Multi-purpose hand tool and scribing apparatus utilizing multi-purpose hand tool

A multi-purpose hand tool comprising:

• a first member having a first portion, a second portion, the second portion having a first main surface, a second main surface opposite the first main surface for contacting a surface of a material to be marked during a marking operation, and an elongated slot formed in the second portion and extending through the first and second main surfaces of the second portion;
• a second member slidably and rotatably coupled to the second portion of the first member, the second member having a first main surface, a second main surface disposed opposite the first main surface, and a through-hole extending from the first main surface to the second main surface, the through-hole being generally vertically aligned with the longitudinal slot of the first member at preselected positions of the second member relative to the first member for receiving therethrough a marking member so that during a marking operation, the multi-purpose hand tool can be used to mark a line on the surface of the material when the marking member is inserted generally vertically through the through-hole of the second member and the longitudinal slot of the first member in any of the preselected positions and is maintained in contact with the surface of the material while the first member and the second member are displaced relative to the material;
• a releasable locking mechanism mounted on the second member and having a locked position for securing the second member to the second portion of the first member in any of the preselected positions to prevent relative movement therebetween during a marking operation, and an unlocked position for permitting the second member to rotate and linearly slide relative to the first member along the elongated slot to any of the preselected positions;
• and a retractable needle assembly mounted on the first member and having a pin provided with a needle point for penetrating the material during a marking operation to provide a center allowing the multi-purpose hand tool to rotate about an axis of the pin for marking an arc or a circle on the surface of the material while the marking member is inserted generally vertically through the through-hole of the second member and the longitudinal slot of the first member in any of the preselected positions and is maintained in contact with the surface of the material.

A multi-purpose hand tool comprising:

• a first member having a first surface for contacting a surface of a material to be marked or scribed during a marking or scribing operation, a second surface disposed opposite the first surface, and a longitudinal slot extending from the first surface to the second surface;
• a second member slidably and pivotally coupled directly to the second surface of the first member, the second member having a first main surface, a second main surface disposed opposite the first main surface, and a through-hole extending from the first main surface to the second main surface, the through-hole being generally vertically aligned with the longitudinal slot of the first member at preselected positions of the second member relative to the first member for receiving therethrough a marking member or a scribing tool so that during a marking or scribing operation, the multi-purpose hand tool can be used to mark or scribe a line on the surface of the material when the marking member or the scribing tool is inserted generally vertically through the through-hole of the second member and the longitudinal slot of the first member in any of the preselected positions and is maintained in contact with the surface of the material while the first member and the second member are displaced relative to the material;
• and holding means disposed in the through-hole of the second member for holding the marking member or scribing tool generally vertically through the through-hole of the second member and the longitudinal slot of the first member during a marking or scribing operation.

A multi-purpose hand tool comprising:

• a first member having first and second opposite ends, a first portion having the first end, a second portion having the second end, first and second opposite main surfaces, and an elongated slot formed in the second portion and extending through the first and second opposite main surfaces thereof;
• a second member having first and second opposite main surfaces, first and second opposite end portions, a through-hole formed in the second end portion and extending through the first and second opposite main surfaces of the second member, and means defining at least one marking member rest formed in the first end portion for providing a resting surface on which a marking member is rested for marking a surface of a material during a first marking operation;
• and
• coupling means for slidably and rotatably coupling the second member to the second portion of the first member so that the through-hole is generally vertically aligned with the elongated slot of the first member at preselected positions of the second member relative to the first member for receiving therethrough a marking member for marking the surface of a material during a second marking operation different from the first marking operation and during a third marking operation different from the first and second marking operations, the coupling means including releasable locking means having an unlocked position for permitting the second member to linearly slide on the second portion of the first member for the first marking operation until the first end portion of the second member overhangs from the second end of the first member and for permitting the second member to rotate and linearly slide on the second portion of the first member to any of the preselected positions for the second and third marking operations, and a locked position for securing the second member to the second portion of the first member to prevent relative movement therebetween during the first, second and third marking operations.

A multi-purpose hand tool comprising:

• a first member having a first portion and a second portion;
• a second member slidably and pivotally coupled to the second portion of the first member;
• a coupling assembly for slidably and pivotally coupling the second member to the second portion of the first member and allowing the second member to slide on and pivot relative to the second portion between a first position proximate a first end of the second portion in which the multi-purpose hand tool can be used to obtain a measurement for a first marking or scribing operation, and a second position proximate a second end of the second portion opposite the first end thereof in which the multi-purpose hand tool can be used to obtain a measurement for a second marking or scribing operation different from the first marking or scribing operation, thereby providing a multi-purpose hand tool reconfigurable for a plurality of purposes;
• and
• a retractable needle assembly mounted on the first portion of the first member for positioning the multi-purpose hand tool on the surface of the material during at least one of the first and second marking or scribing operations, the retractable needle assembly comprising a finger-engagement portion for undergoing rotation in first and second opposite directions over a first surface of the first portion and a pin for undergoing rotation with the finger-engagement portion, the pin having a head portion, a stem extending from the head portion and having a needle point, and a male threaded joint disposed on the stem and between the head portion and the needle point, the first portion of the first member having a through-hole extending from the first surface of the first portion to a second surface thereof opposite the first surface, the through-hole having a female threaded joint for engagement with the male threaded joint of the pin so that upon rotation of the finger-engagement portion in the first direction, the pin is displaced in a direction along a longitudinal axis thereof to protrude the needle point of the stem from an end of the through-hole at the second surface of the first portion, and so that upon rotation of the finger-engagement portion in the second direction, the pin is displaced along the longitudinal axis to retract the needle point into the through-hole, and the finger-engagement portion having a cavity for receiving the head portion of the stem so that rotation of the finger-engagement portion in each the first and second directions rotates the pin in the respective first and second direction and allows movement of the head portion of the pin within the cavity along the longitudinal axis.

A multi-purpose hand tool comprising:

• a first member having a first portion and a second portion;
• a second member slidably and pivotally coupled to the second portion of the first member, the second member having a top main surface, a bottom main surface, a first end, a second end, and a through-hole disposed at the second end and extending through the top and bottom main surfaces;
• a tubular insert disposed in the through-hole of the second member for receiving a marking pencil for marking a surface of a material during a marking operation, the tubular insert having a plurality of ribs extending from an inner peripheral surface of the tubular insert for gripping the marking pencil;
• a notch portion cut in the second member at the first end thereof and defining a marking pencil rest providing a resting surface on which a marking pencil is rested for marking a surface of a material during a marking operation;
• and
• a coupling assembly for slidably and pivotally coupling the second member to the second portion of the first member and allowing the second member to slide on and pivot relative to the second portion between a first position proximate a first end of the second portion in which the multi-purpose hand tool can be used to obtain a measurement for a first marking operation, and a second position proximate a second end of the second portion opposite the first end thereof in which the multi-purpose hand tool can be used to obtain a measurement for a second marking operation different from the first marking operation, thereby providing a multi-purpose hand tool reconfigurable for a plurality of purposes.