IMPROVEMENTS IN HAMMERS, PICKS, AND OTHER LIKE PERCUSSIVE TOOLS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Young, of No. 4, Somerville Road, Queen's Road,
•
Peckham, in the County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
HAMMERS, PICKS, AND OTHER LIKE PERCUSSIVE TOOLS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Young at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd July 1879.
WILLIAM YOUNG, of No. 4, Somerville Road, Queen's Road, Peckham, in the
County of Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS IN HAMMERS, PICKS, AND OTHER LIKE PER-
CUSSIVE TOOLS."
This Invention has for its object improvements in hammers, picks, and other
like percussive tools.
At the present time it is usual to apply the handles of tools of this class by
forming a hole through the head or striking part of the tool, and the end of the
handle which is usually of wood is inserted into this hole.
By this method the head of the tool is to some extent weakened, and the force of
the blow is impaired. According to my Invention, I form the head of the tool
with a neck or portion of reduced size in the middle or intermediate between its
ends; usually I flatten the head on two opposite sides, and the handle I form with
a slotted hole through it larger at one end than at the other. The head is passed
through the bole in the handle at the larger end, and is then slid along into the
narrower part of the hole which is adapted to fit to the neck formed in the head.
The larger end of the hole in the handle is filled after the bead has been inserted
by driving in a filling piece or wedge.
Or the hole in the handle may be made to receive a metal clip embracing the
neck formed with the bead of the tool. The clip having been applied around the
neck, the head with the clip upon it is inserted into the hole in the handle, and
the clip is afterwards fixed in its place by pins or rivets passed through it and the
fore part of the handle.
Or the end of the handle may be forked to embrace the neck in the head of the
tool, and a metal strap may be applied to bind the two sides together when the head
of the tool is in its place in the notch or fork.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed-by
-the-said-William-Young_in_the_Great Seal Patent Office on the 23rd
January 1880.
1
WILLIAM YOUNG, of No. 4, "Somerville Road, Queen's Road, Peckham, in the
County of Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS IN HAMMERS, PICKS, AND OTHER LIKE PER-
CUSSIVE TOOLS."
This Invention has for its objects improvements in hammers, picks, and other
like percussive tools.
At the present time it is usual to apply the handles of tools of this class by
forming a hole through the head or striking part of the tool, and the end of the
handle which is usually of wood is inserted into this hole.
By this method the head of the tool is to some extent weakened, and the force of
the blow is impaired. According to my Invention, I form the head of the tool with
a neck or portion of reduced size in the middle or intermediate between its ends;
usually.I flatten the head on, two opposite sides, and the handle I form with a
slotted hole through it larger at one end than at the other. The head is passed
through the hole in the handle at the larger end, and is then slid along into the
narrower part of the hole which is adapted to fit to the neck formed in the head.
The larger end of the hole in the handle is filled after the head has been inserted
by driving in a filling piece or wedge.
Or the end of the handle may be forked to embrace the neck in the head of the
tool, and a metal strap may be applied to bind the two sides together when the head
of the tool is in its place in the notch or fork.
In order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and readily carried
into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a lath hammer or axe, according to my Invention.
Figure 2 is a plan of the handle of the hammer, and Figure 3 is an end view of
the hammer head.
a is the wooden handle, it has a slotted hole in it which, at the wider part a',
will permit the hammer head b to be passed through it. 61 is the neck or flattened
and reduced part of the hammer head which is received into the narrower part a²
of the hole in the handle. c, c, are wedges or filling pieces which are then driven
in to fill the part a' of the hole. d is an iron strap encircling the slotted end of
the handle which is grooved or recessed to receive it, and the strap is secured by a
_rivet.at.d._In_finishing the tool, the wedges c, c, may be cut off flush.
Figure 4 is a side view and Figure 5 is an end view of a pick with a handle
which is forked at the end in place of being formed with an elongated hole. The
neck recess on either side of the pick is made of a dovetailed form to embrace the
side cheeks of the handle. d is an iron strap which prevents the pick escaping
from the fork of the handle, and binds the parts firmly together.
Figures 6 and 7 are respectively a side view and an end view of an axe in which
the head is secured to the handle in a similar manner.
Figures 8 and 9 show respectively a side and an end view of a hammer head, and
Figure 10 shows the forked end of the wooden handle intended to receive it.
Figure 11 is a side elevation of the same. The Figures 12 show the strap d for
binding the parts together. A filling piece of wood inserted between the cheeks of
the forked handle immediately beneath the strap is shown at Figure 12*. Figure
13 shows the hammer complete.
The arrangement may be modified by substituting separate pieces of wood for
the forked part or cheeks of the handle between which the head is received.
Figure 14 is a sectional elevation of a hammer of this construction.

page_text: The hammer head is formed with a neck all around it, and this is surrounded by
or encased in hard wood, such as lignum vitæ. This casing which is marked e is
made in two or more parts. The end of the handle a abuts against and is fitted to
the casing e, and the iron strap d binds the parts firmly together.
Figure 15 is a side elevation and Figure 16 is a longitudinal section of a small
pick, to which the handle is applied in a somewhat different manner. The wooden
handle a enters at its end into a metal socket d, which replaces the strap of the
other arrangements. The socket has holes formed through its sides, and the head
or cutter b is passed through these holes. The end of the socket is closed by a
wooden plug or filling piece f. The head or cutter is formed with a neck b', and
having been inserted through the holes in the socket, it is held in its place by
driving the handle into the socket until the neck is embraced and nipped between
the end of the handle and the plug f. The handle is then fastened with a rivet
through the side of the socket.
In each case the head of the tool is formed with a neck replacing the usual hole
through it, and this neck is embraced between cheeks or retaining pieces of wood
forming part of the handle, or bound to it by the metal strap or equivalent part
which ties the whole together; by this means the head of the hammer or tool is
insulated from the handle. What I claim is my improvements in hammers, picks,
and other like percussive tools, substantially as described and illustrated by the
annexed Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Young, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty third day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
WILLIAM YOUNG. (L.S.)