Multi-purpose folding tool

A multi-purpose folding tool which may be unfolded to form a pair of pliers and folded, comprising:

• a pliers having a pair of crossed jaws, each of said jaws of said pliers comprising a gripping end with a tip, a jaw pivot bearing having a first axis, and a tang, said jaws being rotatably connected to each other through said jaw pivot bearings;
• a pair of handles, each of said handles comprising:
• a secured end and a free end, a tang pivot pin having a second axis and extending through said secured end of said handle and one of said tangs, aid first axis of said jaw pivot bearing and said second axis of said tang pivot pin being substantially parallel to one another;
• a plurality of walls forming a U-shaped channel open along one side of said handle, said walls including a pair of parallel walls integrally connected by a third wall;
• a channel pivot pin rotatable in said parallel walls transverse of said channel adjacent said free end of said handle;
• a plurality of supplemental tools pivotally mounted on said channel pivot pin, each of said supplemental tools being individually rotatable between a closed position within said channel and an open position extending from said channel;
• wherein, when said folding tool is unfolded to form a pair of pliers, one of said plurality of walls of each of said handles faces away from the other handle;
• each of said handles including an inwardly tapered portion formed along said one of said plurality of walls;
• and
• wherein, when said folding tool is folded by pivoting said handles about said tang pivot pins, said inwardly tapered portions of said handles form a recess outside of said U-shaped channel, said recess at least partially enclosing said jaws therebetween.

A jaw for a gripping tool, comprising:

• a central 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 gripping end, said first gripping end, and said second gripping end 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 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.

A folding tool which may be moved between an unfolded position where it is usable as a pair of pliers and a folded position, comprising:

• (a) a pliers having a pair of crossed jaws and first and second handles,
• (b) each of said pair of crossed jaws comprising a gripping portion, a tip portion, a tang, and an outer surface;
• (c) said pair of crossed jaws being rotatably coupled to each other about a main jaw pivot axis;
• (d) each of said first and second handles comprising a secured end and a free end, said secured end of said first handle being pivotally coupled to one of said tangs of said pair of crossed jaws to define a first handle pivot axis, said secured end of said second handle being pivotally coupled to the other of said tangs of said pair of crossed jaws to define a second handle pivot axis;
• (e) each of said first and second handles further including an outboard wall, said outboard wall of said first handle facing away from said outboard wall of said second handle when said tool is in said unfolded position, said outboard wall of said first handle facing towards said outboard wall of said second handle when said tool is in said folded position;
• (f) each of said first and second handles including an inwardly tapered portion along said outboard wall;
• (g) said inwardly tapered portions of said outboard walls of said first and second handles forming a recess when said tool is in said folded position to at least partially enclose said jaws therebetween.

A folding tool which may be moved between an unfolded position where it is usable as a pair of pliers and a fully folded position, comprising:

• (a) a pliers having a pair of crossed jaws and a pair of handles,
• (b) each of said pair of crossed jaws comprising a top surface, a bottom surface, an inner gripping portion formed between said top and bottom surfaces, and an outer surface formed between said top and bottom surfaces;
• (c) said pair of crossed jaws being rotatably coupled to each other about a jaw pivot axis;
• (d) each of said pair of handles comprising a secured end, a free end, and a recessed portion located between said secured end and said free end, said secured end of one handle being pivotally coupled to one of said pair of crossed jaws to form one pivot axis, said secured end of the other handle being pivotally coupled to the other of said pair of crossed jaws to form another pivot axis, said pair of handles being pivotally rotated with respect to said crossed jaws about said one pivot axis and said another pivot axis when said tool is moved between said fully folded and unfolded positions;
• (e) wherein, when said tool is in said unfolded position, said recessed portions of said pair of handles comprise hand grip portions adapted to be gripped by a user;
• and
• (f) wherein, when said tool is in said fully folded position, said recessed portions of said pair of handles are adjacent said outer surfaces of said pair of crossed jaws whereby neither of said handles obstruct any substantial portion of said inner gripping portion and said top and bottom surfaces of said jaws.

A folding tool which may be moved between an unfolded position where it is usable as a pair of pliers and a folded position, comprising:

• (a) a pliers having a pair of crossed jaws and first and second handles,
• (b) each of said pair of crossed jaws comprising an inner gripping portion, a tip portion, a tang, and an outer surface;
• (c) said pair of crossed jaws being rotatably coupled to each other about a main jaw pivot axis to enable movement between an open position where said tip portions are separated from each other and a closed position where said tip portions touch each other;
• (d) each of said first and second handles comprising a secured end and a free end, said secured end of said first handle being pivotally coupled to one of said tangs of said pair of crossed jaws to define a first handle pivot axis, said secured end of said second handle being pivotally coupled to the other of said tangs of said pair of crossed jaws to define a second handle pivot axis;
• (e) each of said first and second handles further including an outboard wall, said outboard wall of said first handle facing away from said outboard wall of said second handle when said tool is in said unfolded position, said outboard wall of said first handle facing towards said outboard wall of said second handle when said tool is in said folded position;
• (f) wherein, when said tool is in said unfolded position, said outboard walls of said pair of handles comprise hand grip portions adapted to be gripped by a user;
• and
• (g) wherein, when said tool is in said folded position and said pair of crossed jaws are substantially in said closed position, said outboard walls of said pair of handles are adjacent said outer surfaces of said pair of crossed jaws whereby neither of said handles obstruct any substantial portion of said inner gripping portions of said jaws.