IMPROVEMENTS IN HAMMERS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frank Wirth of the firm of Wirth and Company Patent
Solicitors, at Frankfort on the Main in the Empire of Germany for an
Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN HAMMERS A communication from Gustav
Speckhart and Heinrich Wiedmann, both persons resident at Nürnberg in
the Empire of Germany
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frank Wirth at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th January 1883.
FRANK WIRTH, of the firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Solicitors, at
Frankfort on the Main, in the Empire of Germany, "IMPROVEMENTS IN HAMMERS"
A Communication from Gustav Speckhart and Heinrich Wiedmann, both persons
resident at Nürnberg in the Empire of Germany;
The said invention relates to hammers made with a haft, and it is designed to
produce a hammer capable of delivering an effective and elastic blow, which shall
not communicate any jar or rebound to the hand of the operator, providing,
moreover, a shaft of great durability, and secure attachment to the head.
The main feature of the said invention is a straight flat bar or spring of elastic
material, such as steel, which constitutes the stem of the haft, and the upper end
of which is only sufficiently less wide than the diameter of the hole in the hammer
head to allow of its being passed through the said hole. It having been passed
through, it is hammered out or rivetted on to the head, and wedges are driven on
each side into the hole of the hammer head, and are then bolted to the stem,
through a hole provided for the purpose.
The stem is widened (though remaining of the same thickness throughout) at
the grip, and cheeks of wood or other suitable material aro bolted on to it, to give
a good bold. Between these cheeks and the elastic stem are interposed plates of
hide or other similar and suitable material, to receive and deaden the jar of the
blow, and thus obviate the loosening of the bolts or rivets and the tiring of the
wrist of the operator.
It is obvious that this invention is applicable to many different forms of
hammers, and that in some instances the attachment of the elastic stem to the
head may be effected without wedges, and directly to the head, by rivetting,
screwing, or welding, or the head and the stem may be formed solid.-The stem
and the handle may be also made solid.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Frank Wirth in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th July
1883.
FRANK WIRTH, of the firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Solicitors, at
Frankfort on the Main, in the Empire of Germany, "IMPROVEMENTS IN HAMMERS."-
A. Communication from Gustav Speckhart and Heinrich Wiedmann, both persons
resident at Nürnberg, in the Empire of Germany.
The said invention relates to hammers made with a haft, and it is designed to
produce a hammer capable of delivering an effective and elastic blow, which shall
not communicate any jar or rebound to the hand of the operator, providing, 1
morcover, a shaft of great durability and secure attachment to the head.
In order that the said invention may be the better understood, I now proceed
to describe the same with regard to the drawings hereunto annexed, reference
being had to the letters and figures marked thereon. Like letters refer to like
parts in both the figures.
Figure 1 is a vertical section of the said hammer.
Figure 2 is an end elevation of the same.
The main feature of the said invention is a straight bar or spring C of elastic
material, such as steel, which constitutes the stem of the haft. The upper end of
this stem is only sufficiently less wide than the diameter of the hole in the hammer
head A to allow of its being passed through the said hole. It having been passed
through, it is hammered out or rivetted on to the head A; and wedges d, suitably
of wood, are driven on each side into the hole of the hammer head, and are then
bolted, by the bolt e, to the stem C through a hole provided for the purpose. The
hammer is thus firmly joined to the stem of the haft, so that it will not become
loose.
The stem C is widened (though remaining of the same thickness throughout the
length) towards the grip, and cheeks h, of wood or other suitable material are
bolted on to it by bolts g, to give a good hold.
Between these cheeks h and the elastic stem C are interposed plates i, of hide :
or other similar and suitable material, to receive and deaden the jar of the blow,
and thus obviate the loosening of the bolts or rivets, and the tiring of the wrist
of the operator.
It is obvious that this invention is applicable to many different forms of
hammers, such as wooden hammers, stone mason's hammers, etc., and the hafts may
be made of any size or thickness.
In case the hole of the hammer head corresponds to the width and thickness of
the spring, the wedges d may be omitted, and the head simply secured by rivetting
or screwing. If desired, the handle and the spring may be made of one piece, or
an iron handle may be welded to the spring.
Having now fully described the nature and objects of the invention communicated
to me, be it known that I claim :-
First. The Construction of elastically hafted hammers or hammering tools,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Second. The Combination in an elastic hammer haft of an elastic spring C with 4
the wedges d. d. and the rivet e, substantially as set forth.

page_text: Third. The Combination in an elastic hammer haft of an elastic spring C with
the halves of a handle h, the interposed plates i, and the rivets g, substantially as
set forth.
In witness whereof I, the said Frank Wirth, have hereunto set my hand and
seal this nineteenth day of July in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty-three.
FRANK WIRTH (L.S.)