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US 8,800,343 B2Granted
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
Estimating the term…
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.
Claims18
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 aims 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,
- wherein the actuating handle further comprises:
- a hand grip;
- an elongate member connected to the hand grip;
- and
- a cam member pivotally connected to the body, the elongate member and the fluid displacement first piston, wherein the hand grip and elongate member are cyclically manually pivoted relative to the body through an angle of movement for selective forceful movement of the piston to rotate the at least one force arm, wherein the piston includes a clevis and pin extending from the body rear end toward the cam member, the cam member further defining an angled slot for engaging and sliding receipt of the clevis pin for leveraged power transfer from the hand grip to the piston.
7 more elements
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;
- 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;
- and
- a support handle connected to the tool body positioned between the actuating handle and the jaw for supporting and positioning the rescue tool in an operative position, wherein the support handle further comprises:
- a ring positioned circumferentially about at least a portion of the body longitudinal axis, and
- at east one side arm extending radially outward from the ring and connected to a hand grip portion, wherein the hand grip portion is selectively rotatable and engagable with the tool body about the longitudinal axis.
5 more elements
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;
- 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;
- and
- a toggle dial positioned circumferentially about at least a portion of the body longitudinal axis, the toggle dial having a first position operable to select between a first mode of operation wherein the at least one force member is forcibly rotated toward an open position and a second position operable to select a second mode of operation wherein the at least one force member is rotated toward a closed position on further actuation of the fluid displacement system through the actuating handle.
3 more elements
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,
- wherein the first and the second force arms are respectively pivotally connected to the body at a first pivot point and selectively rotatable with respect to the body and the other force arm between a fully open position and a fully closed position, the fully closed position wherein a respective cutting edge of each force arm is in overlapping relation to a cutting edge of the other force arm, and wherein each force arm further comprises a second pivot point positioned radially inward toward the body longitudinal axis, the respective second pivot points are positioned in coaxial alignment and pivotally connected to a ram positioned in the tool body along the longitudinal axis, the ram selectively displaceable along the longitudinal axis in response to the fluid displacement system to simultaneously and incrementally rotate the first and second force arms in a selected direction toward a fully open position or a fully closed position.
3 more elements
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, wherein the step of selectively positioning the tool force arms further comprises the step of grasping a support handle positioned between the actuating handle and the jaw with a hand to manually support and position the force arms to engage the object;
- 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;
- and
- rotatably adjusting the position of the support handle with respect to a longitudinal axis of the body to circumferentially position the support handle with respect to the body and the jaw to maximize a range of movement of the actuating handle between the first position and the second position.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.