 is an enlarged and fragmentary cross-sectional view of the handle, mounted on the tang of the tool, taken along line  3 — 3  of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 4 is an enlarged and cross-sectional view of the handle, taken along line  4 — 4  of FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 5 is an enlarged and cross-sectional view of the handle, taken along line  5 — 5  of FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 6 is a fragmentary and enlarged cross-sectional view of the handle and tang, taken along line  6 — 6  of FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the handle during construction showing two half shells of the handle joined and with portions broken away to show interior detail thereof. 
     FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the handle under construction showing the combined shell positioned in a first injection mold wherein a first component of the over coating is being applied, with the cross section of the shells taken along line  8 — 8  of FIG.  7 . 
     FIG. 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the handle under construction showing the combined shells positioned in a second injection mold wherein a second component of the over coating is being applied, with the cross section of the shells taken along line  8 — 8  of FIG.  7 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. 
     The reference numeral  1  generally designates a trowel having a handle  2  in accordance with the present invention. 
     The trowel  1  has a relatively flat metal blade  5  that is curved at the front end  6  and which has a linear rear end  7 . It is foreseen that the blade of such trowel can be constructed of many different types of materials and in many shapes, including metals and plastics having various degrees of flexibility in accordance with the intended purpose of the trowel  1 . A mounting bar  10  is fixedly attached to an upper side  11  of the blade  5  by welding, rivets, screws or the like. The mounting bar  10  had a generally rectangular cross-section and extends centrally and longitudinally with respect to the blade  5 . The mounting bar  10  does not extend for the entire length of the blade  5 , but is generally centered thereon. 
     A post  13  extends upwardly from the mounting bar  10  and is preferably integral therewith. The post  13  has a shield-shaped front surface  14  that widens somewhat with height and an upper or top arcuate surface  15 . A rear surface  16  of the post  13  has a similar shield shape, as the front surface  14 , but is somewhat flatter in a region  17  where the post  13  mates with the handle  2 . 
     Extending rearwardly from the post and mounted integrally thereon is a tang  20 . The tang  20  is relatively thin in cross-section and elongate. The tang  20  is positioned so as to be generally parallel to and extend along, but in spaced relationship with respect to the mounting bar  10 . The tang  20  has a frontward portion  22  that is square or otherwise rhomboid shaped in cross-section and a rearward portion  23  which is circular in cross-section. The tang  20  is approximately evenly divided between the frontward portion  22  and the rearward portion  23 . At the very rear of the tang  20  is a threaded tip  25 . When the handle  2  is mounted on the tang  20 , the rearward threaded tip  25  extends outwardly from the handle  2 . In certain embodiments the tang may have multiple sized rectangular portions and/or circular portions. 
     The handle  2  includes a body  30  having a first upper body section or member  31  and a second lower body section or member  32 . The upper body member  31  and lower body member  32  join together, such as shown in FIG. 7, to form a semirigid shell  34  that is enclosed except at the front end  35  and rear end  36  thereof. The shell  34  encloses an interior chamber  40 . The handle  2  has a longitudinal axis A extending from front to rear thereof. 
     Positioned in the front of and extending radially inward from the interior side of the upper body member  31  is a pair of annular disks  42  and  43 . The disks  42  and  43  are spaced along the axis A and are generally aligned perpendicular thereto. Each of the disks  42  and  43  is fixedly secured to the upper body member  31 . Each of the disks  42  and  43  also have generally central openings  44  and  45 , respectively, that are square shaped and have essentially the same cross-section as the tang frontward portion  22  so as to fit snuggly thereabout after assembly. The openings  44  and  45  are coaxially aligned. 
     The upper body member  31  also has a rearwardly positioned annular disk  47  with a circular opening  48  therethrough which is axially aligned with the openings  44  and  45 . 
     The lower body member  32  likewise has a pair of frontwardly positioned annular disks  51  and  52  each having a central opening  53  and  54 , respectively. The openings  53  and  54  are also square shaped in cross-section and are designed to snuggly receive the tang frontward portion  22 . The lower body member  32  also has a rearwardly positioned annular disk  57  with a circular central opening  58  that is positioned to be axially aligned with the openings  53  and  54 . When the upper body member  31  and lower body member  32  are joined together such is as shown in FIGS. 3 and 7, the openings  44 ,  45 ,  48 ,  53 ,  54 , and  58  are all aligned in such a manner that the tang  20  can pass therethrough and be snuggly received therein and further that the upper body member  31  and lower body member  32  are joined together to form the completed body  30 , as seen in FIG.  3 . When in such alignment, the upper body member  31  and lower body member  32  are also joined at an overlapping joint  38 , such as is shown in FIG. 7 to form the body  30 . In this configuration, the tang  20  secures the upper body member  31  and lower body member  32  together. The square-shaped or otherwise polyhedral shaped configuration of the openings  44 ,  45 ,  53 , and  54  at the front of the handle  2  is so shaped to transmit twisting forces or torsion to the tang  20  from the handle  2  without slippage. 
     When the annular disks  32  and  43  are positioned relative to the annular disks  51  and  52 , as is shown in FIGS. 3 and 7, the various disks alternate in position, that is, the disks are located from the front in order in the sequence  51 ,  42 ,  52 , and then  43 . Each of the disks  42 ,  43 ,  51  and  52  are slightly spaced from adjacent disks and are aligned so that the major dimensions thereof are perpendicular relative to the tang  20  and axis A. Likewise, the rear disks  47  and  48  are slightly spaced and aligned so as to be generally perpendicular to the tang  20  and axis A. Although spaced in this embodiment, it is foreseen that the disks, such as  51  and  42 , could be abutting or in contact with each other. 
     Positioned between the annular disk  43  and annular disk  47  are a series of spaced ribs including upper ribs  62 ,  63 ,  64 ,  65  and  66  and lower ribs  70 ,  71 ,  72 ,  73 , and  74  that are attached to the lower body member  32 . The ribs  62  through  66  are sized and shaped to extend inwardly from the upper body member  31 , generally perpendicular to the axis A and in such a manner as to engage the lower ribs  70  through  74  which extend upwardly from the lower body member  72 . The upper ribs  62  through  66  and lower ribs  70  through  74  also form an opening therebetween that receives and allows for passage of the tang  20  therethrough in such a manner as to snuggly and abuttingly engage the tang  20  and thereby support the upper body member  31  and lower body member  32  by engagement with each other and with the tang  20 . 
     The handle body  30  is covered with an exterior coating or external cover  76  of a relatively soft, pliable plastic designed to provide comfort to the user and better grip to the user. The cover  76  is of a two-part construction. The first cover part  77  comprises a first layer with a series of upstanding inserts  78  that extend radially outward from contact with the upper body member  31  and lower body member  32  to the exterior of the cover  76 . The second cover part  79 , FIG. 9, is essentially the remainder or complement of the cover part  78  to complete the cover  76  over the entire shell  34  except for portions of the front end  35  and rear end  36  thereof that receive the tang  20  and post  13 . The cover  76 , therefore, also secures the body  30  together and provides a seal along most of the exposed portions of the body  30  to resist the entry of moisture or other materials into the cavity  40 . The cover  76  extends continuously without breaks over the entire radially outer portion of the body  30  and continues also without breaks around the front end  35  and rear end  36  except where the tang  20  and post  13  are mounted. 
     When fully constructed, a nut  82  secures the handle  2  to the tang  20  on the threaded tip  25 . 
     A series of cross braces  84  through  91  in the upper body member  31  and  92  through  99  in the lower body member  32  generally extend between associated ribs  62  through  66  and  70  through  74 , respectively, as well as the disks  42 ,  43 ,  51 ,  52 ,  47  and  47 . The cross braces  84  through  99  are axially aligned and perpendicular to both the tang  20  and the ribs  62  to  66  and  70  to  74  so as to also support the body member  31  and  32  against collapse through both engagement with and support by the tang  20  and by forming a supporting grid with the other internal elements of the handle  2 . 
     In construction, the body  30  is assembled with the upper body member  31  and lower body member  32  joined together and held in place by a shaft or mandrel  101 , that mimics the tang  20 , to form the shell  34 . The shell  34  is positioned in a mold  102  having two mold sections  103  and  104  held together by latches  107  and the first cover component or part  77  with inserts  78  is then molded thereon, see FIG.  8 . The shell  34  is then removed from the first mold  102  and placed in a second mold  109  having mold sections  110  and  111  held together by latches  112  wherein the second cover component or part  79  is molded thereon, see FIG.  9 . Thereafter, the completed handle  2  is removed from the mold  109  and the mandrel  101  is removed. The entire completed body  30  is mounted on the tang  20 , as is shown in FIG.  2 . The body  30  has been exploded into the upper body member  31  and a lower body member  32  in FIG. 2 to better show the internal structure; however this will normally not be the case once the cover  76  is in place. In particular, it is exploded in this situation to show the interior detail and positioning of the tang relative to the interior of the handle  2 . The composition of the cover components  77  and  79  is preferably a soft polyurethane or the like with different durometers, as opposed to a harder, stiffer polypropylene or the like construction for the shell  34 . A preferred material of construction is a thermoplastic elastomer sold under the trademark Santopreme by Advanced Elastomer Systems. Preferably, the material of construction used in cover components  77  and  79  is somewhat different in each case so as to provide a difference in texture, color, or the like so as to allow formation of both a pattern and a different feel when gripped. 
     It is to be understood that while certain forms of the present invention have been illustrated and described herein, it is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangement of parts described and shown.