AU2010227079A1 - Firefighting tool - Google Patents

Description

Regulation 3,2 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT (ORIGINAL) Name of Applicant: GRAHAME NEIL ROBERTSON Actual Inventor(s): GRAHAME NEIL ROBERTSON Address for Service: SANDERCOCK & COWIE 180B SLADEN STREET CRANBOURNE VICTORIA 3977 Invention Title: FIREFIGHTING TOOL Details of Associated Provisional Application(s): No(s): Australian Provisional Application No. 2009905013 Filed: 15 October, 2009 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: - 1- - la TITLE: FIREFIGHTING TOOL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 5 This invention relates to a tool for use in firefighting and for other purposes. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION There is a need for a hand tool which is capable of raking, chipping away vegetation, 10 removing bark from trees and creating bare earth areas for use in fire prevention, -2 suppression and fire management including 'dry firefighting', ie. fighting a fire without the need of water by removing sparks and embers from within and around logs, tree stumps and other vegetation. 5 The components necessary to have a fire are fuel, oxygen, heat and a chemical reaction. So far as fuel is concerned, even a small amount will combust so long as there is air and some sort of flammable material present. If there is a fire and all of the sparks and embers cannot be reached, then it is very likely a secondary fire will result. Sparks and embers may lodge in bark particularly coarse bark, in forks of trees, burrows and 10 underground, for example, in grass and brush fires, flames can be extinguished by tamping. This device removes fuel and deprives the fire of air. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 15 This invention provides a hand tool for use in fire prevention, suppression and/or fire management which comprises a combination of a chipping means, as herein defined, and a handle of suitable length. By 'chipping means' is meant a means for chipping, dragging, raking, digging, tamping, 20 hooking, and breaking up and combinations of any of the said actions. The chipping means according to the invention may comprise a sharp portion and a raking means. 25 The sharp portion may be either a chisel-like means or a point means. A particularly suitable combination comprises a point means and a rake means. The chipping means is preferably a relatively flat, large triangular body with a raking 30 means along one side opposite a point adapted to chip, dig and break up. The chipping means is supplied with a handle generally perpendicular to the flat -3 triangular body. This handle is attached to the triangular body by a threaded nut welded to the triangular body around a balance point for the toot or as follows. In an alternative mode of attachment, a hole is provided at a suitable distance between 5 the said balance point and the sharp portions of the large triangular body. Two relatively small steel triangles are provided, both of which have two holes provided in them, one each near the respective apexes of the respective triangles and one each near the balance point of the respective triangles. The first-mentioned holes are relatively small and the second-mentioned holes are relatively large. One of the triangles has a press-fitted stud 10 through the small hole, which stud penetrates a corresponding hole in the aforementioned large triangular body and then a corresponding hole in the second triangle. The first mentioned triangle has a relatively large hole through its central region to accommodate a threaded end of the socket for the handle. This second triangle has a large nut welded to it adapted to receive the threaded end of a socket for the handle. 15 The rake side of the flat triangular body is conveniently provided with five raking inlets. Three of these inlets are suitably almost as deeply enlarged in their major dimension from the base of the triangle as the hole for fitting the handle. The other two inlets are located one on each side of the group of three and are smaller than the group of three. 20 The triangular body is conveniently approximately 300mm along each edge. The small triangles are approximately 120mm along each edge. The metal from which the triangular bodies are made is preferably steel containing 1% 25 chromium and from 0.5 to 0.6% carbon. The triangular body is ground at its extreme outer edges, on the opposite side to the handle at 45' to create cutting edges. 30 In use the device according to the invention may be used so that the flat surface at the back of the triangular body away from the handle can be used to stamp out flames, sparks and embers.

-4 The rake edge may be used to remove, move or modify materials by raking so as to take away the fuel component that is required for a fire. The non-rake sides of the implement may be used to chip vegetation and soil to create 5 bare earth which can slow or stop forward travel of a fire. The point of the implement may be used to dig a trench or to penetrate deep into soil, peat or material such as pine needles. (Sparks and embers in peat or pine needles may ignite and smolder for long periods underground, break through to the surface and start a 10 secondary fire). The point may also be used to remove bark or penetrate coarse bark to remove sparks or embers which can cause secondary fires. Furthermore, the point may be used to split wood and small logs to deal with sparks and embers. 15 The device according to the invention may also be used in gardening and landscaping. Thus it may be used to rake, create furrows and chip away unwanted material. Another apparatus aspect of the invention provides a hand tool for use in fire prevention, 20 suppression or management, comprising a handle with a mount at one end adapted to fasten/attach interchangeable separate tool heads thereto, wherein each tool head has an excision in an edge of the tool lying at or near the centre of gravity of the tool head, and the handle has a screw clamp for engaging the area of the excision in order to attach the tool hand. 25 The tool head may have a flat blade for use as a hoe. The blade may have a hoe end and a peak end. The tool head may have an elongated bifurcated blade with the excision in the end edge. The bifurcations may have a flat portion and an inclined portion to stiffen the tool head. 30 Alternatively, the blade may be substantially triangular with a rake edge and the excision is at or near the centre of the rake edge. Preferably the blade has a pair of apertures -5 adjacent the excision for engagement by the mount in order to prevent blade rotation during use. The mount may comprise a rod with an end cap, a threaded portion between the shaft and 5 the end cap and a clamping nut for hand tightening. The excision may have parallel sides, the rod may have a pair of flats next to the cap which are a slide fit in the parallel sides of the excision. The cap may have a pair of projections which register with the apertures in the blade when the flats engage the parallel side of the excision. A washer similar in size to the end cap may be located between the end cap and the clamping nut. 10 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS One embodiment of the invention is now described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 15 Figure 1 is a plan of the blade with the handle removed. Figure 2 is a side sectional view of the blade of Figure 1 with the handle present. 20 Figure 3 is an end view of a variant which allows the handle to articulate. Figure 4 is a side view of Figure 3. Figure 5 is a perspective of a variant in the unadjusted position. 25 Figure 6 is a front view of the variant in the working 90 position. Figure 7 is a side view of Figure 7. 30 Figure 8 is a side view of the variant in the carriage position. Figure 9 is a plan of a triangular peaked rake with a mounting slot.

-6 Figure 10 is a side view of the handle mount. Figure 11 is a plan of a hoe. 5 Figure 12 is a plan of a round ended hoe for hollow trees. Figure 13 is a plan of a variant hoe. Figure 14 is a bifurcated hoe. 10 Figure 15 is a plan of a blade with two smaller auxiliary blades. Figure 16 is an exploded side view of the blades offered to the handle. 15 DETAILED DESCRIPTION WITH RESPECT TO THE DRAWINGS Referring now to the drawings, in Figure 1 the blade is a triangular metal plate 2, 2mm thick, made of carbon steel with a 1% chromium content. 20 The apex 4 is 610. The edge 6 opposite the apex is interrupted by two outer triangular cut outs 8, a central cut out 10 flanked by a pair of further cut outs 12 which form four narrow teeth 14 and wider edge teeth 16. The inclined edges 18 and the teeth are all ground to 450 to present a chopping edge. 25 The handle face of the blade has a 20mm bore 20 which is surrounded by an 18mm nut 22 welded to the blade. The nut captures the threaded spigot 24 of a tubular connector 26 joined to handle 28. An extra bore 30 allows the blade to be hung on a hook in the firefighting vehicle. The 30 handle is carried separately and joined to the blade when firefighting begins. In this way danger to personnel is avoided, -7 During operations the implement may be dropped or fall to the ground whereupon it may become a hazard because the apex may point upwards at 900 to the ground. Any person falling on the blade may be injured. It is this danger which the variant in Figures 3 and 4 is intended to eliminate. 5 In Figure 3 a handle bracket 40 is welded to the blade. One half of the bracket has a square hole 42 to receive the shank of bolt 44 which can be tightened by locking lever 46 on the eye of a connector 48. The handle 28 is joined to the connector. The bolt is adjusted so that in use the locking lever lies at a suitable angle in use and a safe angle 10 when the blade is unlocked and placed on the ground. I have found the advantages of the above embodiment to be: 1. The implement offers the user rake teeth, a flat scraping edge and a 60' apex for 15 chopping a groove in the ground. 2. The handle can be pivoted to allow the blade to lie flat on the ground or to incline the blade to act as a hook for pulling down overhead branches. 20 Referring now to Figures 5-8, the variant retains the triangular blade of Figure 1 but modifies it by removal of the apex 4 so that the edge 60 is available for cutting somewhat wider trenches than the apex alone. The mount for the handle 28 is made of two double brackets 62 welded or bolted to the 25 face of the blade. Pivot bolt 48 extends between the brackets and supports steel spike 66 which is of V-section with L-shaped leaves 68 at the attachment end. These are bored to receive pivot bolt 48. The threaded end 70 of a coupling rod 72 also has a bore which receives bolt 48. The rod lies between leaves 68 and is free to rotate to lie parallel to the blade and at 90' to the blade. The opposite end of rod 72 secures the threaded end of 30 handle 28. When finger nut 74 is in the carriage position shown in Figures 6 and 9, spike 66 can be pressed to lie on the blade 4 as shown in Figure 9.

-8 The operator converts the tool to the working position by raising the handle so the nut lies above the double brackets 62. Tightening the nut forces the washer and nut against the top of the brackets 62 and the leaves 68. The spike extends beyond the blade. When the spike is detached it is possible to use a trapezoidal blade with the sharpened edge 60. 5 Separable, interchangeable Tool Heads Referring now to Figure 9, the tool head is similar in shape to Figure 1 but the attachment to the handle is different. Cut out 10 leads into slot 76 with parallel sides 78. Two bores 10 80 lie astride the slot for a purpose to be described later. In Figure 10, the handle 28 has a metal ferrule 82 which retains threaded 15mm diameter coupling rod 72. Rod 72 terminates in 55mm diameter steel cap 84. The underside of cap 84 has two fingers 86 somewhat deeper than the thickness of the tool heads (3mm). 15 Clamping nut 74 moves washer 88 towards and away from cap 84 thereby moving fingers 86 in and out of bores 80. Flats 90 (15mm long) are ground in the coupling rod 72 adjacent the cap and the head is mounted on the rod by sliding the flats 90 into the slot so that the fingers 86 register with the bores 80. When the clamping nut 74 nips washer 88 the head will not revolve on the handle. 20 Figure 11 shows a hoe blade of tapering length with a square end 92 and a round end 94. Figure 12 is a variant with rounded ends 94 for matching the curvatures of surfaces found in fire situations. 25 Figure 13 is a variant with a single peak 4. Figure 14 has a bifurcated blade with bores 80 in the flat part of the blade and inclined edges 96 giving a concave profile. 30 I have found the advantages of the latter embodiment to be: -9 1. The tool has a spike, a narrow chopping blade and a raking edge. 2. The finger nut locks the parts in both working and carriage positions. 5 For some work the 3 00mm triangular blade with cut outs as shown in Figure 1 is too large and somewhat smaller blades would be useful. One way to keep such smaller blades accessible is to make them adjuncts to the full size blade. This can be done by clamping the smaller blades to the full size blade as shown in Figure 15. 10 All three blades 2, 98 and 102 are superimposed. Each has a square aperture 22 and a circular aperture 30 which mutually register. Blade 102 has a pin 104 welded in aperture 30 and this projects through all three blades when they are laid face to face. The threaded end 24 of handle 28 extends through the square apertures and receives hand nut 74. 15 It is to be understood that the word "comprising" as used throughout the specification is to be interpreted in its inclusive form, ie. use of the word "comprising" does not exclude the addition of other elements. It is to be understood that various modifications of and/or additions to the invention can 20 be made without departing from the basic nature of the invention. These modifications and/or additions are therefore considered to fall within the scope of the invention.

Claims (20)

1. A hand tool for use in fire prevention, suppression or management, comprising a blade with a peak for chipping and an edge opposite the peak for raking, a 5 handle mount at or near the centre of gravity of the blade, and a separable handle.

2. A hand tool as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the mount and one end of the handle are threaded for mutual connection. 10

3. A hand tool as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the mount allows the blade to articulate between a carrying position in which the blade is approximately parallel to the handle and a working position in which the blade lies transversely to the handle. 15

4. A hand tool as claimed in any one of Claims 1-3, wherein the mount supports a spike in addition to the blade.

5. A hand tool as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the mount has a lock which restrains the spike in a working position beside the blade and extending beyond the peak. 20

6. A hand tool as claimed in Claim 4 or 5, wherein the spike is of L-section.

7. A hand tool as claimed in any one of Claims 1-6, wherein the mount is a threaded rod fixed to the end of the handle with a locking nut for maintaining the working 25 position of the blade.

8. A hand tool as claimed in any one of Claims 1-7, wherein the rake edge is interrupted by multiple notches. 30

9. A hand tool as claimed in any one of Claims 1-8, wherein the blade is triangular and the two sides of the triangle which form the peak are sharpened at least in the peak zone. - 11

10. A hand tool for use in fire preventing, suppression or management, comprising a handle with a mount at one end adapted to fasten/attach interchangeable separate tool heads thereto, wherein each tool head has an excision in an edge of the tool lying at or near the centre of gravity of the tool head, and the handle has 5 a screw clamp for engaging the area of the excision in order to attach the tool head.

11. A hand tool as claimed in Claim 10, wherein the tool head is a flat blade for use as a hoe. 10

12. A hand tool as claimed in Claim 11, wherein the blade has a hoe end and a peak end.

13. A hand tool as claimed in Claim 10, wherein the tool head is an elongated 15 bifurcated blade with the excision in the end edge.

14. A hand tool as claimed in Claim 13, wherein the bifurcations have a flat portion and an inclined portion to stiffen the bifurcations. 20

15. A hand tool as claimed in Claim 10, wherein the blade is substantially triangular with a rake edge and the excision is at or near the centre of the rake edge.

16. A hand tool as claimed in any one of Claims 10-15, wherein the blade has a pair of apertures adjacent the excision for engagement by the mount in order to 25 prevent blade rotation during use.

17. A hand tool as claimed in any one of Claims 10-16, wherein the mount comprises a rod with an end cap, a threaded portion between the handle and the end cap and a clamping nut for hand tightening. 30

18. A hand tool as claimed in Claim 17, wherein excision has parallel sides, the rod has a pair of flats next to the cap which are a slide fit in the parallel sides of the - 12 excision.

19. A hand tool as claimed in Claims 17-18, wherein the cap has apair of projections which register with the apertures in the blade when the flats engage the parallel 5 sides of the excision.

20. A hand tool as claimed in any one of Claims 17-19, wherein a washer similar in size to the end cap is located between the end cap and the clamping nut.