Multi-purpose tools and methods of use
View Patent ↗Multi-purpose and single function tools for splitting wood, material handling, and a variety of other uses are disclosed for projects around home, at a campground, or at a construction site. The tools are anchored entirely by the hitch receiver of a vehicle, the frame of a trailer, or by various forms of jack stands. The vehicle and jack stand supported wood splitters comprise a blade portion and a fixation portion extending from the blade portion. The blade portion comprises a generally upward facing cut edge. In some forms, the splitter is in the form of a jack stand which can be converted for use as a multi-purpose tool for material handling and other useful functions. Methods of use of the tools are disclosed as well as methods of converting the tool from one mode to another.
1 . A multi-functional tool in an operable configuration comprising:
a jack stand base;
said jack stand base having a substantially pyramid profile defined by 3 to 4 base walls;
a jack neck;
said base walls sloping toward said jack neck;
said jack neck centered between and extending upwards from said base walls;
said jack neck fixed in position relative to said base walls;
said jack neck comprising a jack neck inner face;
said jack neck inner face defining an internal base cavity extending vertically through said jack neck;
an elongate lift trunk;
said lift trunk configured for seating within said base cavity for vertical support of said lift trunk;
said lift trunk terminating on a superior end with any one of a superior face, a lift pod forming a jack stand lift arm, and a blade portion forming a jack stand blade arm;
said lift pod extending from said superior end of said lift trunk operable for supporting a heavy object thereon;
a multi-purpose hole;
said multi-purpose hole extends vertically into at least one of said lift trunk and said base walls and is operable to receive accessories for support by said multi-functional tool;
said jack stand blade arm comprising a pair of opposing deflector faces;
said jack stand blade arm comprising an upward facing cut edge; and,
wherein said opposing deflector faces descend from said cut edge forming a wedge.
2 . The multi-functional tool of claim 1 further comprising:
an elongate support member;
said elongate support member operable on one end for seating in said multi-purpose hole thereby vertically supporting said elongate support member.
3 . The multi-functional tool of claim 2 wherein said elongate support member is adjustable in length between opposing ends of said elongate support member.
4 . The multi-functional tool of claim 2 further comprising:
said multi-functional tool in the form of a first multi-functional tool;
said elongate support member in the form of a first elongate support member;
a second multi-functional tool with a second elongate support member;
at least one item from a group of a screen, a flag, a target and a sign;
wherein said at least one item from said group is at least partially vertically supported by said first elongate support member and said second elongate support members.
5 . The multi-functional tool of claim 2 further comprising:
a material support pod;
an accessory stem extending downward from said material support pod;
said accessory stem operable to engage a superior end of said elongate support member thereby stabilizing said material support pod at an elevated position.
6 . The multi-functional tool of claim 5 wherein said material support pod is in the form of an elongate roller for low resistance material handling assistance.
7 . The multi-functional tool of claim 5 further comprising:
said material support pod having an upward facing work platform operable to support a bottom of a paint container.
8 . The multi-functional tool of claim 5 further comprising:
one or more arms radiating outward from said accessory stem operable for supporting items placed on said arms.
9 . The multi-functional tool of claim 1 , the jack stand lift arm further comprising:
a coverblade;
said coverblade comprising opposed deflector faces;
said coverblade comprising an upward facing cut edge;
said opposed deflector faces descending from said cut edge to form a wedge;
a plurality of capture faces;
a ceiling face;
said capture faces extending from an inferior end of said coverblade upwards into said coverblade and terminating at a ceiling face to define a coverblade cavity;
said coverblade cavity configured to house at least a portion of said lift pod thereby securing said coverblade on said lift pod during splitting operations against lateral, torsional, and downward forces.
10 . The multi-functional tool of claim 9 wherein said coverblade comprises a rounded elevated mass at each end of said upward facing cut edge of said coverblade for user protection from said cut edge during splitting operations.
11 . The multi-functional tool of claim 1 wherein said jack stand lift arm is secured in position by a jack pin extending through said lift trunk or a cam engaging a trunk tooth on said jack stand lift arm.
12 . The multi-functional tool of claim 9 further comprising:
wherein said plurality of capture faces defining said coverblade cavity rest on said base walls of said jack stand base during splitting operations.
13 . The multi-functional tool of claim 1 wherein said lift trunk comprises an immovable enlarged trunk stop on its outer surface to control position of said lift trunk with respect to said jack neck.
14 . The multi-functional tool of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of said jack neck inner face is threaded.
15 . The multi-functional tool of claim 9 wherein said coverblade comprises a blade anchor extending downward for seating in said internal base cavity.
16 . The multi-functional tool of claim 9 wherein said coverblade cavity comprises two pairs of opposed sloped and opposing capture faces.
17 . The multi-functional tool of claim 1 wherein said lift trunk comprises an immovable enlarged trunk stop disposed on the lift trunk to serve as a positional fixation support with respect to said jack neck.
18 . The multi-functional tool of claim 5 wherein said material support pod comprises a cradle having a pair of spaced roller wheels operable for cupping the outer surface of an elongate round member.
19 . A multi-functional tool in an operable configuration comprising:
a jack stand base;
said jack stand base having a substantially pyramid profile defined by 3 to 4 base walls;
a jack neck;
said base walls sloping toward said jack neck;
said jack neck centered between and extending upwards from said base walls;
said jack neck fixed in position relative to said base walls;
said jack neck comprising a jack neck inner face;
said jack neck inner face defining an internal base cavity extending vertically through said jack neck;
an elongate lift trunk;
said lift trunk configured for seating within said base cavity for vertical support of said lift trunk;
said lift trunk terminating on a superior end with a lift pod forming a jack stand lift arm;
said lift pod extending from said superior end of said lift trunk operable for supporting a heavy object thereon;
a coverblade;
said coverblade comprising opposed deflector faces;
said coverblade comprising an upward facing cut edge;
said opposed deflector faces descending from said cut edge to form a wedge;
a plurality of capture faces;
a ceiling face;
said capture faces extending from an inferior end of said coverblade upwards into said coverblade and terminating at said ceiling face to define a coverblade cavity;
said coverblade cavity configured to house at least a portion of said lift pod thereby securing said coverblade on said lift pod during splitting operations against lateral, torsional, and downward forces.
20 . The multi-functional tool of claim 19 wherein said coverblade comprises a rounded elevated mass at each end of said upward facing cut edge of said coverblade for user protection from said cut edge during splitting operations.