US 5,062,173 AGranted

Multifunction tool

OwnerMichael C. Collins, Walter W. Collinsinventors

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A multifunction or combination tool having a screw driver, a wrench, a saw blade, a serrated blade, a metal file, and a knife blade divided into two groups, color-coded, and rotatably mounted in recesses in a two part handle, and a pair of pliers also rotatably mounted in the recesses of the handle, one pliers in each handle part so that the pliers can be rotated out of the recess and used in a range of positions at an angle from the handles as well as fully extended with or without rotating any of the remaining instruments. A latch attached to the pliers holds the two handle parts together when the pliers is not in use. The screw driver is adapted for turning both a phillips head and a flat head screw. Spring washers are used to separate the various implements and allow the compression of them to fit a set of implements into the handles of the multifunction tool.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A tool comprising:

a left pliers;
a right pliers;
a first pivot means for pivotally interconnecting said left and said right pliers so that said left pliers and said right pliers can cooperatively hold an object therebetween, said left and said right pliers pivoting about a first axis;
a left handle having a first recess dimensioned to receive said left pliers;
a second pivot means for pivotally attaching said left handle to said right pliers, said right pliers and said left handle pivoting about a second axis perpendicular to said first axis;
a right handle having a second recess dimensioned to receive said right pliers;
a third pivot means for pivotally attaching said right handle to said left pliers, said left pliers and said right handle pivoting about a third axis perpendicular to said first axis and aligned with said second axis so that said left and said right pliers rotate together about said second and said third axes, respectively, from a fully extended position to a fully retracted position whereby said left pliers is received into said first recess of said left handle and said right pliers is received into said second recess of said right handle;
said left and said right pliers openable and closable by separating and bringing together said left and said right handles,
said left and right pliers cooperating to hold said object over a range of positions between said fully extended position and near said fully retracted position;
and
latching means for holding said left handle and said right handle together when said left and said right pliers are in said retracted position in said left and right handles, respectively,
said latching means unlocking when said left and said right pliers are rotated to the extended position.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 07/550,798Filed 5 Jul 1990 · continuation in part
Priority: 2 Nov 1989
Granted: 5 Nov 1991
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

B26B 11/003
Hand knives combined with other implements, e.g. with corkscrew, with scissors, with writing implement: having folding handles
B25B 7/00
Pliers
B25B 7/22
Pliers; Other hand-held gripping tools with jaws on pivoted limbs; Details applicable generally to pivoted-limb hand tools: pliers provided with…
B25F 1/003
Combination or multi-purpose hand tools: of pliers'-, scissors'- or wrench-type with at least one movable jaw