Patent ID: 8485074

Claim:
A firefighter tool and seized fire hose coupling comprising: (a) a first seized fire hose coupling of a plurality of diversely sized and configured fire hose couplings, said first seized coupling comprises a first diameter and circumference; and (b) a firefighter tool comprising; a first member comprising a proximate end and a distal end, and a proximately disposed first handle comprising a grip and a distally disposed first jaw; a second member comprising a proximate end and a distal end, and a proximately disposed second handle and a distally disposed second jaw; means for pivotably connecting the members comprising a pivot axis, and being disposed between the handles and jaws so that the handles pivotably move the jaws from a first operable position to a second operable position; wherein in said first operable position the jaws and handles are fully closed, and in said second operable position the jaws and handles are fully opened and subtend an angle of at least 70°; said jaws and handles comprise respective first and second contactingly engaged force bearing surfaces with the jaws and handles disposed at the said angle and do not open further in said second operable position; said second handle comprises a hook for engaging a lug of the seized fire hose coupling, said hook being disposed at the proximate end of said second handle, said second handle further comprises a sinusoidal surface in combination with the hook in operable contacting engagement with the first seized fire hose coupling cylindrical surface and lug; said first force bearing surfaces are more adjacent the first handle grip than the second force bearing surfaces and the second force bearing surfaces are more adjacent the second handle hook than the first force bearing surfaces with said first and second force bearing surfaces in the second operable position, and said first force bearing surfaces are more distally disposed than the second force bearing surfaces in the second operable position; wherein the first handle grip is operable in the second operable position; whereby the firefighter grips the first handle grip and not the second handle and exerts a leverage force through the more distally disposed first force bearing surfaces and then through the second force bearing surfaces to the second handle sinusoidal surface and hook to exert a resultant torque force on the seized fire hose coupling to uncouple the seized fire hose coupling.