IMPROVEMENTS IN MALLETS AND OTHER WOODEN ARTICLES
Year: 1885

page_text: "
I ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the county of Middlesex,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MALLETS AND OTHER WOODEN ARTICLES a communication from Oscar Edmund
Wait of Springfield, in the county of Windsor, and state of Vermont in the United
States of America, Mechanic 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 improvements in reinforced wooden articles such as
mallets, tool-handles wooden tubes, and other articles, and the object of this
invention is to reinforce said articles in such manner that the strengthening splints
may be very cheaply applied without increasing the weight of the articles and
also that when applied they shall be very firm and efficient.
This object is attained by the simple construction illustrated in the accompanying
drawings in which
Figure 1, is a perspective view partly in vertical section, of one end of a mallet
reinforced at one point and grooved at another preparatory to reinforcement.
Figure 2, is a side elevation of a long splint wound spirally ready to be cut up
into sections to form ring-splints, the broken line in said figure indicating the first
cut, the part above said line being suitable for one ring-splint.
Figure 3 is a side view of a blank for a single ring-splint, the saine being
represented as cut ready for bending.
Figure 4, is a side view of a ring splint as formed from the blank figure 3.
Figure 5, is a perspective view of a chisel-handle reinforced at the upper
end, and
Figure 6, is a vertical section of one end of a bobbin reinforced at the lower end.
It is designed to apply the reinforcing splints in a groove or grooves formed
in that end of wooden articles which exposes the end of the grain of the wood.
A, designates the end of a mallet-head having two annular grooves formed in it,
one of which is filled with a splint a while the unfilled groove is designated by the
letter b. It is preferable to make the grooves annular and the splints in ring form
but the grooves, may if desired be made in scroll form and filled by a splint. The
ring splints are formed in two ways. One way is to take long splints of tough
wood, steam them and wind them spirally into the form shown in figure 2. This
can readily be done by winding over a rod or former and confining the splint
until dry. The spirally wound splint is then cut into proper lengths, one length

page_text: being indicated by the broken line near the upper end of figure 2. The other way
is to cut off the splint into proper lengths before bending as shown in figure 3, and
steam and bend into the form shown in figure 4. In both forms the ends of the
splints are beveled off and when bent into a ring and inserted in the grooves the
ends lop by one another in such manner that the seam stands transversely to
the direction of the grain of the wood to prevent splitting. While it is preferred
to employ wood for the splints, other strong and tough material, vegetable or
animal which is not too hard may be employed, as for instance, raw-hide or india
rubber.
After the splints and grooves have been prepared I glue the splints and force
them into the grooves.
This may be done by placing the ring splints into a tube
or ring of the proper size and then by means of a follower which fills the tube or
ring, force the splint through the tube or ring into the groove, said follower being
arranged in any suitable press.
The same reference letter a designates the splint in the chisel-handle and bobbin
as well as in the mallet. The mallet may have only one splint or more as may be
desired.
The illustration of the splint at the end of the bobbin shows the manner of
applying my reinforcing-splint to other tubes or tubular articles.
I am aware that tubular articles have heretofore been reinforced by means of a
splint in the form of a bushing or lining. Also that mallets and tool handles have
been strengthened by exterior rings or bands of metal. Also that a prior patent
shows a tool handle in which a shouldered tip is secured to the body of the handle
by means of a pin and socket connection together with a metal wedge in the form
of a ring or band driven into an annular groove from the end which exposes the
grain, said ring or band being driven into place by the tip itself, and completely
covered by the tip in the finished article, and I hereby disclaim the same.
By forcing the splint into a groove which it fills, it is readily and firmly held in
proper position and shape so that a firm union of the splint and articles to which
it is glued, is insured. The surface of the finished article which is formed con-
jointly by the ends of the grain and the splint, is free from metal or other hard
substance and will not bruise or scratch any thing with which it may come in
contact. The splint is covered except at one edge and is therefore not liable to be
torn out and in case of tubular articles like bobbins it strengthens the same
materially against both external and internal pressure and does not add to the
weight nor in the slightest degree affect the balance. This mode of reinforcing
articles of wood has none of the objections attendant upon the use of metal bands
to which glue and cement do not readily adhere.
It is intended to apply the reinforcing splints to both ends of the heads of
mallets. They can be applied to one or both ends of various articles as may be
desired.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
Articles of wood having a surface which shows the end of the grain, with a
non-metallic splint or splints glued or cemented into a groove or grooves therein,
substantially as described and for the purpose specified.
D
1
J
1007