Patent Document

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a manual emergency tool assembly of the typed used for instance by fire persons and rescue squad personnel. More particularly it relates to a manual tool assembly having two operating heads, each of which is designed for different uses, and each of which has a handle. The handles are designed to be telescopic with respect to each other, and may be secured to each other in various moveable and fixed positions. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Forcible entry tools have been provided in the past for use by firepersons and other emergency personnel. One such tool is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,219,316—Fried. The tool shown in that patent has been manufactured by the assignee of this invention. Like the present invention, the forcible entry tool set forth in the Fried patent comprised two tools, each of which was provided with a handle. One of the handles is received in a bore in the other in a telescoping arrangement. As shown in the Fried patent, a spring biased latch pin was provided to secure the handles in a fully retracted position with respect to each other. A pair of spring biased latch pins were also provided to secure the handle to the chopping blade in two alternate positions which were at right angles to each other. The forcible entry tool shown in the Fried patent provided for securing the handles to each other only in the fully retracted position. Further, the spring biased latch pins were subject to wear, the spring was subject to fatigue, and operation could be impaired by foreign material entering the bore housing the spring biased latch pin. 
     Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide an emergency work tool, having an improved arrangement for securing the handles to each other in multiple fixed and variable positions for greater versatility in use. It would be further advantageous that the securing arrangement for securing the handles to each other be more robust than that provided in prior devices, and that the securing arrangement be assembled of components less subject to wear than the securing arrangements of prior devices. Thus, it has been found desirable to improve the forcible entry tool described in the previously mentioned Fried patent to enhance its uses and to improve upon the securing arrangement for connecting the handles of the two tools to each other. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of this invention to provide an emergency tool assembly comprising two tools, each provided with a handle. The handles are telescopic with respect to each other, and may be secured in various movable and fixed positions with respect to each other. It is a further object of this invention to provide a securing arrangement for securing the handles with respect to each other, which is readily operated by a user of the tool. It is another object of this invention to provide a securing arrangement for securing the handles with respect to each other, which is robust and not readily subject to detrimental wear, which would adversely effect its performance. It is still another object of this invention to provide a securing arrangement for securing the handles with respect to each other, wherein a manual actuating element of the securing arrangement is generally protected from damage during both use and storage of the emergency tool assembly. 
     An emergency tool assembly in accordance with this invention includes a pair of tools, each of which is provided with a handle. One of the handles is provided with a cylindrical bore which receives a cylindrical handle provided on the other tool. The tool having the handle with a cylindrical bore is provided with a securing arrangement housing at the end of the cylindrical handle opposite the tool head. The securing arrangement housing includes a recessed area in one of its outer faces for receiving a manual operating lever. The manual operating lever is connected to a first rotatable cylindrical locking pin which is received in a bore formed in the securing arrangement housing, which bore is perpendicular to and partially intersects the cylindrical bore for receiving the cylindrical handle of the other tool. The first rotatable cylindrical locking pin is provided with a semicircular notch which may be aligned with the cylindrical bore upon rotation of the pin by the manual operating lever, such that the cylindrical handle may reciprocate or telescope in the cylindrical bore. The cylindrical handle is provided with a semicircular notch which is aligned with the first locking pin when the tool handles are fully retracted with respect to each other. When the handles are fully telescoped, the first locking pin may be rotated, by the manual operating lever, to face the semicircular notch in the first locking pin away from the cylindrical handle, so that a portion of the locking pin is positioned in the semicircular notch in the cylindrical handle, thus locking the two handles to each other in a fully retracted position with respect to each other. 
     A second fixed locking pin is provided in the securing arrangement housing, on the diametrically opposite side of the cylindrical bore with respect to the first rotatable locking pin, and in a position perpendicular to and partially intersecting the cylindrical bore. A first elongated segmental shaped notch is provided in the cylindrical handle on the diametrically opposite the first semicircular notch. The second fixed locking pin is received in the first elongated segmental shaped notch. When the first locking pin is in the unlocked position, the two handles are free to telescopically or reciprocally move the length of the first elongated segmental shaped notch with respect to each other. 
     A circumferential semicircular groove is formed in the cylindrical handle at the end of the first elongated segmental shaped notch closest to the free end of the handle. A second elongated segmental shaped notch is formed in the cylindrical handle, between the free end of the cylindrical handle and the circumferential semicircular groove, on the diametrically opposite side of the handle from the first elongated segmental shaped notch. When the second fixed locking pin is positioned in the circumferential semicircular groove, the handles may be rotated 180 degrees with respect to each other, so that the second fixed locking pin can be aligned with the second elongated segmental shaped notch, and the two handles separated from each other. 
     Additional semicircular notches similar to the first semicircular notch may be formed in the cylindrical handle on the diametrically opposite side of the first elongated segmental shaped notch, intermediate its length, to permit the handles to be locked to each other in various telescoped or retracted positions. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the manual emergency tool assembly of this invention shown with the handles of the two tools fully retracted with respect to each other; 
     FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the handles and a portion of the operating heads of the manual emergency tool assembly of this invention as shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 2A is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the left end of the handles as shown in FIG. 2 with a first rotatable locking pin in a first position; 
     FIG. 2B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the left end of the handles as shown in FIG. 2, with the first rotatable locking pin in a second position; 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-section view similar to FIG. 1, with the handles locked in a fully extended position with respect to each other; 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIGS. 1 and 2, with the handles separated from each other, 
     FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line  5 — 5  in FIG.  2 A: 
     FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line  6 — 6  in FIG. 2B; 
     FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line  7 — 7  in FIG.  2 B: 
     FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line  8 — 8  in FIG.  3 ; 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIG. 1, the manual emergency tool assembly  10  of this invention includes a prying claw  12  and a head  14  which includes a blade  16  and a pike  18 . The head  14  is provided with a handle  20  having an outer sleeve  22  formed with longitudinally extending ridges  24 , thus providing a surface which is readily grasped in a users hand. In the preferred embodiment of this invention, the outer sleeve  22  is formed of a rubber like material. Secured within the outer sleeve  22  is a cylindrical tube  26 . The cylindrical tube  26  extends within a bore  28  formed in the head  14  and is fixedly secure in the bore  28 . Secured to the end of the cylindrical tube  26  opposite the head  14  is a securing arrangement housing  30  which is provided with a mechanism for locking the handle  20  of head  14  to a solid cylindrical handle  32  which is secured to the prying claw  12  by a roll pin  34  as best seen in FIG.  2 . Side  36  of housing  30  is provided with a oval shaped depression  38  for receiving manual operating lever  40  which is secured to a rotatable cylindrical locking pin  42  for rotation therewith. As best shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the locking pin  42  is received in a bore  44  formed in housing  30 . The end of the locking pin  42  opposite the lever  40  is provided with a circumferential groove for receiving a snap ring  45  to secure the locking pin  42  in the bore  44 . A pair of depressions, one of which  47  is shown, are formed in the oval shaped depression  38  to be engaged by a spring loaded detent in the lever  40 , secure the lever in positions shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B. The locking pin  42  is provided with a semicircular notch  46  having a radius corresponding to that of the internal diameter of the cylindrical tube  26 . When the notch  46  is facing the cylindrical handle  32 , the locking pin  42  does not restrict the movement of the cylindrical handle  32  with respect to the cylindrical tube  26 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the solid cylindrical handle  32 , secured to the prying claw  12  by the roll pin  34  received in aligned holes in both members, is provided with a plurality of semicircular grooves to be engaged by the rotatable locking pin  42  for securing the solid cylindrical handle  32  and the handle  20  in different fixed positions with respect to each other. As shown in FIGS. 2,  2 A, and  5 , the semicircular notch  46  in locking pin  42  is facing away from the cylindrical handle  32 , such that the rotatable locking pin  42  is engaged in a semicircular notch  50  in handle  32 , thus locking the handles in a fully retracted position with respect to each other. Rotating locking pin  42  to the position shown in FIG. 2B and 6, by actuating the lever  40 , frees the cylindrical handle  32  from engagement with the locking pin  42 . Thus, handles  20  and  32  are not restricted in movement with respect to each other by the locking pin  42 . However, engagement of a fixed locking pin  52  in an elongated segmental shaped slot  54  in handle  32  limits the reciprocal movement of the two handles with respect to each other to the length of the elongated slot  54 . The fixed locking pin  52  is provided with a head  53  at one end and a groove at the other end to receive snap ring  55  which secure the locking pin  52  in a bore in the housing  30 . 
     A semicircular notch  56  is provided in the cylindrical handle  32  close to the end  58  of the elongated slot  54  opposite the end to which the prying claw  12  is secured. If locking pin  42  is rotated to be positioned in the semicircular notch  56 , the handles are secured in a fixed extended position with respect to each other, thereby providing a longer operating handle for both of the operating heads. 
     If it is desirable to separate the handles from each other, the handles  20  and  32  are moved apart from each other until the fixed locking pin  52  is at the end  58  of the elongated slot  54 . A circumferential semicircular groove  60  is provided at the end  58  of elongated slot  54 . With the fixed locking pin  52  located in the circumferential semicircular groove  60 , the handles  20  and  32  may be rotated with respect to each other, so as to align the locking pin  52  with a second elongated segmental shaped slot  62 , which is located diametrically opposite elongated segmental shaped slot  54 , and extends from the circumferential groove  60  to the free end of the handle  32 . With the locking pin  52  located in the elongated slot  62 , the handles  20  and  32  may be pulled apart and separated from each other. 
     As shown in FIG. 3, additional semicircular notches  64  and  66  may be formed in the handle  32 , intermediate the length of elongated slot  54 . Locking pin  42  may be rotated to be positioned in one of the semicircular notches  64  or  66 , to thereby secure the handles  20  and  32  in intermediate extended positions with respect to each other. 
     By positioning the manual operating lever  40  within the oval shaped depression  38 , it is quite well protected from inadvertent damage during the course of use of the tool. Further, wherein the manual operating lever  40  and rotating cylindrical locking pin  42  need only be rotated within the bore  44 , damage or impairment of operation by foreign materials is highly unlikely. 
     With the two portions of the manual emergency tool secured in the fully retracted position as shown in FIGS. 1,  2 ,  2 A and  5 , the tool may be compactly stored and also used in operations not requiring greater leverage than that provided by the retracted handle length. When the handle  32  and shaft  34  are rotated to the position shown in FIGS. 2B, and  6 , the handles may be reciprocated with respect to each other through the length of elongated slot  54 . Such reciprocal movement is useful for instance in driving the prying claw between two members, such as a door and a door frame. By repetitively moving the head  14  away from and then forcefully toward prying claw, it acts as a battering ram for the prying claw. 
     By placing the pin  42  in one of the notches  64  or  66  intermediate the length of the elongated slot  54 , the handles are rigidly secured to each other so as to provide a longer operating handle for increase leverage when using either the prying claw  12  or the head  14 . 
     By positioning the pin  52  in the circumferentially extending semicircular notch  60 , the two handles may be separated from each other, such that the two tools may be independently used. Further, the free end of cylindrical handle  32  may be placed in a hole  68  formed in the head  14 , to provide leverage for twisting the blade  16  about its free end, which may be jammed between two members to pry them apart. 
     For a further understanding of the many varied uses of the manual emergency tool assembly of this invention, reference is again made to U.S Pat. No. 3,219,316—Fried, the teaching of which patent as to the use of such tools are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     While only one embodiment of the invention has been shown, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that what has been described is considered at present to be a preferred embodiment of the manual emergency tool of this invention. In accordance with the Patent Statute, changes may be made in the manual emergency tool without actually departing from the true spirit and scope of this invention. The appended claims are intended to cover all such changes and modification which fall in the true spirit and scope of this invention.

Technology Category: 7