Safety lever lock

Claim 1

An operating lever for hand tools and the like comprising: an elongated lever member pivotally attached at one end to a tool handle for hand activating a power control means; said tool handle being generally cylindrical in shape having an axial dimension greater than its diameter; said elongated lever extending generally axially along said tool handle and having a shape generally conformable to said tool handle without substantial radial projection; said tool handle having a diameter small enough to be held in one hand and said operating lever being able to be operated by the same hand; a stop means pivotally disposed on said elongated lever member at its other end; said stop means comprising a lever extending tab and a tool body contacting tab disposed radially about a pin means; said lever extending portion and said tab body contacting portion being essentially coplaner; and said stop means being positioned for ready deflection by the operator's thumb from a first position wherein said stop means is positioned substantially perpendicular to the axis of said elongated lever member and prevents said lever member from rotating, to a second position of said stop means substantially parallel to and coplanar with the axis of said lever means in which position said lever means may be rotated to engate said activating control means, whereby the operator may conveniently and comfortably hold and operate said tool without the danger of accidental tool operation.