MULTIPURPOSE SURVIVAL TOOL

OUTIL DE SURVIE POLYVALENT

English Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A multipurpose tool particularly suitable for use by woodsmen
comprises a blade portion and an elongate slotted handle portion which fits
between guide members secured to the blade portion. When the blade and
handle portions are attached together, the tool can be used as a hatchet.
When the blade is detached from the handle portion, it can be gripped in
the hand and used for other purposes such as sawing, cutting, bottle or can
opening, and wire stripping.

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A multipurpose tool comprising a blade
portion formed with a cutting edge, a handle portion, and
means for releasably supporting the blade and handle
portions together for use of the tool to perform a first
function employing the cutting edge, the blade portion
itself being shaped for gripping in the hand when detached
from the handle portion and being formed with means for
performing at least one function different from said first
function when detached from the handle portion.
2. The invention of Claim 1 wherein the handle
portion is of elongate form and is related to the blade
portion when secured thereto for use of the cutting edge as
a hatchet edge.
3. The invention of Claim 1 wherein the blade
portion has pairs of spaced guide members on opposite
surfaces, each forming a guideway therebetween, and the
elongate handle portion has a slot in one end defining
opposed limbs slidably receivable in the respective
guideways for securing the handle and blade portions
together.
4. The invention of Claim 3 including an
encircling clip for said end of the handle portion for
tightening same on the blade portion.

5. The invention of Claim 3 including finger
openings in the blade portion between the cutting edge and
the guide members, the finger openings defining means for
gripping the blade portion in the hand when detached from
the handle portion, with the guide members being received
in the user's palm, whereby the blade portion may be used
per se for performing said at least one different function.
6. The invention of Claim 1 wherein the means
for performing at least one different function comprises
means for performing at least one function from a group
comprising sawing, cutting, can or bottle opening, and wire
stripping.
7. The invention of Claim 2 wherein the cutting
edge of the blade portion is of arcuate shape having a
smooth major portion for use as a hatchet edge and a minor
portion formed with sawteeth for use when detached from the
elongate handle portion.
8. The invention of Claim 7 wherein the blade
portion includes a curved pointed back cutting edge at one
end of the arcuate cutting edge for use in skinning
animals.

Description

3Sl
This invention relates to a multipurpose tool for use, for example,
by woodsmen who may require a compact tool suitable for perforrning diverse
functions. More particularly, the invention provides a multipurpose tool com-
prising a hatchet blade and handle which can be assembled to form a hatchet
and which can be detached for use of the hatchet blade fvr other functions.
A multipurpose tool in accordance with the invention comprises a
hatchet blade, an elongate handle, and means for releasably securing the
handle and blade together for use of the tool as a hatchet, the hatchet
blade itself being shaped for gripping in a user's hand when detached from
the handle, and being provided, apart from a sharp hatchet edge, also with
means for performing at least one further operation when detached from the
handle. The blade may, for example, be provided with means for performing
one or more of the following operations, namely, sawing, can or bottle
Gpening, cutting, or wire stripping.
In one preferred form of the invention, the blade may have spaced
handle guides on its opposite surfaces defining a region which may be fitted
into the slotted end of an elongate handle for securing the blade and handle
together, the blade further including finger openings between said guides
and the sharpened edge of the blade, so that when detached from the handle,
the blade may be gripped in the hand by inserting the fingers through said
openings, with the guides resting comfortably in the palm and together with
the finger openings providing a comfortable alternative handle for the blade.
The tool is readily convertible between its different functions by
its simple attachment or detachment of the elongate handle, and provides a
useful adjunct to a woodsman's equipment.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the multipurpose woodsmen's tool
in accordance with the invention.
Figure 2 is a sectional view on line 2--2 of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is an elevational view of a blade portion of the tool.
Figure 4 is a plan view of an elongate handle portion of the tool.
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Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the blade portion of the
tool being used as a saw.
A multipurpose woodsmen's tool (Figure 1) comprises a hatchet
blade portion 12 and a detachable elongate handle portion 14. With the
blade and handle portions assembled as shown in Figure 1, the tool is suit-
able for use as a hatchet, but the handle portion may be removed and the
blade portion may be used per se for diverse other purposes as will be
described.
The blade portion may be formed from conventional hardened steel,
and has an arcuate cutting edge 16, the major portion 18 of which forms a
smooth hatchet edge, and the minor portion of wbich is formed with sawteeth
20. To the rear edge portion of the blade is a brass guide member 22 of
part-circular cross section affixed to the blade by rivets 24. Further
brass guide members 26, 28 are fixed by rivets 29 to the blade at a spacing
from guide member 22 conforming to the thickness of handle portion 14. The
respective guide members have flat facing surfaces 30, 32, 34 respectively.
Handle portion 14 has a slot 36 at one end (Figure 4) enabling the
handle portion to slide onto the blade portion between the guide members.
The handle portion then may be tightly secured in place by a hose clip 38
fitting in a groove 40 around the end of the handle portion. When using the
tool as a hatchet, the guide members provide support and impact resistance
for the handle portion. The handle portion may be provided with a wrist
cord 42.
Blade portion 12 further includes four finger openings 44 located
between the cutting edge 16 and the guide members, the finger openings and
guide members together defining an alternative handle for the blade portion
when the elongate handle portion 14 is removed, enabling the blade portion
to be gripped in the hand as shown in Figure 5 and the sawteeth 20 used for
sawing, with the guide members being received in the user's palm.
Blade portion 12 is further provided with a curved and pointed back

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cutting edge 46 at one end of the cutting edge 16, useful, for example, for
skinning animals. A can and bottle opening profile 48 at the other end of
cutting edge 16, and a sharpened wire stripping notch 50 between the guide
members, all of these items being usable when the elongate handle and blade
portions are detached.
It will be appreciated from the foregoing that the invention
accordingly provides a readily convertible and easily transported multi
purpose tool forming a convenient and useful adjunct to a woodsman's equip-
ment.