Convertible hacksaw

Claim 1

A hacksaw comprising: a frame having a cross-member and two struts extending substantially normal to said cross-member; a saw blade; means for detachably connecting said saw blade between the extremities of said two struts; a handle carried by one of said struts and extending substantially normal thereto; means for rotating said handle about said strut to selected positions which are parallel to said strut; means for locking said handle in said selected positions about said strut; a locking button extending through said cross-member and cooperating with said locking means whereby said locking means may be disengaged so as to allow rotation to said handle to one of said selected positions; a sleeve member at the extremity of each said strut, each sleeve member including a hole therethrough defined by an inner peripheral shape having at least three flat sides, said hole extending substantially axial with said blade; two blade holding members, each having a shape corresponding to, and dimensioned so as to fit into said hole of one of said sleeve members; each blade holding member having a flat extending inwardly and engaging an extremity of said blade, and means for pulling one of said blade holding members through the corresponding hole for holding said blade holding members fast whereby said blade is rigidly fixed between the extremities of said two struts; wherein said locking means comprises: said cross-member having a hole in one end thereof axial with one of said struts, the periphery of said hole defined by at least three flat sides; a shaft extending through one end of said cross-member, said shaft having one end thereof defined by at least three flat sides and dimensioned and corresponding with said hole in said cross-member so as to be slidably engagable therewith; a rotatable block attached to said handle forming part of said strut between the extremities thereof, said block having a hole therein defined by at least three peripheral flat sides and dimensioned so as to receive said one end of said shaft; and wherein said locking button is coupled to the other end of said shaft whereby rotation of said handle is effected by lifting said locking button and causing said block to rotate about the axis of said strut, and locking is effected by depressing said locking button to cause said one end of said shaft to engage said hole in said block.