Patent Abstract:
A handle multi-tool of particular utility to electricians for performing many operations involved in electrical installations in which a number of different tools are necessary, such as: pliers, channel locks, multi-tip screw driver, level, wire nut driver, scraper, measuring tape, calculator, level, and plumb bob. All of them may be partially or totally replaced by this handle multi-tool, the shape and weight of which resembles a common screwdriver.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     Not applicable.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to multi-purpose hand tools of the particular type utilized by electricians. More specifically, it relates to the tools which electricians keep in their pouch.  
         [0004]     2. Description of Prior Art  
         [0005]     The prior arts are well documented with pliers, screwdrivers, level, wire nut drivers and many other kinds of well -known tools. Such tools are particularly useful to electricians who desire the capabilities of portable and compact multi-function tools to perform their tasks. This is even more important because of the fact that electricians must often work in fairly inaccessible-locations, making the practicality of carrying numerous tools in their pouch often difficult or impossible.  
         [0006]     Examples of aforementioned well-known tools are as follows: 
        A pair of pliers is particularly useful for gripping wire terminals for splicing before wire nuts are connected.     A wire nut driver is particularly useful to screw the nut onto the end of wires to prevent an electrician&#39;s fingers from becoming tender and sore. Examples of wire nut drivers are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,769,862 November/73 to Miller or US 2002/069715 A1 to Genco.     A plumb bob is generally useful to get a true vertical line when fixtures or posts are installed.     A level generally is useful when electrical paneling, gutters, conduits, lamps, or electrical boxes are fixed.     A measuring tape and a calculator is particularly useful to determine how many feet of wound wire remain on a reel.     A multi-tip screwdriver is generally useful for fixing screws on electrical boxes, connectors, paneling, etc.     A channel lock pliers or a file is particularly used to smooth-burrs produced by a saw when an electrical conduit section is cut.     A needle nose pliers is generally useful to bend stripped wire terminals, which are often connected with a “U”, or “O”-form at their ends.     A particular non-slip screwdriver is used at angled positions in which a screwdriver cannot be aligned with the screw axis.     A lever is used to align or remove parts fastened to walls.        
 
         [0017]     Accordingly, it is a principal objective of the present invention to provide a multi-purpose hand tool, which is able to perform the mentioned functions using just the subject matter of this invention.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0018]     In its broadest description, this invention describes a multi-purpose hand tool comprising:  
         [0019]     A handle body which includes a cavity recessed from the upper end thereof, said cavity being of generally tapered section having open interior side walls, extending from said open end through half of said cavity, forming a socket next to the open end, sized to receive any of the most common sizes of wire nuts. A metallic insert extends inward from the interior side walls of said socket towards the bottom of said cavity, forming a second socket, sized to receive the most common gages of stripped electrical wire passed endwise through said first socket and into said second socket Three pairs of grooves are formed in said interior side walls on opposite sides of said first socket, sized to receive the protruding wings of wire nuts. Three slots at the bottom of said metallic insert form a “Y”-end, sized to receive said stripped wire.  
         [0020]     A hole pierces the upper end of the handle transversally, crossing through said first socket on a cross-section, is sized to receive both ends of a flexible “V”-form hook.  
         [0021]     Various numerical columns are engraved and/or painted on the generally cylindrical exterior area of the handle extending coaxially downward from the upper end of said exterior area.  
         [0022]     The exterior area of said handle is bored out to receive an embedded level instrument, which includes a liquid substance, an air bubble, and a target point, so that said handle can be used as a level.  
         [0023]     Two pairs of magnets are inserted in the exterior area of said handle, transverse to said target point, proximate to both ends on a coaxial plane and parallel to the target point plane, in such a way that the handle can adhere to an iron surface.  
         [0024]     An elongated metallic bar is connected to the center of the cross section of the lower end of said handle body, extending coaxially outward, with a tip receiver connected to the other end of said bar, enabling various kinds of tip drivers to be utilized.  
         [0025]     Three steel wires connected on the bottom of the handle-body enable said handle to be used as a scraper. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0026]      FIG. 1  is a perspective illustration, showing how the tool may be used as a non-slip screwdriver to fasten a screw at a coupling.  
         [0027]      FIG. 1A  is a cross-sectional view of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0028]      FIG. 1B  is a cross-sectional view from  FIG. 1 , taken along line B, showing the holes for plumb bob-function, the wire nut socket, and wire twister area.  
         [0029]      FIG. 1C  is a cross-sectional view from  FIG. 1 , taken along fine C, showing the wire twister area and a pair of magnets.  
         [0030]      FIG. 1D  is a cross-sectional view from  FIG. 1 , taken along fine D, showing the bayonet area and parts for performing as a scraper tool.  
         [0031]      FIG. 2  is a perspective illustration of the preferred embodiment, showing how the tool may be used as a scraper to remove burrs from an electrical conduit.  
         [0032]      FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of the preferred embodiment, performing as a loop maker.  
         [0033]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment; performing as a multi-tip screwdriver, fastening a screw.  
         [0034]      FIG. 5  is a perspective illustration showing how the tool may be used as a lever, removing an electrical conduit from a wall.  
         [0035]      FIG. 6  is a front view illustration, showing how the tool may be used to splice electrical wire terminals.  
         [0036]      FIG. 7  is a perspective illustration showing how the tool may be used to determine what length of wound wire remains on a reel.  
         [0037]      FIG. 8  is an elevation illustration, showing how the tool may be connected to a hook and hung by a chord, to be used as a plumb bob.  
         [0038]      FIG. 9  is an elevation illustration, showing the tool stuck to a steel pipe by the magnets (no shown).  
         [0039]      FIG. 10  is a perspective illustration, showing how the tool may be used as a wire nut driver.  
         [0040]      FIG. 11  is a perspective illustration of the preferred embodiment carrying the tip therewith, showing a fingertip pushing a tip to take it out.  
         [0041]      FIG. 11A  is a cross-section of  FIG. 11 .  
         [0042]      FIG. 12  is a perspective illustration of the preferred embodiment carrying the tips therewith.  
         [0043]      FIG. 13  is an elevation illustration of all the different prior art tools for which the present invention could totally or partially substitute.  
     
    
     REFERENCE NUMERALS IN DRAWINGS  
       [0044]    
       
         
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                  15 
                 Handle multi-purpose tool 
                  17 
                 Terminal wire-stripped 
               
               
                  18 
                 Terminal wire-stripped 
                  19 
                 Wire 
               
               
                  23a 
                 “L”-form steel wire 
                  23b 
                 Cavity for “L”-form steel wire 
               
               
                  24a 
                 “L”-form steel wire 
                  24b 
                 Cavity for “L”-form steel wire 
               
               
                  25a 
                 “J”-form steel wire 
                  25b 
                 Cavity for “J”-form steel wire 
               
               
                  26a 
                 Loop for burr removal 
                  26b 
                 Groove for loop of “J”-form steel wire 
               
               
                  27 
                 Filing, burrs 
                  28 
                 Electric conduit 
               
               
                  29 
                 Electric conduit cross section edge 
                  30 
                 Wire nut socket 
               
               
                  31 
                 Loop 
                  33 
                 Bore for “V”-form hook 
               
               
                  34 
                 Bore for “V” form hook 
                  35a 
                 Groove of socket wire nut receiver 
               
               
                  35b 
                 Groove of socket wire nut receiver 
                  36a 
                 Groove of socket wire nut receiver 
               
               
                  36b 
                 Groove of socket wire nut receiver 
                  37a 
                 Groove of socket wire nut receiver 
               
               
                  37b 
                 Groove of socket wire nut receiver 
                  38 
                 Metallic insert 
               
               
                  39a 
                 Slot at the end of metal insert 
                  39b 
                 Slot at the end of metal insert 
               
               
                  39c 
                 Slot in end of metal insert 
                  39y 
                 Slot base of “Y”-form 
               
               
                  40 
                 Level instrument 
                  41 
                 Bayonet 
               
               
                  42 
                 Target point 
                  43 
                 Liquid of level instrument 
               
               
                  44 
                 Cavity for instrument level 
                  45 
                 Wire 
               
               
                  46 
                 Bayonet free end 
                  47a 
                 Terminal wire between bar and bayonet 
               
               
                  47b 
                 Space to set stripped wire terminal 
                  48 
                 Magnets 
               
               
                  49 
                 Magnets 
                  50 
                 Bar 
               
               
                  51 
                 Tip receiver 
                  52 
                 Bar section for holding wire terminal 
               
               
                  53 
                 Slotted screw head 
                  54 
                 Surface to be fastened 
               
               
                  55 
                 Conduit section 
                  56 
                 Bar section in contact with conduit 
               
               
                  57 
                 Notch at tip receiver extension 
                  58 
                 Notch at tip receiver extension 
               
               
                  60a 
                 Short Flat tip 
                  60a′ 
                 Flat section of short tip 
               
               
                  61a 
                 Flat tip 
                  61b 
                 Tip holder 
               
               
                  62a 
                 Phillips tip 
                  62b 
                 Tip holder 
               
               
                  63 
                 Pivot point 
                  64 
                 Extension walls 
               
               
                  65 
                 Extension walls 
                  66 
                 Screw head 
               
               
                  67 
                 Coupling nut 
                  69 
                 Groove to accommodate forefinger 
               
               
                  70 
                 Hook 
                  71 
                 Hook angle 
               
               
                  72 
                 Cord 
                  73 
                 Hook end 
               
               
                  74 
                 Hook end 
                  77 
                 Pivot point 
               
               
                  78 
                 Wall section 
                  79 
                 Conduit strap 
               
               
                  82 
                 Numerical column 
                  83 
                 Reel edge 
               
               
                  84 
                 Reel of #14 THWN wire 
                  85 
                 Wire wound on reel 
               
               
                  86 
                 Wire gage indicator 
                  88a 
                 Reference point 
               
               
                  88b 
                 Floor mark 
                  89 
                 Gravity force direction 
               
               
                  92 
                 Spliced wires 
                  94 
                 Wire nut 
               
               
                  95a 
                 Wire nut wing 
                  95b 
                 Wire nut wing 
               
               
                  97 
                 Elastic band 
                  98 
                 Cavity for band 
               
               
                  99a 
                 Fingertip 
                  99b 
                 Tip holder upper end 
               
               
                 101 
                 Plumb bob 
                 102 
                 Lever 
               
               
                 103 
                 Multi tip screwdriver 
                 104 
                 Wire nut tool 
               
               
                 105 
                 Pliers 
                 106 
                 Needle nose pliers 
               
               
                 107 
                 Channel lock 
                 108 
                 Measurement tape and calculator 
               
               
                 109 
                 Non-slip screwdriver 
                 110 
                 Level 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0045]     The preferred embodiment of the present invention is a multi-purpose hand tool, integrally formed with an elongated body. Its generally cylindrical cross-section is composed of a substantially plastic or artificial resin material and comprises a handle body generally designated by the numeral  15   FIG. 1 , having a fixed bar  50  at the center of its lower end. Said bar  50  includes a tip receiver  51  at its free end to which various kinds of tips  60   a ,  61   a  and  62   a    FIG. 1T  can be coupled. Said tip receiver  51  includes a particular cylindrical form extension  64 ,  65   FIGS. 1 and 1 A which is slightly wider than the tip receiver and is suitable to hide the flat section  60   a ′ of the said shorter particular tip  60   a . Said extension includes two “U”-form notches  57 ,  58  to provide access to said shorter tip  60   a  as it is shown in  FIGS. 1, 1A ; said tip receiver  51  and tips  60   a ,  61   a  and  62   a , obviously, become the preferred embodiment  15 , a multi-tip screwdriver, shown in  FIG. 4 , with the ability of fastening a screw head  53  to a surface  54 , as does the multi-tip screwdriver shown in  103   FIG. 13 .  
         [0046]     The shorter particular tip  60   a    FIGS. 1 and 1 A is able to perform at a particularly awkward angle, at which a common screwdriver would slide, because it isn&#39;t aligned with the screw axis.  FIG. 1  and  1 A show how the flat section  60   a ′ of said shorter tip  60   a  stays in place, even though the axis of the screw  66  and coupling nut  67  are not aligned with the tip&#39;s axis, as does a non-slip screwdriver  109  of  FIG. 13 .  
         [0047]     The multi-purpose tool  15  shows in  FIGS. 1A, 1B  a cross-section of cavity  30 , recessed from the upper end thereof, having upper interior sidewalls which include three pairs of grooves  35   a ,  35   b ;  36   a ,  36   b  and  37   a ,  37   b  formed in the handle material itself, equally spaced, extending from said open end to half the depth of said cavity  30 , forming a socket/wire nut receiver, proximate said open end sized to receive the protruding wings of any of the most common sizes of wire nuts, as does wire nut driver tool  104   FIG. 13 .  
         [0048]     A metallic insert  38  in the lower half of said cavity  30 , extending from the upper interior sidewalls downward, forming an interior portion consisting of a metallic socket  38  which includes three slots  39   a ,  39   b  and  39   c , all of which are slightly wider than one stripped #12 wire and narrower than two stripped #14 wires, said slots being 120° apart, in the shape of a “Y”-form base  39   y . Said insert  38  is shown at  FIGS. 1A, 1C  and  6 ; said metallic insert socket  38  is sized to receive the most common gages of stripped electrical wire ends  17 ,  18   b  passed endwise through said first socket  30  and into said socket  38 . The wires  19  to be connected are passed endwise through the first socket into the second socket. The handle  15  is rotated and the stripped wires  19  are spliced as it is shown in  FIG. 6 , as do pliers  105   FIG. 13 . Then, spliced wires  92  are passed into the wire nut  94 , as shown in  FIG. 10 . The open end of the first socket is passed over the nut and the handle is slightly rotated until the nut&#39;s wings,  95   a  and  95   b , pass into grooves  37   a  and  37   b . The nut  94  is screwed into place on the wires by rotating the handle, which applies substantial torque to complete the work when it is rotated by hand  93 , as does wire nut driver  104   FIG. 13 .  
         [0049]     Holes  33 ,  34  transversally pierce the upper end of handle  15 . Said holes  33 ,  34  cross through the first cavity  30   FIGS. 1A, 1B  on one cross-sectional line and are suitable to receive a “V”-form flexible hook. The “U”-form hook  70  is made of flexible steel wire, so that both ends  73 ,  74  close when it is compressed by hand. It returns to its open position when pressure is released. Thus, the “U”-form hook  70  is coupled in place by passing the hook ends  73 ,  74 , into holes  33 ,  34  from the inside to the outside, via cavity  3 Q. Thus, when the cord  72  is connected at angle  71  of the “U”-form hook  70  and it is hung at the reference point  88   a , as it is shown in  FIG. 8 , the multi-purpose tool is suitable to be used to compare the parallelism with gravity force direction  89  and the floor mark  88   b  as does a plumb bob  101   FIG. 13 .  
         [0050]     Various numerical columns, engraved and/or painted on the generally cylindrical exterior area of the handle  15 , extend coaxially downward from the upper end of said exterior area. As it can be seen in  FIG. 7 , the handle body  15  is placed in such a way that the tipper end abuts into the wound wire  85  on the reel  84 . Then, it is possible to read the numeral in the column  82  which corresponds to the reel edge  83 , to determine the amount of would wire  85  remaining on a reel  84 , as does a measurement tape and calculator  108 , shown in  FIG. 13 . Notice that the wire gage number and insulation type  86  are near the numerical columns.  
         [0051]      FIG. 1A  shows a circular cavity  44  in the exterior area of the handle body  15 , wherein a sealed container  40  is embedded, said container  40  made of a transparent material and including a liquid substance  43  and an air bubble therein, as well as a target point  42  traced on the exterior area of said transparent container  40 . Thus, the preferred embodiment of the present invention could be placed in such position that the target point  42  could be used to compare the horizontally with gravity force direction  89 , as shown in  FIG. 9 , as does a level  110   FIG. 13 .  
         [0052]     Two pairs of magnets  48 ,  49  are embedded at the exterior area of handle body  15 . Both of said magnet pairs  48 ,  49  are placed on the same plane, diametrical and parallel to the target point  42  plane, as it is shown in  FIG. 1A . Said two pairs of magnets  48 ,  49  enable the handle body  15  to adhere to any iron surface, so that the target point  42  can be observed as shown in  FIG. 9 . Thus, the preferred embodiment of the present invention may be used as a magnetic level  110 , as shown in  FIG. 13 .  
         [0053]     Three “L”-form cavities  23   b ,  24   b  y  25   b ,  26   b , are separated by 120° at the lower end of the handle  15 , of which the shorter sides are grooves extending as three radius from the exterior edge to the center and continuing coaxially inward as three flanges proximate and perpendicular to the bar  50 , as it is clearly shown in  FIG. 1A, 1D .  
         [0054]     Two “L”-form steel wires  23   a ,  24   a  are embedded in said “L”-form cavities  23   b ,  24   b  and a “J”-form steel wire  25   a  is embedded in said “L”-form cavity  25   b ,  26   b . Notice that said “J”-form steel wire includes a loop at its free end. In  FIG. 2 , it clearly shows the preferred embodiment  15  can perform as a scraper to remove burns  27  from the edge  29  of a cut piece of electrical conduit  28  by rotating the handle body  15 , as commonly do electricians, using channel locks  107  of  FIG. 13 . Notice that the loop  26   a  performs to remove burrs  27  inside and outside of conduit  28 .  
         [0055]      FIGS. 1A, 1D  and  3 , show a bayonet form steel wire  41  of circular cross-section connected to the upper end of the tip receiver  51 , extending upward and having a free end  46  which is apart from bar  50 . Said free end  46  is suitable to make any kind of loop  31 , even a closed “0” form loop  47   a  on a stripped wire terminal  45 , by setting it on the space  47   b  between the bar section  52  and the bayonet offset  46  and rotating the handle body  15 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . Thus, the preferred embodiment performs as a needle-nose pliers  106 ;  FIG. 13 .  
         [0056]      FIG. 5  shows that the preferred embodiment may be used as a lever to align or remove electrical conduit  55  or the like affixed to a wall  78 . By setting the end of the bar  50  between an affixed electrical conduit  55  and the wall  78 , and pulling the handle body  15  so that the bar  50  pivots at its free end  77 , the bar  56  puts pressure on the conduit  55  and strap  79 . Thus, the preferred embodiment performs as the lever shown  102  in  FIG. 13 .  
         [0000]     Additional Embodiment  
         [0057]     Additional embodiment is shown in  FIGS. 11 and 11 A. In this case, the hand tool  15  includes various additional elongated cavities  61   b ,  62   b . An elastic band  97  is placed in a groove  98  encircling said elongated cavities  61   b ,  62   b , which are designed to keep a set of tips  61   a ,  62   a  integrated with said hand tool  15  therein. Said elongated cavities  61   b ,  62   b  are positioned in the exterior area all around the hand tool  15 , extending coaxially about mid-length along the handle body  15 , each cavity  61   b  and  62   b  alternating with an open strip alongside. Said cavities are slightly wider at the top, including a circular form  99   b . Both the ramp form  63  and the wider upper end  99   b  of said cavities allow that a tip  62   a  pivots when it is pushed by a fingertip  99   a , in order to remove tips.  
         [0000]     Alternative Embodiment  
         [0058]     There is another different possibility with regard to the position of the cavities  61   b ,  62   b  to keep a set of tips  61   a ,  62   a  integrated with the hand tool  15 , as illustrated in  FIG. 12 , which shows said cavities  61   b ,  62   b  positioned around the lower end of said hand tool  15 . An elastic band  97  is placed in a groove  98 , which encircles said elongated cavities  61   b ,  62   b  (including an open strips between cavities and two open ends to provide withdrawal of said tips  61   a ,  62   a , either upward or downward by an open end at the bottom or downward by pushing with a fingertip at the upper end of said cavity) and is accessible by the groove  69  around hand tool  15 .  
         [0000]     Advantages:  
         [0059]     From the description above, a number of advantages of my handle tool become evident: 
        A lesser amount of artificial resin or plastic is used to manufacture it.     Substitute partially or totally the functions of the ten aforementioned prior arts;     A drastic reduction in the tool pouch weight.     No moving parts are needed to perform its several functions.     A durable multi-function hand tool.     A greater performance and productivity of the operator.     It is easier to set the wire nut in the socket than in prior arts.     The manufacturing cost is less than some of the prior art for which my invention substitutes.     Easily identifiable by touch.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1