Improvements in or connected with Pick-axes or the like.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Dec., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 9th Aug., 1892-Accepted, 8th Oct:, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Pick-axes or the like.
We JOHN HODGSON, of Clarington Brook Forge, Ince, and JOHN RICHMOND
of 120, Swinley Road, Wigan both in the County of Lancaster, Engineer and
Manager respectively, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in fastening pick-axes or the like to their
shafts, and is designed to provide a strong and firm joint whereby the risk of the
pick coming off the shaft is reduced to a minimum.
Hitherto, the sockets for making the fastening have generally been sprung on to
the shaft or held on the shaft simply by the force with which they were sprung on
or bound on.
By our invention, we propose to form teeth, lips, flanges, claws or the like, adapted
to bite the shaft, and thus form a very tight joint.
One way of carrying out our invention is as follows:-
The socket is split all down one side, and the edges thereof turned up to form
a lip or claw, which, when the socket is driven on to the shaft, bites and grips
the same, and, in conjunction with the elasticity of the socket, forms a very tight
joint.
In another arrangement, the socket is provided with teeth or claws all along its
edges instead of the tongues aforesaid; when the edges of the socket are brought
together, these teeth or claws penetrate the shaft and render it impossible to loosen
the same without mutilating or breaking the wood.
In another arrangement, the socket is made in two halves with claws on each end
of the sides or all along the edges, each half being slipped on to the shaft and the
claws bent over to bite the wood.
In another arrangement, the socket is provided with teeth at the back side
as well as at the edges, whereby the shaft is clutched both at the back and front.
The pick is fixed on to our improved socket in any suitable manner, and, owing
to the solidity with which the socket is held on the shaft, it forms a very firm and
strong support for the pick.
Dated this 1st day of December 1891.
.
. "1
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicants.
f.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Pick-axes or the like.
.1
We, JOHN HODGSON of Clarington Brook Forge, Ince and JOHN RICHMOND
of 120 Swinley Road, Wigan, both in the County of Lancaster, Engineer and
Manager respectively, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to fastening pick-axes, hammers, adzes, hacks,, hatchets or
the like, to their shafts or handles, and is designed to provide a strong" and firm
joint between the tool and the shaft. The heads or sockets on which are fitted the
pick or other tool have hitherto often been sprung on to the shaft or secured
thereto by a wedge or wedges being inserted in the extreme end of the shaft to
TD 077
44 47
712 127 20

page_text: expand the wood. The sockets so fixed are very apt to work loose and come off in
course of time.
By our invention, we are enabled to secure the tool on the shaft without springing
the heads or sockets on, or without depending upon any wedges whatsoever for
holding the socket or tool in place.
In carrying our invention into effect, we form the socket in two halves, and
suitably taper the same, so that one end of the socket, when the two halves are
placed together, is smaller than the other end. The wooden shaft is also corre-
spondingly tapered at the end, in order to accurately receive the socket without
there being any play, the largest end of the taper being towards the extremity of
the shaft. After each half of the socket is placed on the tapered end of the shaft,
the pick, hammer or other tool is slipped over the opposite end of the wooden
shaft and driven on to the tapering socket, where it is firmly held and cannot slip
off, as the largest end of the taper is towards the outside. Should any wear or
shrinkage occur, causing the socket to become loose, a lining of paper or other
material, laid between the wood shaft and the inside of the socket, will make
it quite tight again. The longitudinal edges of the socket may have one or
more teeth and depressions: the teeth of one half receiving the depressions in the
other half.
:-
In the accompanying drawings forming part of this Specification:-
Figure 1 is a front view of part of the handle showing the two halves of the
socket separated;
Figure 2, a similar view of the handle showing the two halves of the socket in
place;
Figure 3, a cross-section on the line ab; and
Figure 4, a perspective view of the tool complete.
In Figures 1 to 4 inclusive :-
A A, are the two tapered halves of the socket formed with teeth B, the teeth of
one half receiving the depressions of the other half. These halves are formed from
blanks cut to the required shape, and then bent by dies to form the two halves of
the socket. C is the wooden shaft, tapered at the end, the largest end of the
taper being towards the extremity, and, at the smaller end of the taper, there is a
shoulder c. This tapered end of the shaft is made to accurately receive the two
halves of the socket A, without there being any play, so as to give the greatest
possible uniformity of strength. The two halves of the socket are placed on the
shaft, and the pick or other tool slipped over the opposite end of the wooden
shaft, and driven on to the socket. The socket cannot slip off the shaft, as it is
locked in one direction by the taper and in the other by the shoulder c.
further security, the points of the teeth B may be slightly turned inwards, as
depicted in Figure 3, but this precaution is not essential to secure a firm hold.
For
In another arrangement, the socket is formed out of a suitably shaped plate
and bent over or pressed on to the tapered end of the shaft, being secured in that
position by the taper which larger towards the extremity of the shaft, and by the
shoulder c.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
:―
1. The improvement in or connected with pick-axes, haminers, hacks, adzes,
hatchets or the like, which consists in constructing the heads or sockets thereof
in two separate and suitably tapered halves, whereby they can be accurately fitted
to the shaft, and the greatest possible uniformity of strength secured substantially
as described.
2. Forming the longitudinal edges of our improved heads or sockets, with teeth
or serrations projecting thereon and adapted to interlock one with another, sub-
stantially as and for the purpose described.

page_text: 3. In pick-axes, hammers, hacks, adzes, hatchets or other like tools, making the
ends of the shafts or handles of the shape substantially as shown and described and
for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 9th dor of August 1800
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Nottingham, and London, Patent Agents.