Hand tool with multiple locking blades controlled by a single locking mechanism and release

• US 5,765,247 A
• Filed: 01/11/1996
• Issued: 06/16/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Leatherman Tool Group Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Buck Knives Incorporated
• Inventors: Seber, Brett P., Draguicevich, Gabriel Alejandro, Morton, Randolph J., Helton, Roy L. Jr., Rubin, Gregory F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Meislin, D. S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DANGANAN, JONI BALDOS
• Application Number:
  US08/606,169
• Time in Patent Office: 887 Days
• Field of Search: 30/161, 30/152, 30/160, 30/143, 30/146, 30/153, 7/118, 7/128, 81/440, 81/177.4, 81/490, 81/177.6
• US Class Current: 7/128
• 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: B26B 1/042 by a spring biased locking lever pivoting around an axis parallel to the pivot axis of the blade
• CPC Class Codes: B26B 1/048 with a locking member being slidable or movable along the handle

Abstract

A hand tool such as a knife or a combination tool includes multiple blades, each independently rotatable on a common axle between a closed position within a handle of the tool and an open position extending from the handle. Each blade is positively but releasably locked into its open position. Those blades which remain closed are biased toward the closed position when the opened blade is locked into position and also as it is opened and closed. A single locking, releasing, and biasing mechanism serves all of the blades in one handle.

Claims

1. A hand tool, comprising:

a tool body having a pair of oppositely disposed sides;

an axle extending transversely between the sides of the body at one end of the tool body;

at least two blades supported on the axle, each blade including

a blade base having a peripheral surface and further having

a bore through the blade base with the axle extending through the bore so that the blade base and thence the blade are rotatable on the axle between a closed position wherein the blade is contained within the tool body and an open position wherein the blade extends from the body,

a notch in the peripheral surface of the blade base,

a first cam surface on the peripheral surface of the blade base at a location adjacent to the notch and having a first cam maximum surface height and a first cam maximum surface height angular position, and

a second cam surface on the peripheral surface of the blade base at a location remote from the notch and having a second cam maximum surface height greater than the first cam maximum surface height and a second cam maximum surface height angular position located from about 110 to about 120 degrees from the first cam maximum surface height angular position, and

an implement extending outwardly from the blade base;

a single rocker supported on the tool body and having a locking finger extending therefrom, the locking finger being dimensioned and positioned to engage the notch of each blade base when the blade is in the open position; and

a biasing spring reacting against the single rocker in a direction so as to force the locking finger toward the peripheral surface of the blade base.

2. The hand tool of claim 1, further including

means for at least partially rotationally isolating the at least two blades from each other, so that the rotational movement of one of the blades imparts minimal rotational forces on the others of the blades.

3. The hand tool of claim 1, further including

a washer positioned between each pair of the at least two blades.

4. The hand tool of claim 3, wherein the washer is made of a polymeric material.

5. The hand tool of claim 3, wherein the washer is made of a polymeric material selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polyethylene, and polytetrafluoroethylene.

6. The hand tool of claim 1, further including

means for biasing one of the blades toward the open position while biasing all others of the blades toward the closed position.

7. The hand tool of claim 1, wherein the hand tool is one handle of a combination tool having a pair of handles deployably joined to a jaw mechanism.

8. The hand tool of claim 1, wherein the at least two blades comprises at least four blades.

9. The hand tool of claim 1, wherein the hand tool is a knife.

10. The hand tool of claim 1, wherein at least one of the implements is selected from the group consisting of a sharpened knife blade, a serrated blade, a screwdriver, an awl, a bottle opener, a can opener, a saw, and a file.

11. The hand tool of claim 1, wherein the biasing spring comprises an integral leaf extending from the rocker to contact the body of the hand tool.

12. A hand tool, comprising:

a tool body having a pair of oppositely disposed sides;

an axle extending transversely between the sides at one end of the tool body;

at least two blades supported on the axle, the at least two blades including a first blade and a second blade supported on the axle, each blade being independently rotatable in the same rotational direction on the axle between a closed position wherein the blade is contained within the tool body and an open position wherein the blade extends from the tool body; and

locking/biasing means

for biasing the first blade toward the closed position,

for permitting the first blade to be rotated from the closed position toward the open position by manual force against the biasing,

for biasing each of the other blades toward the closed position as the first blade is rotated toward the open position,

for positively locking the first blade in the open position,

for unlocking the first blade from the open position by manual action on an unlocking element, while each of the other at least two blades remains in the closed position, and

for permitting the first blade to be rotated from the open position toward the closed position by manual force.