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

• US 6,233,769 B1
• Filed: 09/12/2000
• Issued: 05/22/2001
• 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): Hail, III, Joseph J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCDONALD, SHANTESE L
• Application Number:
  US09/660,256
• Time in Patent Office: 252 Days
• Field of Search: 711/8, 712/5, 712/8, 814/40, 811/774, 814/90, 811/776, 301/61, 301/52
• 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 that is one handle of a combination tool having a pair of handles deployably joined to a jaw mechanism, the 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 three blades supported on the axle, each blade being rotatable between a closed position wherein the blade lies between the oppositely disposed sides of the tool body and an open position wherein the blade extends from the tool body, each blade including

a flat blade base having a peripheral surface with a notch therein;

a bore through the blade base with the axle extending through the bore;

an implement extending outwardly from the blade base and lying in the plane of the blade base; and

a single engagement element supported on the tool body and having

a locking finger extending and biased toward the peripheral surfaces of the blade bases from a first end of the single engagement element, the locking finger engaging the notch of each blade when that blade is in the open position to positively lock the blade into the open position, and

a single manually accessible release, the single release being operable to disengage the locking finger from the notch of the blade that is in the open position while permitting the other blades to remain in the closed position.