IMPROVEMENTS IN HANDLES FOR SHOVELS AND SIMILAR IMPLEMENTS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN HANDLES FOR SHOVELS AND SIMILAR IMPLEMENTS." A communication
from abroad by William H. Johnson, of Industry, in the County of Franklin,
State of Maine, United States of America..
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th March 1881.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN HANDLES FOR SHOVELS AND
SIMILAR IMPLEMENTS." [A communication from abroad by William H. Johnson,
of Industry, in the County of Franklin, State of Maine, United States of
America.]
This Invention relates to that class of wooden handles for shovels and similar
implements which are bifurcated and the parts thereof curved in opposite directions
to receive the round or hand grip between them at their ends, and it has for its
object the production of a handle of this character in which the round or hand grip
shall be firmly and durably secured between the curved pieces, and in such manner
that it cannot revolve, and one which is so braced with wood or metal, or both,
that the curved or bent parts of the handle will not straighten, but will always
retain their shape.
.
The Invention consists in providing the round or hand grip at its ends with
tenons below its axis, and in providing the ends of the curved pieces with mortises
to correspond, and in rivetting or bolting the round or hand grip between the
curved pieces by a bolt or rivet, which passes through near the centre of the round
or hand grip and above the tenons and mortises, and in providing the rivet with
oval headed washers, also in providing an intermediate brace of wood or metal, or
both, rivetted to the curved pieces.
The handle is first split or sawed a suitable distance longitudinally through its
vertical diameter and provided with the ordinary rivet. The curved pieces are

page_text: curved in opposite directions by steaming or otherwise, and the brace of wood or
metal, or both, is placed between them and secured by the bolt or rivet provided
with washers at both ends, which prevents the curved pieces from straightening.
The round or hand grip is provided at its ends with the tenons below its axis, and
is bored through the centre and above the tenons. The curved pieces are mortised 5
to correspond with the tenons, and provided with holes above the mortises to
correspond with the bore of the hand grip. The hand grip is then secured in place
in the handle by a bolt or rivet having the oval washers at its ends, which clasp
the curved pieces and prevent them from splitting.
The tenons of the hand grip being below its axis, not only prevents the hand I
grip from turning, but additional strength and durability is secured, thereby owing
to the additional material above the tenons and the locality of the bolt or rivet.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
16th September 1881.
.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN HANDLES FOR SHOVELS AND
SIMILAR IMPLEMENTS." A communication from abroad by William H. Johnson,
of Industry, in the County of Franklin, State of Maine, United States of
America.
This Invention relates to that class of wooden handles for shovels and similar
implements which are bifurcated, and the parts thereof curved in opposite directions
to receive the round or hand grip between them at their ends, and it has for its
object the production of a handle of this character, in which the round or hand grip
shall be firmly and durably secured between the curved pieces, and in such manner
that it cannot revolve, and one which is so braced with wood or metal, or both,
that the curved or bent parts of the handle will not straighten, but will always
retain their shape.
The Invention consists in providing the round or hand grip at its ends with
tenons below its axis, and in providing the ends of the curved pieces with mortises
to correspond, and in rivetting or bolting the round or hand grip between the
curved pieces by a bolt or rivet which passes through near the centre of the round
or hand grip and above the tenons and mortises, and in providing the rivet with
oval headed washers; also in providing an intermediate brace of wood or metal, or
both, rivetted to the curved pieces in such manner as to prevent the curved pieces
from straightening.
In the accompanying Drawings Figure 1 is a plan view, and Figure 2 is a
sectional view of the improved handle.
•
The handle A. is first split or sawed a suitable distance longitudinally through
its vertical diameter, and provided with the ordinary rivet a. The pieces B, B, are
curved in opposite direction by steaming or otherwise, and the brace C, of wood or
metal, or both, is placed between them and secured by the bolt or rivet c, provided
with washers at both ends, which prevents the curved pieces from straightening.
The round or hand grip D is provided at its ends with the tennons d, d, below its
axis, and is bored through the centre and above the tenons as shown. The curved
pieces are mortised at d³, d', to correspond with the tenons d, and provided with
holes above the mortises to correspond with the bore of the hand grip D. The
hand grip D is then secured in place in the handle by the bolt or rivet E, having
the oval washers e, e, at its ends, which clasp the curved pieces B, B, and prevent
them from splitting. The tenons of the hand grip being below its axis not only
prevents the hand grip from turning but additional strength and durability is
ensured thereby, owing to the additional material above the tenons and the locality
of the bolt or rivet.
Having described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same,
I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is,—
1st. The round or hand grip D, provided with tenons at its ends below the axis
thereof in combination with the curved pieces B, B, mortised to correspond,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
2nd. The hand grip D, tenoned at its ends below the axis thereof in combination
with the curved pieces B, B, mortised to correspond, the hand grip being secured
to the curved pieces by a bolt or rivet passing through its centre above the tenons,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

page_text: 3rd. The hand grip D secured between the curved pieces B, B, by the rivet E,
provided with the oval washers e, e, substantially as described.
4th. The hand grip D secured between the curved pieces B, B, in combination
with the intermediate brace C and rivet c, substantially as and for the purposes
specified.
5th. The intermediate brace C secured between the curved pieces B, B, in
combination with the hand grip or round D, substantially as shown, and for the
purposes described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville. Clark, have hereunto Net
my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of September, A.D. 1881.
M CLARK
T