Patent ID: 7424838

Claim:
A hand tool comprising: a. a first member having i. a first handle, ii. a fixed jaw having a face defining a first end distal from said first handle and a second end proximate to said first handle, and iii. a first pivot portion intermediate said fixed jaw and said handle, said first pivot portion defining a first pivot hole having a center positioned at a distance from said fixed jaw face second end within the range of about 6 to 15 millimeters; b. a second member having i. a first end defining a slot generally transverse to an axis of said second member, ii. a second end defining a second handle, iii. a second pivot portion proximate to said slot and defining a second pivot hole, iv. a recess defined through said second member proximate to said second member slot and disposed radially outward from said second member second pivot hole, and v. a gear rotatably received in said recess, c. a pivot pin pivotally connecting said first and second members so that said first and said second members pivot between a fully closed position and a fully open position, said pivot pin having a diameter within the range of about 4 to 10 millimeters and being received in both said first pivot hole and said second pivot hole; and d. a sliding jaw having i. a face, and ii. a gear rack defining a first end proximate to said sliding jaw face and a second end distal from said sliding jaw face, said sliding jaw face having a first end distal from said gear rack and a second end proximate said gear rack, wherein said gear rack is slidably received by said second member slot so that rotation of said gear moves said sliding jaw within said second member slot, wherein the hand tool further comprises a detent selectively movable to prevent the pivotal movement of said first member and said second member with respect to each other, said detent being slidably movable in a slot defined through said first member, said slot positioned intermediate said first pivot hole and said first member handle; the tool further comprising a second slot in said second member that aligns with first member slot, and wherein e. said detent has an axial length, f. when said detent is in a first position, said detent is received by said first member slot and said second member second slot, and g. a larger axial length of said detent is received in said first member slot than in said second member second slot.