Multipurpose folding tool with easily accessible outer blades

• US 20050120487A1
• Filed: 01/11/2005
• Published: 06/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Leatherman Tool Group Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Leatherman Tool Group Incorporated
• Inventors: Rivera, Benjamin C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,020,922 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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: B25F 1/04 wherein the elements are brought into working positions by a pivoting or sliding movement

Abstract

A multipurpose hand tool with folding handles each including a central channel to receive pliers jaws or the like when the tool is folded, and including troughs holding outer blades alongside the central channel so that the outer blades can be opened without unfolding the tool. The troughs face opposite the direction of the central channels, and the bases of the outer troughs act as comfortable places to grip the handles when they are extended for use of the pliers. Blade locking mechanisms are incorporated in the walls of the central channels to lock each of the outer blades in an extended position.

Claims

1. A multipurpose hand tool, comprising:

(a) a pair of pivotally interconnected cooperatively functional members each having a base;

(b) a pair of handles, at least one of said pair of handles having a first end attached pivotally to said base of a respective one of said cooperatively functional members, said one of said handles defining a central channel having a pair of channel walls, and said tool having a folded configuration, in which said cooperatively functional members are stowed at least partially within said central channel, and an open configuration, in which said cooperatively functional members are extended away from said handles and said central channel faces outwardly away from the other of said pair of handles; and

(c) at least said one of said handles including a pair of side wing portions, each of said side wing portions extending outwardly away from said channel walls of said central channel and being curved arcuately, extending thence parallel with and alongside a respective one of said channel walls of said central channel, each said side wing portion thus having an arcuately convex outer surface available as a comfortable hand grip surface when said tool is in said open configuration.

2. The multipurpose hand tool of claim 1 wherein at least said one of said handles that includes said pair of side wing portions has an outer blade mounted thereon and pivotally movable about a handle-folding pivot axis thereof, between an extended position and a stowed position adjacent a respective one of said side wing portions.

3. The multipurpose hand tool of claim 2 wherein said outer blade has a tang defining an arcuately concave front margin.

4. The multipurpose hand tool of claim 3 wherein said arcuately concave front margin provides clearance for movement of a tang of an outer blade mounted similarly on an opposite one of said pair of handles when said tool is in said folded configuration.

5. The multipurpose hand tool of claim 2 wherein at least said one of said handles of said hand tool includes a blade pivot shaft defining said handle-folding pivot axis thereof and having a radially outwardly-extending outer axial bearing located thereon, alongside a portion of said outer blade.

6. The multipurpose hand tool of claim 5 wherein said blade pivot shaft extends laterally outward from one of said walls of said central channel and is supported with respect to said one of said handles only by said walls of said central channel.

7. The multipurpose hand tool of claim 2 wherein said outer blade has a tang and said at least one of said handles having said outer blade includes a blade locking member having a locking face and including a spring leg urging said locking face into contact against said tang of said outer blade.

8. The multipurpose hand tool of claim 7 wherein said locking face engages an angled surface on said tang of said outer blade when said outer blade is in said extended position.

9. The multipurpose hand tool of claim 7 wherein said tang overlaps said blade locking member preventing said locking face from lockingly engaging said tang except when said outer blade is substantially in said extended position.

10. The multipurpose hand tool of claim 7 wherein said outer blade includes a lateral projection, said lateral projection engaging said locking member when said blade is in said stowed position in said side trough.

11. The multipurpose hand tool of claim 10 wherein said locking member defines a notch and said lateral projection is located extending into said notch when said outer blade is in said stowed position.

12. The multipurpose hand tool of claim 10 wherein said locking member is laterally movable and is interconnected with one of said channel walls of said central channel, said locking member having a margin defining a receptacle for said lateral projection.

13. The multipurpose hand tool of claim 7 wherein said outer blade includes a lateral projection and said at least one of said handles includes an abutment surface located proximate an end of said central channel, said projection engaging said abutment surface when said outer blade is in said extended position.

14. The multipurpose hand tool of claim 7, said outer blade being mounted on a blade pivot shaft and said blade pivot shaft having an axial bearing located thereon holding said outer blade on said blade pivot shaft, said axial bearing projecting alongside said locking member.

15. The multipurpose hand tool of claim 2 wherein said outer blade has a projection extending laterally inward toward said central channel of a respective one of said pair of handles on which said outer blade is mounted, said projection being located on said outer blade so as to engage said respective one of said pair of handles when said outer blade is in said extended position and when said outer blade is in said stowed position, thereby preventing said outer blade from moving in a respective direction beyond either said extended position or said stowed position.

16. The multipurpose hand tool of claim 15 wherein said outer blade has a tang and said at least one of said pair of handles includes an abutment surface located proximate an end of said central channel, and wherein said projection is formed as an integral part of said tang and has a flat face directed toward said at least one of said pair of handles and in contact with said abutment surface when said outer blade is in said extended position.