Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6739010
-
Patent Number
6,739,010
-
Date Filed
Tuesday, May 13, 200321 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, May 25, 200420 years ago
-
Inventors
-
-
Examiners
- Hail, III; Joseph J.
- Thomas; David B.
Agents
- Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 007 158
- 007 159
- 081 20
- 081 21
- 081 25
- 081 26
- 081 1801
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A combination tool includes a hammer having a head, a handle portion and a neck part, an accessory tool for attachment to the head, and an attachment part connected to the accessory tool and including a socket to receive a hammering end of the head, two retaining walls extending respectively on two sides of the socket to retain therebetween at least the neck part, and a clamping part for pressing the neck part against the socket, thereby retaining removably the accessory tool on the hammer.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a combination tool, more particularly to a combination of a hammer and an accessory tool.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to
FIG. 1
, a conventional combination tool includes a hammer
2
and an accessory tool
1
. The hammer
2
has ahead
201
and a handle portion
202
connected to the head
201
. The head
201
includes a hammering end
203
having an outer periphery formed with a plurality of inwardly extending grooves
205
, and a claw
204
opposite to the hammering end
203
. The accessory tool
1
includes a sleeve portion
101
sleeved on the hammering end
203
, a tool portion
102
connected integrally to the sleeve portion
101
, and a plurality of clamping screws
103
that extend into the respective grooves
205
so as to fasten the accessory tool
1
to the hammer
2
.
The aforementioned hammering end
203
of the hammer
2
has to be provided with grooves
205
, which is troublesome for processing. Furthermore, since only the clamping screws
103
are used to press tightly the sides of the hammering end
203
, the accessory tool
1
is likely to loosen easily from the hammer
2
when subjected to impact induced during operation of the hammer
2
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a combination tool that has an accessory tool connected stably to and easily detachable from a hammer in order to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art.
According to one aspect of this invention, a combination tool comprises a hammer having a head, a handle portion and a neck part between the head and the handle portion, an accessory tool for attachment to the head, and an attachment part connected to the accessory tool. The attachment part includes a socket disposed adjacent to the accessory tool to receive a hammering end of the head, two retaining walls extending respectively on two sides of the socket to retain therebetween at least the neck part, a cross piece disposed across the retaining walls to abut against one side of the neck part, and a clamping part disposed between the retaining walls to press against the other side of the neck part opposite to the cross piece. The clamping part is operable to move away from the neck part.
According to another aspect of this invention, a device for combination with a hammer having a head, a handle portion, and a neck part between the head and the handle portion, includes an accessory tool and an attachment part. The accessory tool is adapted for attachment to the head. The attachment part is connected to the accessory tool, and includes a socket, two opposite retaining walls, and a clamping part. The socket is disposed adjacent to the accessory tool, and is adapted to receive a hammering end of the head. The retaining walls extend respectively from two sides of the socket in a direction away from the accessory tool. The clamping part is adapted to press the neck part of the hammer against the socket, and is disposed between the retaining walls opposite to the socket.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:
FIG. 1
is a partly sectional schematic view of a conventional combination tool;
FIG. 2
is an exploded fragmentary perspective view of the preferred embodiment of a combination tool according to the present invention;
FIG. 3
is a partly sectional fragmentary schematic view of the preferred embodiment in an assembled state;
FIG. 4
is another partly sectional fragmentary schematic view of the preferred embodiment, illustrating how a hammer is initially inserted into an accessory tool; and
FIG. 5
is yet another partly sectional fragmentary schematic view of the preferred embodiment, illustrating how the hammer is positioned after insertion into the accessory tool.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to
FIGS. 2 and 3
, the preferred embodiment of a combination tool according to the present invention is shown to comprise a hammer
100
, an accessory tool
200
, an attachment part
300
, and a holder
60
.
The hammer
100
has a head
110
with a hammering end
140
, a handle portion
120
connected to the head portion
110
, and a neck part
130
between the head
110
and the handle portion
120
. The head
110
has two jaw-like components
111
. The hammering end
140
is integral with one of the components
111
. The other one of the components
111
is formed with a claw
150
. The handle portion
120
includes a pair of lever handles
121
pivotally connected together and respectively connected to the components
111
.
The accessory tool
200
is attached to the hammering end
140
of the head
110
of the hammer
100
. In this embodiment, the accessory tool
200
is an axe
20
. However, it can also be a spade or a shovel.
The attachment part
300
is connected to the accessory tool
200
, and includes a socket
30
, two opposite retaining walls
31
, a transverse wall
32
, a clamping part
40
, a locking screw
42
, a coiled spring
43
, and a cross piece
50
. The socket
30
is disposed adjacent to the accessory tool
200
to receive the hammering end
140
of the head
110
. The retaining walls
31
extend respectively from two sides of the socket
30
in a direction away from the accessory tool
200
. The transverse wall
32
interconnects the retaining walls
31
opposite to the socket
30
. The retaining walls
31
, the transverse wall
32
, and the socket
30
cooperate to define an open space
33
for extension of the head
110
of the hammer
100
therethrough.
The clamping part
40
is disposed between the retaining walls
31
opposite to the socket
30
, and is operable to move toward and away from the socket
30
. The clamping part
40
includes a press block
41
mounted movably on the transverse wall
32
and having a press face
411
to press a first side
170
of the neck part
130
against the socket
30
. The press block
41
is movable between the retaining walls
31
toward and away from the transverse wall
32
, and is prevented from rotation by the retaining walls
31
.
The locking screw
42
extends threadedly through the transverse wall
32
, and has one end fixed to the press block
41
. The locking screw
42
has a threaded shank portion
422
, and a screw head
423
opposite to the shank portion
422
. The shank portion
422
has a bottom end portion formed with an internally extending thread
4221
to engage a threaded screw
421
that passes through the press block
41
so that the locking screw
42
is connected fixedly to the press block
41
. The head portion
423
extends outwardly of the transverse wall
32
, and is formed with a hexagonal hole
424
to receive a hexagonal wrench
70
. The coiled spring
43
is sleeved around the locking screw
42
between the screw head
423
and the transverse wall
32
. The transverse wall
32
has a recess
321
for receiving the coiled spring
43
.
The cross piece
50
is disposed across the retaining walls
31
, and abuts against a second side
160
of the neck part
130
opposite to the first side
170
. In this embodiment, the cross piece
50
is a rod that penetrates through a pair of aligned holes
312
in the retaining walls
31
.
The holder
60
is attached to one of the retaining walls
31
, which has an outer face
311
formed with an indented part
314
to receive and retain the holder
60
. The holder
60
has a mounting plate
62
received in and fastened to the indented part
314
by engaging a pair of aligned holes
313
in the indented part
314
in a press-fitting manner. Two holder rings
61
are attached to the mounting plate
62
to hold the wrench
70
.
When the accessory tool
200
is to be assembled on the hammer
100
, the locking screw
42
is initially threadedly loosened to move the press block
41
toward the transverse wall
32
, after which, the claw
150
of the hammer
100
is extended through the open space
33
in the attachment part
300
, as shown by the solid lines in FIG.
4
. Then, the attachment part
300
is rotated until the socket
30
is located below the hammering end
140
of the hammer
100
, as shown by the phantom lines in FIG.
4
. Afterwards, the socket
30
is moved upward to receive the hammering end
140
of the hammer
100
, as shown in FIG.
5
. Referring back to
FIG. 3
, the locking screw
42
is thereafter tightened on the transverse wall
32
to move and press the press block
41
toward the first side
170
of the neck part
130
. At this time, the coiled spring
43
is compressed, and the locking screw
42
is positioned tightly due to the biasing force of the coiled spring
43
. The accessory tool
200
is thereby connected to the hammer
100
. The final step is to insert the cross piece
50
through the holes
312
so that the cross piece
50
abuts against the second side
160
of the neck part
130
to provide a stable connection between the accessory tool
200
and the hammer
100
. Note that the cross piece
50
has a detent ball
51
(see FIG.
2
), which can engage the outer face of one of the retaining walls
31
to lock the cross piece
50
on the retaining walls
31
.
To detach the accessory tool
200
from the hammer
100
, the foregoing assembly steps are simply performed in a reverse order, that is, the cross piece
50
is first removed, followed by loosening of the locking screw
42
so as to move the press block
41
away from the first side
170
of the neck part
130
. Then, the socket
30
is separated from the hammering end
140
, and the accessory tool
200
and the attachment part
300
are rotated out of the head
110
of the hammer
100
.
Thus, from the aforementioned description of the preferred embodiment of the combination tool of the present invention, it is apparent that the accessory tool
200
can be easily connected to and detached from the hammer
100
. Furthermore, the structure of the hammer
100
need not be modified in order to connect with the accessory tool
200
so that multi-purpose functions can be achieved. Moreover, due to the many positioning points produced by the insertion of the hammering end
140
into the socket
30
, the abutment of the press block
41
and the cross piece
50
against the first and second sides
170
,
160
of the neck part
130
, and the retaining action of the retaining walls
31
, the accessory tool
200
is stably connected to the hammer
100
. Additionally, the engagement of the locking screw
42
with the press block
41
can ensure that the accessory tool
200
is not likely to loosen during use of the combination tool.
While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.
Claims
- 1. A combination tool comprising:a hammer having a head, a handle portion and a neck part between said head and said handle portion; an accessory tool for attachment to said head; and an attachment part connected to said accessory tool and including a socket disposed adjacent to said accessory tool to receive a hammering end of said head, two opposite retaining walls extending respectively from two sides of said socket in a direction away from said accessory tool, and a clamping part for pressing said neck part against said socket, said clamping part being disposed between said retaining walls opposite to said socket.
- 2. The combination tool as claimed in claim 1, wherein said handle portion of said hammer includes a pair of lever handles pivotally connected together, said head having two jaw-like components respectively connected to said lever handles, said hammering end being integral with one of said components.
- 3. The combination tool as claimed in claim 2, wherein the other one of said components is formed with a claw.
- 4. The combination tool as claimed in claim 3, wherein said accessory tool is an axe.
- 5. The combination tool as claimed in claim 1, wherein said attachment part further includes a cross piece disposed across said retaining walls to abut against said neck part opposite to said clamping part.
- 6. The combination tool as claimed in claim 5, wherein said cross piece is a rod penetrating through said retaining walls.
- 7. The combination tool as claimed in claim 1, wherein said attachment part further includes a transverse wall interconnecting said retaining walls opposite to said socket, said clamping part including a press block mounted movably on said transverse wall and having a press face to press against said neck part, said press block being movable between said retaining walls toward and away from said transverse wall, said retaining walls preventing said press block from rotation.
- 8. The combination tool as claimed in claim 6, wherein said attachment part further includes a locking screw threadedly extending through said transverse wall and having one end fixed to said press block.
- 9. The combination tool as claimed in claim 7, wherein said attachment part further includes a coiled spring, said locking screw having a screw head extending outwardly of said transverse wall, said coiled spring being sleeved around said locking screw between said screw head and said transverse wall, said transverse wall having a recess receiving said coiled spring.
- 10. The combination tool as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a holder attached to one of said retaining walls, said one of said retaining walls having an outer face formed with an indented part to receive and retain said holder.
- 11. A device for combination with a hammer having ahead, a handle portion and a neck part between the head and the handle portion, comprising:an accessory tool adapted for attachment to the head; and an attachment part connected to said accessory tool and including a socket which is disposed adjacent to said accessory tool and which is adapted to receive a hammering end of the head, two opposite retaining walls extending respectively from two sides of said socket in a direction away from said accessory tool, and a clamping part adapted to press the neck part of the hammer against said socket, said clamping part being disposed between said retaining walls opposite to said socket.
- 12. The combination tool as claimed in claim 11, wherein said accessory tool is an axe.
- 13. The combination tool as claimed in claim 11, wherein said attachment part further includes a cross piece disposed across said retaining walls and adapted to abut against the neck part of the hammer opposite to said clamping part.
- 14. The combination tool as claimed in claim 13, wherein said cross piece is a rod penetrating through said retaining walls.
- 15. The combination tool as claimed in claim 11, wherein said attachment part further includes a transverse wall interconnecting said retaining walls opposite to said socket, said clamping part including a press block mounted movably on said transverse wall and having a press face, said press block being movable between said retaining walls toward and away from said transverse wall, said retaining walls preventing said press block from rotation.
- 16. The combination tool as claimed in claim 15, wherein said attachment part further includes a locking screw threadedly extending through said transverse wall and having one end fixed to said press block.
- 17. The combination tool as claimed in claim 16, wherein said attachment part further includes a coiled spring, said locking screw having a screw head extending outwardly of said transverse wall, said coiled spring being sleeved around said locking screw between said screw head and said transverse wall, said transverse wall having a recess receiving said coiled spring.
- 18. The combination tool as claimed in claim 11, further comprising a holder attached to one of said retaining walls, said one of said retaining walls having an outer face formed with an indented part to receive and retain said holder.
US Referenced Citations (6)