Portable rescue tool and method of use
AssigneeAltair Engineering, Inc.
InventorsEdward Wettlaufer, James Trumble, Timothy R. Smith, Shaun C. Muston, Dragi Gasevski, Craig Mackiewicz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A portable, hand-operated rescue tool is provided for rescue and extreme duty operations where an object needs to be cut, crushed, pierced and separated, or lifted. The rescue tool includes a body, a support handle and articulating jaw force members used to impart high forces on an object. The tool includes a manually-operated, pivoting actuation handle connected to a high pressure fluid displacement system to pivotally rotate the jaw force arms in a selected direction or mode of operation to suit the situation.
Claims25
A hand-held rescue tool for use in separating or cutting an object, the rescue tool comprising:
- a body having a longitudinal axis, a front end and a rear end along the axis;
- an actuating handle connected proximate the rear end of the body;
- a jaw connected proximate the front end of the body having a first and a second force arm, at least one of the first and second force arms is angularly rotatable with respect to the body and the other force arm;
- and
- a fluid displacement system positioned in the body, the fluid system having a first piston connected to the actuating handle and displaceable along the longitudinal axis for selective forceful movement of fluid to angularly displace the at least one rotatable force arm.
A hand-held, manually supported and operated rescue tool for use in separating or cutting an object, the rescue tool comprising:
- a hollow cylindrical body having a longitudinal axis, a front end and a rear end along the axis;
- an actuating handle pivotally connected to the body proximate the rear end of the body, the actuating handle having an elongate member, a hand grip connected to a distal end of the member and a cam member connected to the elongate member, the cam member pivotally connected to the body;
- a jaw connected proximate the front end of the body having a first and a second force arm, each force arm pivotally connected to the body at a first pivot point and pivotally connected to a ram at a second coaxially aligned pivot point, each force arm angularly rotatable with respect to the body and the other force arm between a fully open position and a fully closed position;
- a support handle connected to the body positioned between the jaw and the actuating handle;
- a toggle dial for selecting between one of a first and a second mode of tool operation, the first mode permitting incremental rotation of the force arms toward a fully open position and the second mode permitting incremental rotation of the force arms toward a fully closed position;
- and
- a fluid displacement system positioned in the body, the fluid system having a first piston connected to the actuating handle cam member and displaceable along the longitudinal axis for selective forceful movement of fluid to axially move the jaw ram, wherein on selective cyclical pivotal movement of the actuating handle, the piston forceably moves pressurized fluid to axially move the jaw ram thereby incrementally rotating the force arms toward a fully open position or toward a fully closed position depending on the selected mode of operation dictated by the selected position of the toggle dial.
A method of using a rescue tool for use in separating, cutting or lifting an object, the rescue tool having a body, a jaw connected to the body having a first and a second force arm, an elongate actuating handle and a fluid displacement system in communication with the actuating handle and the jaw force arms operable to rotate at least one of the force arms relative to the body, the method comprising the steps of:
- selecting one of at least two modes of operation of the tool to forcibly rotatably open or close at least one of the force arms;
- selectively positioning the tool force arms to engage an object;
- and
- pivotally moving the actuating handle between a first position and a second position to incrementally and progressively rotate at least one of the force arms toward or away from the other arm to forcibly do work on the object.
A hand-held rescue tool for use in separating or cutting an object, the rescue tool comprising:
- means for selectively positioning the tool force arms to engage an object;
- means for selecting one of a mode of operation of the tool to rotatably forcibly open or close at least one of the force arms;
- and
- means for pivotally moving the actuating handle between a first position and a second position to incrementally and progressively rotate at least one of the force arms toward or away from the other force arm to forcibly do work on the object.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.