Abstract:
A rescue tool for use by emergency rescue personnel is claimed. The rescue tool contains a handle body having a first end and a second end. A serrated blade is pivotally coupled to the handle body. The handle body also receives and retains a spring-loaded center punch. The center punch is used to fracture the glass in the window of an automobile, while the saw blade is used to cut any plastic laminates that bind the fragments of glass together. The rescue tool also contains a hooked blade that can be used to cut a seat belt and a valve stem valve remover for flattening the tires of an automobile.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     In general, the present invention relates to rescue tools commonly used by policemen, firemen and ambulance squads at the seen of automobile accidents. More particularly, the present invention relates to assemblies that combine multiple rescue tools within a single hand-held unit. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Policemen, firemen, ambulance squads and other rescue personnel use many different tools in performing their duties. Many of these tools are used for rescuing people from wrecked automobiles after an automobile accident. Among the tools that are commonly used are punches, saw blades and seat belt cutters. Punches are commonly used to fracture the safety glass of an automobile window, whose doors have become disabled by an accident. Saw blades are used to cut through the plastic lining of the fractured safety glass so that the safety glass can be removed. Lastly, seat belt cutters are then used to rapidly remove the seat belt from a person trapped within the automobile. 
     In an emergency situation, a rescuer does not have time to return to a tool box each and time they need a different rescue tool. Rather, a rescuer must have the proper tool at hand the moment that tool is needed. It is for this reason that multiple function rescue tools have been designed. Multiple function rescue tools combine various different rescue tools into a single assembly so that one tool is all that is needed during a particular type of rescue endeavor. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,062,117 to Colemen, entitled Rescue Tool Means, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,630,242 to Oginaezawa, entitled Seat Belt Cutter, both show rescue tools that contain a hammer for breaking an automobile&#39;s window and a blade for cutting a seat belt. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,097,599 to Hasegawa, entitled Emergency Escape Tool, shows a combination rescue tool that has a punch for breaking an automobile&#39;s window and shears for cutting the seat belt. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,657,543 to Collins, entitled Emergency tool, shows a combination rescue tool that contains a punch for breaking an automobile&#39;s window and a saw blade for cutting through the safety glass of the broken window. 
     Although the above-cited prior art patents combine some of the tools commonly needed during a rescue, none of the tools contains all of the tools that may be needed during a rescue. As such, even if a rescuer does have such a prior art device, the prior art device by itself may be insufficient to complete the rescue. 
     Furthermore, the prior art combination tools are expensive. Such prior art combination tools do not use standardized parts. As such, if a blade needs replacing or a punch needs replacing, only customized replacement parts can be used. This elevates the maintenance cost for such tools. 
     A need therefore exists for a more complete rescue tool that is more capable and versatile than those currently available. A need also exists for a complete rescue tool that uses inexpensive standardized replacement parts. These needs are met by the present invention as described and claimed below. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is a rescue tool for use by emergency rescue personnel. The rescue tool contains a handle body having a first end and a second end. A serrated blade is pivotally coupled to the handle body. The handle body also receives and retains a spring-loaded center punch. The center punch is used to fracture the glass in the window of an automobile, while the saw blade is used to cut any plastic laminates that bind the fragments of glass together. The rescue tool also contains a hooked blade that can be used to cut a seat belt and a valve stem valve remover for flattening the tires of an automobile. 
     The spring loaded center punch, hooked blade and saw blade are not integrally formed as part of the overall rescue tool. Rather, each of these wear components are separate, commercially available products that are received and joined together by the handle body. As such, as a particular part wears and needs replacement, it can be done so at low cost and with little labor. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the following description of an exemplary embodiment thereof, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a rescue tool in accordance with the present invention; and 
     FIG. 2 is cross-sectional view of the embodiment of the rescue tool shown in FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to FIG. 1, an exemplary embodiment of a multiple function rescue tool  10  is illustrated in accordance with the present invention. The rescue tool  10  is a hand-held tool that is used by emergency personnel during a rescue. The rescue tool  10  is comprised of a main handle body  12  that supports a variety of different tool elements. 
     Referring to FIG. 2, it can be seen that inside the main handle body  12  is a blade slot  14 . A blade is connected to the handle body  12  and pivots into the blade slot  14  when retracted. The blade can be permanently coupled to the handle body. However, in the preferred embodiment, the blade is replaceable. To facilitate a replaceable blade, a blade coupling mechanism  16  is provided at one end of the blade slot  14 . The blade coupling mechanism  16  is configured to engage most any commercially available reciprocal saw blade. The mounting configuration for reciprocal saw blades is standardized among the various manufacturers in the United States. In this manner the blades from one reciprocal saw manufacturer can be used on another manufacturer&#39;s saw and vice versa. 
     The blade coupling mechanism  16  is mounted to the main handle body  12  with a pivot  18 . In this manner, when the blade coupling mechanism  16  engages a blade  20 , the blade  20  can be selectively rotated in and out of the blade slot  14 , like the blade of a pocket knife. Accordingly, the blade  20  can be selectively moved between a retracted position, where the blade  20  is in the blade slot  14 , and an extended position, where the blade  20  protrudes from the main handle body  12 . 
     The blade coupling mechanism  16  can engage any type of reciprocating saw blade that fits within the blade slot  14 . As such, the rescue tool can be fitted with a blade designed to cut metal, wood, plastic or glass. In the shown embodiment, the blade  20  is designed to cut through fractured safety glass. Furthermore, the tip portion  22  of the blade  20  is configured into the shape of an door lock shim. The blade  20  can therefore be used to either cut fractured safety glass or shim open a lock on the door to a home or a building. 
     At the end of the main handle body  12 , opposite the blade coupling mechanism  16 , is a razor blade retaining slot  24 . The razor blade retaining slot  24  is configured to retain standard, commercially available hooked razor blades  26 . When a hooked razor blade  26  is placed within  5  the retaining slot  24 , half of the hooked razor blade  26  protrudes from the main handle body  12 . The protruding section of the hooked razor blade  26  can be used to cut a seat belt or any other non-metal obstruction during a rescue. 
     Above the razor blade retaining slot  24  is a blind bore  26 . The blind bore  26  is sized to receive a commercially available spring-loaded center punch  28 . Spring-loaded center punches  28  are available from a variety of manufacturers. In the majority of cases, spring-loaded center punches  28  are manufactured with a round cross-sectional profile that can be received within the blind bore  26 . To lock the body of the spring-loaded center punch  28  at the proper position within the blind bore  26 , a locking screw  27  (FIG. 1) is provided. The locking screw  27  engages the body of the center punch  28  in the blind bore  26  and holds it in place. Once locked in place by the locking screw  27 , the pointed tip of the center punch  28  extends from the main handle body  12 . The main handle body  12 , thereby, effectively becomes the handle to the spring-loaded center punch  28 . 
     A second blind bore  30  is disposed in the main handle body  12  on the side opposite the first blind bore  26 . As such, the first blind bore  26  and the second blind bore  30  are separate but are concentrically aligned. A double headed tool element  32  is retained in the second blind bore  30 . The double headed tool element  32  is retained within the second blind bore  30  by either friction, magnetism or a locking screw  34 . 
     In an alternate embodiment, both the shaft of the double headed tool element  32  and the second blind bore  30  can be fabricated with a hexagonal cross-sectional profile. In such an embodiment, the double headed tool element would not be capable of rotating within the confines of the second blind bore. 
     At one end of the double headed tool element  32  is formed a hardened screw driver tip  38 . At the opposite end of the double headed tool element  32  is formed a valve stem removal tip  39 . When the double headed tool element  32  is placed in the second blind bore  30  so that the screw driver tip  38  extends from the main handle body  12 , the double headed tool element  32  can be used as a screw driver, a pry bar or a dead lock turning mechanism. 
     When the double headed tool element  32  is placed in the second blind bore  30  so that the valve stem removal tip  39  extends from the main body, the double headed tool element  32  can be used to remove the valve stem valve from an inflated tire. 
     Often rescue workers are required to pry open doors to rescue people who are disabled in their homes. The existence of the double headed tool element  32  makes this task easier, by providing both a prying element and a means for turning a dead bolt, once the face of a dead bolt is removed from a locked door. 
     Furthermore, rescue workers are also commonly given the task of stabilizing a vehicle they find at an accident scene. To stabilize an automobile and prevent it from rolling, blocks are placed under the frame of the automobile. The wheels of the automobile are then deflated so that the frame of the automobile rests on the blocks. In the past, the tires of such vehicles have been punctured. However, the valve step removal tip  39  on the double headed tool element  32  enables the valves within a tire&#39;s valve stem to be removed. Tires can therefore be easily deflated without damage to the tires. 
     Referring back to FIG. 1, it will now be understood that the rescue tool is used in the following manner during a rescue at an automobile accident. If the doors to the automobile are rendered disabled by the accident, a rescuer uses the spring-loaded center punch  28  to shatter the automobile window closest the person trapped in the automobile. If the rescue is to be made through the safety glass of the windshield, shattering the safety glass is insufficient to remove the glass as an obstacle. Rather, safety glass is held together by clear plastic laminates. To remove the safety glass, the clear plastic laminates must be cut away. 
     To cut away the shattered safety glass, the saw blade  20  is extended from the rescue tool  10 . The main handle body  12  is used to move the saw blade  20  through the safety glass and cut the plastic laminates. Once the safety glass is removed, the seat belt is cut using the hooked razor blade  26  that protrudes from the main handle body  12 . 
     It will be understood that the embodiment of the present invention described and illustrated herein is merely exemplary and a person skilled in the art can make many variations to the embodiment shown without departing from the scope of the present invention. It should also be understood that the various elements can be oriented in different configurations to create alternate embodiments that are not specifically described. All such variations, modifications and alternate embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.