Locking pliers with handle locking mechanism

A pair of pliers comprising:

• an upper structure including an upper jaw and an upper handle extending from the upper jaw;
• a lower structure including a lower jaw and a lower handle, the lower jaw being configured to pivot relative to the upper jaw, and the lower handle being configured to pivot relative to the lower jaw;
• an overcenter linkage operatively connected between the upper structure and the lower structure, the linkage biasing the lower handle and the lower jaw away from the upper handle and the upper jaw, respectively, when in a jaw-opening position, and enabling the lower jaw and the lower handle to be retained in a closed configuration when the linkage is in a jaw-closing position;
• and
• a lock member movable between a locking configuration and a release configuration, wherein when the lock member is in the locking configuration it prevents pivoting movement of the lower handle from the closed configuration and retains the jaws in a closed position, and wherein when the lock member is in the release configuration, it enables the lower handle to be moved away from the closed configuration and allows the jaws to move to an open position;
• wherein movement of the lock member from the locking configuration to the release configuration requires sequential movement of the lock member in a first direction and then in a second direction, wherein the second direction is different than the first direction, and
• wherein the movement of the lock member in the second direction requires a lateral sliding of the lock member in a plane parallel to a plane of movement of the linkage.

A pair of pliers comprising:

• an upper structure including an upper jaw and an upper handle extending from the upper jaw;
• a lower structure including a lower jaw and a lower handle, the lower jaw being configured to pivot relative to the upper jaw, and the lower handle being configured to pivot relative to the lower jaw;
• an overcenter linkage operatively connected between the upper structure and the lower structure, the linkage biasing the lower handle and the lower jaw away from the upper handle and the upper jaw, respectively, when in a jaw-opening position, and enabling the lower jaw and the lower handle to be retained in a closed configuration when the linkage is in a jaw-closing position;
• and
• a lock member movable between a locking configuration and a release configuration, wherein when the lock member is in the locking configuration it prevents pivoting movement of the lower handle from the closed configuration and retains the jaws in a closed position, and wherein when the lock member is in the release configuration, it enables the lower handle to be moved away from the closed configuration and allows the jaws to move to an open position;
• wherein movement of the lock member from the locking configuration to the release configuration requires sequential movement of the lock member in a first direction and then in a second direction, wherein the second direction is different than the first direction, and
• wherein the movement of the lock member in the first direction requires an axial pushing of the lock member and the movement of the lock member in the second direction requires a lateral sliding of the lock member.