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US 5,960,498 AGranted
Foldable tool with removable tool cartridges
AssigneeThe Coleman Company, Inc.
InventorsWilliam Nabors, Debra S. Yates, David H. Linnebur, Jon Rodriguez, Andrew Hill
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A foldable multi-purpose tool includes a pair of jaws and a pair of folding handles and is capable of accepting removable cartridges. In the extended position, the handles operate the jaws. Each removable cartridge contains a number of relatively small tool blades that are preferably selected by functional categories. Various cartridge hold-down and removal mechanisms are also provided.
Claims30
A foldable tool comprising:
- first and second jaws, each of said jaws having an operating end and a tang end, said jaws pivotably connected to each other intermediate the operating end and the tang end of each jaw;
- and
- first and second handles, each of said handles having a front end and a rear end, and a cavity adapted to receive a removable cartridge,
- wherein the front end of each of said handles is pivotably connected to a respective one of said tangs so as to enable the handles to be moved between (1) an extended position in which each handle is engaged with a respective jaw so that the jaws will close when the handles are moved toward each other and will open when the handles are moved apart, and (2) a closed position.
1 more element
A foldable tool comprising:
- first and second jaws, each of said jaws having an operating end and a tang end, said jaws pivotably connected to each other about a pivot located between the operating end and the tang end of each jaw;
- and
- first and second handles, each of said handles having a base and a pair of sidewalls running in a front-to-rear direction, inner surfaces of the base and the sidewalls defining a cavity therebetween, each of the cavities being adapted to receive a removable cartridge, an outer surface of the base providing a grasping surface,
- a front end of each of said handles being pivotably connected to a respective one of said tangs so as to enable the handles to be moved between (1) an extended position in which the cavities of the first and second handles face each other, a rear end of each of said handles and the operating end of said jaws are disposed on opposite sides of the pivot, and each handle is engaged with a respective jaw so that the jaws will close when the handles are moved toward each other and will open when the handles are moved apart, and (2) a closed position in which the rear end of each of said handles and the operating ends of said jaws are disposed on a same side of the pivot, and the grasping surfaces of the first and second handles face each other.
1 more element
A foldable tool system comprising:
- (i) a handle unit including
- (a) first and second jaws, each of said jaws having an operating end and a tang end, said jaws being pivotably connected to each other intermediate the operating end and the tang end of each jaw;
- and
- (b) first and second handles, each of said handles having a front end and a rear end, and a cavity, the front end of each of said handles being pivotably connected to a respective tang end so as to enable the handles to be moved between (1) an extended position in which each handle is engaged with a respective jaw so that the jaws will close when the handles are moved toward each other and will open when the handles are moved apart, and (2) a closed position;
- and
- (ii) a removable cartridge adapted to fit in at least one of the cavities, the cartridge including at least one tool blade pivotably mounted near a first end of said cartridge to enable movement between a stowed position inside the cartridge and an extended position.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.