US2605110A - Tool with separable handle - Google Patents

Description

July 29, 1952 s, BLUM TOOL WITH SEPARABLE HANDLE Filed March 9 1951 INVENTOR 5/DNE Y EL UM BY y ATTORNE Patented July 29, 1952 iUN I 'D STATES PATENT orr cejf'fs- Sidney BlunnForest Hills, N.- Y. Application March 9, 1951,.Se'rial No. 214,815

The present invention relates to screw-drivers and especially to a tool of. this type wherein the blade or shank is separable fromthe handle to enable the insertion of bladesof various sizes and shapes into the single handle;

In tools of this type as heretofore used the handleis usually provided'with a hollow sleeve eX-j tendinglongitudinally of its axis into which the shank telescopically fits." Inorder to hold the sleeve'within thehandle and to prevent rotation thereof during use," the sleeve has been driven into an opening in the handle to provide simply a tight frictional engagement, or the sleeve has been provided 'with'external lugs engaging the interior wall of the opening in the handle. Such construction has proven' unsatisfactory in use because the frictional engagement of a, cylindriealshaped sleeve is too unreliable in actual usage of the tool and'frequently results inthe tool becoming use less after a short period oftime due to the sleeve rotating within the handle ilinderstrain; In instances where the sleeve is provided with 'externallugs which are embedded-in the handle this tends to weaken thehandle'wall frequently causing it to split and break thus again destroying the usefulness of theto'ol. g j It is accordingly the object of" the present invention to provide'ascrew-driver which is economical to manufacture and whereinthe shank i s' separable from the handle to enable them- 'sertionof blades of various sizes and shapes and a, longitudinally disposed sleeve firmly anchored inthe handle telescopically receives the shank;

1 Another object of the present invention is the provision of a screw-driver in which blades of various sizes and shapes maybe readily'inserted and removed from the handle and wherein the latter is provided with a sleeve for telescopically receiving the shanks of such blades with the sleeve 'positivelysecured to the handle against rotation under exceedingly severe strain.

Still further'objects of the present will become obvious to. those skilled in the art ,by reference to the accompanying drawing wherein,

Fig. 1 is anelevationalview of a screw-driver constructed in accordance with the present inventionishowing the shank of a customary blade inserted in .the handle; I ;.;Fig.t2 is a fragmentary view. of a .Phillips type blade which may be substituted for the usual type blade of Fig. 1; 1

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary exploded cross-sectional view on a somewhat larger scale of the screwdriver as-shown in Fig. 1 or 2 invention 4 Claims. (Cl.279--96) Fig.4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional -vie v'v similar to Fig. 3 but showing the shankinserted into-the sleeve'within the handle; P

Fig. 5" is a view taken on the line VV of Fig. 3 v

and lookingin the direction indicated by thear-' rows; I r

Fig. *6 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line VIVI"ofFig 5;- I Fig. '7 is a fcr oss-sectional view'taken on the line VIIV II of Fig. 3; 11 v a "Fig. 8 is-a cross-sectional view taken on the line VIII-VIII of Fig. 3, and Fig. 9 is'an explodeclperspective view of the sleeve with its internal split bushing employed-to hold the shank within the handle in accordance with the present invention. I a Referring now to the drawings in detail'the screw-driver of the present invention as therein shown comprises a handle 5' which may be'of wood but preferably is formed of cellulose orthe like. A sleeve 6 extends longitudinally of the axis ofth'e-handl'e for the telescopic'reception of the shank 'l of a customary blade 8, or of a .Phillips' type blade 9. As showman the several figures, the sleeve. 6 is provided with a head H) of slightly.

larger diameter than the rest of thesleeve, which thus forms'a shoulder l2 resting against the end of the handle 5 for limiting the depth that the sleeve is disposed within the handle 5.

- By reference more particularly to Fig. 9, it will be noted that the transverse surface of the sleeve 6 is provided with small notches 13 disposed at with respect to each other, with a pair of such notches spaced apart receiving a lug I4 care ried'by an .endof a split bushing I5. This latter bushing is formed of two identical matching halves l6 and l I. eachone of which hasa out-out portion, so that when the two halves are joined together, as more clearly seen from Fig. 9, a pair of longitudinal, slotslS' and ISare provided in thebushing which are 180 apartv and align with the remaining pair of notches l3.when the lugs l4 engage the other pair of notches l3. I

The diameter of the. split bushing-'l5 correspends approximately to the internal diameter of the sleeve Sand when the latter is slipped over the two halves 16 and I! of the bushing'they, are held together formingzthe slots l8*and l9, by en:- ga'gement of-the lugs. 14' with one pairof the notches 13. The lowerend .of each bushing half l6=and I1- is provided with a pair of. prongs 2i) and 22 which, although extending generally in a longitudinal direction; are bent slightly outward, ascan-be seen more clearly in. Figs. 6 and 9.

; The assembly comprising the split bushing l5 surrounded by the sleeve 6 is pressed or driven into a longitudinal opening 23 provided in the handle 5 until the shoulder l2 rests against the end of the handle at which time the projecting prongs 20 and 22 will be embedded firmly into the material of the handle which prevents rotation of the bushing I5 under any twisting strain. Since the lugs 14 engage one of the pairs of notches I3 the sleeve 6 is likewise prevented f'rom rotation under strain by the rigidity with which the bushing I5 is held within the handle 5. However, the frictional engagement between the sleeve 6 and the interior of the handle may be enhanced by the provision of a v knurled surface 24 on the outside of the sleeve 6.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 3, it will be noted that the screw-driver shank, whether of the usual bladed end or of the Phillips type, is provided with a pair of longitudinally extending swaged key surfaces 2-5 disposed 180? relative each other and ofa thickness sufiicient to slide through the remaining pair of notches 13 in the sleeve 5 and down- 'wardly of the aligning slots I8 and 19 provided sary twisting strain encountered, without fear of the shank 1 rotating in the retaining assembly comprising the sleeve 6 and split bushing IE, or the latter rotating under such twisting strain, because the assembly is held against rotation by the embedded prongs 20 and Hand the lugs M together ,with the frictional engagementof the sleeve 6 and i-ts knurled surface and "the The shank 'I' oithe interior of thehandle. 5. blade v'may also be provided with a knurled portion on a part of its exterior surface, if desired, to form a gripping surface for pliers or'a wrench.

It thus becomes obvious, to those skilled in the art that a screw-driver-is' provided by the present invention whereinithe shank. is separable from the handle to enable the insertion of blades of various sizes and shapestherein. Moreover; when inserted in the handle the shank is: not only retained securely therein against accidental displacement but due to the retaining assembly of ananchored split bushing and a surrounding sleeve, the shank-is prevented from turning within-"the handle throughout a long useful life of the tool; Although one specific embodiment of thepresent invention; has been shown and described it isto bs-understood that still further modifications thereof may-he made without departing from the spirit and scope. of the appended claimsp Iclaim? J a a:

1.- A tool comprising a. handlehaving 'a recess extending longitudinally from' one eisid,v a cylindrical sleeve" 'disprised inxsaid recess-iin tight frictional engagement withsaidxhandie and provided with: notches, i a bushing positioned interiorly' of saidlasleeve provided with lugsyen gaging the notches saidtsl'eeveand having prongs embedded in said handle to prevent turningof said bushing and-sleeve under stress and said bushing having slots, aligning'with other notches in said: s'leeve,1and a vtoolfshank having projections engageable with the slots in said bushing to retain said shank in said handle and to rotate said shank by said handle without relative rotation therebetween.

2. A tool comprising a handle having a recess extending longitudinally from one end, a cylindrical sleeve disposed in said recess in tight frictional engagement with said handle and provided with notches in the outer end thereof, a bushing positioned interiorly of said sleeve provided with lugs at one end engaging some of the notches in the outer end of said sleeve and having prongs at its inner end embedded in said handle to prevent turning of said bushing and sleeve under stress, and said bushing having slots aligning with other notches in the outer end of said sleeve, and a tool shank having projections engageable with the slots in said bushing to retain said shank in said handle and to rotate the latter by said handle without relative rotation therebetween.

3. A. tool comprising. a handle havingfla recess extending longitudinally from one end, a cylindrical sleeve disposed in said recess" in tight frictional engagement with said handle and provided with notches in the outer end thereof, a split bushing formed of two halves held together by said sleeve with each half provided with ,9; lug at one end engaging one of :thenot'ches in the outer end of said sleeve and each half having a pair of prongs at its other end embedded in said handle to prevent turning of said busha ing and sleeve under stress, and. said bushing having slots at the junction of said halves align ing with other notches in the outer'end'of said sleeve, and a tool shank having projections en'- gagea-hle with the slots-in said bushing to retain said shank in said handleand to rotate the latter by said handle withoutrela-tiv'e rotationitherebetween. V I T Q 4. A tool comprising azihandle having arecess extending longitudinally from one end, a cylin drical sleeve, disposed in said recess in'tight frictional engagement with said handle and provided with notches in the outer end therofdisposed at relative to each other, a split bushing formed of two halves. held together by said sleeve with each half provided with a lug atone end engaging one of the notches. in. the outer end of said sleeve which are disposedl80 apart and each half having apair of prongs at its other end embedded in said handle to prevent turning of said bushing and sleeve within said handle. under stress, and said bushing having slots atthe junction of said halves, aligning with the, remaining notches in' the outer. end of said sleeve which are apart, and al'tool shank having projections engageable with. the. slots said bushing to retain I said shank i said handle andto rotate the latter hy fsaid handle without relative rotation therebetween,

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file. of this patent: I V .U T DS ES TENT L "Name 88,810 Robertson --JApi. 13,186!) "2,378,775 Johnson June 19;1Q45

232%,7'62 Petre. et a1; Jul;y 19, 1949' FOREIGN P TENrsff'; 7 mb ou Da 524,784 France i Sept. 10-, 1921

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