Abstract:
A packable battering ram quickly disassembled for transport by two or more persons. In the preferred embodiment, the invention has first and second body members that are symmetrical, but otherwise identically shaped and sized. When assembled, the first and second body members form a lower surface that has a concave portion that approximates the natural curvature of the back of an adult male. The packable battering may be disassembled to distribute the weight between multiple people, yet quickly assembled for use upon arrival at a emergency response location.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Not applicable. 
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not applicable. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0004]    The present invention relates generally to devices for effecting forced entry. More specifically, the present invention is a packable battering ram that is quickly and easily disassembled into its constituent parts for transport by one ore more persons. 
         [0005]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0006]    Battering rams have been used throughout the ages for penetrating fortified positions. Battering rams are commonly used today by the military, law enforcement, firefighters, emergency response workers, and other public safety personnel to effect forced entry into a building or structure. Typical battering rams, however, are limited by their design to function solely to breach a door or other barricade, and are without the ability to act as a cutting, chopping, or prying devices upon the door or barricade. 
         [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,681,171 (the &#39;171 patent)) for example, discloses a typical battering ram that includes a bulky, concrete-filled cylinder with an epoxy resin head. The battering ram disclosed in &#39;171 patent, however, is physically difficult to pack due to both its bulky design and its weight. 
         [0008]    A typical soldier will lose one mile per day for every ten pounds over forty he must carry, so the inability of traditional cumbersome battering rams to be comfortably carried or packed has often lead soldiers, law enforcement officers, and other such public safety personnel to jettison the devices if the likelihood of use is low. Should such a device later be needed, the soldier must instead implement improvised methods of entry, such as shooting through the door or using explosives. Such improvised methods are dangerous for the user, and also increase the possibility of collateral damage to whomever or whatever is on the other side of the door. 
         [0009]    Thus, a need exists for a comfortable, multi-use, packable battering ram with an ergonomic design and weight optimization to ease the burden of transport during lengthy operations. Such a battering ram is at least 30 pounds in weight but disassembly into constituent parts so that no person is tasked with carrying more than 20 pounds. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    The present invention provides a single multipurpose tool capable of ramming, hammering. Besides the ability to perform multiple tasks with a single tool, the present invention also applies anthropometrics to create an ergonomic form that enables to the tool to be easily packed and deployed with minimal hindrance to movement or function. 
         [0011]    The battering ram of the present invention generally conforms to the shape of the back of an average person, making transportation comfortable. The battering ram is easily disassembled into two corresponding body members, thereby allowing each member to be carried by a separate person, thus reducing the weight burden on each person. According to the preferred embodiment, the battering ram has a ramming head which extends perpendicularly outward on one side and terminates in a prying member. The sharp edge gives the battering ram the ability to be used to chop or pry a target. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the assembled battering ram of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a partially exploded perspective view of the battering ram of the present invention showing the first body member and second body member. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a bottom perspective view of the assembled battering ram of the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a side elevation of the second body member of the preferred embodiment. 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a side elevation of the battering ram of the present invention when transported by a person an adult male. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0017]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of a packable battering rain  10  that incorporates the limitations of the present invention. The battering ram  10  has a ramming end  12  and a handle end  14 , and further includes a first body member  16  and a second body member  18  that is substantially symmetrical in shape to the first body member  16 . The first and second body members  16 ,  18 , which together compose the main body  20 , are connected with a first handle assembly  22  at the handle end  14  and a second handle assembly  24  positioned between the ramming end  12  and the first handle assembly  22 . A ramming head  26  is attached to the first and second body members  16 ,  18  at the ramming end  12 . 
         [0018]    The first body member  16  has a top surface  28 , an outer sidewall  30 , and an inner sidewall  32 . A first side member  34  is integrally formed into the first body member  16  to expose the inner sidewall  32  proximal to the handle end  14 . Similarly, the second body member  18  has a top surface  36 , an outer sidewall  38 , an inner sidewall  40 , and a second side member  42  is integrally formed into the second body member  18  to expose the inner sidewall  40  proximal to the handle end  14 . First and second contoured portions  90 ,  92  of the sidewalls  30 ,  38  narrow the first and second body members  16 ,  18 , respectively near proximal to the first hand hole  44 . 
         [0019]    When assembled, the first and second side members  34 ,  42  define a first hand hole  44  bounded on three sides by the inner sidewalls  32 ,  40 . The connection of the first body member  16  to the second body member  18  forms a second hand hole  46  across which the second handle assembly  24  spans. 
         [0020]    The thickness of the first and second body members  16 ,  18 , and therefore the corresponding widths of the outer sidewalls  30 ,  38 , is greater proximal to the ramming end  12  as compared to the handle end  14 . Thus, the first and second body members  16 ,  18  are bulkier and heavier proximal to the ramming end  12  as opposed to the handle end  14 , such that the center of mass of the battering ram  10  is preferably located between the ramming head  26  and the second handle assembly  46  (inclusive). The location of the center of mass allows the battering ram  10  to transfer more kinetic energy on a target in direction D during use. 
         [0021]      FIG. 2  is a reverse isometric assembly view of the battering ram  10  described in  FIG. 1 . The first handle assembly  22  comprises a cylindrical external handle member  48  and an cylindrical internal handle member  50  sized to fit therein. Similarly, the second handle assembly  24  comprises a cylindrical external handle member  49  and a cylindrical internal handle member  51  sized to fit therein. The external handle members  48 ,  49  are connected (either permanently or temporarily with conventional fastening techniques) to the first body member  16  at the inner sidewall  32  thereof. Similarly, the internal handle members  50 ,  51  are connected (either permanently or temporarily with conventional fastening techniques) to the inner sidewall  40  thereof. 
         [0022]    Each external handle member  48 ,  49  has a bore  52 ,  53  disposed therethrough for receiving the corresponding internal handle member  50 ,  51 . In addition, each internal handle member  50 ,  51  is internally threaded (not shown) to allow fastening with a wing bolt  54  having a threaded shaft portion  56 . 
         [0023]    The ramming head  26  comprises a first ramming member  58  attached to the ramming end  12  of the first body member  16 . The first ramming member  58  has an outer ramming surface  58   a,  a lateral surface  58   b  that is substantially flush with outer sidewall  30 , and a medial surface  58   c  that is substantially flush with inner sidewall  32 . The first ramming member  58  extends perpendicularly away from the top surface  28  of first body member  16 , and terminates in a tapered prying member  58   e.    
         [0024]    Similarly, the ramming head  26  comprises a second ramming member  60  attached to the ramming end  12  of the second body member  18 . The second ramming member  60  has an outer ramming surface  60   a,  a lateral surface  60   b  that is substantially flush with the outer sidewall  38 , and a medial surface  60   c  that is substantially flush with inner sidewall  40 . The second ramming member  60  extends perpendicularly away from the top surface  36  of the second body member  18 , and terminates in a tapered prying member  60   e.  In the preferred embodiment, the first and second ramming members  58 ,  60  are symmetrical, but otherwise identically shaped and sized. 
         [0025]    To assemble the battering ram  10 , the first body member  12  and second body member  14  are aligned such that the first ramming member  58  and second ramming member  60  are adjacent each other, with one prying member  58   e  adjacent to the other prying member  60   e.  The internal handle member  50  of the first handle assembly  22  is inserted into the bore  52  of its corresponding external handle member  48 . Similarly, the internal handle member  51  of the second handle assembly  24  is inserted into the bore  53  of its corresponding external handle member  49 . The threaded shafts  56  of two wing bolts  54  are disposed through the first body member  16  at a recessed portion  17  thereof and the first side member  34  and mated with the internal handle members  50 ,  51 . When fully tightened, the wing bolts  54  clamp the first and second body members  16 ,  18  together such that the inner sidewalls  32 ,  40  are in contact and form the first and second hand holes  44 ,  46 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 3  is a bottom isometric view of the assembled battering ram  10  of the present invention. A bottom surface  58   d  of the first ramming member  58  is substantially flush with a first surface  62  of first body member  16 . Similarly, a bottom surface  60   d  of the second ramming member  60  is substantially flush with a second surface  64  of the second body member  14 . 
         [0027]    As further shown in  FIG. 3 , the first surface  62  and second surface  64  each comprise a concave portion  65 ,  67 , and together form a lower surface  69  of the body  20 . The lower surface  69  also comprises a convex portion  71  adjacent the concave portions  65 ,  67  and planar first and second strike faces  70 ,  72  for receiving a substantially perpendicular blow from a blunt object, such as a hammer. This allows the prying members  58   e,    60   e  to penetrate further into a target in anticipation of prying the target apart from a supporting structure. In the preferred embodiment, the concave portions  65 ,  67  of the lower surface  69  approximate the normal curvature of a human adult back. 
         [0028]      FIG. 4  shows the curvature of the battering ram  10  in greater detail by depicting a side elevation of the second body member  18 . As noted with respect to  FIG. 3 , the battering ram  10  has a second surface  64  having a concave portion  65 . The convex portion  71  is immediately adjacent the concave portion  65  and the strike face  70 . Together the concave portion  65  and convex portion  70  approximate the normal curvature of a human adult back. 
         [0029]      FIG. 5  depicts the battering ram  10  as packed by an adult male. While  FIG. 5  specifically describes transport of the second body member  18 , it should be noted that transport of the first body member  16  (not shown) is analogous with respect to the preferred embodiment because of its symmetrical size and shape. Because the battering ram  10  can be quickly dissembled, its weight can be distributed approximately equally between two persons, with one carrying the second body portion  18  and attached components and another carrying the first body portion  16  and attached components. At the location to be forcibly entered, the battering ram  10  can be quickly reassembled and used with the full mass of the battering ram  10  again available. It is anticipated, however, that the component parts could be used separately and distinctly as hammering, prying, or ramming tools should the need arise. 
         [0030]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , the concave portion  65  fits to the convex curvature  80  of the back, while the convex portion  71  of the second surface  64  fits to the concave portion  82  of the back (i.e., the “small” of the back). The prying member  60 e protrudes away from the person during transport. The battering rain  10  can be secured to the person by straps such that the straps rest on each shoulder of the person. Alternatively, any other suitable attaching device may be employed to comfortably attach the second body member  18  to a person. 
         [0031]    Referring again to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , the battering ram  10  is most effectively used to ram a target (not shown) with the hands of a person placed with the palms facing each other as the first handle assembly  22  and second handle assembly  24  are gripped. Ramming surfaces  58   a  and  60   a  of first ramming member  58  and second ramming member  60 , respectively, are substantially parallel to the target. In operation, the battering ram  10  is swung in a substantial arc or pendulum backwards, and then in direction D to strike the target and transfer the kinetic energy from the battering ram  10  to the target. To chop a target, the battering ram  10  is turned such that prying members  58   e,    60   e  are turned toward the target (not shown). First and second contoured portions  90 ,  92  provide gripping locations to allow a person to grip and swing the battering ram toward the target. The first and second contoured portions  90 ,  92  also provide gripping surfaces to allow a person to pull on the battering ram  10  to pry a target (not shown). 
         [0032]    The present invention is described above in terms of a preferred illustrative embodiment of a specifically described hand tool for relocating car stops. Those skilled in the art will recognize that alternative constructions of such an apparatus can be used in carrying out the present invention. Other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention may be obtained from a study of this disclosure and the drawings, along with the appended claims.