Abstract:
A clip or hook affixed to a tool, in particular a hook affixed directly to a hammer for supporting the hammer in a desired location or position such as on a belt loop, a waist band or a lip of a pocket of the users clothing. The hook or clip is affixed to the hammer in a specific position and orientation which does not interfere with the ordinary use of the hammer, permits placement and retention of the hammer within easy reach of the user, and facilitates acquisition of the hammer when needed by the user.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention relates to a clip or hook affixed to a tool, in particular a hook affixed directly to a hammer for supporting the hammer in a desired location or position such as on a belt loop, a waist band or a lip of a pocket of the users clothing. The hook or clip is affixed to the hammer in a specific position and orientation which does not interfere with the ordinary use of the hammer, permits placement and retention of the hammer within easy reach of the user, and facilitates acquisition of the hammer when needed by the user.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Hammers are one of the most useful and common tools in the construction industry and have been known for hundreds, if not thousands, of years for assisting the user in, striking, breaking, moving or otherwise affecting a change in position or entropy to another object. A hammer may have many forms but in general comprises a longitudinal handle which can be held by either one hand or two of the user, and one end of the handle is provided with a head having at least a striking surface for striking another object formed substantially perpendicularly to the handle.  
         [0003]     In most cases, a user, who may be a professional carpenter, tradesman, homeowner, or most anybody who has need of a hammer, utilizes the hammer to drive nails in order to secure two pieces of material such as wood to one another, for instance framing a house, roofing or siding a house.  
         [0004]     It is also well known in the art that carpenters often use a construction tool belt which includes, among other things, a metal loop for supporting the hammer when not in use. The metal loop is generally secured to a heavy piece of leather or cloth on the tool belt which maintains the loop in a substantially horizontal plane relative to the ground adjacent the user&#39;s waist. The loop is sized to easily receive the free end of the handle of the hammer being substantially stowed vertically inserted through the loop. The length of the head of the hammer is greater than the diameter of the metal loop and thus the head comes to rest on a top edge of the metal loop thereby supporting the hammer in the metal loop.  
         [0005]     There are many instances where a user does not desire to wear a belt, or cannot wear a tool belt for safety reasons or even comfort or because of potential damage to the structure or materials with which they are working. In addition, these tool belts and metal loops are bulky and may have numerous extraneous items attached to them which the user does not desire to carry around.  
         [0006]     Additionally, to extract a hammer or similar tool from such a tool belt or metal loop where the head of the hammer is resting on the top edge of the loop, the user must grasp the head of the hammer, which is generally not intended to be grasped, and pull upwards withdrawing the handle from within the loop. As can be appreciated, once extracted from the loop, the user is still holding the head of the hammer with one hand, and thus cannot use the hammer without either shifting hands and placing the opposing hand around the handle or dropping, tossing, or otherwise putting down and arranging the hammer in order to properly grasp it by the handle.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     It is an object of the present invention to provide a tool, in particular a hammer, having a hook or clip for facilitating support of the tool on a users waist band, belt loop or pocket lip.  
         [0008]     It is a still further object of the present invention to provide the hook or clip which is unobtrusively attached to the handle of the hammer so as not to effect the swing weight or balance of the hammer.  
         [0009]     It is yet a still further object of the present invention to provide a clip or hook affixed to the hammer which does not interfere with the use and operation of the head of the hammer and use of the mandrel or fork.  
         [0010]     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an integral support system for a tool which does not require any particular extraneous loop or fastener or other accouterment which must be worn by the user separately from the tool.  
         [0011]     It is still yet another object of the present invention to provide a clip or hook which facilitates the support of the tool or hammer on the clothing or nearby equipment to a user which permits the user to immediately grasp only the handle for placing the tool into operation.  
         [0012]     A hammer comprising a head comprising a strike face, a claw and a receiving aperture, a handle having a first end for being received in the receiving aperture of the head and a free end and a hook affixed to the handle between the first end and the free end wherein the hook is defined by a substantially unshaped member having a first leg affixed directly to the handle and a second leg contiguous with and depending from the first leg. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]      FIG. 1  is a figure of a prior art hammer having a contiguous handle and head;  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is a planar view of a prior art hammer having a separate head and handle;  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a hammer having a hook according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  is a side planar view of a hammer having the hook according to an embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0017]      FIGS. 5 and 6  are front an rear views respectively of a hammer having the hook according to an embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0018]      FIG. 7  is another embodiment of the hammer with a hook at the free end. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0019]     It is well known in the art, as seen in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , that a hammer  1  is comprised of a head  3  and a handle  5 . The head  3  and handle  5  may be integrally formed from a single piece of steel for instance as seen in  FIG. 1 , or the head  3  and handle  5  joined in a two part form as is more common and as shown in  FIG. 2 . The handle  5  may be made of any number of different materials including plastic, fiberglass, rubber, wood, metal, carbon fiber, etc. and be attached to the steel head  3  by different known arrangements and methods.  
         [0020]     In the more common two part form the head  3  of the hammer  1  is of course made of steel generally having an oppositely disposed strike (striking) face  7  and a claw  9  arranged along a main axis M, and a receiving cavity or throughbore  15  defining a longitudinal axis L substantially perpendicular to the main axis M of the head  3  is formed in the head  3  between the striking face  7  and claw  9 . A specifically designed first end  11  of the handle  5  fits snugly and securely within the throughbore  15  of the head  3  is inserted into the throughbore  15  along the longitudinal axis L which thus aligns the handle  5  generally perpendicularly to the main axis M of the hammer head  3 . The first end  11  of the handle  5  may be glued, press fit or substantially permanently affixed within the cavity or throughbore  15  such that during use of the hammer  1 , even during extreme conditions, the head  3  will not become loose nor separate from the handle  5 .  
         [0021]     It is also known to form a hammer  1  out of a single piece of steel such that there is little chance of the head  3  breaking away from the handle  5 . In such a case, as seen in  FIG. 1 , the handle  5  extends from a substantially perpendicular integral connection to the head  3 , strike (striking)  7  face and claw  9  to a free end  13  of the handle  5 .  
         [0022]     The handle  5  may also be made of a number of different materials and have different shapes, including, for example, an intermediate grippable rubber portion to facilitate ergonomic handling and comfort and a neck portion which is intermediate to the grippable handle  5  and extends between to the first end  11  to form the attachment end within the hammer head  3 . In general, the handle  5 , and especially the intermediate portion  17 , should be fairly light in order to not effect the appropriate balance and swing weight of the hammer  1  which is set according to the weight of the steel hammer head  3  relative to the handle  5 .  
         [0023]     As seen in  FIG. 3 , a clip or hook  21  is affixed to the handle  5  generally in the region adjacent the intersection of the head  3  and the handle  5 . The hook  21  may be fastened or affixed to the handle  5  by either removable or permanent means. Removable means being such items as a screw  23 , bolt or other similar type fastening devices which affix items together somewhat less than permanently. Permanent means relates in general to welding, riviting, molding, casting or otherwise affixing or forming the hook  21  to the handle  5  by means which must be materially broken in order to remove the hook  21 .  
         [0024]     It is to be appreciated that the hook  21  is affixed to the handle  5  in such a manner and position that in the stowed position, the hammer  1  hangs right-side up, in other words, when the hook  21  is positioned for example to hang the hammer  1  on a waist band of the user, the head  3  is generally maintained vertically above the handle  5 . It is also possible to affix or form the hook  21  integral with the head  3  of the hammer  1  and achieve the same stowable positioning. It is also quite possible to attach the hook  21  along the handle  5  closer to the free end  13  of the handle  5  and arranged in such a manner that the hammer  1  will hang upside down, i.e. with the handle  5  aligned vertically above the hammer head  3  dangling below the handle  5 .  
         [0025]     Turning to  FIGS. 4, 5  and  6 , the hook  21  is a substantially u-shaped device comprising an first leg  25  which is directly affixed to the hammer  1  in this case via a screw  23 . For purposes of this description the hook  21  is shown generally attached at a point on the handle  5  adjacent the intersection of the handle  5  with the hammer head  3  so as to not interfere with operation of the hammer head  3 , nor effect the weight or balance of the hammer head  3 .  
         [0026]     The u-shaped clip or hook  21  comprises the first leg  25  which is directly fastened to the handle  5  and extends substantially parallel with the handle  5  to a point of curvature  27  where it bends approximately 180° to form a second leg  29  depending downwards. The second leg  29  depends downwards in this embodiment being substantially parallel to the first leg  25  and spaced a distance therefrom to a second end which may flare slightly outwards as shown in  FIG. 3  so as to be easily engageable, or catchable upon a desired edge, for example a user&#39;s waist band or pocket lip.  
         [0027]     Where a screw  23  is utilized to affix the hook  21  to the handle  5  of the hammer  1 , the first leg  25  is provided with a screw hole  33  sized for receiving the fastening device, which is inserted partially therethrough and then screwed into the intermediate portion  17  of the handle  5  of the hammer  1  to affix the hook  21  thereto. To facilitate access to the screw hole  33  and affixing the same to the handle  5 , the second leg  29  of the hook  21  comprises an opening  31  which is large enough to provide access for instance for a screw driver to pass partially through the opening  31  in the second leg  29  and engage the screw  23  and facilitate either affixing or removing the hook  21 .  
         [0028]     Thus, it is to be appreciated, that a user may affix or remove such a clip or hook  21  by screwing or unscrewing, for example, a screw fastener through the first leg  25  of the hook  21  to the hammer handle  5 . It is to be appreciated that the lengths of the first and second legs may be longer or shorter with respect to one another depending on certain design considerations, or the first and second legs may not be parallel but space at an acute angle so as to facilitate engaging different objects.  
         [0029]     The first leg  25  may be fastened securely to the handle  5 , i.e., so that it does not move relative to the handle  5  by the fastening device. For instance with a metal handle  5  the first leg  25  may be welded to the handle  5 , or cast integrally therewith as well. The first leg  25  of the hook  21  may also be affixed so as to provide some amount of relative rotation between the hook  21  and the handle  5 . This may facilitate the hammer  1  turning relative to the hook  21  in certain situations where the hammer  1  is in the stowed position and may hit against another object, or the floor. The turning or rotation of the hammer  1  relative to the hook  21  in such a situation provides some flexibility in the device to keep the hook  21  from being dislodged from the user&#39;s waist band or pocket lip etc., and the hammer  1  falling to the floor.  
         [0030]     In a further embodiment of the present invention, the hook  21  could be oriented in the opposite direction, i.e. with the first and second legs extends towards the hammer head  3  and the bend or curvature  27  turned towards the free end  13  of the handle  5 . In this embodiment the generally heavier weight of the hammer head  3  will help in maintaining the hammer  1  in the stowed position. In this manner it is possible to locate the hook  21  in a different location along the longitudinal length of the hammer handle  5 , for instance closer to, or adjacent the free end  13  of the handle  5  so that the heavier hammer head  3  hangs downward when in the stowed position as seen in  FIG. 7 .  
         [0031]     It is also to be appreciated that the clip or hook  21  may be removably fastened by a strap, a screw  23  or similar removable fastening device to the handle  5  so that it may be moved or rotated with respect thereto. It is also to be appreciated that a second fastening point could be used to provide a more secure attachment of the hook  21  to the hammer  1 . For example a second screw  23  or similar fastening device could affix the first leg  25  to the handle  5  or head  3 . A tab or detent or similar feature may also be formed on the first leg  25  of the hook  21  in order to engage a divot or slot formed in the handle  5  or head  3  so as to maintain the clip or hook  21  in a specific relative position with the handle  5 .  
         [0032]     Since certain changes may be made in the above described embodiments, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention herein involved, it is intended that all of the subject matter of the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted merely as examples illustrating the inventive concept herein and shall not be construed as limiting the invention.