GRAPHITE / TITANIUM HAMMER
According to disclosure, the hammer has a head made of striking grade steel. The handle comprises a 6-4 titanium hand grip and over strike plate insert in the handle and under the head. The head has an eye for accommodating a handle which in a preferred embodiment is made of a graphite titanium composite comprising from about 60 to 65% graphite by weight and from about 35 to 45% 6-4 titanium. The head of hammer has a claw end and a striking head. Also disclosed is a method of manufacturing the device of the disclosure comprising using one or more bladder compressed carbon fiber processes to anneal the graphite, titanium and steel components of the hammer.
1 . A lightweight hammer comprising:
a hammer-head having a first end and a second end wherein said first end comprises a striking surface;
a lightweight handle having graphite and titanium regions wherein said lightweight handle has a first end in communication with said hammer-head and a second end; and
a titanium overstrike plate extending over a side of said handle and extending over said second end of lightweight handle wherein said titanium overstrike plate is further in communication with said hammer-head.
2 . The lightweight hammer of claim 1 wherein said hammer-head comprises striking grade steel.
3 . The lightweight hammer of claim 2 wherein said hammer-head further comprises an aperture defined in a first surface of said hammer-head.
4 . The lightweight hammer of claim 1 wherein a hammer-head axis is defined by the middle of the width of the hammer-head and a handle axis is defined by the middle of the length of the handle wherein a 90 degree angle is formed by an intersection of the hammer-head axis and the handle axis.
5 . The lightweight hammer of claim 1 wherein said overstrike plate comprises 6-4 titanium.
6 . The lightweight hammer of claim 1 wherein said hammer-head is permanently affixed to said lightweight handle.
7 . The lightweight hammer of claim 1 wherein said hammer-head second end comprises a claw structure.
8 . The lightweight hammer of claim 1 wherein said hammer-head further comprises a means for pulling nails.
9 . The lightweight hammer of claim 4 wherein titanium overstrike plate is bonded to said lightweight handle wherein said lightweight handle comprises strands of carbon fiber using a compressed carbon fiber process.
10 . The lightweight hammer of claim 1 further comprising a foam core disposed through the length of the lightweight handle.
11 . The lightweight hammer of claim 9 wherein said lightweight handle comprises 60% to 75% graphite by weight and 25% to 35% titanium.
12 . The lightweight hammer of claim 9 wherein said strands of carbon fiber are perpendicular to the handle axis.
13 . The lightweight hammer of claim 9 wherein said strands of carbon fiber are parallel to the handle axis.
14 . The lightweight hammer of claim 1 further comprising a cellulose material disposed through the length of the lightweight handle.