Patent ID: 7069862

Claim:
A tool ( 12 ) for breaking hard material, comprising: a body ( 14 ) having an opening ( 16 ) therethrough forming a barrel ( 18 ), which receives a spring assembly ( 24 ) therein, the barrel ( 18 ) having a threaded opening ( 28 ) at a first end ( 20 ) of the barrel ( 18 ) and a fitted opening ( 30 ) at a second end ( 22 ) of the barrel ( 18 ); an actuator pin tube ( 26 ) having a first and a second end ( 32 and 34 ), and an opening ( 36 ) therethrough for slidably engaging an actuator pin ( 38 ), wherein the first end ( 32 ) of the actuator pin tube ( 26 ) is engaged securely in the fitted opening ( 30 ), and the second end ( 34 ) of the actuator pin tube ( 26 ) extends from the fitted opening ( 30 ); the actuator pin ( 38 ) having a tip ( 40 ) and a retention head ( 42 ) at opposing ends ( 41 and 43 ) of the actuator pin ( 38 ), wherein the retention head ( 42 ) is wider than the opening ( 36 ) in the actuator pin tube ( 26 ), and the actuator pin ( 38 ) is longer than the actuator pin tube ( 26 ) permitting the tip ( 40 ) to extend through the second end ( 34 ) of the actuator pin tube ( 26 ); the spring assembly ( 24 ) comprises a hammer guide ( 44 ) engaged in the threaded opening ( 28 ), a hammer ( 46 ) slidably engaged through the hammer guide ( 44 ), a handle mechanism ( 55 ) for manually cocking the hammer ( 53 ) disposed on a first end of the hammer ( 46 ), a spring retainer ( 52 ) disposed adjacent a second end ( 50 ) of the hammer ( 46 ), and a spring ( 54 ) engaged on the hammer ( 46 ) between the spring retainer ( 52 ) and the hammer guide ( 44 ), wherein the second end ( 50 ) of the hammer ( 46 ) is formed into a hammerhead ( 51 ), and the hammerhead ( 51 ) is extended towards the retention head ( 42 ) when the spring ( 54 ) is fully relaxed; and a release mechanism ( 56 ) for releasably engaging the hammer ( 46 ).