AU1133599A - Gripping tool and a jaw - Google Patents

Description

Pi Ii RegUation 3 2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 199!)

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE

SPECIFICATION

STANDARD

PATENT

Invention Title: Gripping tool and a jaw, The fol1lowing statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us:

I

n4%SLC86M14Q11-f 2 GRIPPING TOOL AND A JAW Field of the Invention This invention relates to a gripping tool, such as pliers; and to a jaw for such a tool.

Description of Related Art The jaws of pliers, wrenches, etc., have in the past occasionally been of a laminated construction, a plurality of sheets bound together by some means, often by rivets; see, Bernard, 526,480, McLeran, 831,676, Chen et al., 4,660,241, and Warheit, 4,662,252. In each of these, the laminations reinforce each other against forces acting transversely to the jaws, but they provide little to no resistance to shearing forces along the planar surfaces between the laminates.

Summary of the Invention The present invention therefore provides a gripping tool, including a pair of crossed jaws, each of said jaws comprising at least three laminated sheets, each pair of adjacent laminated sheets being reinforced with at least one mating countersink and dap; and means for forcing said jaws together to grip an object.

Preferably, there is further included binding means passing through said laminated sheets to bind said at least three laminated sheets together. The binding means may include at least one rivet. Preferably, the at least one rivet passes through said mating countersink and dap.

The laminated sheets may include a central body and a pair of outer strips, said countersinks being formed in said central body and said daps being formed in said outer strips.

The present invention also provides a jaw for a gripping tool, including a central 3 body including a central gripping end, a pivot bearing, and a tang; a first outer strip including a first gripping end; and a second outer strip including a second gripping end; said central, first and second gripping ends of said central body, said first outer strip, and said second outer strip being in aligned, overlapping relationship; said pivot bearing having pivot means extending therethrough for enabling two of said jaws to be pivotally mounted thereat; said central body including at least one 3 countersink facing each of said outer strips, and each of said outer strips including at least one dap mating with said facing countersink; and a rivet passing through each of said mating countersinks and daps for securing said central body and said outer strips together.

Preferably, said gripping end of said central body includes a flat gripping surface, an arcuate gripping surface, and a wire cutting blade.

SThe said gripping end of said first and second outer strips may include a flat gripping surface and an arcuate gripping surface. The gripping surfaces may be serrated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS invention will be more fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood from the following detailed description of the present invention when viewed in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a top perspective view which shows a preferred embodiment of the present invention as it appears when opened with the plier jaws closed; FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of the opened inventive tool with the piier jaws closed; FIG. 3 is a top view of the open compound tool with the plier jaws open; 4 FIG. 4 is a top view of the compound tool partially closed; FIG. 5 is a top view of the compound tool almost closed; FIG. 6 is a top view of the closed compound tool; FIG. 7 illustrates a use of the present invention clamping a cable; FIG. 8A is a sectional top view of the ends of the handles of the compound tool with two supplemental tools extended, showing the latching and locking mechanism in operation; FIGS. 8B and 8C show side views of two supplemental tools; *FIG. 9A is a side view of the compound tool illustrating the release of the latching mechanism; FIG. 9B is a cross-sectional side view of one of the supplemental tools releasing the locking mechanism; FIG. 10 is a sectional side view of one of the handles of the compound tool with the supplemental tools stored therein in varying degrees of extension; FIG. 11 is a reversed sectional side view of the other of the handles of the compound tool with the supplemental tools stored therein in varying degrees of extension; FIGS. 12 and 13 show side views of the two plier jaws separated and facing one another; FIG. 14 is a side view of one of the jaws of the pliers from the outside as seen along the lines 14-14 in FIG. 12; FIG. 15 the lines 15-15 FIG. 16 16 in FIG. 12; FIG. 17 plier jaws as s is a side view of the jaw of FIG. 14 from the inside as seen along in FIG. 12; is a front end view of the jaw of FIG. 14 as seen along the lines 16is a sectional, cross-sectional view of the laminated structure of the een along the lines 17-17 in FIG. 12; and FIG. 18 is an enlarged side view of a preferred embodiment of a rivet used with the plier jaws of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment of a multi-purpose folding tool, combination tool, or compound tool of the present invention is indicated generally by reference numeral 10 and is seen in its opened state in FIG. 1 and its closed state in FIG. 6.

When opened, it has the overall form of a pair of pliers. When closed, tool 10 is box-shaped and occupies a relatively small amount of space with relatively smooth external surfaces.

For the sake of clarity in the drawings, the reference numerals in FIGS. 1-6 have been placed on a figure only if a particular feature is most clearly shown in that figure. In other words, including reference numerals for all of the features shown in each figure has been avoided in the interest of clarity.

In FIG. 1, compound tool 10 is shown in the form of a cross-jawed pliers 12 comprising a gripping end 14 and a handle end 16. Gripping end 14 includes a pair of plier jaws 18 and 20; handle end 16 includes a pair of handles 22 and 24.

Pliers 12 are cross-jawed pliers inasmuch as jaw 18 is connected across a pivot pin 26 to handle 24 and jaw 20 is connected across pivot pin 26 to handle 22.

Pliers 12 preferably comprise needlenose pliers, and, while this is the preferred 6 embodiment, any other plier shape could be substituted.

As seen in FIGS. 4, 12, and 13, jaw 18 is functionally divided into a nose 28, a Bi bearing 30, and a tang 32. Jaw 20 is preferably although not necessarily a mirror image of jaw 18 and also comprises a nose 34, a bearing 36, and a tang 38. Jaw 18 and jaw 20 are rotationally joined together by aligning apertures 40 and 42 in 8 10 bearings 30 and 36, respectively, and extending pivot pin 26 therethrough

(FIGS.

1 and Jaws 18 and 20 present opposing, generally flat surfaces 44 and 46 for Sgripping flat objects, arcuate surfaces 48 and 50 for gripping round, square, or hexagonally shaped objects, and cutting surfaces 52 and 54 for cutting materials such as wire, all as is well known in the art. Surfaces 44-50 may be serrated as desired to improve their gripping abilities. The remaining features of jaws 18 and 20 will be introduced as they arise in the following description of the invention.

Returning to FIG. 1, handle 22 is pivotally attached to tang 38 of jaw 20 by a pivot pin 56, while handle 24 is pivotally attached to tang 32 of jaw 18 by a pivot pin 58.

Pins 56 and 58 extend through a pair of apertures 60 and 62, respectively, formed in tangs 38 and 32 (FIGS. 12-13).

SPivot pins 26, 56, and 58 are parallel and extend generally outwardly from the plane of the drawings, providing rotational movement thereabout in the plane of -i "the drawings. This is an important feature for it provides the pliers 12 of the present invention with more structural stability than prior art compound tools in which the plier jaws fold into the handles along axes perpendicular to the plier's pivot, such as found in Collins et al., U. S. Patent No. 5,062,173, and Frazer, U. S.

Patent No 5,267,366.

The structure of handles 22 and 24 are best seen in the perspective views of FIGS. 1 and 2 to which attention is now directed. Common features in each handle will be given the same reference numeral for simplicity and clarity of description.

7 Handles 22 and 24 are channel shaped with each handle being formed by a pair of upstanding sidewalls, namely by an interior sidewall 64 and an exterior sidewall 66, which are connected by a web 68. ("interior" and "exterior' are relative ternms and are used here with reference to the views in FIGS. 1-3, where compound tool is shown in its opened state. In the closed state of FIGS. 4-6, the relationship between "exterior" and "interior"' obviously reverses.) Sidewalls 64 and 66 and web 68 define an internal channel 70 partially open toward the bottom of tool as seen in FIG. 2. A partial web 72 (FIG. 2) is folded and extends integrally from the pivot end of sidewall 64 towards the pivot end of sidewall 66, thereby effectively enclosing the pivot end of channel 70 in a box-beam construction wh;.-h 15 further strengthens the handles 22 and 24 of pliers 12. The sloped edges 74 of partial webs 72 increase the torsional strength of handles 22 and 24.

Prior art compound tools which also include channel-shaped handles for housing supplemental tools, such as Leatherman, S. Patent Nos. 4,238,862, 4,744,272, and 4,888,869), European Patent Application 513,937, Collins et al.

S. Patent Nos. Des. 368,634 and 5,062,173), Sessions et al. S. Patent Nos. 5,142,721 and 5,212,844), and Frazer S. Patent Nos. Des. 368,634 and 5,267,366), show U-shaped channels throughout the length of their handles.

Since the foregoing do not have the enclosed, box beam construction of the 4. handles of the present invention, they lack the torsional resistance required when twisting pliers 12 against a heavy load.

IChannel 70 houses a plurality of supplemental tools 76 (FIG. 2) which may be Sstored therein and retrieved therefrom. More particularly, sidewalls 64 and 66 and webs 68 and 72 leave an opening to channel 70 through which supplemental tools 76 may be rotated about a pair of pivot pins 78 (that extend between the ends of sidewalls 64 and 66) from their stored positions shown in FIG. 2 to their extended positions, some of which are shown, for example, in FIGS. 8A and 9-'11.

As seen in FIG. 2, channel 70 opens toward the bottom of tool 10, in contrast to 8 the side tool openings shown in so many of the prior art compound tools mentioned above, so supplemental tools 76 of the present invention are facing away from the palm of the hand when pliers 12 are being used. Sidewalls 64 and 66 and webs 68 of handles 22 and 24 are solid sheets, so that there are no rough surfaces or standing handle edges to cause discomfort to one's hand when squeezing handle end 16 of the present invention. A plurality of raised, rounded nubs 80 or various other configurations may be added to exterior sidewalls 66 to improve the user's grip on handles 22 and 24 without adding potentially painful sharp edges.

Referring to FIGS. 3-6, the shape of handles 22 and 24 provides important functional results which distinguishes the present invention from the prior art.

More particularly, as seen in FIG. 3, webs 68 of handles 22 and 24 include a tapered portion 82 positioned between two portions having substantially constant widths, namely, a wider end portion 84 adjacent end 86 and a narrower waist portion 88 adjacent pivot bearing 90, to delineate a pair of recesses or jaw recess portions 92 positioned on exterior sidewalls 66.

The disclosed shape allows for many advantages. First, recesses 92 afford a very comfortable nesting area for the thumb and fingers to grip pliers 12. Second, recesses 92 combine to provide an area for storing plier jaws 18 and 20 when compound tool 10 is closed, as seen in FIG. 6. Tapered portions 82 are dimensioned and located so as to complement the shape of a pair of tapered portions 94 formed on plier jaws 18 and 20 (FIGS. 3 and 12-13); the smaller, constant width waist portion 88 mates with a pair of flat sides 96 of plier jaws 18 and 20; and the curved portion 89 between waist portion 88 and annular bearing snugly fits around annular bearings 30 and 36. Third, external recesses 92 store gripping end 14 of the pliers 12 externally of the. handles' walls, leaving more interior room in the handles for supplemental tools 76. Fourth, storing the gripping end 14 externally of compound tool 10 allows pliers 12 to be used to clamp items, hands-free, for an extended period of time, as will be seen in FIG. 7 to be 9 discussed in greater detail below.

FIGS. 3-6 illustrate the manner in which pliers 12 fold into the closed state of compound tool 10. Handles 22 and 24 are pulled apart, as in FIG. 3, until a pair of outer shoulders 98 (FIGS. 3 and 12-13) come into contact with vertical portions of shoulders 104, at which time jaws 18 and 20 cease to diverge. Further outward pressure on handles 22 and 24 overcomes the inherent friction between handles 22 and 24 and tangs 32 and 38, and the plier's handles 22 and 24 begin to converge, as seen in FIG. 4. Further movement of handles 22 and 24 towards one another results in the orientation of handles and jaws as shown in FIG. 5. In this orientation, a pair of tips 100 of jaws 18 and 20 contact tapered surfaces or contact portions 82 of exterior (now interior) sidewalls 66 which cam the jaws 18 and 20 together, also forcing tangs 32 and 38 and handle bearings 90 towards one another. Continued pressure brings compound tool 10 finally to the closed position shown in FIG. 6.

Referring again to FIGS. 3, 12, and 13, when squeezing pliers 12 together from the F!G. 3 position to seize an object, edges 102 at the pivot end of interior sidewalls 64 adjacent bearings 90 are in contact with shoulders 104 of tangs 32 and 38 (FIGS. 12-13). The forces generated by squeezing handles 22 and 24 are directed from edges 102 through shoulders 104, which, being offset from their pivot pins 26, 56, and 58, applies a force rotating jaws 18 and 20 of pliers 12 together. Each of the interior sidewalls 64 is a relatively planar, solid sheet which is integrally connected with web 68 and sidewall 66. With the force vectors essentially lying within the plane of sidewalls 64, a very stable structure is provided which can withstand high clamping pressures.

One use of tool 10 to clamp items like a vise is shown in FIG. 7. A multi-strand cable 106 is clamped in jaws 18 and 20 with tool 10 in a semi-closed state. An aperture 108 is preferably formed through web 68 of handle 24 and is adapted to receive, when desired, a lanyard 110. Lanyard 110 provides a convenient way to carry tool 10 on a belt or back-pack. It also allows tool 10 to clamp cable 106, or other desired item, by closing tool 10 with cable 106 between the jaws 18 and of pliers 12, and by wrapping lanyard 110 tightly around handles 22 and 24. Tool will continue to clamp cable 106 without the necessity of gripping the pliers in one's hands. As noted above, this advantage is due to the storing of gripping end 14 externally of the handles when tool 10 is closed.

Supplemental tools 76 and their relationship to tool 10 will now be described with reference to FIGS. 8-11.

The selection of which supplemental tools to include in any particular model of tool 10 is discretionary with the manufacturer of tool 10, depending on its intended audience. For example, a fisherman's tool might include supplemental tools useful for fishing, a serrated blade for cleaning fish, a whetstone for sharpening fish hooks, scissors for cutting line, and an assortment of knife blades, whereas an electrician's tool might include an assortment of screwdrivers, a wire insulation cutter and stripper, a saw, a file, and a ruler.. The supplemental tools included In this preferred embodiment are therefore only exemplary of the possibilities.

Referring first to FIG. 10, a side view of a section of handle 22 is shown with five supplemental tools 76: a bottle/can opener 112, a Phillips head screwdriver 114, a scribe 116, a clip blade 118, and a file 120. FIG. 11 shows the other handle 24 with five additional tools: a small screwdriver 122, a combination large Sscrewdriver/wire stripper 124, a scraper 126, a sheepfoot blade 128, and a ruler 142. The supplemental tools 76 have. been rotated to varying degrees of extension to illustrate them better; they would not normally be used as shown..

Normally, only one supplemental tool 76 would be extended at any given time.

For example, when one needs to use Phillips head screwdriver 114, it would be extended alone (as shown in the lower portion of FIG. 8A). Tool 10 should be closed, as in FIG. 8A (note the location of nubs 80), to provide a hefty handle for the screwdriver.

FIG. 8A is a partial t4 illustrate, along with Fl loui;;ig mechanism of t 8A, both screwdriver 1 handles 22 and 24; extended at any given 1 As shown in FIGS. 6 resilient tongue 132 in separated from sidewa S 15 handles 22 and 24 exi spring which is free to oppositely extend at t the flexibility of tongue the free end 137 of t S 20 transverse stock 140.

surface of free end 1 edge surface of slot 1 I essentially coplanar w FIGS. 10-11 where tor been deflected into its Ruler 142 (FIGS. 8A a op view of the ends of handles 22 and 24 intended to GS. 8B, 8C, 9A and 9B, the operation of the latching and the present invention, it should be understood that in FIG.

14 and ruler 142 are shown extended from their respective however, during actual use, only one such tool will be time.

and 8A, webs 68 of handles 22 and 24 each include a tegral with and cantilevered from web 68. Tongue 132 is lls 64 and 66 by slits 133, and, being free from contact with cept where joined to web 68, tongue 132 comprises a leaf flex when deflected. A pair of recesses 134 inwardly and ie side junction between tongue 132 and web 68 to aid in 132. A rectangular aperture or slot 136 is formed adjacent ongue 132 and is bordered by two side strips 138 and a Stock 140 has an outer edge 158 defining the outer edge 37, and an interior edge surface 157 defining the locking 36. Flat tongue 132, flat stock 140, and fiat web 68 are hlen tongue 132 is in its at-rest, unflexed state. Compare ngue 132 is at rest with FIGS. 9A-9B where tongue 132 has flexed state.

nd 8B) is typical of a supplemental tool 76 mounted on pivot pin 78 outboard of the other tools in handle 24 and, theretore, in alignment wiln one of the side strips 138. File 120 is another such outboard mounted supplemental tool which is, however, located in the other handle 22. Ruler 142 (FIG. 8B) includes a tool body 144 and a mounting end 146. Tool body 144 is unique to the type of tool 76 included in compound tool 10 and includes whatever working surfaces are important to that particular tool. Mounting end 146 is ~an ~ssaa IL 12 constructed substantially the same as the mounting end of other outboardmounted supplementary tools, such as file 120. Mounting end 146 includes an aperture 148 for receiving pivot pin 78 and a camming surface 150 having a first flat 152 formed adjacent a stop 154 and a second flat 156 positioned diametrically opposite to first flat 152. The radial width of camming surface 150 is slightly more than the distance between pivot pin 78 and tongue 132, whereas the radial width of flats 152 and 156 are substantially equal to that distance.

In operation, when ruler 142 is in its fully extended position in longitudinal alignment with handle 24 (as shown in FIG. 8A, or when file 120 is in its fully extended position as shown in FIG. 9A), flat 152 is flush with the unflexed tongue S 15 132, and stop 154 is in contact with outer edge 158 of stock 140. Stop 154 and Sedge 158 prevent ruler 142 (and any other similar supplemental tool such as file 120) from rotating beyond its alignment with handle 24. The flex-resisting force of tongue 132 urges stock 140 against flat 152 and thus biases ruler 142 and file i .120 toward their fully extended positions, not preventing closure thereof but equiring an additional force be applied to overcome the bias. As such, ruler 142 and file 120 will be latched, as opposed to being positively locked (as some of the interior tools can be which will be described in greater detail shortly).

When in its closed position, housed within channel 70 of handle 22, file 120 is Sbiased to its closed position by resilient tongue 132 pressing on flat 156, effectively holding file 120 in place. When being closed from its fully open position, as indicated by arrow A in FIG. 9A, camming surface 150 flexes tongue 132 (arrow B in FIG. 9A) slightly outwardly from the plane of web 68. If flats 152 and 156 were not of slightly less radial distance from pivot pin 78 than the remainder of camming surface 150, file 120 would not be held in its closed and extended positions, but rather would flop about uncontrollably.

File 120 and ruler 142 are merely illustrative of outboard mounted tools, or possibly an inboard mounted tool, which do not need to be positively locked in Ae 13 their open, extended positions. Clip blade 118 (FIG. 8C) is illustrative of an inboard mounted supplementary tool which needs for safety reasons to be positively locked in its open, extended position.

Clip blade 118 is shown having a body 144 appropriate to its function. Included in body 144 of clip blade 118 is a nail nick 159 to facilitate opening of clip blade 118.

Some outboard tools, such as file 120 and ruler 142, have a notch 160 on their top edge when they are closed, to allow access to interior tools having nail nicks 159, I: such as bottle/can opener 112, scribe 116, clip blade 118, large screwdriver/wire stripper 124, and scraper 126. Handles 22 and 24 likewise include notches 162 (FIGS. 1, 9A and 10) for the same reason.

15 The mounting end 146 of clip blade 118 includes a pivot pin aperture 148, a camming surface 150, and a flat 156, all provided for the same purposes as described in connection with ruler 142. Mounting end 146 of clip blade 118 differs, however, from those of non-positively locked outboard tools in that in place of flat 152 and stop 154, mounting end 146 of clip blade 118 has a U-shaped locking transverse notch 164 located to mate with stock 140 of tongue 132.

As with all other supplemental tools 76, clip blade 118 is biased toward its closed position by tongue 132 acting upon flat 156. As clip blade 118 is rotated about pivot pin 78 (opposite to arrow A in FIG. 9A) to its open position, tongue 132 flexes (arrow because it is riding on the radially enlarged camming surface 25 150, until stock 140 snaps into U-shaped notch 164 of clip blade 118.

The width of aperture 136 (the smaller of its rectangular dimensions) must be large enough to enclose the portion of camming surface 150 that is located to the right of notch 164 as viewed in FIG. 8C in order to prevent the camming of stock 140 out of notch 164 by camming surface 150. Other than that, the dimensions of aperture 136 are not significant except for structural considerations.

T The width of stock 140 (the smaller of its rectangular dimensions) is critical,

.A.

14 however. It must be such that stock 140 fits snugly in notch 164. Stock 140 will remain in notch 164 until positively, forcibly removed. Before that occurs, therefore, clip blade 118 is positively locked in place. When tool 144 is in its extended open state, the upstanding edge surfaces 165 and 167 (FIGS. 8A and 8C) of U-shaped notch 164 abut edge surfaces 158 and 157, respectively, of stock 140. The coaction of edge surfaces 158 and 167 prevents rotation of tool 144 in one direction, thereby preventing tool 144 from opening beyond the desired extended position. The coaction of edge surfaces 157 and 165 prevents rotation of tool 144 in the other direction, thereby preventing tool 144 from unintentionally closing, leaving the desired extending position.

The locking mechanism described herein is a radical departure from prior art ;locking mechanisms, and has profound benefits associated therewith; as such it is an important feature of the present invention.

Bassett Pat. No. 2,798,290) is representative of prior art patents which utilise a transverse slot or a leaf spring, but not both together, in the handle of a 20 compound tool as part of a locking mechanism for tools. Bassett's knifeblade 41 has a detent lobe 28 on the peripheral surface of its mounting end. Locking of blade 41 is effected by a radially projecting, smoothly arcuate lobe 28 either "engaging slot 42 with detent action (FIGS. 6-7, and column 3, line 72 oi Bassett) or being allowed to flex leaf spring 29 "to assume a position on spring 29 past dead center" (FIGS. 1-3, column 3, lines 30-31 of Bassett). In the former, lobe 28 I includes an arcuate camming surface which bends the edges of slot 42 in fixed base 43, when lobe 28 is being placed therein or removed therefrom; there is no leaf spring involved. In the latter, there is no notch for lobe 28 to enter; leaf spring 29 merely provides a bias for an over-dead-center latch. In any event, a projection on mounting end 146 is not equivalent to a notch 164 being formed therein. Provision of a radial projection on the mounting end requires a reduction in the radial width of the annular ring surrounding the pivot pin which provides the structural support for the blade; a notch does not remove any material except to p a~BC~ ~~Bnr~r~aos~ s~i~Vj~ foirn the relatively small notch.

Prior art locking mechanisms which include a locking aperture in the housing inevitably include a projection on the blade to enter the locking aperture. Those members of the prior art which utilise a notch in the blade also traditionally provide a projection which fits in the notch to lock the blade, an L-shaped flange on the end of a separate element. Representative of this time-honoured class, which are legion, are Barnard Brace, U. S. Patent No. 97,154, issued in November of 1869, and Evrell, U. S. Patent No. 4,669,188. The addition of the extra locking element decreases the number of supplemental tools which can be housed in the tool while increasing the number of elements required for a functional tool and 15 concomitantly the manufacturing costs.

A few patents, Hailvarson, U. S. Patent No. 1.556,788, and Leatherman, U.

S. Patent Nos. 4,238,862 and 4,888,869, include a resilient spring on the housing with an L-shaped flange on the outer edge of the resilient spring to lock within a notch in the blade. This is in line with the conventional wisdom of the art, for it perpetuates the teachings of the prior art to include a projection for entering the Snotch.

Referring back to the present invention, the release means for the locking mechanism is illustrated in FIGS. 9A-9B. At least two of the supplemental tools 76, one in each handle, shown as scribe 116 in FIGS. 9A, 9B, and 10, and scraper 125 in FIG. 11, have a bulge 166 on their upper surfaces which protrudes above the open side edges 170 of sidewalls 64 and 66 when tools 76 are closed.

Manual depression (arrows C, FIGS. 9A-9B) of bulge 166 rotates scribe 116 counter-clockwise (as viewed in FIGS. 9A-9B) about pivot pin 78, until the leading edge 168 of flat 156 depresses and deflects tongue 132 downwardly, thereby lifting stock 140 out of the notch 164 of an extended tool. This means of release does not necessarily need to be incorporated into a supplemental tool but would function equally as well as a single function release lever. The combination of a UI_ -UYI-~-TY PI 8 15 supplemental tool and a release lever into one component adds utility to the compound tool. By way of comparison with the prior art, Leatherman S.

Patent No. 4,238,862; FIG. 6) shows a locking mechanism for a supplemental tool in which flange 90 on tongue 86 detents inio notch 91 on the tool mounting end.

Leatherman releases the lock by "partially opening one of the other tools on pivot pin 70 causing its cam surface 87 to retract the flange 90 out of notch 91" (column 7, lines 32-35). The instant invention constitutes a major improvement over this prior art by: eliminating the flange, as discussed above; and by depressing another tool rather than partially opening one. Depressing a tool, rather than partially opening it, has significant advantages. Depression of a closed tool requires no more than one hand squeezing the tool handle until bulge 166 descends below the open side edges 170 of sidewalls 64 and 66, where it will stop, keeping the tool within the handle. In contrast, partially opening a tool to release a locking mechanism (Leatherman) requires two hands, one to hold the handle and the other to grasp and lift the tool. As just alluded to, depressing the tool keeps it in the handle, out of the way, whereas opening a tool places it outside the handle where it is at least inconvenient and could be potentially dangerous if it had a sharp point or edge).

An important feature of the present invention is the laminated construction of the plier jaws, illustrated in detail in FIGS. 14-17, where the same reference numerals used in FIGS. 12-13 identify the same features.

In FIGS. 14-17, jaw 18 is shown as comprising a central body 172 laminated with two outer strips 174 and 176. FIG. 17 is a sectional view of jaw 18 (taken along lines 17-17 of FIG. 12), wherein central body 172 and outer strips 174 and 176 are not shown to scale; in practice, central body 172 is much thicker than outer strips 174, 176, closer to the illustrations of FIGS. 14 and 15. As seen in FIG. 17, central body 172, being the heftier of the pieces, includes countersinks 178 which mate with daps 180 formed in outer strips 174 and 176. Countersinks 178 and daps 180 are preferably circular, but any convenient shape will do so long as they ~B~3f~slsa~ ~g~gqa~ 17 mate snugly. The countersink/dap combination prevents lateral sliding of the two outer strips relative to the central body and maintains the pieces in their relative orientations. Central body 172 and outer strips 174 and 176 can be secured together by any known means which is not detrimental to the use of pliers 12. A preferred method of securing the laminates (body 172 and outer strips 174 and 176) utilises rivets 182, countersunk at 184 (FIG. 18), to provide added strength and to positively prevent separation of the laminates.

The laminated central body 172 and outer strips 174 and 176 are shaped as plier jaws as shown in FIGS. 14-16, jaw 20 being a mirror image of jaw 18, though some other shape, if advantageous, could be desirable. Central body 172 15 extends the full length of jaw 18 from tip 100 through bearing 32. Outer strip 176 extends similarly except that its forward most portion 187 does not extend as far as tip 100. Outer strip 174 terminates at its lower end at recess 186 adjacent bearing 30 which receives bearing 36 from jaw 20, when the two jaws are rotatably joined by pivot pin 26. The upper end of outer strip 174 terminates in a 20 tip 187 that is the same as the uppermost tip of outer strip 176. Tip 100 of central body 172 is tapered on both sides thereof as at 188. Similarly, tips 187 of outer strips 174 and 176 are each tapered on both sides thereof as at 189. Taken together with the outer taper 94 of jaws 18 and 20 (FIGS. 12-13), the net effect is that jaws 18 and 20 comprise a pair of needlenose pliers. This needlenose effect is enhanced by having the tips 187 of outer strips 174 and 176 terminate rearwardly of tip 100, as previously described.

The laminated construction of plier jaws 12 as shown and described above is believed to be significantly stronger than non-laminated plier jaws.

It will be understood that the invention disclosed and defined in this specification extends to all alternative combinations of two or more of the individual features mentioned or evident from the text or drawings. All of these different combinations constitute various alternative aspects of the invention.

J-

I

18 It will also be understood that the term "comprises" (or its grammatical variants) as used in this specification is equivalent to the term "includes" and should not be taken as excluding the presence of other elements or features.

BL~f~a~; l-a~ ~panasp~pna~