Improvements in Handles for Hatchets, Butcher's Cleavers, Adzes, Hammers, and other Tools with similar Striking Action.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Feb., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 25th Nov., 1899-Accepted, 30th Dec., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Handles for Hatchets, Butcher's Cleavers, Adzes,
Hammers, and other Tools with similar Striking Action.
I, EDWARD TUTIILL MARKHAM, of 41 and 42, Cloth Fair, in the County of
London, Wholesale Cutler and Electroplater, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
-
Heretofore in the use of hatchets, butchers cleavers adzes, hammers and other
tools with similar striking action the handle is taken hold of by the one (the
right) hand near the outer end and by the other (the left) hand in a place more
towards the other or tool end. Now when striking the blow, the last named hand
and the arm are exposed to considerable jar and strain. Now the object of my
invention is to obviate this jar and considerably lessen the fatigue to the arm
and body of the operator. For this purpose I provide the handle with a loose
socket or sleeve which can slide on the handle and which is grasped by the
hand (the left) nearest the tool end. The sleeve may be formed in various
ways, and made partly or wholly of metal or wood, and may also be lapped round
or covered with various soft or elastic substances for greater ease.
In the use of the implement fitted with such a sleeve the latter being grasped
in the hand is free to and will naturally be drawn back towards the other hand
in the process of striking so that the jar or strain is reduced to a minimum while
at the same time the body of the operator in striking the blow will retain a
more upright and less tiring position. Also while with the ordinary handle the
left hand to some extent relaxes its hold of the handle and therefore necessarily
also the command of the tool, by my invention the hand will retain the grip on
the sleeve and thus command the tool just at the time when most needed.
Dated this Twenty-fifth day
1000
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Patent Agents.
Improvements in Handles for Hatchets, Butcher's Cleavers, Adzes,
Hammers, and other Tools with similar. Striking Action.
I, EDWARD TUTHILL MARKHAM, of 41 and 42, Cloth Fair, in the County of
London, Wholesale Cutler and Electroplater, 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:-
Heretofore in the use of hatchets or axes, butchers cleavers, adzes, hammers
and other tools with similar striking action the handle is taken hold of by the
hand (say the right hand) near the outer end and by the other hand (say the

page_text: left hand) in a place more towards the other or tool end. When striking the
blow, the last named hand and the arm are exposed to considerable jar and
strain. Now the object of my invention is to obviate this jar and to considerably
lessen the fatigue to the arm and body of the operator.
Figs. 1, 2, 3 are side elevations of an axe a butcher's cleaver, and, a hammer
respectively fitted with my improvement. I provide the haft or handle A with
a sleeve, or socket B free to slide up and down on the handle, this sleeve is
grasped by (say) the left hand and when the tool is raised to strike a blow, it
is a short distance from the head C of the tool and after the blow has been
struck the sleeve will have travelled some distance towards the end of the handle.
The sleeve may be made of any suitable material and may be plain metal as
shewn in Fig. 1 or covered with leather or other suitable material of a more or
less soft or elastic nature as shewn. at D in Fig. 2, to give a better hold and in
the example shewn in Fig. 3 I make the outer surface of the sleeve roughened or
chequered for the like purpose. The handle may be of any suitable form or
section.
In order to prevent the sleeve from slipping off the handle and from being
lost the latter is larger at the end E (only shewn in Fig. 1); this enlargement
is usual with the handles of most tools but I make a distinct shoulder or pro-
jection just above where the right hand of the operator comes on the handle."
This projection or stop may also take the form of a ring E1 (Figure 2) sur-
rounding the handle. For some tools a spring F is fixed to the sleeve between
the interior of same and the handle to prevent the too rapid movement thereof
on the handle and to improve the fit of the sleeve in the said handle thus also
allowing the hand holding the sleeve to have a proper command of the tool.
In the use of the implement fitted with such a sleeve, the latter being grasped
in the one hand the said sleeve is free to, and will naturally, be drawn back
towards the other hand during the process of striking so that the jar or strain is
reduced to a minimum while at the same time the body of the operator in
striking the blow will retain a more upright and less tiring position. Also,
while, with the ordinary handle, the left hand to some extent relaxes its hold of
the handle in order to permit it to slide along the handle towards the other
hand, it (the left hand) necessarily does not retain the same command of the
tool at a time when most needed, which by my invention is rendered possible
owing to there being no necessity to relax the hold on the sliding sleeve of the
handle and consequently on the handle itself.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. A handle for axes, cleavers, adzes, hammers and other tools with similar
striking action provided with a sliding sleeve substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.
2. A handle for axes, cleavers, adzes, hammers and other tools provided with
a sliding sleeve B and an enlarged part E substantially as described and shewn.
3. A handle for axes, cleavers, adzes, hammers and other tools provided with
a sliding sleeve B and a,projection or stop El substantially as described and
shewn.
4. A handle for axes, cleavers, adzes, hammers and other tools provided with
a sliding sleeve B and a spring F substantially as described and shewn.
Dated this Twenty-fifth day of November 1899.
TENSEN & SON
TENSEN & SON
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Patent Agents.