Abstract:
A pliers which has a pair of heads with these heads being reversible so that one head is in a usage position the other head is in a stowage position located between a pair of handles. Each handle of the pair of handles is pivotable about one hundred sixty degrees with the handles to be located in juxtaposition in both the usage position and the stowage position. Each handle including a convex surface and a concave surface and also each handle including a pommel. Each of the convex surfaces and each of the concave surfaces and each of the pommels function to ergonomically assist in grasping of the handles.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    This invention relates generally to tools and more particularly to a pliers type of tool which embodies a pair of different heads within the same tool.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0004]    Hand tools, of different types, have long been known. A common form of a hand tool is what is known as a pliers. A pliers has a head which is defined by a pair of jaws which can be manipulated by a pair of handles into a pincher-like action on an exterior structure. There are different types of plier heads. There is what is deemed a sharp nose or needle nose type of pliers head. There is also what is referred to as a snub nose type of pliers head. Tradesmen and homeowners frequently carry both types of pliers on their person or within their toolbox. If both heads could somehow be incorporated within a single tool, then the tradesman or homeowner would only be required to carry a single tool rather than two different tools.  
           [0005]    In the past, it has been known to form a combination type of tool in the form of a pliers wherein two different types of heads of pliers are incorporated within a single tool. Reference is to be had to prior U.S. Pat. No. 5,245,721 which shows such a combination tool. However, the combination tool of the prior art has certain deficiencies. One of the deficiencies is that the handles are not constructed to ergonomically fit into the user&#39;s hand. The combination tool of the mentioned prior art patent utilizes bulbous shaped handles. When a human grasps a pair of pliers, the bulbous shaped handle will fit nicely within the palm area of the hand but the fingers don&#39;t connect well with a bulbous shaped handle. It would be desirable to have the fingers go into a cavity rather than an outwardly rounded handle. Also, it would be desirable that regardless which position the handles are in, and depending upon which head is being used, that the fingers are located within a handle concavity.  
           [0006]    Additionally, the handles of the combination tool of the prior art previously mentioned does not include any kind of protuberance or pommel which can be used by the user as a “feel” device to inform the user that he or she has correctly grasped the tool. It is to be noted that in some instances, the use of the tool is accomplished in a poorly lighted or unlighted environment. Therefore, the use of such a “feel” device would be desirable. Additionally, during use of a conventional pliers or a combination type pliers of the prior art reference, there is a natural tendency for the user&#39;s hands to slide upward on the handles which results in the hand not being placed in the most desirable location in order to apply the maximum amount of torque. It would be desirable to include some type of structure in conjunction with the handles that would tend to prevent the user&#39;s hand from sliding on the handles.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    The basic embodiment of the present invention comprises a pliers which has a first pliers head and a second pliers head located opposite the first pliers head. A first handle and a second handle are connected at a pivot joint between the first pliers head and the second pliers head. The first handle has a convexly curved surface with the second handle also having a convexly curved surface. Both the first handle and second handle are movable within a plane, and each convexly curved surface is located transverse to that plane. One of the convexly curved surfaces forms an interior surface of the handle of the pliers when the first pliers head is located in the usage position and the other convexly curved surface forms an interior surface of the handles when the second pliers head is in the usage position. The first handle has a concave surface located opposite the convex surface. The second handle has a concave surface located opposite the convex surface of this second handle.  
           [0008]    In a further embodiment of this invention, is where the basic embodiment has been modified so that the stowage position is located between the handles.  
           [0009]    In a still further embodiment of this invention, is where the basic embodiment has been modified to include a first pommel found on the first handle with the first pommel being located on the surface of the handle which is opposite the first convexly curved surface on that handle with this pommel to function as a positioning device to assist in determining proper positioning of the pliers within a user&#39;s hand.  
           [0010]    In a yet still further embodiment of this invention, is where the basic embodiment has been modified where the second handle includes a second pommel with the second handle being located on a surface of the second handle which is opposite the convexly curved surface. Again, the second pommel is to assist in determining proper positioning of the pliers within a user&#39;s hand.  
           [0011]    In a still further embodiment of this invention, the basic embodiment is modified to where the first pommel and the second pommel are spaced approximately two inches from the pivot axis of the connecting joint with the free ends of the handles being spaced approximately five and one-half inches from the pivot axis of the connecting joint.  
           [0012]    A modified embodiment of the present invention is where there is utilized a pliers which has a pair of heads with these heads being reversible between a usage position and a stowage position. The pliers includes a pair of handles each of which is pivotable relative to the heads with the outer limits of this movement determining the usage position and the stowage position. The handles are to be placed located in juxtaposition in both the usage position and the stowage position. Each handle includes a convex surface and a concave surface with these surfaces functioning to ergonomically assist in grasping of the handles.  
           [0013]    In yet a still further embodiment of this invention, the modified embodiment is defined to include a pommel on each handle with each pommel to further assist ergonomically grasping of the handles.  
           [0014]    In yet a further embodiment of this invention, the modified embodiment is defined to state that each handle is pivotable about one hundred sixty degrees from the outer limit of movement of the handles.  
           [0015]    In yet a further embodiment of this invention, the modified embodiment is defined to state that each pommel is located directly against a concave surface of its respective handle.  
           [0016]    A further modified embodiment of the present invention is whre there is utilized a pair of pliers which has a pair of heads with these heads being reversible between a usage position and a stowage position. The pliers includes a pair of handles each of which is pivotable relative to the heads with the outer limits of this movement determining the usage position and the stowage position. The handles are to be placed in juxtaposition in both the usage position and the stowage position. Each handle has a pommel with each pommel to ergonomically assist in grasping of the handles. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0017]    For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is to be made to the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the precise arrangement shown in the drawings.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the pliers constructed in accordance with this invention showing the snub nose pliers head being located in the usage position and the needle nose pliers head located in the stowage position;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 2 is a right side elevational view of the pliers of FIG. 1;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the user&#39;s hand being placed in conjunction with the pliers; and  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but with the needle nose pliers head being located in the usage position and the user&#39;s hand mounted in conjunction with the handles. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0022]    Referring particularly to the drawings, there is shown a pliers  10  of this invention which has a snub nose pliers head  12  and a needle nose pliers head  14 . The snub nose pliers head  12  and the needle nose pliers head  14  are connected together at a connecting joint  16 . Basically, the snub nose piers head  12  is located opposite the needle nose pliers head  14 . Jaw element  18  of the snub nose pliers head  12  is integrally connected to jaw element  20  of the needle nose pliers head  14 . The jaw element  22  of the snub nose pliers head  12  is integrally connected to jaw element  24  of the needle nose pliers head  14 .  
         [0023]    The connecting joint  16  includes a pair of secured together large headed pins  26  and  28 . Extending longitudinally through the center of the pins  26  and  28  is a pivot axis  30 . Included within the connecting joint  16  is a spring arrangement, which is not shown, whose purpose is to exert a continuous bias between the jaw elements  18 ,  20 ,  22  and  24  so as to be the normal tendency to locate jaw elements  18  and  22  in a totally open position and also the jaw elements  20  and  24  in a totally open position.  
         [0024]    In reference to the drawings, the jaw elements  18 ,  20 ,  22  and  24  are not shown in the totally open position as such are held in a partially open position by a first handle  32  and a second handle  34 . Either the snub nose pliers head  12  or the needle nose pliers head  14  is located between the handles  32  and  34 . In FIGS. 1 and 3, the needle nose pliers head  14  is shown located between the handles  32  and  34 , while in FIG. 4, the snub nose pliers head  12  is shown located between the handles  32  and  34 .  
         [0025]    The outer end of each handle  32  and  34  is bifurcated which defines a pair of legs, and between each of the legs are located a pair of holes which are in alignment. The bifurcated legs of handle  32  are located about the bifurcated legs of handle  34  and then positioned in conjunction with the connecting joint with the pins  26  and  28  extending through the aligned holes and the connecting joints  16 . The pins  26  and  28  are then secured together forming a pivot joint that will permit the handles  32  and  34  to be pivoted from the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, each about one hundred sixty degrees, which will place the handles  32  and  34  in the position shown in FIG. 4. However, it is to be understood that FIG. 4 has been flopped one hundred eighty degrees so that the needle nose pliers head  14  extends in an upward direction rather than a downward direction.  
         [0026]    The first handle  32  includes a metal body  36  which is covered with a rubber or plastic cover  38 . In a similar manner, the second handle  34  includes a metal elongated body  40  which is covered by a rubber or plastic covering  42 . The covers  38  and  42  are for the purpose of providing a soft, resilient material to be in contact with the user&#39;s hand  44 .  
         [0027]    The first handle  32  has an inner surface  46 , which is shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. This inner surface  46  is concave. At the upper end of the concave inner surface  46  is a protuberance that is defined as a pommel  48 . The exterior surface  50  of the first handle  32 , which is shown as being an exterior surface in FIGS. 1 and 3, is shown to be convex. It is to be understood that the surfaces  46  and  50 , though curved in one plane, and basically flat in another plane and are essentially perpendicular to the plane of the paper in the drawings of FIGS. 1 and 3.  
         [0028]    The second handle  34  has an inner surface  52 , in FIGS. 1 and 3, which is convex. The second handle  34  also has an exterior surface  54  which is concave, which is again shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. This exterior surface  54  connects with a protuberance known as pommel  56 . It is to be noted that the distance from the pivot axis  30  to the center of the pommel  56  or the center of the pommel  48  is a distance X, as is shown in FIG. 3. The distance from the pivot axis  30  to the free outer end of either handle  32  or  34  is defined as distance L. Typically, the distance X will be around two to two and one-quarter inches with the distance L being approximately five and one-half inches. However, it is to be understood that these distance measurements could increase and decrease without departing from the scope of this invention. The only reason that the distance measurements are even mentioned is to give a general indication about where the pommels  48  and  56  are to be located.  
         [0029]    When a user grasps the handles  32  and  34  with the pliers  10  in the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the user&#39;s palm area  58  rides against the exterior surface  50  and the user&#39;s fingers  60  are located within the concave exterior surface  54 . The fact that the exterior surface  50  is convex provides for a comfortable positioning and application of torque by the user&#39;s hand  44 . The fact that the exterior surface  54  is concave forms a nice nesting area for the fingers  60 . Also, the pommel  48  functions as a guide to indicate to the user the proper location for the fingers  60 . Also, the pommel  48  tends to prevent the user&#39;s hand from “sliding up” toward the connecting joint  16 . The arrangement between the pommel  48 , the concave surface  46  and the convex surface  52  functions to ergonomically mount the user&#39;s hand when utilizing of the snub nose pliers head  12 .  
         [0030]    When the handles  32  and  34  are pivoted one hundred sixty degrees, the snub nose pliers head  12  is located between the handles  32  and  34  and in a stowage position with the needle nose pliers head  14  now being exposed for usage. In this particular position, the inner surface  52  now becomes an exterior surface which is to connect with the user&#39;s palm area  58 . The user&#39;s fingers  60  now connect with the inner surface  46  which actually becomes an exterior surface with the fingers  60  nesting within the concave configuration of the inner surface  46 . The pommel  56  functions as a positioning device for the user&#39;s hand  44  with the pommel  56  concave inner surface  46  and the convex inner surface  52  functioning to ergonomically adapt to the user&#39;s hand to facilitate the application of torque by using of the needle nose pliers head  14 .  
         [0031]    The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the essential attributes thereof. Reference should be made to the appending claims rather than the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention.