Abstract:
A set of firefighting tools for use in fighting forest fires and the like in different types of terrain and vegetation. An elongate handle is equipped with a releasably latching connector, and several different tool heads are attachable to the handle to perform various functions. One head has a pivotably attached shovel blade and is useful as a shovel, as a scraper or as a rake, when held in respective positions by a latching mechanism. Another tool head has a lightweight central body and replaceable oppositely directed axe and grub hoe blade portions. Yet a further tool head includes a resiliently flexible outer portion to which are fastened several flexible straps for beating out fires. Each head includes a socket adapted for emergency attachment to a simple wooden handle portion.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to fighting outdoor fires and particularly to a tool set useful for fighting fires in different types of terrain and vegetation. 
     With increasing movements of U.S. wildfire firemen from one geographic region to another the need for a better firefighting hand tool has evolved. Certain developments regarding such hand tools are disclosed in Lugtenaar U.S. Pat. No. 5,105,493, which discusses several of the problems faced in fighting wildfire fires in the naturally occurring vegetation. 
     For wildfire firefighters to be ready to do their work, they need to have all the necessary tools readily available when they are transported to a fire in any type of terrain likely to encountered in the geographical region where they are to be working. In places where heavy layers of grass roots and the like are found, shovels, grub hoes, and scrapers may not be very useful and fire may have to be beaten down to be extinguished. In other situations trees and brush need to be cut to prevent spreading of fire, and a firefighter may need an axe to be effective. However, cutting small low brush with an axe usually results in quick dulling of the axe blade as it encounters dirt and stones on the ground beneath thin branches. 
     Once flames have been extinguished the “black line” around a burned area has to be checked, using rakes, grub hoes, or similar tools, to discover, extinguish, and cool embers, to prevent rekindling of the fire. Tools such as the Pulaski firefighting tool, while popular, have a grub hoe blade whose weight is dominant over the opposite axe blade usually on the same handle. When such blades become worn through use, replacement of the entire Pulaski head is undesirably expensive. When firefighters have tried to improve the Pulaski tool by increasing the width of the grub hoe blade, the revised shape has made the tool more dangerous because of the increased unbalancing effect of the larger blade. Additionally, the prior art Pulaski tool has been undesirable heavy and therefore tiresome to use. 
     Adjustable shovels have been known previously and can be carried more safely than shovels with fixed blades. The adjustment mechanisms previously known, however, have been less secure than is desired. 
     While the multipurpose firefighting tool disclosed in earlier U.S. Pat. No. 5,105,493 included an effective direct contact tool for beating down flames, it is desired to have such a tool in a form which is less tiring to use for sever a 1 hours continuously. 
     What is desired, then, is an improved multipurpose tool for fighting wildfires that can be manufactured and maintained at a reasonable cost, that is not unduly heavy, that is well-balanced, and that is safe both in use and during transportation to a wildfire, including transportation by aircraft and during parachute drops. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention attempts to provide answers to some of the aforementioned shortcomings of the prior art firefighting tools and provides a set of firefighting tools including a handle useable interchangeably with different heads. 
     A first aspect of the present invention provides an improved cutting tool head for use in a set of firefighting tools. Such a cutting tool head in one preferred embodiment includes a body defining a socket to receive an end of a handle, first and second blade support structures each including respective blade seats, and replaceable blades attached to the body and supported by the blade seats, each blade including an edge, with the edges being oriented perpendicular to each other, and with the tool head having a center of mass located within the socket defined by the body. 
     In one preferred embodiment of this aspect of the invention the blade seats are arranged for holding one blade in grub hoe position and the other in an axe blade position. 
     A second aspect of the present invention provides a shovel with an improved multi-position latching mechanism for holding a shovel blade in a selected position of rotation about a pivot axis oriented transversely with respect to the length of the tool handle. 
     In a preferred embodiment of this second aspect of the invention, a spring-loaded locking body is biased into engagement with a mating aperture when the shovel blade is in any of a plurality of useful positions of rotation about a pivot axis. In one embodiment of this aspect of the invention, the shovel blade can be latched either in a first position in which the shovel blade is oriented at an angle in the range of about 20° to 25° with respect to an extension of the tool handle, a second position in which the shovel blade is oriented approximately perpendicular to the handle, or a third position in which the blade lies closely alongside the handle. 
     In one preferred embodiment of this second aspect of the invention a swivel head included mounted on a handle extension is located between a pair of ears attached to the shovel blade, and an elongate locking and pivot shaft extends through the ears and the swivel head. The locking and pivot shaft is moveable longitudinally, but is not rotatable with respect to the swivel head, and a spring biases the shaft to a locking position in which a locking body portion of the shaft engages both the swivel head and an aperture in one of the ears and prevents the shovel blade from rotating about the pivot axis. The locking and pivot shaft may be moved longitudinally to an unlocked position in which the ears are rotatable about the pivot axis with respect to the shaft. 
     As a third aspect of the present invention a fairly stiff but resiliently flexible outer portion is provided in a handle for a direct contact fire extinguishing head including a number of flexible straplike members, so that the resiliently flexible outer portion of the handle can flex as the handle is swung during use, to impart speed to the extinguishing head and protect the user from mechanical shock from the impact when the direct contact fire extinguishing head comes into contact with a stationary object. 
     In one embodiment of this aspect of the invention the resiliently flexible outer portion of the handle has a length of at least about 10 inches. 
     It is a feature of one preferred embodiment of the invention that a female coupling for receiving a male handle coupling can also receive a wooden handle. 
     The foregoing and other objectives, features, and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood upon consideration of the following detailed description of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of an elongate handle for wildland fire fighting tool incorporating the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a sectional view, taken in the direction of line  2 — 2 , of a portion of the handle shown in FIG. 1, together with a mating female coupling portion of a releasable latching connector for attaching a tool head to the handle shown in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line  3 — 3 , showing a locking pin securing the mating female coupling portion of the latching connector shown in FIG. 2 to the portion of the connector attached to the handle. 
     FIG. 4 is a view of an adjustable shovel blade head for attachment to the handle shown in FIG. 1 by the latching connector shown in FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 5 is an exploded view of an adjustable locking shovel pivot and connector mechanism of the adjustable shovel blade head shown in FIG.  4 . 
     FIG. 6 is a sectional view, taken along line  6 — 6  of FIG. 11, showing the shovel blade pivoting mechanism with the locking and pivot shaft in the locking position. 
     FIG. 7 is a view similar to that of FIG. 6, showing the locking and pivot shaft in the unlocking position permitting the shovel blade to pivot with respect to the handle extension portion of the shovel blade head. 
     FIG. 8 is a side view taken along the line  8 — 8  of FIG. 4, showing the shovel blade held in the dirt lifting and throwing position relative to the handle extension portion of the shovel blade head. 
     FIG. 9 is a view similar to that of FIG. 8, showing the shovel blade in a storage and safe carrying position for use when the shovel head is attached to the handle shown in FIG.  1  and the tool is used as a safety staff to assist in cross-country travel. 
     FIG. 10 is a view similar to that of FIG. 8, showing the shovel blade held in a scraping, raking, and mixing position, perpendicular to the handle extension portion of the shovel blade head shown in FIG.  4 . 
     FIG. 11 is another view similar to that of FIG. 8, showing the shovel blade in a straight-in-line position with respect to the handle extension position of the shovel blade head shown in FIG.  4 . 
     FIG. 12 is a further view similar to that of FIG. 8, showing the shovel blade in an inwardly angled hoe-like orientation with respect to the handle extension portion of the shovel blade head shown in FIG.  4 . 
     FIG. 13 is a side view of a combination cutting and grubbing head with replaceable blades, that is attachable to the elongate handle shown in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 14 is a view of the combination cutting and grubbing head shown in FIG. 13, taken in the direction of line  14 — 14 . 
     FIG. 15 is a side elevational view of a fire extinguishing, direct contact fire beater head including a resiliently flexible rod, for attachment to the elongate handle shown in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 16 is a partially cutaway view showing a portion of the fire extinguishing, direct contact head shown in FIG. 15, at an enlarged scale, and showing the manner of attachment of beater straps and the manner of fastening the metal end parts to the flexible rod. 
     FIG. 17 is a view of a sheet of material defining straps used in the fire extinguishing, direct contact head. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to the drawings which form a part of the disclosure, in FIGS. 1 and 2 an elongate handle  10  has a male threaded connector portion  14  attached permanently to the outer end of the handle by a layer  15  of a suitable adhesive such as epoxy resin and a fastener such as rivet pin  16  extending through both the male connector portion  14  and the upper end of the handle. While the body  12  of the handle  10  may be of a synthetic fiber structure with a cushioning cover (not shown) the cost of such handle construction makes a handle body  12  of wood such as hickory or ash preferable. 
     Transfer of shock into the user&#39;s hands and body is reduced by placing a neoprene washer  11  between the mating surfaces of the male connector fitting  14  and the bottom of the female connector fitting  24 . This neoprene washer also ensures a tight lock up connection between the male connector  14  and female connector  24  for all tool head attachments. 
     A preferred length  18  of the handle  10 , including the length of the male threaded connector portion  14  which forms a portion thereof, is about 37 inches. The handle  10  is preferably brightly colored to be highly visible and thus unlikely to be lost at the site of a wildland fire. 
     The male threaded connector portion  14  of the handle  10  includes a spring biased plunger  20  located within a cavity  21 . This round plunger  20  has a shoulder portion  23  with a slightly larger diameter. The entire plunger  20  passes through first end  25  of the cavity  21 , but only the smaller diameter portion of the plunger  20  can slide onward through a hole  26  which is at the other end of the cavity  21  and is slightly smaller, causing the shoulder of  20  to stop all further forward movement into bore  26 . Thus, the plunger  20  has an established radial protrusion length from the male connector portion  14  through hole  26 . A compression spring  22  is located in the bore  25  behind the plunger  20 . A threaded plug  27  behind the spring  22 , secures the plunger, and keeps the spring  22  compressed. 
     The plunger  20  serves as a detent to retain the male threaded connector portion  14  fully mated with a female threaded connector portion  24  by extending outwardly through a corresponding bore  29  defined in the female connector portion  24 . 
     Preferably, the male and female connector portions  14  and  24  define mating coarse helical threads such as a modified acme thread having a pitch  31  of at least ¼ inch, preferably approximately ½ inch, and a radial thread depth of at least about {fraction (1/16)} inch. The threaded connector portions  14  and  24  can thus be mated and separated with a relatively small number of turns of the screw threaded portion, yet the length  28  of the mated portions of the male and the female connector portions  14  and  24  is great enough for the connector to carry the loads to which it will be subjected during use of the tool of the invention. 
     As may be seen in FIGS. 4-12, a multi-position adjustable shovel head  30 , attachable to the handle  10 , includes an elongate tubular handle extension  32 , preferably of aluminum alloy or other light weight strong metal, attached to a female connector portion  24  . The handle extension  32  has a length  34  of about 16 inches between a female threaded connector portion  24  and a block-shaped head  50 , made of tempered, aircraft quality, light weight alloy, in one preferred embodiment of the invention. In another version intended for use by firefighters dropped by parachute to the scene of a wildfire, the handle extension  32  could be significantly shorter and thus somewhat easier to carry. A shank  51  of the block-shaped head  50  is tubular and is press-fitted tightly inside an outer end of the tubular handle extension  32 , to which it is fastened securely, as by a through-pin  53  and a suitable adhesive. 
     A shovel blade  42  is connected pivotally to the handle extension  32  by a pair of parallel ears  44  extending from a mounting plate  46  fastened to the shovel blade  42  by fasteners such as rivets  48 . The two ears  44  extend parallel with one another and are aligned with each other on opposite sides of the block-shaped head  50 . Both ears  44  have latching holes  56  in the shape of eight-pointed stars. 
     A combination locking and pivot shaft  60  passes through both latching holes  56  and the square hole  52  through the block head  50 . The combination locking and pivot shaft  60  has a large circular end  63 , two square locking body portions  64  and  65 , and two circular cylindrical pivot portions  67  and  69  whose diameters are preferably equal to the length of each side of the square sectional shape of the locking body portions  64  and  65 . It will be understood that smaller portions  67  and  69  could also be used, so long as their shapes permit rotation in the holes  56 . The combination locking and pivot shaft  60  defines a pivot axis  71 , parallel with its length, for the shovel blade  42 . A retaining member such as a locking screw  57  extends through a threaded hole  58  in the top center of the block head  50 . The locking screw  57  is securely fitted in the threaded hole  58  and passes through a slot  62  in the locking and pivot shaft  60 . This attaches the entire shovel blade portion  42 , with attached mounting plate  46  and ears  44 , to the block-shaped head  50 . A latching spring  54 , preferably a helical compression spring, although other configurations could be used, is located within a cavity  59  in locking and pivot shaft  60 . A plug such as grub screw  55  threaded into the locking and pivot shaft  60  places the spring  54  under compression, urging locking and pivot shaft  60  to move a latching position as shown in FIG.  6  and to lock into four of the  8  corners in the star-shaped hole  56 , as shown in FIGS. 6 and 8. Preferably, the screw  55  is peened, or a thread locking compound is used, to prevent the screw  55  from backing out unintentionally. 
     To release the locking and pivot shaft  60  from the eight-pointed star-shaped holes  56  of the shovel ears  44  pressure is applied with the thumb to the area around the screw  55 , moving the combined locking and pivot shaft  60  longitudinally and compressing the spring  54  against the locking screw  57 , thus moving the locking body portions  64  and  65  free of the star-shaped holes  56 . The ears  44  can then rotate on the pivot shaft portions  67  and  69 . The entire shovel blade  42  and ears  44  can be pivoted about the cylindrical parts  67  and  69  of the locking and pivot shaft  60  with respect to the block-shaped head  50  and the associated handle extension  32 . When the shovel blade  42  has been rotated to the required one of the several available positions, the user simply releases the pressure on the locking and pivot shaft  60  at the screw  55 . The spring  54  will then move the locking and pivot shaft  60  longitudinally until at least one of the locking body portions  64  and  65  enters a respective hole  56  and engages one of the ears  44 . The locking and pivot shaft  60  thus automatically locks and stays locked engaging both the square hole  52  and the star-shaped holes  56  until the user chooses to select another position of shovel blade  42  by again moving the locking and pivot shaft  60  to the unlatching position shown in FIG.  7  and rotating the shovel blade  42  about the central axis of the locking and pivot shaft  60 . 
     Thus, the shovel blade can be held in a first, or ordinary shovel, position extending away from the handle extension  32  as shown in FIG.  4  and FIG. 8, at a preferred angle of approximately 15-30°, and preferably 20-25°, as shown in FIG.  5 . The mounting plate  46 , in the dirt lifting and throwing mode, is oriented diagonally with respect to the handle extension  32 . The eight-pointed star shape of the holes  56  is defined by the superimposed positions of the square locking body portions  64  and  65  displaced angularly by the angle  73  between the positions of the shovel blade  42  in the ordinary shovel position shown in FIG.  8  and the folded position alongside the handle extension  32  as shown in FIG.  9 . Because of the square shape of the locking bodies  64  and  65  the shovel blade  42  can similarly also be locked in the positions 90° or 180° away from those positions, as shown in FIGS. 10,  11  and  12 . With the shovel blade  42  locked in either one of the positions shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the shovel blade can be used for various tasks. It will be understood also that the locking and pivot shaft  60  could be made to be latched in and released from various positions of rotation in the head  50 , as by use of a spring mounted on one of the ears  44 . 
     As shown in FIG. 10, the lateral edges  66  of the shovel blade  42  are oriented perpendicular to the handle extension  32 . In this mode the shovel blade  42  is useable as a scraper or rake with teeth separated by notches  70  defined in at least one of the lateral edges  66 . In one embodiment of the tool each of the notches has a depth  72  of about 1 inch and a width of 1 inch and the notches  70  are spaced apart from each other at an interval  74  of about 2 inches 
     In a preferred embodiment of the invention the shovel blade has a width  76  of about 8½ inches and a length  78  of about 11 inches. This generous width gives the shovel blade  42  a better capacity than a council tool or fire rake for moving loose fluffy leaves. 
     In forming the shovel blade  42  a permanent concave shape is pressed into the blade to help hold and move dirt in and from the blade while in use. Similarly provided is a permanent oppositely directed impression that tapers off and points toward the shovel blade point  67 . This permanent impression is pressed into the rear, center portion of shovel blade  42 . The pointed concave impression defines a platform  61  that structurally increases the strength of the shovel blade  42 . The raised yet flat platform  61  offers a stable spot to receive and attach the baseplate  46  to the shovel blade  42 . Also, the back, or rear margin, of the shovel blade  42  has a small, ¼ inch, 90 degree, permanent, upwardly bent rear flange  68  of the shovel blade  42 . This flange  68  functions as a dirt holding feature, and also offers a dependable brake mechanism to dig into the ground to create drag for cross country travelers dealing with difficult, steep, and slippery terrain with the shovel blade  42  in the position shown in FIG.  9 . 
     It will be appreciated that in keeping with the present invention other noncircular shapes for the locking bodies  64  and  65  could also be used, with corresponding shapes for the locking holes  56  in the ears  44 , to make it possible to lock the shovel blade  42  in more than one position with respect to the handle extension  32 . 
     A cutting and grubbing combination head  79  shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 has a main body  80 . A female threaded connector portion or socket  81  is an integral part of the main body  80  and is similar to the female connector portion  24  of the shovel head  30 , and like the female connector  24  includes a radial locking pin bore  83  to receive the plunger  20  when mated to the handle  10 . The main body  80  may be manufactured by well-known methods, as by being formed as a casting and further shaped by a CNC milling process. The combination cutting and grubbing head  79 , like the adjustable shovel head  30 , can be attached removably to the elongate handle  10  by means of the female connector portion  81 . Likewise, the head  79  can also be mounted onto an emergency handle formed from local vegetation such as a green sapling and then secured into the socket  81  with simple wood screws inserted and tightened into the wooden emergency handle through the locking plunger hole  83  and a screw hole  85  located on opposing sides and at different heights from each other on the female connector portion  81 . 
     An axe blade  84  has an edge  86 , directed away from the female connector portion  81  and is best used for chopping and cutting larger vegetation such as tree limbs, brush stems, and large roots. The axe blade  84  is preferably of high carbon steel, such as National 1040/1050 heat treated to a Rockwell C Scale Hardness of 46-50. This axe blade  84  is designed to be replaceable after it has become worn. It is held fixed securely, in a blade seat defined by a pair of side members of a full blade length groove or channel  94  in the body  80 , by several rivets  48  and defines an axe blade plane  89 . Between the axe blade seat or channel  94  and the female connector or socket  81  are several balance and weight reduction holes  87  that pass through a fin portion of the main body casting  80 . 
     Extending away from the socket  81  in the opposite direction from the axe blade  84  is a grub hoe blade portion  88 . The grub hoe blade  88  is best used for trenching and clearing tough ground cover down to mineral soil. This grub hoe blade  88  lies generally in a plane  90  perpendicular to the plane  89  of the axe blade  84  and at an angle  95  of about 70° to the central axis  96  of the female connector or socket  81  and the handle  10 . There is a blade seat in the form of a very noticeable shelf  82  or step that accepts the grub hoe blade  88 . At the shelf  82 , the grub hoe blade  88  is fastened to the portion  82  of the main casting or body  80  of the combination head  80  by several rivets  48 , for like the axe blade  84 , the grub hoe blade  88  is designed to be replaceable once as it is worn or damaged. 
     As may be seen in FIG. 14, the grub hoe blade portion  88  has a width  92  which may be chosen to fit the particular intended use of the head  79 . In one preferred embodiment of the invention the width  92  of blade  88  is 7 inches while a length  91  the of blade  88  is 4 inches, and this size can be provided with the weight of the entire head  79  only 2.5 pounds. However, for smoke jumpers and wilderness rangers a more compact grub hoe blade  88  has a width  92  of some 5 inches and length  91  is 3 inches. The desired balance point for the axe and grub hoe combination head  79  lies generally on the central axis  96  of the female connector portion of socket  81 . Thus, whatever width  92  is decided upon for grub hoe blade  88 , it is vital that a matching axe blade  84  be used for the purpose of safe balance. When the 7 inch wide  92  grub hoe blade is decided upon, a corresponding 4 inch length  85  for axe blade  84  is used. When grub hoe blade  88  has a blade width  92  of 5 inches the length  91  for blade  88  should be 3 inches, and the corresponding length  93  of axe blade  84  should be 3 inches. 
     Grub hoe blade  88  preferably is made of the same material as is used for the axe blade  84 , such as National 1040/1050 steel, heat treated to a Rockwell C Scale Hardness of 46-50. 
     A fire extinguishing direct contact head  98 , or fire beater, shown in FIGS. 15 and 16 includes at one end a female connector portion  99  corresponding to the female connector portion  24  of the shovel head  30 . A strap holder portion  100  including larger diameter terminal portion  128  is connected to the female connector portion  99  by a flexible and tough extension and connector rod  124 . Preferred materials for the extension and connector rod  124  are ⅝ inch diameter polycarbonate round rod, or ⅝ inch Nylon (polyamide) round rod, although other strong, resiliently flexible materials could also be used. The preferred length  126  of rod  124  is about 24 inches with some smoke jumpers preferring a length  126  of 10 or 12 inches for the rod section  124  so as to carry these beaters  98  in their jump suit leg pockets for immediate use upon landing at a wildfire. 
     The extension and connector rod  124  is attached to the female connector portion  99  by the use of an epoxy glue  15  spread along a 2 inch section of one end of the extension and connector rod  124  and then inserted into a 2 inch long, slightly larger bore  102  in the female connector portion  99 . A fastener such as a long rivet pin  16  reinforces the adhesive attachment of rod  124  to female connector portion  99 . The strap holder portion  100  of the beater head  98  also has a 2 inch long bore  104  that receives a 2-inch opposite end section of the extension/connector rod  124  and an epoxy adhesive layer  15  reinforced by a long rivet pin  16  as shown in FIG.  16 . 
     A flared larger diameter terminal portion  128  of the strap holding portion  100 , shown in FIG. 16, serves as a safety stop or lock feature. A plurality of narrow elongate flat straps  108  of flexible sheet material are fastened to the terminal portion of the strap holder portion  100  of the direct contact fire extinguishing head  98 . A hose clamp  110  is placed so as to encircle the flexible material behind the flared terminal portion  128 , and is tightened to form the fire extinguishing direct contact head or fire beater head  98 , in the same manner as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,105,493, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
     Preferably, as shown in FIG. 17, the straps  108  are formed by parallel cuts  112  defined in a sheet  114  of fabric reinforced synthetic rubber, such as a three ply fabric reinforced neoprene flat belt material. Such material is durable enough to be used for several seasons of beating out fires in tough turfed grasses, moss, lichens, tundra, taiga, swamps, organic peat, or vegetation that is too difficult to be scraped away efficiently down to mineral soil as a way to fight wildfires. Preferably, the cuts  112  extend to an imaginary line  115  defining a marginal header portion  116  about 2 inches wide. Each of the straps  108  has a length  118  which is preferably about 22-24 inches, leaving the marginal header portion  116  to be wrapped around the end portion of the strap holding portion  100  behind the flared terminal portion  128 . The preferred width of straps  108  is 1½ inches with a thickness of ⅛ inch. 
     Thus, with a extension and connector rod  124  with a length  120  of 24 inches attached to the handle  10 , the fire fighter enjoys a beating tool with over 7 feet of reach. This gives the fire fighter a comfortable position of use where the face of the fire fighter is well away from flame. 
     This new tool, with its detachable adjustable shovel head  30 , combination axe and grub hoe head  79 , and fire beater head  98 , is thus far more efficient than traditional fire tool previously offered to wildland fire fighters. 
     The terms and expressions which have been employed in the foregoing specifications are used therein as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, it being recognized that the scope of the invention is defined and limited only by the claims which follow.