Pocket multiple tool

• US 4,238,862 A
• Filed: 07/13/1978
• Issued: 12/16/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Timothy S. Leatherman
• Original Assignee: Timothy S. Leatherman
• Inventors: Leatherman, Timothy S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, James G.
• Application Number:
  US05/924,180
• Time in Patent Office: 887 Days
• Field of Search: 7/106, 7/118, 7/125, 7/127-131, 81/303-305, 81/307, 81/422, 81/424, 81/428 R, 30/255
• US Class Current: 7/128
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 7/22 Pliers provided with auxiliary tool elements, e.g. cutting edges, nail extractors for removing insulation or armouring from electric cables H02G1/12
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 1/003 of pliers'-, scissors'- or wrench-type with at least one movable jaw B25F1/006 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 1/04 wherein the elements are brought into working positions by a pivoting or sliding movement

Abstract

Channel shaped handles are foldable over plier jaws for compact carrying and storage. Auxiliary parallel jaws are operable by the main jaws when desired. Locking means are provided, operable with both sets of jaws to maintain a strong grip on an object when the handles are released. The handles also contain other tools, some of which may be opened out to provide handle extensions for increasing the leverage on the pliers.

Claims

1. A multiple instrument comprising a pair of cross jaw pliers having a pair of plier jaws pivotally connected together between nose ends and shank ends of the jaws, a first auxiliary jaw pivoted to said shank end of one of said cross jaws and engagable with said nose end of the other cross jaw, and a second auxiliary jaw pivoted to said shank end of the other cross jaw and engagable with said nose end of said one cross jaw, said auxiliary jaws being disengagable from said nose end of said cross jaws when using said cross jaws.

2. An instrument as defined in claim 1 including interengaging means on said cross jaws and auxiliary jaws for opening and closing said auxiliary jaws by the movements of said cross jaws.

3. An instrument as defined in claim 1 including interengaging means on said cross jaws and auxiliary jaws to prevent substantial lateral movements of said auxiliary jaws.

4. An instrument as defined in claim 1, said auxiliary jaws having pockets cavities in their nose ends to receive said nose ends of said cross jaws when said cross jaws are moved from open position to closed position.

5. An instrument as defined in claim 4 including cam surfaces in said cavities engaged by said nose ends of said cross jaws, said cam surfaces being shaped to impart parallel jaw movements to said auxiliary jaws when said cross jaws are closed.

6. An instrument as defined in claim 4 including transverse pins in said nose ends of said cross jaws engagable in slots in side walls of said pocket cavities to close and open said auxiliary jaws in parallel movements by the movements of said cross jaws.

7. An instrument as defined in claim 1 including a pair of handles connected to said shank ends of said cross jaws.

8. An instrument as defined in claim 7, said handles being pivotally connected to said shank ends of said cross jaws and foldable together in parallel side by side relation enclosing said cross jaws and auxiliary jaws within said handles.

9. An instrument as defined in claim 8, one of said auxilary jaws and one of said handles being connected to one of said cross jaws by a common pivot pin in said shank end of said one cross jaw and the other auxiliary jaw and other handle being connected to the other cross jaw by a common pivot pin in said shank end of said other cross jaw.

10. An instrument as defined in claim 9, said handles being of channel shape to receive said jaws in folded position with the open sides of the channels facing each other, said pivot pins being mounted in the side flanges of the channels at one end thereof.

11. An instrument as defined in claim 10, said channels having web portions with the ends of the webs engaging abutments on said shank ends of said cross jaws which are radial to said pivot pins to transmit closing forces to the jaws, and cam surfaces on said shank ends of said cross jaws resiliently engaged by said channel web portions to frictionally lock the handles to said cross jaws for opening the jaws.

12. An instrument as defined in claim 10, said channels having web portions, and cam surfaces on said shank ends of said cross jaws resiliently engaged by said channel web portions to frictionally hold said handles folded together in closed position for storage.

13. An instrument as defined in claim 10, said handle channels facing outward in the use of said pliers, and additional tools in said channels providing cushioning, force absorbing gripping surfaces between said side flanges in the use of the pliers.

14. An instrument as defined in claim 10 including additional tools in said channels pivotally mounted on pivot pins in said side flanges at the ends of the handles, said tools having notches radial to said pivot pins, flanged tongues on web portions of said channels engagable in said notches to lock said tools in selected positions, and cams on said tools operable on said channel web portions for disengaging said tongues from other of said tools on the same pivot pin.

15. An instrument as defined in claim 7 including locking means for holding either said cross jaws or said auxiliary jaws in clamping position.

16. An instrument as defined in claim 15, said locking means comprising a locking bar pivoted at one end on a pin in a shank end of one of said cross jaws, a pawl pivotally mounted on said locking bar, and teeth on the handle connected with the other cross jaw engagable by said pawl.

17. An instrument as defined in claim 16, said pawl pivoting to an over center locked position with respect to an imaginary line between the vicinity of the axes of said pivotal connection for said locking bar and said pawl, and stop means limiting the pivotal movement of said pawl in said over center position.

18. An instrument as defined in claim 16, said one end of said locking bar having a slotted opening receiving said pin in one end of said opening in locking position and receiving said pin in the opposite end of said opening for folding the locking bar into the handle connected with said one cross jaw.

19. An instrument as defined in claim 7 including at least one additional tool in each handle which is extendable from the end of the handle to serve as a handle extension for greater leverage to increase the force applied to the plier jaws.

20. In a pair of crossjaw pliers having a pair of jaw members pivotally connected together between nose ends and shank ends of the members, a locking bar pivotally connected to the shank end of one of said jaw members, multiple position abutment means on a handle connected to the other jaw member, a pawl pivotally connected with said locking bar to engage said abutment means for locking said jaw members in clamped position, said pawl pivoting to an over center locked position with respect to an imaginary line between the axes of said pivotal connections for said locking bar and said pawl, and stop means limiting the pivotal movement of said pawl in said over center position.

21. A pair of pliers as defined in claim 20, said stop means being on said locking bar.

22. A pair of pliers as defined in claim 20, said abutment means comprising a row of teeth on said handle.

23. A pair of pliers as defined in claim 20 including a pair of auxiliary jaws connected to said shank ends of said cross jaws and engagable with the nose ends of said cross jaws for operation by the cross jaws whereby said auxiliary jaws may be locked in clamped position by said pawl and locking bar.