Hand-held cutting tool apparatus

A handle-held tool apparatus adapted for cutting relatively soft materials, comprising a tool element having an elongated shank on one end thereof and a cutting element projecting oppositely of said shank along a tool axis, and an elongated handle assembly having a handle axis, front and rear surfaces extending transversely to said handle axis and an outer surrounding side surface extending between said front and rear surfaces, said handle assembly operative to receive said shank along said axis to mount said tool element so that the cutting element projects outwardly and forwardly of the front surface, said handle assembly being constructed of two complementary first and second handle sections, the first handle section having a first front end portion extending transversely of said handle axis and a first central portion extending inwardly from a first side surface portion and the second handle section having a second front end portion extending transversely of said handle axis and having a second central portion extending inwardly from a second side portion, securing means for securing said first and second handle sections together whereby said first and second end portions form said front surface, said first and second central portions sized to have opposed internal faces spaced apart to receive and support an inner eend of said shank in close-fitted engagement therebetween, said first and second front end portions configured whereby said front surface has an axial opening therethrough sized to receive said shank, cooperative engageable mounting means on said inner end of said shank and said first and second central portions for lockably securing said shank within said handle assembly when said first and second handle sections are secured together, lateral stop means on each side of said axial opening for preventing angular pivoting of said shank past said lateral stop means on either side of said handle axis, said lateral stop means including a pair of prongs extending from one of said front end portions and a pair of bores in the other of said front end portions configured to receive said prongs.

A handle-held tool apparatus adapted for cutting relatively soft materials, comprising a tool element having an elongated shank on one end thereof and a cutting element projecting oppositely of said shank along a tool axis, and an elongated handle assembly having a handle axis, front and rear surfaces extending transversely to said handle axis and an outer surrounding side surface extending between said front and rear surfaces, said handle assembly operative to receive said shank along said handle axis to mount said tool element so that the cutting element projects outwardly and forwardly of the front surface, said handle assembly being constructed of two complementary first and second handle sections, the first handle section having a first front end portion extending transversely of said handle axis and a first central portion extending inwardly from a first side surface portion and the second handle section having a second front end portion extending transversely of said handle axis and having a second central portion extending inwardly from a second side portion, securing means for securing said first and second handle sections together whereby said first and second end portions form said front surface, said first and second central portions sized to have opposed internal faces spaced apart to receive and support an inner end of said shank in close-fitted engagement therebetween, said first and second front end portions configured whereby said front surface has an axial opening theretrough sized to receive said shank, cooperative engageable mounting means on said inner end of said shank and said first and second central portions for lockably securing said shank within said handle assembly when said first and second handle sections are secured together, said mounting means including first and second fingers projecting oppositely one another and perpendicularly to said shank, there being a finger on each side of said shank, and first and second finger holes in said first and second central portions, respectively, sized and oriented to receive and retain said fingers when said handle sections are secured together.

A hand-held tool apparatus adapted for cutting relatively soft materials, comprising a tool element having an elongated, flat, plate-like shank forming one end thereof and a cutting element projecting oppositely of said shank and an elongated hollow handle assembly having an interior, an exterior and a longitudinal handle axis, said handle assembly including a front wall, a rear wall and a surrounding sidewall, said handle assembly adapted to receive said shank to mount said tool element such that said cutting element projects forwardly of said front wall along said handle axis, said handle assembly being constructed in an assembled stated of complementary first and second handle sections respectively having first and second front wall sections, first and second rear wall sections and first and second sidewall sections such that said first and second handle sections have first and second rims, respectively, configured to abut one another when said first and second handle sections are secured together in the assembled state, said first handle section including a first central portion formed as an integral longitudinal extension of said first wall section, and projecting upwardly therefrom to a location adjacent said handle axis, and having a longitudinal channel forming a first shank support surface, said second handle section including a second central portion formed integrally with said second sidewall section and projecting upwardly therefrom to a location adjacent said handle axis to form a second shank support surface whereby said first and second shank support surfaces are spaced apart from one another to receive and support opposite sides of said shank in the assembled state, said front wall having an axially opening formed therethrough by said longitudinal channel of said first central portion such that said shank may extend into the interior of said housing assembly to be supported on opposite sides by said first and second shank support surfaces, said first and second handle sections including cooperative securing means which engage one another for securing said first and second handle sections in the assembled state, and cooperative engageable mounting means on said inner end of said shank and said first and second central portions for lockably securing said shank within said handle assembly when said first and second handle sections are secured together.

A hand-held tool apparatus adapted for cutting relatively soft materials, comprising a tool element having an elongated, flat, plate-like shank forming one end thereof and a cutting element projecting oppositely of said shank and an elongated hollow handle assembly having an interior, an exterior and a longitudinal handle axis, said handle assembly including a front wall, a rear wall and a surrounding sidewall, said handle assembly adapted to receive said shank to mount said tool element such that said cutting element projects forwardly of said front wall along said handle axis, said handle assembly being constructed in assembled stated of complementary first and second handle sections respectively having first and second front wall sections, first and second rear wall sections and first and second sidewall sections such that said first and second handle sections have first and second rims, respectively, configured to abut one another when said first and second handle sections are secured together in the assembled state, said first handle section including a first central portion formed integrally with said first sidewall section and projecting upwardly therefrom to a location adjacent said handle axis, to form a first shank support surface, said second handle section including a second central portion formed integrally with said second sidewall section and projecting upwardly therefrom to a location adjacent said handle axis to form a second shank support surface whereby siad first and second shank support surfaces are spaced apart from one another to receive and support opposite sides of said shank in the assembled state, said front wall having an axially opening formed therethrough such that said shank may extend into the interior of said housing assembly to be supported on opposite sides by said first and second shank support surfaces, said first and second handle sections including cooperative securing means which engage one another for securing said first and second handle sections in the assembled state, and cooperative engageable mounting means on said inner end of said shank and said first and second central portions for lockably securing said shank within said handle assembly when said first and second handle sections are secured together said mounting means including first and second fingers projecting oppositely one another and perpendicularly to said shank, there being a finger on each side of said shank, and first and second finger holes in said first and second central portions, respectively, sized and oriented to receive and retain said fingers when said handle sections are secured together.