초록 ▼

A construction-grade hand tool has interchangeable tool heads that can withstand significant impact, pulling, and twisting forces. The tool heads may include a shovel, a rake, a hoe, a bow saw, a broom, a fork, pruning shears, and other construction and fire fighting tool heads. A tool head adapter

A construction-grade hand tool has interchangeable tool heads that can withstand significant impact, pulling, and twisting forces. The tool heads may include a shovel, a rake, a hoe, a bow saw, a broom, a fork, pruning shears, and other construction and fire fighting tool heads. A tool head adapter securely connects these tool work heads to a handle which may be a telescoping handle. The tool head adapter is connected to the tool head in a manner that provides a strong, impact-resistant connection between the adapter and the tool head. The handle may include a shock absorber structure. The adapter is configured to be securely and tightly received by a clamping and/or quick-release receptacle on the end of the handle.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A hand tool with interchangeable work heads, the tool comprising: at least a first tool work head;a handle having a first tube;the handle having a tool head adapter locking mechanism carried by the first tube with a portion of the first tube disposed inside the tool head adapter locking mechanism

1. A hand tool with interchangeable work heads, the tool comprising: at least a first tool work head;a handle having a first tube;the handle having a tool head adapter locking mechanism carried by the first tube with a portion of the first tube disposed inside the tool head adapter locking mechanism;a tool head adapter connected to the first tool work head; the tool head adapter having a first shank; the first shank of the tool head adapter being connected to the handle with a threaded connection; the threaded connection being disposed inside the first tube;the first shank having a clamping portion; andthe tool head adapter locking mechanism having a clamped configuration and an unclamped configuration; a portion of the tool head adapter locking mechanism surrounding the clamping portion of the first shank of the tool head adapter and being clamped against the clamping portion of the first shank of the adapter to secure the tool head adapter to the first tube; the clamping portion of the first shank being disposed intermediate the threaded connection and the first tool work head and outside of the first tube of the handle. 2. The tool of claim 1, further comprising a shank receiver carried inside the first tube of the handle; the first shank of the tool head adapter being connected to the shank receiver with the threaded connection. 3. The tool of claim 2, wherein a portion of the first shank directly abuts a portion of the shank receiver. 4. The tool of claim 3, wherein the abutting portions of the first shank and the shank receiver are disposed within the first tube of the handle. 5. The tool of claim 2, wherein the handle includes a shock absorbing structure disposed inside the first tube; the shank receiver including a first portion disposed inside the first tube and a second portion disposed inside the shock absorbing structure. 6. A hand tool with interchangeable work heads, the tool comprising: at least a first tool work head;a handle having a first tube;the handle having a tool head adapter locking mechanism;a tool head adapter connected to the first tool work head; the tool head adapter having a first shank;the first shank having a clamping portion;the tool head adapter locking mechanism having a clamped configuration and an unclamped configuration; a portion of the tool head adapter locking mechanism surrounding the clamping portion of the first shank of the tool head adapter and being clamped against the clamping portion of the first shank of the adapter to secure the tool head adapter to the first tube;a shank receiver carried by the first tube of the handle;the first shank of the tool head adapter being connected to the shank receiver with a threaded connection;the handle including a shock absorbing structure disposed inside the first tube; the shank receiver including a first portion disposed inside the first tube and a second portion disposed inside the shock absorbing structure; anda connector securing the second portion of the shank receiver to the shock absorbing structure and the first tube. 7. The tool of claim 6, wherein the connector is disposed under a portion of the tool head adapter locking mechanism. 8. The tool of claim 6, wherein the shank receiver defines a shoulder between the first portion of the shank receiver and the second portion of the shank receiver; the shoulder abutting the shock absorbing structure. 9. The tool of claim 6, wherein the handle further comprises an second tube carrying a handle locking mechanism; a portion of the first tube being disposed in the second tube. 10. A hand tool with interchangeable work heads, the tool comprising: at least a first tool work head having a tool head adapter that includes a first shank;a telescoping handle having a first tube that selectively slides inside a second tube; a portion of the first tube being disposed inside the second tube;the second tube carrying a handle locking mechanism that is movable between clamped and unclamped configurations; the clamped configuration of the handle locking mechanism locking the position of the first tube with respect to the second tube;the first tube carrying a tool head adapter locking mechanism;the first shank of the tool head adapter having a clamping portion;the tool head adapter locking mechanism having a clamped configuration and an unclamped configuration; a portion of the tool head adapter locking mechanism surrounding the clamping portion of the first shank of the tool head adapter and being clamped against the clamping portion of the first shank of the adapter to secure the tool head adapter to the first tube when the tool head adapter locking mechanism is in the clamped configuration; andthe first tube carrying an expandable locking mechanism; the expandable locking mechanism being disposed inside the second tube; the expandable locking mechanism having locked and unlocked configurations; the locked configuration of the expandable locking mechanism securing the first tube to the second tube. 11. The tool of claim 10, wherein the handle includes a shock absorbing structure disposed inside the first tube; the first shank abutting the shock absorbing structure; the shock absorbing structure abutting a portion of the expandable locking mechanism. 12. The tool of claim 10, further comprising a shank receiver and a shock absorbing structure carried by the handle; the shank receiver threadedly receiving the first shank; the shank receiver abutting the shock absorbing structure; and a connector securing the shank receiver and the shock absorber to the first tube. 13. The tool of claim 10, wherein the handle locking mechanism carried by the second tube includes an inner portion that includes a grip disposed outwardly of the second tube; the inner portion also including an intermediate tube having an outwardly disposed thread; the inner portion further including a plurality of clamping fingers that define an outer cam follower surface; the plurality of clamping fingers projecting over a portion of the first tube;the handle locking mechanism also including an outer portion that threadedly engages the outwardly disposed thread of the intermediate tube; andthe outer portion having a cam that engages the cam follower surface of the clamping fingers such that the outer portion is adapted to force the clamping fingers against the inner tube. 14. The tool of claim 13, wherein the expandable locking mechanism is disposed inwardly of the grip to align an expansion force created by the expandable locking mechanism with the grip. 15. A hand tool with interchangeable work heads, the tool comprising: at least a first tool work head;a handle having a first tube;the handle having a tool head adapter locking mechanism;a tool head adapter connected to the first tool work head; the tool head adapter having a first shank; the first shank of the tool head adapter being connected to the handle with a threaded connection;the first shank having a clamping portion;the tool head adapter locking mechanism having a clamped configuration and an unclamped configuration; a portion of the tool head adapter locking mechanism surrounding the clamping portion of the first shank of the tool head adapter and being clamped against the clamping portion of the first shank of the adapter to secure the tool head adapter to the first tube when the tool head adapter locking mechanism is in the clamped configuration; andthe tool head adapter locking mechanism including a first portion connected to the first tube and a second portion threadedly engaging the first portion; the first portion defining a plurality of clamping fingers engaging the first shank of the tool head adapter. 16. A hand tool with interchangeable work heads, the tool comprising: at least a first tool work head;a handle having a first tube;the handle having a tool head adapter locking mechanism;a tool head adapter connected to the first tool work head;the tool head adapter having a first shank and a second shank; the first shank defining a clamping portion and the second shank defining a thread;a shank receiver carried by the first tube of the handle; the shank receiver defining a recess that threadedly receives the second shank to threadedly connect the tool head adapter to the handle with a threaded connection;a portion of the first shank being disposed inside the first tube with the clamping portion of the first shank being disposed outside the first tube; andthe tool head adapter locking mechanism having a clamped configuration and an unclamped configuration; a portion of the tool head adapter locking mechanism surrounding the clamping portion of the first shank of the tool head adapter and being clamped against the clamping portion of the first shank of the adapter to secure the tool head adapter to the first tube. 17. The tool of claim 16, wherein a portion of the first shank directly abuts a portion of the shank receiver; the abutting portions of the first shank and the shank receiver being disposed within the first tube of the handle. 18. The tool of claim 16, wherein the handle includes a shock absorbing structure disposed inside the first tube; the shank receiver including a first portion disposed inside the first tube and a second portion disposed inside the shock absorbing structure. 19. A hand tool with interchangeable work heads, the tool comprising: a tool work head;a tool head adapter having a first shank and a second shank with a shoulder defined between the first and second shanks; the tool head adapter being connected to the tool work head;a handle having a tool head adapter locking mechanism carried by a first tube;a shock absorbing structure disposed inside the first tube; the shock absorbing structure defining an opening;the second shank of the adapter disposed in the opening defined by the shock absorbing structure;at least a portion of the first shank being disposed inside the first tube;the shoulder of the adapter abutting the shock absorbing member;the tool head adapter locking mechanism having a clamped configuration and an unclamped configuration; a portion of the tool head adapter locking mechanism surrounding a clamping portion of the first shank of the adapter and being clamped against the clamping portion of the first shank of the adapter to secure the tool head adapter to the inner tube; andthe first shank being connected to the first tube with a removable and replaceable pin that extends through the first shank and the first tube; the tool head adapter locking mechanism being disposed between the pin and the tool work head. 20. The tool of claim 19, further comprising an outer sleeve disposed around the first tube; the pin being disposed through the outer sleeve.