EP0271223A1 - Couteau à lame escamotable - Google Patents

Couteau à lame escamotable Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP0271223A1
EP0271223A1 EP87309976A EP87309976A EP0271223A1 EP 0271223 A1 EP0271223 A1 EP 0271223A1 EP 87309976 A EP87309976 A EP 87309976A EP 87309976 A EP87309976 A EP 87309976A EP 0271223 A1 EP0271223 A1 EP 0271223A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
blade
carrier
handle
sharpener
knife according
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP87309976A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0271223B1 (fr
Inventor
Frank Winyard
Gordon Bremner
Cvetan Petroff
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
McPhersons Ltd
Original Assignee
McPhersons Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from AU80988/87A external-priority patent/AU586129B2/en
Application filed by McPhersons Ltd filed Critical McPhersons Ltd
Priority to AT87309976T priority Critical patent/ATE56906T1/de
Publication of EP0271223A1 publication Critical patent/EP0271223A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0271223B1 publication Critical patent/EP0271223B1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B26—HAND CUTTING TOOLS; CUTTING; SEVERING
    • B26B—HAND-HELD CUTTING TOOLS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B26B5/00—Hand knives with one or more detachable blades
    • B26B5/001—Hand knives with one or more detachable blades with blades being slid out of handle immediately prior to use
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B24—GRINDING; POLISHING
    • B24D—TOOLS FOR GRINDING, BUFFING OR SHARPENING
    • B24D15/00—Hand tools or other devices for non-rotary grinding, polishing, or stropping
    • B24D15/06—Hand tools or other devices for non-rotary grinding, polishing, or stropping specially designed for sharpening cutting edges
    • B24D15/08—Hand tools or other devices for non-rotary grinding, polishing, or stropping specially designed for sharpening cutting edges of knives; of razors
    • B24D15/084—Hand tools or other devices for non-rotary grinding, polishing, or stropping specially designed for sharpening cutting edges of knives; of razors the sharpening elements being fitted to knife sheaths, holders or handles

Definitions

  • This invention relates to knives of the kind having a blade which is movable between an extended or operative position and a retracted or inorperative position. It is usual for the blade to be contained within a handle of the knife when retracted, and the invention will be hereinafter described with particular reference to that form of knife.
  • Retractable blade knives of the foregoing kind are generally constructed so that a worn or damaged blade can be removed and replaced by a new blade.
  • Example constructions of that kind are disclosed by U.S. patents 3,577,637, 3,593,417 and 4,242,795. It is not convenient to sharpen the blade in knives of the foregoing kind and as a result blade replacement may occur or be required at relatively short intervals of time.
  • a retractable blade knife including, a hollow handle, a blade opening at a front end of said handle, a blade carrier mounted within said handle for movement between a rest position at which a blade connected to said carrier is contained within said handle and a forward position at which the said blade is projected through said opening beyond said handle front end, actuator means connected to said carrier and being operable to cause said movement thereof, a blade sharpener located within said handle adjacent said opening and being mounted for movement relative to said handle, biasing means urging said sharpener towards a stop position at which the sharpener prevents movement of a said blade forwardly through said opening, release means operable to move said sharpener away from said stop position and into a release position at which a said blade is able to be moved forwardly through said opening, and said sharpener is engageable with the cutting edge of a said blade so as to sharpen that edge as said blade is moved through said opening.
  • a retractable blade knife including, a hollow handle, a blade opening at a front end of said handle, a blade carrier mounted within said handle, a blade removably connected to said carrier, said carrier being movable relative to said handle between a rest position at which said blade is contained within said handle and a forward position at which said blade is projected through said opening beyond said handle front end, actuator means operable to cause said carrier movement, a blade sharpener located within said handle adjacent said opening and being operable to engage the cutting edge of said blade so as to sharpen that edge during movement of said blade with said carrier, said sharpener including sharpening means which is engageable with said cutting edge and which is located forwardly of the front end of said blade when said carrier is in said rest position, and release means connected to said sharpener and being selectively operable to render said sharpener inoperable.
  • a retractable blade knife including, a hollow handle, a blade opening at a front end of said handle, a blade carrier mounted within said handle for movement relative thereto, connecting means whereby a blade can be connected to and removed from said carrier, said carrier being movable between a rest position at which a blade connected to said carrier is contained within said handle and a forward position at which the said blade is projected through said opening beyond said handle front end, actuator means operable to cause said carrier movement, a blade sharpener located within said handle adjacent said opening and being operable to engage the cutting edge of the said blade so as to sharpen that edge during movement of said blade through said opening, and sharpener release means which is selectively operable to render said sharpener inoperable.
  • a retractable blade knife including, a hollow handle, a blade opening at a front end of said handle, a blade carrier mounted within said handle for movement between a rest position at which a blade connected to said carrier is contained within said handle and a forward position at which the said blade is projected through said opening beyond said handle front end, actuator means operable to cause said carrier movement, a blade sharpener located within said handle adjacent said opening and being engageable with the cutting edge of a said blade so as to sharpen that edge as said blade is moved with said carrier, and stop means mounted on said handle for movement between a stop position at which it is operative to prevent movement of a said blade forwardly through said opening and a release position at which it is not so operative, and release means which is operable to move said stop means from said stop position to said release position.
  • a retractable blade knife including, a hollow handle, a blade opening at a front end of said handle, a blade carrier mounted within said handle for movement between a rest position at which a blade connected to said carrier is contained within said handle and a forward position at which the said blade is projected through said opening beyond said handle front end, actuator means operable to cause said carrier movement, a blade sharpener located within said handle adjacent said opening and being operable to engage the cutting edge of the said blade so as to sharpen that edge during movement of said blade through said opening, and releasable locking means which is operable to prevent movement of said carrier out of said forward position.
  • the blade sharpener is arranged so that when it engages the cutting edge of a blade it automatically sharpens that blade as a consequence of movement of the blade into or out of the knife handle.
  • the sharpening operation is most effective during withdrawal of the blade into the handle, and means is provided to enable that sharpener to be held inoperative during at least part of the movement of the blade into its extended operative position.
  • the knife includes an elongate handle 1 having a passage 2 ( Figures 5 and 6) extending lengthwise therein. That passage 2 is defined between an upper wall 3, a lower wall 4, and two side walls 5 and 6, and extends from a rear end portion 7 of the handle 1 to a front end wall 8.
  • An opening 9 ( Figure 6) is provided through the front end wall 8 to permit movement of a blade 10 into and out of the handle passage 2.
  • that opening 9 is in the form of a narrow slot extending between upper and lower sides of the handle 1 and which is dimensioned to allow passage of the knife blade 10 with little clearance. That is, it is preferred that the opening 9 is dimensioned so as to at least minimise lateral movement of the blade 10 relative to the handle 1, and preferably also provide a support which is engageable by the upper edge 11 of the blade 10 when the knife is in use.
  • the rear end portion 7 of the handle 1 is removable in the construction shown to enable access to the interior of the handle 1. Removal of that end portion 7 may be employed to enable exchange of the knife blade 10 if it becomes worn or damaged.
  • the handle 1 may include a spare blade storage compartment 12 ( Figure 5) which is accessible as a consequence of removing the end portion 7.
  • the compartment 12 may be adapted to contain a single spare blade (not shown), or a plurality of such blades.
  • the end portion 7 is slidably engaged with the main body 13 of the handle 1 so as to be relatively movable in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the handle 1.
  • Keying ribs 14 (Figures 1 and 3) provided on the end portion 7 slidably engage within complementary slots formed in the handle main body 13 so as to hold the end portion 7 against endwise removal from the main body 13.
  • Snap engaging means comprising a detent 15 ( Figures 3 and 4) may be provided on the end portion 7 for cooperation with the main body 13 so as to resist inadvertent dislodgement of the end portion 7 from the main body 13.
  • the detent 15 is at the end of a flexible arm 16 formed integral with the end portion 7.
  • the blade 10 may be of any suitable form, but is generally of plate-like form having a substantially straight cutting edge 17. It is preferred that a front edge 18 and the upper edge 11 of the blade 10 are also substantially straight and that the front edge slopes upwardly and rearwardly from a tip 19 at its junction with the cutting edge 17. In such a case, it is also preferred that the front wall 8 of the knife handle 1 slopes downwardly and rearwardly as shown so as to expose a substantial part of the blade cutting edge 17 when the blade 10 is extended ( Figure 1). It is also preferred that the blade 10 is double ended so as to be reversible.
  • a blade carrier 20 (Figure 16) is mounted within the knife handle passage 2 for sliding movement towards and away from the front wall 8.
  • That carrier 20 can be of any suitable form such as to provide support for a blade 10, and any appropriate releasable connection can be provided between the blade 10 and the carrier 20 to ensure that the blade 10 moves with the carrier 20.
  • that connection includes a plurality of laterally projecting pins 21 on a side surface 22 of the carrier 20, each of which neatly engages within a respective hole 23 formed through a portion 24 of the blade 10 which overlies the carrier surface 22. Confinement of the blade 10 within the handle 1 may be such as to prevent the carrier pins 21 disengaging from the blade holes 23.
  • Exchange of a blade 10 may be effected by sliding the carrier 20 and connected blade 10 out of the handle 1 through the rear end thereof. Such removal is of course prevented while the rear end portion 7 of the handle 1 remains in place.
  • the carrier 20 is movable between two extreme positions. One is a rest position as shown in Figure 8, and in that position the blade 10 is fully contained within the handle 1. The other is a forward position as shown in Figure 7, and in that position the blade 10 has been projected through the opening 9 so as to extend beyond the handle front wall 8. That is, the blade 10 is positioned so as to be operative.
  • Movement of the carrier 20 may be effected through any suitable actuator means, but in the construction shown that actuator means comprises a lever 27 which is pivotally connected at an inner end 28 to the carrier 20 for relative movement between an operative position ( Figures 12 and 13) and a stored position ( Figure 14). Also, the lever 27 is preferably arranged to be accessible at the side wall 5 of the handle 1.
  • the lever 27 is pivotally connected to the carrier 20 so that it can be swung about a pivot 29 ( Figure 12) having its axis extending between the upper and lower walls 3 and 4 of the handle 1.
  • An elongate opening 30 is provided in the side wall 5 to accommodate the lever 27 when it is in the stored position.
  • the length of the opening 30 is such as to accommodate the full length of the lever 27 without substantial clearance at either end.
  • One end 31 of the opening 30 is formed by a surface 32 ( Figure 3) of the handle end portion 7.
  • the pivoted inner end 28 of the lever 27 is adjacent the rear end portion 7 of the handle 1 when the lever 27 is in its stored position and the knife blade 10 is retracted (Figure 8).
  • the outer or free end 33 of the lever 27 is located towards the front end of the handle 1 under those circumstances, and the lever 27 is substantially contained within the opening 30.
  • a raised finger engageable portion 48 of the lever 27 is accessible to permit the lever 27 to be pulled outwards about the pivot 29 to adopt the operative position as shown in Figure 13.
  • the lever 27 When it is desired to extend the blade 10, the lever 27 is pivoted laterally outwards from the handle 1 and is pushed forward so that the carrier 20 and connected blade 10 also move forward. The blade 10 is thereby projected through the front wall opening 9 of the handle 1 to adopt the extended position as shown in Figure 1. At that time the pivoted inner end 28 of the lever 27 is at the forwardmost end of the opening 30 in the handle side wall 5 and the lever 27 can be swung inwards to be again accommodated in that opening 30. The relative disposition of the lever ends 28 and 33, however, is now the reverse of that existing when the blade 10 is retracted.
  • Positive locking means is provided to prevent the blade 10 being inadvertently pushed back into the handle 1 from the extended position when the blade 10 is subjected to endwise pressure in use.
  • that locking means includes the lever 27 and a cooperative abutment surface formed by the end 31 of the handle opening 30. That is, when the lever 27 is accommodated within the opening 30 as shown in Figure 14, the outer end 33 of the lever 27 is arranged in opposed relationship to that abutment surface so as to positively resist rearward movement of the carrier 20. Pivotal movement of the lever 27 out of the opening 30 releases that locking arrangement by removing the lever end 33 from a position at which it can engage the abutment surface.
  • Stop means is provided to prevent inadvertent movement of the blade 10 into the extended position. That may include a movable stop member located within the handle 1 which is engageable with the blade 10 or a cooperable part of the carrier 20. That is, when the carrier 20 is at the rest position, that stop member is arranged to be engaged by the blade 10 or the carrier 20 such as to prevent forward movement of the carrier 20 beyond a particular position.
  • the stop means is formed by cooperable parts of a blade sharpener 34 and the carrier 20, but other arrangements are possible.
  • the sharpener 34 is located within the handle 1 adjacent the front wall 8, and its function and construction will be further described below.
  • the sharpener 34 includes a body member 35 and the stop means part of the sharpener 34 is formed by a lateral projection 36 provided on a rear end portion of an arm 37 which is connected to and extends rearwardly from the body member 35.
  • the cooperable part of the carrier 20 is formed by the front end portion 25 of a laterally projecting lip 26 formed along the upper side of the carrier 20.
  • the carrier stop part 25 is located rearwardly of the sharpener stop part 36. Forward movement of the carrier 20 results in the stop part 25 engaging the stop part 36, and further forward movement is thereby prevented. At that time, the blade 10 has not been projected through the opening 9.
  • Release means is provided whereby the stop means can be selectively rendered inoperable.
  • that release means is connected to the sharpener 34 so as to be operable to move the stop part 36 out of the path of the carrier stop part 25 and thereby permit extension of the blade 10.
  • That release means includes a button 38 which is accessible at the upper side of the handle 1 and which is spring biased into an upper stop operative position as shown in Figure 9. Depression of the button 38 against the influence of the biasing spring 39 is effective to move the stop part 36 into its inoperative position as shown by Figure 10.
  • the button biasing spring 39 is preferably formed by a resilient arm as shown in Figure 6 which extends lengthwise of the handle 1, and has one end 40 fixed to the handle 1 and its opposite end 41 attached to the sharpener 34.
  • the spring end 40 is preferably secured to the handle adjacent the rear end thereof as shown.
  • the arrangement is such that the spring 39 normally urges the sharpener 34 and connected button 38 in an upward direction and any appropriate means may be provided to limit such upward movement.
  • the sharpener 34 and/or button 38 may cooperate with appropriate guide means provided on or within the handle 1 so as to be confined to a particular path of movement.
  • Sharpening means 42 is provided on the sharpener 34 and is arranged so as to be operative to automatically sharpen the cutting edge 17 of the blade 10.
  • the sharpening means 42 is not engageable with the blade cutting edge 17 when the button 38 is depressed, but is so engageable when the button 38 is allowed to move upwards under the influence of its biasing spring 39. It is an important feature of the construction shown that the tip 19 of the blade 10 is located rearwards of the sharpening means 42 when the blade 10 is fully retracted.
  • the release button 38 it is necessary to depress the release button 38 to permit extension of the blade 10 and as a consequence the blade 10 does not contact the sharpening means 42, at least during the initial part of that extension movement. If the button 38 is released during the course of that movement, there may be sharpening engagement, but that is not essential nor is it preferred. When the blade 10 is fully extended, the button 38 is released so that the sharpening means 42 is moved into engagement with part of the blade cutting edge 17 which is located within the handle 1 and is therefore not normally operative.
  • the stop part 36 is provided with a ramp surface 45 and the stop part 25 is provided with a ramp surface 46.
  • the ramp surfaces 45 and 46 may be flat or curved as required.
  • the ramp surfaces 45 and 46 are arranged in opposed relationship as shown by Figure 11. Rearward movement of the carrier 20 results in those two surfaces 45 and 46 engaging with the consequence that the sharpener 34 is ramped upwards against the action of the spring 39, and the carrier 20 can continue to move rearward.
  • the stop means is thereby automatically rendered inoperative during rearward movement of the carrier. Other arrangements could be adopted to achieve the same result.
  • the sharpening means 42 can be of any suitable form. In the construction shown, it comprises a device having a pair of cutting plates 43 of tungsten carbide or other suitable material and which are relatively arranged to define a V-shaped sharpening recess 44 between them. Preferably, the plates 43 overlap to define that recess 44 and are in face to face relationship. It is further preferred that the plates 43 slope upwardly and rearwardly to facilitate a relatively smooth sharpening action during retraction of the blade 10.
  • a third blade or a rubbing member may be located opposite to the rearmost plate 43 of the pair referred to. That third blade or rubbing member can be arranged to prevent or minimise the aforementioned deflection and thereby ensure that effective sharpening of the blade 10 is carried up to the tip 19 of the blade 10.
  • a channel-shaped metal insert 47 ( Figures 6 and 15) is preferably provided at the top of the handle opening 9. That insert 47 receives an upper edge portion of the knife blade 10 and provides a rigid and wear resistant support against which the upper edge 11 of the blade 10 can bear during use and movement into and out of the handle 1.
  • the present invention provides an effective knife of the retractable blade type, particularly in the ability to prevent inadvertent extension of the blade and to also provide for self-sharpening of the blade.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Forests & Forestry (AREA)
  • Knives (AREA)
EP87309976A 1986-11-12 1987-11-11 Couteau à lame escamotable Expired - Lifetime EP0271223B1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AT87309976T ATE56906T1 (de) 1986-11-12 1987-11-11 Messer mit einziehbarer klinge.

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU8907/86 1986-11-12
AUPH890786 1986-11-12
AU80988/87A AU586129B2 (en) 1986-11-12 1987-11-10 Retractable blade knife

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0271223A1 true EP0271223A1 (fr) 1988-06-15
EP0271223B1 EP0271223B1 (fr) 1990-09-26

Family

ID=25639645

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP87309976A Expired - Lifetime EP0271223B1 (fr) 1986-11-12 1987-11-11 Couteau à lame escamotable

Country Status (1)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0271223B1 (fr)

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0415604A1 (fr) * 1989-08-28 1991-03-06 McPherson's Limited Aiguisoir pour lame de coupe
FR2715340A1 (fr) * 1994-01-26 1995-07-28 Seb Sa Fourreau aiguiseur adapté à recevoir un couteau et combinaison d'un tel fourreau et d'un couteau.
WO1996011086A1 (fr) * 1994-10-05 1996-04-18 Mcpherson's Limited Fourreau de lame
AU685322B2 (en) * 1994-10-05 1998-01-15 Mcpherson's Limited A blade scabbard
US6718639B1 (en) 2003-02-19 2004-04-13 Byron John Kazanjian Self-sharpening utility knife
CN101564844B (zh) * 2009-03-27 2012-05-23 杭州巨星科技股份有限公司 禁止刀柄意外开启的手动刀

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2337158A (en) * 1943-05-07 1943-12-21 Earl L Frank Knife with built-in sharpener
US2700819A (en) * 1952-12-15 1955-02-01 Donald E Mason Combined knife and sharpener
US2744320A (en) * 1953-05-19 1956-05-08 Vincent J Palermo Knife
US3676961A (en) * 1969-05-07 1972-07-18 Wiltshire Cutlery Co Pty Knife scabbard or holder
US3846909A (en) * 1973-10-29 1974-11-12 R Clarke Combination of a knife and sharpener
GB2161737A (en) * 1984-07-16 1986-01-22 Nippon Tenshashi Kk Magazine type knife

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3577637A (en) * 1968-09-24 1971-05-04 Philip Morris Inc Retractable blade knife
US3593417A (en) * 1969-08-13 1971-07-20 Stanley Works Hand tool having a holder for spare blades and the like

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2337158A (en) * 1943-05-07 1943-12-21 Earl L Frank Knife with built-in sharpener
US2700819A (en) * 1952-12-15 1955-02-01 Donald E Mason Combined knife and sharpener
US2744320A (en) * 1953-05-19 1956-05-08 Vincent J Palermo Knife
US3676961A (en) * 1969-05-07 1972-07-18 Wiltshire Cutlery Co Pty Knife scabbard or holder
US3846909A (en) * 1973-10-29 1974-11-12 R Clarke Combination of a knife and sharpener
GB2161737A (en) * 1984-07-16 1986-01-22 Nippon Tenshashi Kk Magazine type knife

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0415604A1 (fr) * 1989-08-28 1991-03-06 McPherson's Limited Aiguisoir pour lame de coupe
AU620001B2 (en) * 1989-08-28 1992-02-06 Mcpherson's Limited Blade sharpener
FR2715340A1 (fr) * 1994-01-26 1995-07-28 Seb Sa Fourreau aiguiseur adapté à recevoir un couteau et combinaison d'un tel fourreau et d'un couteau.
EP0665086A1 (fr) * 1994-01-26 1995-08-02 Seb S.A. Fourreau aiguiseur adapté à recevoir un couteau et combinaison d'un tel fourreau et d'un couteau
WO1996011086A1 (fr) * 1994-10-05 1996-04-18 Mcpherson's Limited Fourreau de lame
AU685322B2 (en) * 1994-10-05 1998-01-15 Mcpherson's Limited A blade scabbard
US5784786A (en) * 1994-10-05 1998-07-28 Mcpherson's Limited Blade scabbard and sharpener
US6718639B1 (en) 2003-02-19 2004-04-13 Byron John Kazanjian Self-sharpening utility knife
CN101564844B (zh) * 2009-03-27 2012-05-23 杭州巨星科技股份有限公司 禁止刀柄意外开启的手动刀

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0271223B1 (fr) 1990-09-26

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