Core insert and hand tool for dispensing material wound on a core

A hand tool for applying material to a surface, the material being wound onto a hollow cylindrical core to form a roll having an outer diameter and a longitudinal axis, the core having proximal and distal ends, an inner diameter and a length, the hand tool comprising:

• a core insert comprising;
• a spindle hub comprising a hollow cylindrical shaft tube having a length, proximal and distal ends, a constant inner diameter, a constant outer diameter, and a longitudinal axis, and a hollow cylindrical spindle base rigidly attached to the shaft tube, the spindle base having an inner diameter equal to the inner diameter of the shaft tube and having an outer diameter greater than the outer diameter of the shaft tube;
• a gripper sleeve bearing comprising a hollow cylindrical sleeve tube having a longitudinal axis, and having attached a plurality of external axial splines aligned with the longitudinal axis and extending away from the longitudinal axis by a varying distance from an outer surface of the sleeve tube, the gripper sleeve bearing having a length less than the length of the shaft tube, proximal and distal ends, a constant inner diameter greater than the outer diameter of the shaft tube and less than the outer diameter of the spindle base, and a longitudinal axis, wherein each spline is tapered so that towards the proximal end of the gripper sleeve bearing the spline extends from the longitudinal axis by a distance greater than half of the inner diameter of the core and towards the distal end of the gripper sleeve bearing the spline extends from the longitudinal axis by a distance less than half of the inner diameter of the core, wherein the shaft tube is inserted into the gripper sleeve bearing so that the longitudinal axis of the gripper sleeve bearing is coincident with the longitudinal axis of the shaft tube, the proximal end of the gripper sleeve bearing is proximate to the spindle base, and the gripper sleeve bearing is rotatable about the shaft tube;
• and
• a retaining mechanism configured to retain the gripper sleeve bearing in rotational engagement with the shaft tube;
• a cylindrical axle shaft having a length, a longitudinal axis, an outer diameter less than the inner diameter of the core and less than the inner diameter of the shaft tube, and having proximal and distal ends, wherein the axle shaft is inserted into the shaft tube wherein the spindle hub is rigidly attached to the axle shaft;
• an elongated handle shaft spaced apart from the axle shaft by more than half of the outer diameter of the roll and having a length, proximal and distal ends, and a longitudinal axis approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis of the axle shaft;
• a shaft connector having proximal and distal ends with the distal end of the shaft connector being rigidly connected to the proximal end of the handle shaft and the proximal end of the shaft connector being rigidly connected to the proximal end of the axle shaft;
• and
• a cylindrical guide knob rigidly attached to the distal end of the axle shaft, the guide knob having proximal and distal ends and a maximum diameter less than the inner diameter of the core, wherein the ends of the guide knob are tapered to a diameter less than the maximum diameter of the guide knob towards the proximal and distal ends of the guide knob, wherein the maximum diameter of the guide knob is sufficiently close to the inner diameter of the core to constrain lateral movement of the core and the roll when the axle core shaft is inserted into the core so as to maintain approximate coincidence of the longitudinal axes of the roll and the axle shaft,
• wherein the axle shaft is insertable into the core of the roll with the longitudinal axes of the roll and axle shaft being approximately coincident, and with the gripper sleeve bearing inserted into the core sufficiently far to releasably and frictionally engage the core so that the roll is rotatable about the axle shaft and shaft tube along with the gripper sleeve bearing.