Abstract:
A multipurpose folding tool, for use by picnickers and travelers, including a corkscrew, a crown cap remover, and a can opener, as well as a small fork and a small butter knife. Both the corkscrew and a brace for use together with it fit close to the handles of the tool when the tool is in a compact, folded configuration. A spring in one handle keeps the corkscrew safely folded when not in use, and a spring on the brace keeps it in a desired position relative to the handles. The tool also includes folding pliers and may include folding screwdrivers, knife blades, and scissors.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to multipurpose folding tools, and in particular to such a tool incorporating a corkscrew and other tools useful in connection with packaged foods. 
     Corkscrews, bottle openers, and can openers of various types have been known for many years and long have been included in multipurpose folding tools. More recently, multipurpose folding tools including pliers, as well as various other tool blades and bits, have been available, as disclosed, for example, in Berg et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,745,997. 
     Some previously available tools including corkscrews have either had very limited capabilities with respect to tasks other than opening bottles, or else have been undesirably bulky and heavy to carry in view of the tasks which such tools have been capable of performing. Other previously available tools including corkscrews have been incapable of being folded into a compact configuration free from sharp edges or elements which could become snagged in the pocket of a person carrying such tools. 
     What is desired, then, is an improved multipurpose folding tool that includes a corkscrew, which can be placed into a compact configuration, and which functions conveniently and adequately to remove corks from bottles, to remove crown caps from bottles, and to open cans having metal lids attached by crimped rims. Such a multipurpose folding tool should also be capable of performing other routine tasks common to small hand tools. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a multipurpose folding tool which overcomes the previously-mentioned shortcomings and the disadvantages of some previously-known multipurpose tools by providing a multipurpose folding tool incorporating a corkscrew housed in a handle of such a tool in a location making the corkscrew readily available for use, together with a brace for use together with the corkscrew to provide necessary leverage to remove a cork from a bottle neck. 
     As one aspect of the present invention, a multipurpose folding tool includes at least one handle housing a tool blade which is movable with respect to the handle about a pivot, between an extended position and a folded position within the handle, a corkscrew attached to the handle and movable with respect to the handle about a pivot, between respective folded and operative positions, and a spring located within the handle and extending to the base of the corkscrew to hold the corkscrew in place in its folded position. 
     In one preferred embodiment of such a tool a folding brace for use with the corkscrew is attached to the handle by a pivot connection spaced apart from the pivot connection to which the corkscrew base is attached, and such a brace is movable between an extended position and a folded position extending along the handle. 
     As another aspect of the present invention, a combined bottle opener and can opener in the form of a channel-shaped member is attached to the handle of a multipurpose folding tool by a pivot and includes a pair of sides, one of which includes a hook and a can-piercing point, while the other side includes another hook and a rocker located so that both hooks can be used to engage a crown cap to remove it from a bottle. 
     In one embodiment of the invention the combined bottle opener and can opener incorporates a spring which follows a cam to limit the movement of the opener in connection with use of the can opener or bottle opener features of the invention. 
     In one embodiment of the invention, a spring mounted in the multipurpose folding tool&#39;s handle includes a base incorporating such a cam. 
     As a third aspect of the invention, a handle for a multipurpose folding tool defines an opening extending longitudinally along an angle portion defined where a side of the handle meets the back of the handle, and a corkscrew is attached to the side of the handle by a pivot connection so that it is rotatable, between an extended position and a folded position in which the corkscrew is located partly in the opening and extends partly within the handle. 
     In a preferred embodiment of that aspect of the invention a brace is also attached to such a handle and is rotatable between a folded position close to the handle and an extended position in which it aids in use of the corkscrew. 
     The foregoing and other objectives, features, and advantages of the invention will be more readily understood upon consideration of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a multipurpose folding tool embodying the present invention, in a fully unfolded configuration. 
     FIG. 2 is a left side elevational view of the tool shown in FIG. 1, in a fully-folded configuration. 
     FIG. 2 a  is a detail view of a portion of a corkscrew brace showing an alternative embodiment of one aspect of the invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a right side elevational view of the tool shown in FIG. 1, in its fully-folded configuration. 
     FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the multipurpose folding tool shown in FIGS. 1-3, in its fully-folded configuration. 
     FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a portion of the tool, with a combination can opener and bottle opener in a fully-extended position. 
     FIG. 6 is a section view, taken along line  6 — 6  in FIG.  5 . 
     FIG. 7 is a section view, taken along line  7 — 7  in FIG.  4 . 
     FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the tool showing the use of the corkscrew to remove a cork from a bottle neck. 
     FIG. 9 is a partially cutaway view of a portion of the tool, showing the manner of use of the can opener. 
     FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of the tool showing its use in removing a crown cap from a bottle. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings which form a part of the disclosure herein, a multipurpose folding tool  16  is shown in FIG. 1 in a fully unfolded configuration for the sake of showing each of the several folding blades and tools which are included in one exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The folding multipurpose tool  16  includes a pair of pliers  18  equipped with channel-shaped handles  20  and  22  that can be folded. That is, the inner ends of the handles  20  and  22  are attached to the pliers by pivots and can be rotated around the pliers&#39; jaws to house them within cavities  24  and  26  defined, respectively, by the handles  20  and  22 . 
     A plurality of other tools are mounted in the handles  20  and  22  at the opposite, outer ends  28  and  30  thereof, spaced apart from the pliers  18 . Tool blades including a knife  32 , such as a butter or paté knife, a sharp-edged knife, and three screwdriver bits are all mounted for rotation independently about a pivot shaft  34  in the handle  22 , between a folded position for storage within the cavity  26  and an extended position with respect to the handle  22 . Similarly, a tool blade such as a small fork  36  is mounted rotatably on a pivot shaft  38 , alongside another screwdriver blade and a folding scissors, all of which can be moved independently about a pivot axis defined by the pivot shaft  38 , between a folded position within the cavity  24  and an extended position with respect to the handle  20 . With all of those tools folded, room still remains for the pliers  18  also to be enclosed within the cavities  24  and  26 , with the open sides of the channel-shaped handles facing toward each other. 
     A corkscrew  40  and a corkscrew brace member  42  are attached to the handle  20 . The corkscrew  40 , shown in an extended position in FIG. 1, has a flat, elongate base portion  44  that is attached to the handle  20  by a pivot connection, which may include a rivet, defining a pivot axis  46  about which the corkscrew  40  is moveable through an angle greater than 90°. The brace  42  is attached to the handle by the pivot shaft  38  and may be rotated with respect to the handle  20  about the pivot shaft  38 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 2,  3  and  4 , the folding multipurpose tool  16  has a compact configuration in which the pliers  18  and the several blades and tool bits, including the knife  32  and the fork  36 , are in respective folded positions and enclosed within the cavities  24  and  26 . At the same time, the corkscrew  40  and the brace  42  are in folded positions parallel with the length  48  of the handle  20 . 
     The handle  20  may be made, for example, by bending sheet metal, and includes a first side  50 , a second side  52 , and a back  54 , together defining the generally U-shaped channel form of the handle  20 . The first side  50  and the back  54  are connected with each other along a fold or angle  56  extending longitudinally of the handle  20 , and an opening  58  extending along the angle  56  is defined partially by the back and partially by the first side  50 . The opening  58  is defined by a straight margin  62  of the back  54 , and a rear portion  60  of the opening  58  is narrower than the forward portion of the opening. 
     In the rear portion  60  of the opening  58 , the first side  50  is cut away only as far down as the bottom or inner surface of the back  54 , but in the forward portion of the opening  58  the first side  50  is cut away to a greater distance  64  downward from the angle  56 . 
     The corkscrew  40  includes a worm portion having a diameter  66  and defining a central longitudinal axis  68 . When the corkscrew  40  is in its folded position as shown in FIGS. 2,  4  and  5 , none of the worm portion extends outward (upward in FIG. 2) beyond the back  54  of the handle  20 , as the distance  64  is greater than the diameter  66  and the location of the pivot axis  46  places the central longitudinal axis  68  well below the back  54 . The central longitudinal axis  68  is located outside the cavity  24 , however, it is spaced laterally a small distance outside the first side  50  of the handle. A tip  70  of the corkscrew  40  is located within the cavity  24  where it is prevented from accidentally snagging something such as the fabric of a pocket in which the tool  16  is being carried. 
     The brace  42 , like the handle  20 , is in the form of a channel, and has a central back portion  72 , a first, or can opener side  74 , and an opposite second side  76 . Each of the sides  74  and  76  defines a respective bore receiving the pivot shaft  38  and defining a pivot axis about which the brace  42  can be rotated between its folded position and a range of extended positions in which it is used. Spaced forward along the brace  42  from the bores are a pair of forwardly open hooks  78  defined by the sides  74  and  76 . On the first side  74 , a short, straight can opener blade  80  is located a short distance ahead of the hook  78 , and has an arcuate rear end  81 . At a forward end of the can opener blade  80  a forward-facing surface of the first side  74  defines a foot  82 . A heel portion  84  extends beyond the foot to the front end of the back portion  42 . 
     As shown in FIG. 2i a, a can opener blade  86 , an alternative to the form of the straight can opener blade  80 , has a rear end  87  and a piercing tip  88  protruding slightly with respect to a more rearwardly located part of the blade  86 , in order to provide more concentrated pressure with the tip  88  to pierce a can lid to begin the process of opening a can in the manner that will be described presently. 
     Ahead of the hook  78  on the second side  76  of the brace  42 , instead of the can opener blade  80 , there is a rocker  94 , whose profile is shown clearly in FIGS. 3 and 6. The rocker  94  is aligned, laterally with respect to the brace  42 , with the can opener blade  80 , and the two hooks  78  on the respective sides  74  and  76  are similarly aligned with each other. 
     As may be seen in FIG. 5, the brace  42  has an inside width  96  which is only slightly greater than the outside width  98  of the handle  20 , so that the brace  42  is nested closely around the back  54  and sides  50  and  52  of the handle  20  when the brace  42  is in its folded position as shown in FIGS. 2-4. As a result, the first side  74  of the brace  42 , and the foot  82 , are aligned with the central longitudinal axis  68  of the corkscrew  40 . Additionally, because the first side  74  is oriented perpendicular to the pivot shaft  38 , and the longitudinal axis  68  of the corkscrew  40  is perpendicular to the pivot axis  46 , the foot  82  always remains in the imaginary plane defined by the longitudinal axis  68  as the corkscrew  40  is moved through an angle about the pivot axis  46 , between its folded position and an extended position as shown in FIG.  5 . Preferably, the width  96  and width  98  are somewhat less than the diameter of a crown cap, so the number of folding tool blades mounted in the handle  20  could accordingly be limited. 
     Referring to FIGS. 5,  6  and  7 , a spring  100  includes a base portion  102  fitted snugly on the pivot shaft  38  and located within the cavity  24 . The other tool blades associated with the outer end of the handle  20  keep the spring  100  closely alongside the first side  50  of the handle  20 . A stabilizer arm  104  is located within the cavity  24  along a laterally-extending flange portion  106  of the back  54  of the handle  20 , and a small finger  108  extends outwardly from the stabilizer arm  104  closely alongside a rear end  110  of the flange  106 . The base  102  of the spring  100  is thus prevented from rotating about the pivot shaft  38 . The location of part of the spring  100  aligned with an outer margin of the side  50  contributes to the comfort of the tool  16  in use of the pliers  18 . 
     Extending forward from the portion of the base  102  furthest from the back  54  of the handle  20  is a cantilevered portion of the spring  100 , with a free end  112  extending in a direction parallel with the length  48  of the handle  20 . The free end  112  is located closely alongside and deflected slightly by the base  44  of the corkscrew  40  when the corkscrew  40  is in the folded position, as shown in FIG. 7, and thus is biased elastically toward the corner  114 , acting to hold the corkscrew  40  in its folded position. 
     Referring to FIG. 6, as the corkscrew  40  is moved toward an extended position, the corner  114  forces the free end  112  of the spring  100  to move away from the back  54  of the handle  20  to permit the inner end  116  to move to rest against the free end  112  of the spring. Thereafter, some displacement of the free end  112  is required to move the corkscrew  40  from the position extending perpendicular to the length  48  as shown in FIG.  6 . The spring  100  thus holds the corkscrew in a preferred position perpendicular to the handle  20  as the screw is turned into a cork during use. Once the corkscrew has engaged the cork, the corkscrew  40  can be moved about the pivot axis  46  as required during use of the tool, as will be explained presently. 
     The base portion  102  of the spring  100  includes an arcuate cam surface along the outer end of the handle  20 , the cam surface including a detent notch  118  adjacent the finger  108 , and a deeper stop notch  120  on the opposite side of the base  102 . 
     As may be seen best in FIGS. 4,  6 , and  7 , a small finger-like latch spring  122  extends rearwardly and downwardly from the rear end of the back portion  72  of the brace  42 . The spring  122  rides upon the cam surface of the base  102  of the spring  100  and rests in the detent notch  118  to keep the brace  42  in its folded position along the back  54  of the handle  20  as shown in FIG.  7 . The spring latch  122  also enters the stop notch  120  when the brace  42  is in a fully-extended position as shown in FIG. 6, to prevent the brace  42  from rotating further with respect to the handle  20 , during its use to open a can or to remove a crown cap from a bottle. 
     The flange  106  extends laterally inward from the first side  50 , to which it is rigidly attached, and a cantilevered spring  124  is separated from the flange  106  by a slit  126  defined in the back  54 , as seen best in FIG.  5 . Because the spring  124  is separated from the flange  106 , the other tool blades mounted on the pivot shaft  38  and stored in the first handle  20 , including the fork  36 , may be rotated about the pivot shaft  38  from their respective folded positions to their respective extended positions. The spring  124  acts on their bases to keep a selected blade extended in a manner which is well-known in folding multipurpose tools, without affecting the spring  100 . 
     As shown in FIG. 8, the folding multipurpose tool of the present invention is used to remove a cork  130  from a bottle  132  in a manner generally similar to that used with well-known “waiter-type” corkscrews, with the difference that because of the location of the corkscrew  40  adjacent the first side  50  of the handle  20  only the single foot  82  is placed atop the lip  134  of the bottle neck  132 . The rocker  94  then is located alongside and spaced slightly apart from the bottle neck  132 , but not in contact with it. Since the foot  82  is aligned with the longitudinal axis  68  of the corkscrew  40 , the brace  42  adequately supports the handle  20  so that the pivot shaft  38  acts as a fulcrum about which the handles  20  and  22  are rotated-together with respect to the brace  42  and the base  44  of the corkscrew  40  as the corkscrew  40  raises the cork  130 . As the foot  82  of the brace  42  rests on the lip  134  of the bottle neck the friction resulting from pressure of the finger-like spring  122  against the cam surface on the base  102  of the spring  100  urges the brace  42  toward the cork as the handle  20  is raised to pull the cork  130  from the bottle neck  132 . 
     To cut open a metal can, with the brace  42  in the fully-extended position shown in FIGS. 6 and 9, the hook  78  on the first side  74  of the brace is engaged with the underside of the crimped rim  136  of the can. Raising the handles  20  and  22  then causes the can opener blade  80  to pierce the top of the can on the inner side of the crimped rim  136 , moving down as indicated by the arrow  137 . The can opener blade  80  is then raised and the can opener is moved slightly in the direction indicated by the arrow  138 . The top of the can is cut free from the rim  136  by repeating the same sort of cutting by short steps around the circumference of the can. 
     With the brace  42  in the extended position as shown in FIGS. 6 and 10, the multipurpose folding tool  16  may also be used to remove a crown cap  140  from a bottle  142 . Preferably, both of the hooks  78  are used to engage the edge of the crown cap at the same time, so that both the rocker  94  and the can opener blade  80  rest atop the crown cap  140 , and the inner ends of the handles  20  and  22  are then raised, keeping the hooks  78  engaged to pull the crown cap  140  free from the bottle  142 . 
     The terms and expressions which have been employed in the foregoing specification 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.