Importance

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Abstract

A process for assembling a hand tool includes the steps of heating an elongated tang element fixed relative to the tool head, aligning a front end of a composite tool handle with a rearwardly extending portion of the tang element, and driving the heated tang element into the tool handle. The tool handle includes a thermoplastic section in proximity to the front end thereof, having an elongate tang receiving channel. The heated tang element is driven into the tang receiving channel such that as the tang element engages the tool handle, the thermoplastic section surrounding the tang receiving channel is softened and flows into intimate contact around the tang element and then hardens as the heat of the tang element is dissipated to hold the tang element in place. In one preferred form, the tang element forms a portion of the tool head which is heated and then positioned in a stationary jig. A tool handle is placed on a track in alignment with the jig and a rear end of the tool handle is engaged to drive the heated tang element into the tang receiving channel. In another preferred form, the tang element is secured to a frog for a shovel blade. The frog is positioned within a back-side cavity of the shovel blade so that the tang element extends into a shovel blade socket. The tool handle is aligned with the tang element by inserting the handle front end into the shovel blade socket, prior to driving the tang element into the tang receiving channel.

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First Claim