Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B23D—PLANING; SLOTTING; SHEARING; BROACHING; SAWING; FILING; SCRAPING; LIKE OPERATIONS FOR WORKING METAL BY REMOVING MATERIAL, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B23D29/00—Hand-held metal-shearing or metal-cutting devices
  • B23D29/005—Hand-held metal-shearing or metal-cutting devices for cutting sheets
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A62—LIFE-SAVING; FIRE-FIGHTING
  • A62B—DEVICES, APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR LIFE-SAVING
  • A62B3/00—Devices or single parts for facilitating escape from buildings or the like, e.g. protection shields, protection screens; Portable devices for preventing smoke penetrating into distinct parts of buildings
  • A62B3/005—Rescue tools with forcing action
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B23D—PLANING; SLOTTING; SHEARING; BROACHING; SAWING; FILING; SCRAPING; LIKE OPERATIONS FOR WORKING METAL BY REMOVING MATERIAL, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B23D17/00—Shearing machines or shearing devices cutting by blades pivoted on a single axis
  • B23D17/02—Shearing machines or shearing devices cutting by blades pivoted on a single axis characterised by drives or gearings therefor
  • B23D17/06—Shearing machines or shearing devices cutting by blades pivoted on a single axis characterised by drives or gearings therefor actuated by fluid or gas pressure

Definitions

• the invention generally pertains to hydraulic rescue tools, and more particularly to a detachable head for a rescue tool that includes cutting blades allowing the head to be rapidly removed and replaced with the same or alternative types of blades or to easily repair the existing blades.
• Hurst in U.S. Patent 3,819,153 teaches a portable rescue tool that uses a fluid actuated force that is movable along the longitudinal axis of a base for positioning a pair of arms.
• the arms move their outer ends toward and way from each other to open and close.
• Patent 4,333,330 issued to Porter for a spreader tool that has opposed force arms which are separated and pivoted while mounted on a base member. When separated and pivoted, the arms achieve annular movement in an opposite direction in response to an axial movement of a driven piston of an associated jack.
• the inner edges of the arms rest upon rollers mounted on the forward end of the piston. A curve of the inner edge of the arms form an angle at which a constant axial force of the piston is applied to the arm by the roller such that the force remains constant.
• Amoroso in U.S. patent 4,392,263 teaches a rescue tool including a body with a cylinder and an outward-extending piston. Jaw members are connected to the body with links and include outer prying portions, inner cutting portions and intermediate shearing portions. The tool may be powered by a bi-directional motor or directly from a motor located on a vehicle wrecking trucks.
• U.S. Patent 4,506,445 of Esten discloses a rescue cutter tool having a body with a fluid cylinder including a forward end structure having a pair of cutting blades attached thereto.
• Linking means are asymmetrically secured to the cutting blades and interconnected to a fluid actuated force.
• the cutting blades pivot between non-cutting open and closed cutting positions.
• Handles are provided for manipulating and supporting the tool.
• Patent No. 4,734,983 issued to Brick teaches a cutting tool that is effective for cutting through sheet metal when extricating accident victims.
• the tool has one curved movable blade and one stationary blade.
• the stationary blade is formed on an anvil that is anchored within the frame of the tool and locked within the frame with a dowel
• Patent No. 5,301,533 of Jackson discloses a machine tool that relates to manufacturing operations for gripping, clamping, piercing and hemming workpieces.
• Two pairs of arms are arranged in an opposed, inverted relationship with respect to each other and are pivotally connected at one end of a drive.
• Each arm has a cam formed therein.
• the cams in each of the pairs of arms are identically constructed in an opposed inverted relationship.
• Cam followers which are mounted on the linear drive member, engage the cams during movement to pivot the arms between the open and closed position.
• Each cam has an arcuate shape at an obtuse angle with respect to a pivot pin that connects each of the pairs of arms the drive.
• Patent 5,544,862 of Hickerson is for a spreading tool that is actuated by an electric motor. Torque at any position is achieved with selectable spreading or cutting motions using a rotary multiple stage speed-reducing gearbox, which is driven by a motor running on a 12-volt DC power supply. Painter et al in U.S. patent 5,622,353 discloses a rescue tool having a pair of spreader arms with a pivot point therebetween. A pair of links attached to the arms are reciprocally moveable between a retracted and an extended positions along an axis of movement. A pivotal coupling couples the spreader arm pivot point to the housing.
• Patent No. 5,956,992 issued to Patton, the inventor of the instant application, is for a rescue tool consisting of a first arm that functions in combination with an interlocking second arm, which operates with a drive yoke.
• Another yoke includes a pair of cam pins that traverse a cam slot in each arm and a drive rod is connected to the drive yoke.
• Patton discloses a hydraulic rescue tool utilizing a hydraulic cylinder with a yoke attached that includes a handle for manipulating the tool. Rotation of the hydraulic cylinder yoke prevents injury if the tool inadvertently binds. Pivotal links connect the implement unit with quick release pins, thus making the implement unit easily removable. Two embodiments of the implement unit are taught, with a cutter unit for severing material and a spreader unit for prying apart structural elements of a vehicle .
• a number of hydraulic rescue tools are in the market today which provide aid to accident victims who are trapped in vehicle wreckage and must have the physical structure of the vehicle removed in order to free the person. As well as cutting apart vehicles, these tools can also be utilized to cut chain link fences, security fences, sheet metal barriers and other obstacles which must be removed in critical situations.
• Common rescue tools basically function in their given task but most tools require maintenance and repair which can only be accomplished in a well equipped facility. If a blade is broken or some other major malfunction occurs in the field, the emergency personnel must disconnect the tool and quickly find a replacement blade, which may not always be available.
• the primary object of the invention is to provide a rescue tool that incorporates a quick-change head, thereby permitting the tools hydraulic cylinder to remain attached to the power source and only the portion having the operable cutting blades removed.
• Incorporating a separable head within the body of the hydraulic cylinder makes the removal of the blade easy by simply disconnecting quick release pins and sliding two of the main structural members apart.
• the rescue personnel has greater flexibility while still using the same basic tool.
• An important object of the invention is that a spare head with the cutting blades attached may be stored with the rescue tool, thus making the change rapid and easily accomplished.
• Another object of the invention is that the quick release pins are tethered to either the cylinder body or the head, which prevents loss and provides a rapid change without fumbling or misplacing the pin in an emergency situation. Still another object of the invention is that the cost of a spare or specialized removable head is considerably less than an entire standby tool. Yet another object of the invention permits only the head to be taken to a repair facility for rework or replacement of parts if only that part malfunctions.
• a final object is that the invention is cost effective from both a manufacturer's and customer's point of view.
• FIGURE 1 is a partial isometric view of the preferred embodiment of the hydraulic rescue tool having a quick-change head.
• FIGURE 2 is a partial isometric exploded view of the hydraulic rescue tool with the quick-change head removed and a set of links removed from the cutting blades.
• FIGURE 3 is a partial isometric exploded view of the hydraulic rescue tool with the quick-change head removed and the links removed from a cylinder piston rod.
• FIGURE 4 is a partial isometric view of the head in a tongue and groove configuration, with the tongue portion in the head for detachment with a bifurcated yoke.
• FIGURE 5 is a partial isometric view of the bifurcated yoke in the tongue and groove configuration, with the groove portion in the bifurcated yoke for detachment with the head.
• FIGURE 6 is a partial isometric view of the head in a pin and socket configuration, with the pins in the head for detachment with the bifurcated yoke.
• FIGURE 7 is a partial isometric view of the bifurcated yoke in the pin and socket configuration, with the sockets in the bifurcated yoke for detachment with the head.
• FIGURE 8 is a partial isometric view of the head in the dovetail configuration, with the pin portion in the head for detachment with the bifurcated yoke.
• FIGURE 9 is a partial isometric view of the bifurcated yoke in the dovetail configuration, with the tail portion in the bifurcated yoke for detachment with the head.
• FIGURES 1 through 9 The best mode for carrying out the invention is presented in terms of a preferred embodiment of a hydraulic rescue tool that features a quick-change head 10.
• the preferred embodiment as shown in FIGURES 1 through 9, is comprised of a cylinder 20 having a piston rod 22 and a forward end structure 24.
• the forward end structure 24 has a separable head 26 and a cylinder attaching bifurcated yoke 28, as illustrated in FIGURES 1 through 3.
• the head 26 and yoke 28 can be easily and quickly disconnected by utilizing any of the following alternatives: a tongue and groove 30, as shown in FIGURES 4 and 5, with the tongue 32 in FIGURE 4 and the groove 34 in FIGURE 5; a pin and socket 36 depicted in FIGURES 6 and 7, with the pin 38 in FIGURE 6 and the socket 40 in FIGURE 7; or a dovetail 42 as illustrated in FIGURES 8 and 9, with an attachment pin 44, as shown in FIGURE 8 and a tail 46, as shown in FIGURE 9.
• the method of separating the head 26 from the yoke 28 is not limited to any one of the three configurations described above and illustrated in the drawings. All practical methods and approaches of separation have been anticipated and may be used with equal ease and utility, therefore fall within the scope of the claims.
• At least one, and preferably two, yoke quick release pins 48 jointly engage the head 26 and the bifurcated yoke 28, thus creating an attachment therebetween, as shown in FIGURES 1 through 3.
• a pair of cutting blades 50 are connected with a fixed pivot axle 52 to the head 26 of the forward end structure 24.
• the cutting blades 50 are selected from a pair of spreader arms, a pair of cutting jaws, a two-stage mechanical structure, a pipe and structural head, a guillotine head, a reverse-cutting guillotine head, or a cam-operated cutter, all of which are specified and claimed in U.S. Application Number 12/152,004 filed May 13, 2008 entitled "Hydraulic Rescue Tool” which is incorporated herein by reference.
• Links 54 in pairs, are individually connected to the piston rod 22 on a first end 56 and to the cutting blades 50 on a second end 58, thereby forcing the cutting blades 50 from an open position to a closed position by movement of the piston rod 22.
• the links 54 are illustrated in FIGURES 1 through 3, however, the links 54 may be any configuration provided they form a pin 60 that engages the links 54 at an interface with the cutting blades 50 as depicted in FIGURE 2.
• Each yoke quick release pin 48 may include a tether 62 that is attached on the pin's first end 64 and to the bifurcated yoke 28 on a second end 66.
• the yoke quick release pin 48 may include a self-contained circuit incorporating a light emitting diode (LED) 74 within a head portion.
• Each link quick release pin 60 may include a tether 68 attached to the pin 60 on a first end 70 and to the link 54 on a second end 72.
• the yoke quick release pin 48 may also incorporate a self-contained LED 74 within a head portion.
• the tethers 62 and 68, as well as the LED 74, are illustrated in FIGURES 1 through 3.
• the links 54 are released by manually disengaging the link quick release pins 60 and then the yoke quick release pins 48, thereby allowing the head 26, including the cutting blades 50, to be rapidly removed or repaired as required. It is also possible to retrofit existing rescue tools by removing a forward end structure 24 and replacing the structure with a separable head 26 and yoke 28, along with replacing or reworking the links 54 to receive link quick release pins 60.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
• Emergency Management (AREA)
• Shearing Machines (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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Family Applications (1)

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• 2009
  • 2009-05-12 WO PCT/US2009/002941 patent/WO2009139854A2/en not_active Ceased
  • 2009-05-12 EP EP09746942A patent/EP2310100A2/de not_active Withdrawn

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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