Patent ID: 7363669

Claim:
A folding hand tool, comprising: (a) a pair of jaws movable toward and apart from each other about a pivot axis; (b) a first handle having a front end and defining a cavity; (c) a main jaw pivot located adjacent said front end of said first handle, said pair of jaws being movable about said main jaw pivot, between a folded configuration wherein said jaws are housed at least partially in said cavity and an operative configuration in which a first one of said pair of jaws extends forward from said front end of said first handle; (d) a second handle having a front end detachably connected to a second one of said pair of jaws; and (e) a strut assembly including a front end that is pivotally interconnected with said second handle at a location rearwardly adjacent said front end of said second handle, and a rear end that is pivotally interconnected with said first handle at a location spaced rearwardly apart from said main jaw pivot, said strut assembly including a pair of struts spaced apart from each other laterally and said jaws extending between said struts when said jaws are in said folded configuration.