초록 ▼

Folding tools including a tool blade and a handle are foldably connected by a lockable hinge which permits folding the assembly for compact storage but automatically locks into a rigid assembly when fully unfolded. The hinge operates by the movement of a locking bar into locking groove(s) via a tens

Folding tools including a tool blade and a handle are foldably connected by a lockable hinge which permits folding the assembly for compact storage but automatically locks into a rigid assembly when fully unfolded. The hinge operates by the movement of a locking bar into locking groove(s) via a tensioning mechanism when the hinge components are aligned in the unfolded, extended configuration. The lockable hinges can be used to connect the blade and handle components of a variety of common tools including shovels, saws and the like, and are disclosed and claimed in Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 6,588,240.

대표청구항 ▼

I claim: 1. A folding tool having at least one tool blade and at least one handle connected thereto with at least one lockable hinge, said lockable hinge comprising: a center hinge rod; two hinge assembly components, each comprising a hinge platform and at least one hinge paw attached thereto, said

I claim: 1. A folding tool having at least one tool blade and at least one handle connected thereto with at least one lockable hinge, said lockable hinge comprising: a center hinge rod; two hinge assembly components, each comprising a hinge platform and at least one hinge paw attached thereto, said hinge paws each forming a cylindrical opening which is rotationally attached to said center hinge rod so that said hinge paws are adjacent to each other and can rotate in opposite directions; retaining means to keep said hinge assembly components in position, with said cylindrical openings of said hinge paws rotationally attached to said hinge rod; and mechanical means in said center hinge rod for automatically locking said hinge paws to said center hinge rod when said hinge assembly components are rotated so that they form a single plane or align at a predetermined acute angle. 2. The folding tool of claim 1 having a lockable hinge wherein a first hinge component comprises at least one hinge paw, the second hinge component comprises at least one more hinge paw than the first, said hinge paws are rotationally attached to said rod so that they are mutually intertwined, and one set of said hinge paws is mechanically attached to said center hinge rod to prevent rotation thereon. 3. The folding tool of claim 2 wherein at least one of said hinge paws of said lockable hinge is mechanically attached to said center hinge rod by a mechanical fastener extending laterally through said hinge paw and said rod inside the cylindrical opening of said hinge paw. 4. The folding tool of claim 2 wherein at least one of said hinge paws of said lockable hinge is mechanically attached to said center hinge rod by at least one projection from said rod which interacts with at least one longitudinal groove in the inner cylinder wall of the opening in said hinge paw. 5. The folding tool of claim 1 which further comprises means for unlocking said hinge paws and rotating said hinge components of said lockable hinge to fold said hinge. 6. The folding tool of claim 1 wherein said means for locking said hinge paws to said center hinge rod of said lockable hinge comprise at least one longitudinal locking groove within the inner cylinder walls of each said hinge paw, positioned such that all of said grooves are in alignment when said hinge is in the fully extended position, and a locking bar adapted to enter all of said grooves when thus aligned to lock them in position upon said center hinge rod, wherein said locking bar is positioned in a longitudinal recess upon the surface of said center hinge rod and is fitted with tensioning means to press a portion of said locking bar into said locking grooves when they reach alignment, with a portion of said locking bar remaining within said longitudinal recess to lock said hinge paws to said rod. 7. The folding tool of claim 6, further comprising external means for exerting inward pressure upon said locking rod to force it from said locking grooves in said inner cylinder walls into said longitudinal recess in said center hinge rod to unlock said hinge paws of said lockable hinge and allow rotation thereof about said center hinge rod. 8. The folding tool of claim 1 wherein said tool blade is a shovel blade and said lockable hinge locks when said handle and said blade are in approximately the same plane. 9. The folding tool of claim 8 which includes a plurality of shovel blades for different purposes, each of which can be removably attached to said lockable hinge by mechanical connectors. 10. The folding tool of claim 8 wherein said shovel blade comprises at least one saw edge suitable for cutting. 11. The folding tool of claim 1 which folds for storage with said blade and said handle adjacent to each other and said hinge assembly components parallel to each other. 12. The folding tool of claim 1 wherein said handle is substantially cylindrical in form and is adapted for mechanical connection to a receptacle attached to said lockable hinge. 13. The folding tool of claim 12 wherein said cylindrical handle comprises a crosspiece approximately perpendicular thereto at the proximal end thereof. 14. The folding tool of claim 13 wherein said crosspiece is hollow and comprises at least one removable end cap to permit the storage of additional equipment therein. 15. The folding tool of claim 14 wherein at least one instrument selected from the group consisting of compasses, barometers and altimeters is mounted within said crosspiece and protected by said end cap. 16. The folding tool of claim 1 wherein said tool blade is a cutting blade. 17. The folding tool of claim 16 wherein said cutting blade is selected from the group consisting of knife blades, saw blades and hoes, pickaxes and adzes. 18. The folding tool of claim 1 wherein said handle is substantially cylindrical and hollow in form, containing at least one section which is smaller in diameter and telescopically fitted inside the largest portion of said handle, being adapted to retract for storage and extend and lock into position for use of said tool. 19. The folding tool of claim 18 wherein said smaller diameter handle section locks in place when extended by mechanical locking means. 20. The folding tool of claim 18 wherein said smaller diameter section contains at least one tool having at least one cutting edge therein. 21. The folding tool of claim 20 wherein said tool contained within said section comprises at least one cutting edge selected from knife edges, sawtooth edges and combinations thereof. 22. The folding tool of claim 21 wherein said tool within said section is removably attached to a handle stored within said section. 23. The folding tool of claim 21 wherein said tool within said section is connected to said smaller diameter section as a handle by a lockable hinge comprising: a center hinge rod; two hinge assembly components, each comprising a hinge platform and at least one hinge paw attached thereto, said hinge paws each forming a cylindrical opening which is rotationally attached to said center hinge rod so that said hinge paws are adjacent to each other and can rotate in opposite directions; retaining means to keep said hinge assembly components in position, with said cylindrical openings of said hinge paws rotationally attached to said hinge rod; and mechanical means in said center hinge rod for automatically locking said hinge paws to said center hinge rod when said hinge assembly components are rotated so that they form a single plane or align at a predetermined acute angle. 24. The folding tool of claim 20 wherein a plurality of cutting tool blades are contained within said smaller diameter section and can be removably attached to said handle. 25. The folding tool of claim 1 wherein said handle is substantially cylindrical and hollow in form and adapted to be temporarily removed from said lockable hinge to accommodate tools and/or survival gear therein. 26. A hinged, foldable survival shovel comprising a shovel blade and a handle foldably connected by a lockable hinge, said hinge comprising: a center hinge rod and two hinge assembly components rigidly attached to said shovel blade and a receptacle for said handle, each comprising a hinge platform connected to said shovel blade or said receptacle, a first hinge component comprising a double hinge paw and a second hinge component comprising a single hinge paw, wherein each hinge paw contains a cylindrical opening therein and the hinge components are arranged with said double hinge paw and said single hinge paw intertwined, with the cylindrical openings therein mounted upon said center hinge rod; mechanical means for retaining said hinge paws in position upon said hinge rod; and mechanical means in said center hinge rod for locking both of said hinge paws in position upon said center hinge rod when said hinge components are rotated into the same plane, thus locking said shovel blade into a rigid extended position with respect to said receptacle and said handle. 27. The folding shovel of claim 26 wherein said double hinge paw is retained upon said hinge rod by at least one mechanical fastener which passes laterally through both walls of said hinge paw and the center hinge rod occupying the cylindrical opening therein. 28. The folding shovel of claim 27 wherein said single hinge paw is retained upon said center hinge rod by at least one longitudinal projection on said hinge rod which is adapted to fit into a longitudinal groove in the inner wall of said cylindrical opening in said hinge paw to prevent rotation of said hinge paw about said hinge rod. 29. The folding shovel of claim 26 wherein said means for locking said hinge paws in place comprise: longitudinal locking grooves in each of said hinge paws so arranged as to align into a single groove when said hinge assembly components are rotated to occupy the same plane; a locking bar contained in a longitudinal recess in the surface of said center hinge rod, fitted with spring tensioning means to press said locking bar outward unless restrained, and adapted to be automatically pressed into said locking grooves when said grooves are aligned, with a portion of said locking bar remaining in said recess in said hinge rod to prevent rotation of said hinge paws relative to said rod. 30. The folding shovel of claim 29 wherein at least one external access means is provided in at least one of said hinge paws for exerting external pressure upon said locking bar to press it inward and remove it from said locking grooves and thereby to unlock said hinge to fold said shovel. 31. The folding shovel of claim 26 wherein said handle is cylindrical and hollow, containing within the hollow portion thereof at least one section of smaller diameter which can be extended lockably to form a longer handle. 32. The folding shovel of claim 31 wherein said smaller diameter section is adapted to contain at least one tool blade, said blade being foldably attached to said section by a a center hinge rod; two hinge assembly components, each comprising a hinge platform and at least one hinge paw attached thereto, said hinge paws each forming a cylindrical opening which is rotationally attached to said center hinge rod so that said hinge paws are adjacent to each other and can rotate in opposite directions; retaining means to keep said hinge assembly components in position, with said cylindrical openings of said hinge paws rotationally attached to said hinge rod; and mechanical means in said center hinge rod for automatically locking said hinge paws to said center hinge rod when said hinge assembly components are rotated so that they form a single plane or align at a predetermined acute angle, said section serving as a handle for said tool blade when lockably extended. 33. The folding shovel of claim 31 wherein a crosspiece is attached substantially perpendicular to said cylindrical handle, the crosspiece being hollow and accommodating at least one instrument selected from the group consisting of compasses, altimeters and barometers at one end and fishing apparatus comprising a reel to store, pay out and retrieve fishing line at the opposite end, both ends of said crosspiece being protected by removable end caps.