Abstract:
A multipurpose tool includes bypass shears with handles that fold around the shears into a compact configuration in which the blades of the shears are hidden. A sharp-edged cutter is removable from the shears for resharpening or replacement. A blade safety lock holds the blades closed and is automatically engaged as the handles are folded. The handles are comfortably shaped and may include overmolded elastomeric cushioning portions.

Description:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present application relates to multipurpose hand tools that can be folded to a compact configuration, and particularly relates to such a tool including shears that are locked in a safe condition when the handles are closed, and whose handles are designed to be comfortable in use.  
         [0002]     Multipurpose tools including shears and selected additional tools that can be folded into a compact configuration are known, and are available in various forms designed particularly for gardening or for use by bird hunters, for example. Previously known folding multipurpose tools designed for such uses, however, have not been particularly comfortable in use, and in some cases have required particular exercise of care to avoid injury from sharp edges of their blades.  
         [0003]     What is desired, then, is a multipurpose tool that incorporates shears that can be folded into a safe, compact configuration, and that includes attractive and comfortable handles.  
         [0004]     The present invention satisfies the aforementioned desires by providing a folding multipurpose tool as defined by the following claims.  
         [0005]     In particular, one preferred embodiment of the invention includes a folding multipurpose tool including bypass shears including a jaw, a blade assembly including a blade carrier and a sharpened cutter mounted removably on the blade carrier, and handles connected to the jaw and to the blade carrier and movable between an extended, operative position of each and a folded position of each.  
         [0006]     It is a feature of a folding multipurpose tool which is one embodiment of the invention that it includes a safety lock mechanism that latches the jaw and the blade assembly safely in a closed position in which the sharp edge of the cutter is not exposed, in response to folding the handles fully with respect to the jaw and blade assembly.  
         [0007]     It is a feature of another preferred embodiment of a folding multipurpose tool according to the invention that at least one handle incorporates a strength member in the form of a channel having side walls and wherein such a handle includes molded cushioning portions attached to the side walls to provide for gripping the handle comfortably.  
         [0008]     The foregoing and other features of the present invention will be understood more fully with reference to the following drawings and detailed description. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view from the lower left front of a folding multipurpose tool which is one embodiment of the present invention, shown with its handles extended, ready for use of the shears incorporated in the tool.  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  is a side elevational view of the tool shown in  FIG. 1 , taken from the opposite, or right side.  
         [0011]      FIG. 3  is a side elevational view of the tool shown in  FIG. 1 , taken from the same side as  FIG. 1 , with the handles folded around the shears.  
         [0012]      FIG. 4  is a top plan view of the folded tool shown in  FIG. 3 .  
         [0013]      FIG. 5  is a bottom plan view of the folded tool shown in  FIG. 3 .  
         [0014]      FIG. 6  is a side elevational view of the folded tool shown in  FIG. 3 , taken from the opposite side.  
         [0015]      FIG. 7  is an end elevational view of the folded tool shown in  FIG. 3 , taken from the left end of  FIG. 3 .  
         [0016]      FIG. 8  is an end elevational view of the folded tool shown in  FIG. 3 , taken from the right end of  FIG. 3 .  
         [0017]      FIG. 9  is a side elevational view of the tool shown in  FIG. 1 , with the shears locked in a closed position and with several blades shown partially unfolded from their stowed positions in the handles of the tool.  
         [0018]      FIG. 10  is a top plan view of the tool shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0019]      FIG. 11  is a bottom plan view of the tool shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0020]      FIG. 12  is a detail view showing the front ends of the handles of a tool similar to that shown in  FIGS. 1-11 , with the blade safety lock keeping the blades in a closed condition.  
         [0021]      FIG. 13  is a partially cutaway side elevational view, taken from the right side of the tool shown in  FIG. 12 , showing the shears and front end portions of the handles of the tool.  
         [0022]      FIG. 14  is a partially cutaway left side elevational view of the cutting blade and jaw of the tool shown in  FIG. 12 , together with front end portions of the handles, with the shears in an open position.  
         [0023]      FIG. 15  is a partially cutaway view similar to that of  FIG. 3 , but with the handles not fully closed and the blade safety lock not fully engaged.  
         [0024]      FIG. 16  is an isometric view of a portion of the tool shown in  FIG. 12 , taken from the rear ends of the cutting blade assembly and jaw, and showing the handles in positions intermediate between extended and folded positions.  
         [0025]      FIG. 17  is a partially cutaway view of a detail of the folding multipurpose tool shown in  FIGS. 1-11 , taken from the right side, with the handles thereof extended with respect to the blade assembly.  
         [0026]      FIG. 18  is a detail view of the tool shown in  FIG. 17 , taken in the direction indicated by line  18 - 18  in  FIG. 17 .  
         [0027]      FIG. 19  is a fragmentary view similar to a portion of  FIG. 17 , showing a handle in a partially folded position with respect to the blade assembly.  
         [0028]      FIG. 20  is an exploded isometric view of the jaw and the blade assembly of the tool shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0029]      FIG. 21  is a section view of one of the handles of the tool shown in  FIGS. 1-11 , taken along line  21 - 21  in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0030]      FIG. 22  is a section view of one of the handles of the tool shown in  FIGS. 1-11 , taken along line  22 - 22  of  FIG. 2 .  
         [0031]      FIG. 23  is a section view of one of the handles, taken along line  23 - 23  of  FIG. 2 .  
         [0032]      FIG. 24  is a partially cutaway detail view of one of the handles of the multipurpose tool shown in  FIGS. 1-11 , showing the weeder locked in its extended position.  
         [0033]      FIG. 25  is a view similar to  FIG. 24 , showing the latch release lever pressed to a position for releasing a folding tool element or blade from its extended position.  
         [0034]      FIG. 26  is a view of a multipurpose folding tool particularly suited for use by hunters, taken in the same direction as  FIG. 2  and showing a pair of folding tool elements particularly intended for use by hunters in a partially open position. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0035]     Referring now to the drawings forming a part of the disclosure herein, a folding gardener&#39;s multipurpose tool that is one preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in  FIG. 1 . The tool  30  has a pair of handles  32  and  34  attached respectively to a jaw  36  and a cooperating cutting blade assembly  38  of a pair of pruning shears. The handles  32  and  34  have the general form of U-shaped elongate channels facing openly apart from each other as shown in  FIG. 1  when they are extended.  
         [0036]     The jaw  36  and the cutting blade assembly  38  are interconnected with each other and movable relative to each other about a blade pivot joint  40 . Movement of the handles  32  and  34  toward each other causes the jaw  36  to move toward the blade assembly  38  about the blade pivot joint  40  in a scissors action. The jaw  36  is a bypass supporting jaw and supports a branch or other item being cut, as a sharp edge  42  passes closely alongside the jaw  36  in a bypass shears fashion in the tool  30 . In another version of the tool the jaw  36  might instead include an anvil against which the sharp edge  42  could be brought to bear instead of passing by it.  
         [0037]     Referring now also to  FIG. 2 , the jaw  36  has a base  44  attached to a front end  46  of the handle  32  by a handle pivot joint  48 . The blade assembly  38  includes a blade carrier  50  that has a tang  52  attached to the front end  54  of the handle  34  by a handle pivot joint  56  including a pivot shaft  57 . When the pruning shears of the folding multipurpose gardener&#39;s tool  30  are used, the handles  32  and  34  are in the extended positions shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  with respect to the jaw  36  and the blade assembly  38 .  
         [0038]     A replaceable cutter  58  including the sharp edge  42  is mounted on the blade carrier  50 . The replaceable cutter  58  is coupled to and carried along with the blade carrier  50  by drive pins  60  mounted fixedly in the blade carrier  50  and engaged snugly but removably in corresponding holes  62  in the replaceable cutter  58 . The cutter  58  can be removed and replaced by disassembling the blade pivot joint  40 , allowing the replaceable cutter  58  to be lifted free from the pins  60 . Ordinarily the pivot joint  40  holds he blade carrier  50  close enough to the jaw  36  so that the replaceable cutter  58  is held firmly against the blade carrier  50 .  
         [0039]     When the shears are not to be used, the handles  32  and  34  can be pivoted about the handle pivot joints  48  and  56 , respectively, to place the folding multipurpose gardener&#39;s tool  30  into a folded configuration shown in  FIGS. 3, 4 ,  5 ,  6 ,  7 , and  8 , in which the handles  32  and  34  lie alongside each other and the jaw  36  and blade assembly  38  are housed within and between the handles  32  and  34 .  
         [0040]     Selected folding tool blades and bits are housed within each of the handles  32  and  34 . In one embodiment of the folding tool  30 , as shown in  FIG. 9 , the handle  32  houses a swallowtail weeder  70 , a combination straight screwdriver and lawn sprinkler tool  72 , and a lanyard attachment loop  74 , all mounted on a blade pivot shaft  76  at the rear or outer end  78  of the handle  32 . In the handle  34 , at its outer end  80 , are a saw blade  82 , a Phillips screwdriver  84 , and a knife blade  86 , all mounted on a blade pivot shaft  88 .  
         [0041]     As shown in  FIGS. 9, 10 , and  11 , each of the tool elements and blades  70 ,  72 ,  82 ,  84 , and  86 , as well as the lanyard loop  74 , is movable about the respective pivot shaft  76  or  88  between a stowed position within the respective handle  32  or  34  and an extended, or deployed, position. Each tool blade is located on its respective pivot shaft  76  or  88  as by a spacer  87  or  89  so as to leave adequate space within the respective handle  32  or  34  for the jaw  36  and blade assembly  38  to be received within the handles  32  and  34  between the stowed tool blades in each handle. The spacers  87  and  89  also provide space to avoid accumulation of moisture or dirt that might cause corrosion on the tool elements and blades.  
         [0042]     A selected one of the folding tool elements or blades can be held securely in its extended position by a latch mechanism controlled by a latch release lever  90  mounted on the handle  32  or a similar latch release lever  92  mounted on the handle  34 , as shown in  FIGS. 2, 9 ,  24 , and  25 .  
         [0000]     Pruning Shears and Blade Safety Lock  
         [0043]     When the handles  32  and  34  are extended with respect to the jaw  36  and the blade assembly  38 , for the sake of safety it is desirable for the blade assembly  38  to be locked in place with respect to the jaw  36  when the shears are not actually being used, so that the sharp edge  42  is not exposed where it might injure a person accidentally. Accordingly, as shown in  FIGS. 9, 12 ,  13 , and  14 , a blade safety lock mechanism designated generally by the reference numeral  96  can be engaged between the front end  54  of the handle  34  and the jaw  36 , to hold the blade assembly  38  alongside the jaw  36 .  
         [0044]     The blade safety lock  96  includes a catch body  98  carried on a suitable pivot, and shown herein as mounted on the handle pivot joint  56 . As shown in  FIGS. 12 and 13 , the catch body  98  has an outer end  99 , and a pivot bore  100  is defined in the rear end of the catch body  98 . The pivot shaft  57  of the handle pivot joint  56  extends through the pivot bore  100 , permitting the catch body  98  to rotate through a small angle, between its position of engagement with the hub of the jaw  36  and a disengaged position shown in  FIG. 14 . As shown in  FIG. 13 , when the blade safety lock  96  is engaged, it holds the blade assembly  38  so that the sharp edge  42  is safely located alongside the flat side surface  190  of the jaw  36  and the handles  32  and  34  are close together.  
         [0045]     As shown best in  FIG. 13 , a front face  102  of the catch body  98  engages a shoulder  104  defined along the peripheral surface  105  of the hub of the jaw  36  when the blade safety lock  96  is engaged. The catch body  98  can be engaged with the jaws  36  by pressing on a thumb pad  106  when the handles  32  and  34  are held close together, in the position shown in  FIG. 9 . The thumb pad  106  preferably has a non-slip surface configuration such as narrow parallel ridges and grooves. The range of angular motion of the catch body  98  about the handle pivot joint  56  is limited by the free space available within an opening  108  defined in the catch body  98  and surrounding a pin  110  extending from the tang  52  of the blade carrier  50 . It will be understood that if desired, the catch body  98  might instead be mounted so as to pivot about, for example, the pin  110 , and have its range of motion limited by its relationship with a part of the handle pivot joint  56 .  
         [0046]     A release lever  112  is attached to the catch body  98  and extends forward from the handle pivot joint  56 , alongside the hub of the jaw  36 . The release lever  112  has a thumb pad  114  spaced apart from the thumb pad  106  of the catch body  98  by an angle of, for example, about 35°, about the handle pivot joint  56  in the tool shown. The angle is not critical but is preferably chosen to place the thumb pad  114  conveniently for use. The thumb pad  114  is thus located, as may be seen in  FIGS. 9 and 12 , in a position where it is easily engaged by the thumb of a person&#39;s right hand grasping the handles  32  and  34  of the tool  30  in a normal fashion for use of the pruning shears. The tool  30  could also be made in a mirror-image left handed version (not shown).  
         [0047]     As shown in  FIGS. 13 and 14 , a blade-opening spring  116  is housed in a cavity  118  defined around the blade pivot joint  40  in the hub of the jaw  36 . A first end  120  of the spring  116  is held by being engaged in a groove  121  extending away from the cavity  118  into the base  44  of the jaw  36 . A main part of the spring  116  extends arcuately about the blade pivot joint  40 , and an opposite end  122  extends away from the hub of the jaw  36  toward the front end  54  of the handle  34  and presses against the surface  123  of the hub of the catch body  98 , as shown in  FIG. 13 . Alternatively, the end  122  might press on an appropriate shoulder or other perch (not shown) on the tang  52 . The spring  116  when in place is bent elastically and urges the tang  52  of the blade assembly  38  to pivot away from the base  44  of the jaw  36  about the blade pivot joint  40 , thus also urging the handles  32  and  34  apart from each other.  
         [0048]     The blade safety lock  96  can be engaged by pushing the thumb pad  106  to urge the front face  102  of the catch body  98  into its latching position alongside the shoulder  104  while holding together the handles  32  and  34 . When the handles  32  and  34  are then released, the spring  116  urges the jaw  36  to rotate about the pivot joint  40  with respect to the blade assembly  38 , bringing the shoulder  104  tightly against the front face  102 . Friction then retains the catch body  98  in its engaged position, shown in  FIG. 13 , or the front face  102  and the shoulder  104  may be slightly sloped as shown in  FIG. 13 , so as to latch with each other by cam action, to keep the jaw  36  and blade assembly  38  closely alongside each other.  
         [0049]     When it is desired to release the blade safety lock  96 , pressure can conveniently be applied to the thumb pad  114 , using the thumb of the hand holding the tool  30 . A normal one-handed grip squeezing the handles  32  and  34  together while pushing on the thumb pad  114  will tend to counter the force of the blade-opening spring  116 , thus releasing pressure of the front face  102  on the shoulder  104  and facilitating movement of the catch body  98  to remove the front face  102  from its position of interference with the shoulder  104 . The blade assembly  38  is then free to move away from the jaw  36  toward the position shown in  FIG. 14 .  
         [0050]     In one preferred embodiment of the folding multipurpose gardener&#39;s tool  30 , as shown in  FIG. 15 , the action of moving the handles  32  and  34  toward their folded configuration, to house the jaw  36  and blade assembly  38  between and within the channels defined by the handles  32  and  34 , engages the blade safety lock  96 . When the handles  32  and  34  are nearly folded about the pivot joints  48  and  56 , the handles  32  and  34  squeeze the jaw  36  and the blade assembly  38  together, and the resulting pressure of the interior of the handle  34  against the catch body  98  urges it toward the blade pivot joint  40 . The outer end  99  of the catch body  98  follows the peripheral surface  105  of the outside of the jaw  36  until the front face  102  reaches a point where it moves into the cavity  118  and engages the shoulder  104 . As this happens, the handles  32  and  34  free to move from being slightly separated, as shown in  FIG. 15 , to the fully folded configuration shown in  FIG. 3 . Once the tool  30  is in the fully folded configuration shown in  FIG. 3 , the blade lock  96  is engaged. Thereafter, the handles  32  and  34  can safely be moved apart from each other about the handle pivot joints  48  and  56  to extend the handles  32  and  34  with respect to the jaw  36  and blade assembly  38  without the blade assembly  38  moving relative to the jaw  36  and exposing the sharp edge  42 .  
         [0051]     Referring again to  FIGS. 13 and 14  and also referring now to  FIG. 16 , in one embodiment of the folding multipurpose tool  30 , the tang  52  of the blade carrier  50  is mounted rotatably on the pivot shaft  57  of the handle pivot joint  56  alongside the catch body  98 . The handle  34  and the tang  52  rotate with respect to each other during movement of the handle  34  between its position of extension with respect to the blade assembly  38 , shown in  FIG. 1 , and the folded configuration of the multipurpose tool  30 , shown in  FIG. 3 .  
         [0052]     Referring to  FIG. 16 , the handle  34  preferably includes a channel  124  of formed sheet steel as its main strength member. With the handle  34  extended with respect to the blade assembly  38  during use of the pruning shear, force exerted on the handle  34  is transferred into the blade assembly  38  through the handle pivot joint  56  and through the base  126  of the U-shaped channel member  124 , acting against a leg  128  extending from the main portion of the tang  52  of the blade carrier  50 .  
         [0053]     The leg  128  is aligned with an abutment face  130  of the base  126  of the channel  124 , located at the front end  54  of the handle  34 . Preferably, the blade carrier  50  is made of suitable sheet metal cut to the appropriate shape, as by fine blanking, after which the leg  128  may be bent to the appropriate angle with respect to the remainder of the blade carrier  50 , to align the leg  128  with the abutment face  130 , as shown in  FIGS. 14 and 16 .  
         [0054]     Friction may be provided to help prevent the handle  34  from rotating too freely with respect to the tang  52  by adjusting the tension in the pivot shaft  57  of the handle pivot joint  56 , which may, for example, be a screw-fastened hollow pin. To keep the latch body  98  free to be moved as desired to engage or disengage the blade safety lock  96 , a spacer sleeve  133 , seen best in  FIG. 20 , is provided in the pivot joint  56  between the tang  52  and the opposite side wall  125  of the channel  124 . The spacer sleeve  133  fits on the pivot shaft  57  of the pivot joint  56 , and fits inside the pivot bore  100  loosely enough for the catch body  98  to rotate freely. It has a length  135  slightly greater than the width  136  of the catch body  98 . The catch body  98  thus is kept free to move on the spacer sleeve  133  between the side walls  125 , and the spacer sleeve  133  holds the tang  52  securely in place against one of the side walls  125  and properly aligned with the handle  34 .  
         [0055]     Additional friction may be provided to keep the handle  34  in its extended position with respect to the tang  52  of the blade carrier  50  by providing a wedge-like or cam-like protrusion  129 , best seen in  FIGS. 16, 17 , and  19 , on the tang  52  in position to press against the interior surface of the base  126  of the channel  124  as the handle  34  approaches being fully extended.  
         [0056]     As may be seen best in  FIG. 16 , a metal channel member  131  that is the main strength member of the handle  32  has an abutment face  132  adjacent the front end  46  of the base portion  142  of the metal channel  131  of the handle  32 , and the base  44  of the jaw  36  is mounted on the handle pivot joint  48  between the side walls  134  of the channel  131 . The jaw  36  is preferably of metal and may be made as a casting or by powder metallurgy methods in order to minimize machine work necessary to provide the required shape. Its base  44  includes a boss substantially filling the space between the side walls  134 . A shoulder  138  is provided on the base  44 , to engage and be supported by the abutment face  132  when the handle  32  is extended with respect to the jaw  36 , in order to transfer forces from the handle  32  into the jaw  36 . A wedge-like or cam-like protrusion  140  shown best in  FIG. 16  may also be provided on the base  44  of the jaw  36  where it will engage the interior of the channel base portion  142  with friction sufficient to prevent the handle  32  from rotating about the handle pivot joint  48  unless it is definitely desired to fold the handle  32  with respect to the jaw  36 .  
         [0000]     Replaceable Cutter  
         [0057]     As mentioned previously, the blade or cutter  58  is easily replaceable when damaged and may easily be removed to permit sharpening when dulled through long use, and may then easily be remounted on the blade carrier  50 . The pruning shear portion of the tool  30  is shown in  FIG. 20 , without its handles and associated additional blades, in an exploded view showing the cutter or blade  58  separated from the blade carrier  50 , with the blade pivot joint  40  disassembled.  
         [0058]     The blade pivot joint  40  preferably incorporates a pivot axle including a nut or female portion  174  and an adjustment screw  176 . A circular shank  178  and a radial flange  180  at an outer end of the female portion  174  are received rotatably in a corresponding pivot bore  182  defined in the blade carrier  50 . Preferably the pivot bore  182  is counterbored to receive the flange  180 , and the shank  178  and flange  180  should be easily rotatable in the bore  182 . The opposite or inner end portion  184  of the female portion  174 , in contrast, although small enough to pass through the bore  182 , is not circular, but is square or of another shape which can be held non-rotatably in a corresponding hole  186  in the hub of the jaw  36 , to prevent rotation of the female portion  174  with respect to the hub portion of the jaw  36 . The hole  186  receives the inner end portion  184  of the female portion  174  but preferably substantially prevents rotation of the female portion  174  with respect to the jaw  36 . As a result, the screw  176 , once tightened into the female portion  174 , is not subjected to rotary oscillation tending to loosen it from the female portion  174  as the pruning shear is used. The angular movement of the blade carrier  38  with respect to the jaw  36  is supported substantially entirely by the rotation of the blade carrier  52  with respect to the female portion  174 . Additionally, the female portion  174  is preferably constructed as a locknut, as by including a Nylon plug, a setscrew, or another device to engage the threads of the screw  176 .  
         [0059]     The length  188  of the female portion  174  of the pivot axle of the blade pivot joint  40  is chosen to permit adjustment of the blade pivot joint  40  to achieve a desired amount of tension by tightening the adjustment screw  176  to the appropriate distance into the female portion  174  while the end portion  184  remains non-rotatably engaged in the hole  186  in the hub of the jaw  36 . Adjustment of the pivot axle in this fashion can thus account for cutters  58  of different thicknesses, wear of the planar face  190  of the jaw  36 , against which the replaceable cutter  58  moves, and for wear of parts in contact with each other in the rotational relationship between the flange  180 , shank  178 , and pivot bore  182  in the blade carrier  50 . The properly tightened pivot axle also holds the blade carrier  50  tightly against the adjacent side of the replaceable cutter  58 , thus keeping the pins  60  engaged in the holes  62  to drive the cutter  58  during use of the pruning shear. It will be recognized that the pivot axle could be arranged oppositely, as well, with the same result.  
         [0000]     Handle Comfort  
         [0060]     Referring again to  FIGS. 1, 2 ,  10 , and  11 , and also referring to  FIGS. 21-23 , the handles  32  and  34  have a generally U-shaped channel configuration, and are constructed to have sufficient strength and attractive appearance, and to be comfortable in use of the shear.  
         [0061]     The inner channel frame member  131  is part of the handle  32 , and a similar channel frame member  124  is part of handle  34 . The channel  131  includes a channel base portion  142  and a pair of parallel side wall portions  134 . The side wall portions  134  extend the entire length of the handle  32  and support a molded shell portion  198  as an intermediate handle portion fitting around the channel member  131  and interlocking with margins  200  of the side walls  134  of the channel member  131 . A shell portion  199  of similar construction, although different in shape, is used in the handle  34 .  
         [0062]     The shell portions  198  and  199  of the handles  32  and  34  are preferably molded of a suitable rigid, strong, thermoplastic material such as a fiber-reinforced or glass-filled Nylon that is easily molded to provide a desired shape and adequate strength and that may be provided in a desired color for attractive appearance of the tool including such an intermediate handle portion.  
         [0063]     The side walls of the handle  32  are tapered in profile, from the rear end  78  to a shallowest point  201 , adjacent which is a hump  202  to support the user&#39;s grip. The side walls of the handle  34  are also tapered in profile, from its outer end  80  toward its front end  54 .  
         [0064]     A respective comfortable cushioning portion including a grip cushioning layer  204  extends along each of the outer margins  206  of the shell layers  198  and  199  as a cushioning portion of each handle  32  and  34 . The grip cushioning layer  204  is preferably made of a tough, yet resiliently soft and rubber-like thermoplastic elastomeric material such as those available from Advanced Elastomer Systems, of Akron, Ohio, under the trademark Santoprene®. A portion  207  of the comfortable grip cushioning layer also extends along and covers a portion of an outer face  208  of the shell portion  198 . The grip cushioning layer portion  204  is preferably attached to the channel member  131  or  124  and the shell layer  198  or  199  by chemical bonding and adhesion resulting from the process of molding and by being shaped to interlock mechanically with the shell layer  198  at certain places. For example, openings may be provided in the side portions of the shell layer  198 , and the side walls  134  and  196 , to provide for mechanical interlocking, as shown in  FIGS. 21, 22 , and  23 .  
         [0065]     Near the front ends  46  and  54  of the handles  32  and  34 , a cushioning limit stop  212  of structure similar to the cushioning layer  204  is provided on each of the handles  32  and  34 , as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 23  with respect to handle  32 . The limit stops  212  engage each other as the handles  32  and  34  approach each other during use of the shears when the blade assembly  38  is alongside the jaw  36 , as shown, for example, in  FIG. 9 . These stops  212  prevent the handles  32  and  34  from being squeezed too tightly together and also protect the user&#39;s hands from unnecessary and undesirable shock as the cutter  58  finally passes through an object such as a thick branch being cut by the pruning shear.  
         [0066]     The handles  32  and  34  are preferably assembled by first placing the respective channel member  124  or  131  in a suitable mold cavity and then molding the shell layer  198  or  199  onto the channel member  131  or  124 . The channel member and molded layer  198  or  199  are then placed into a second mold cavity and the elastomeric material forming the cushioning layer  204  and the limit stop  212  is overmolded into place. Conventional molding methods are used to provide both mechanical and chemical bonding among the channel members  124  and  131  and the molded parts  198 ,  199 ,  204 , and  212 .  
         [0067]     A tool blade member mounted pivotably within one of the handles  32  and  34  at its outer end  78  or  80  may be held securely in its extended position by the action of a latch mechanism including the respective latch lever  90  or  92  attached to the main channel member  131  or  124  of the respective handle by a respective latch lever pivot. The handle  32  and latch release lever  90  are shown in  FIGS. 9, 24 , and  25 , and the latch mechanisms are similar in the handle  34 . The latch levers  90  or  92  are preferably cast or formed by powder metallurgy methods.  
         [0068]     As the latching mechanisms do not form a part of the present invention, they are not described in detail herein.  
         [0069]     A folding multipurpose tool  250  shown in  FIG. 26  is more particularly adapted for convenient use by a hunter instead of a gardener, and includes a different embodiment of some aspects of the invention. The tool  250  is in most respects similar to the folding multipurpose gardener&#39;s tool  30 , and like parts are indicated by the same reference numerals as used above in connection with the tool  30 . The tool  250  has a blade assembly equipped with a replaceable cutter  252  whose sharpened edge includes a gently curved front portion  254  and may include serration in a rear portion  256 . Both edge portions  254  and  256  are located to operate cooperatively with the jaw  36  as a cutting blade of a pair of shears. The replaceable cutter  252  also includes a hook  258  extending outward from its back  260 . The hook  258  includes a sharpened edge  262  in its throat, useful in skinning game or for other uses such as cutting twine or opening bags of fertilizer or the like, if the replaceable cutter  252  were included in a gardener&#39;s tool instead of the replaceable cutter  58 .  
         [0070]     Folding tools stowed selectively in the handle  32  of the tool  250  include a slender hook  266 , useful in removing entrails from game birds and small animals. Also included is a screwdriver blade  268  that carries a shotgun choke tube tool  270 .  
         [0071]     Other specialized blades or tool elements might be provided in one or the other of the handles  32  and  34  in such a multipurpose folding tool  30  or  250  to make the tool particularly useful for other special purposes.  
         [0072]     It will also be understood that instead of the combination of the pruning shears jaw  36  and blade assembly  38 , the handles  32  and  34  might be used for other pivotally interconnected jaws or blades such as those of pliers, sheet metal shears, or other scissors-like cutting tools.  
         [0073]     The terms and expressions that 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 that follow.