US2806282A

US2806282A - Pocket knife locking mechanism

Info

Publication number: US2806282A
Application number: US462133A
Authority: US
Inventors: Berg Martin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1954-10-14
Filing date: 1954-10-14
Publication date: 1957-09-17
Anticipated expiration: 1974-09-17

Description

Sept. 17, 1957 M. BERG 2,806,282

POCKET KNIFE LOCKING. MECHANISM Filed 001;. 14, 1954 Patented Sept. 17, 1957 POCKET KNIFE LOCKING MECHANISM Martin Berg, New York, N. Y.

Application October 14, 1954, Serial No. 462,133

4 Claims. (Cl. 30-143) This invention relates to knife structures and more particularly to a pocket knife structure provided with a locking mechanism acting on the blades of the knife.

It is one of the main features of the invention to provide means facilitating the retention of the blades of a knife in retracted position when the same is not in use.

It is another object of the invention to provide means enabling release of locking means for the knife blades upon displacement of a device or instrument which is accommodated in a knife casing and which may be completely removed from the latter for use.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide means affording the structure of a very compact combination knife and manicure instrument, which is inexpensive to manufacture, as same comprises only a few vital parts, and which is handy and sfie to carry around.

Yet another object of the invention resides in the provision of means conducive to easy manipulation of the locking mechanism, whereby in completely retracted position of said manicure instrument in the knife housing the knife blade or blades are secured in inoperative position.

These and other objects of the invention will become further apparent from the following detailed description, reference being made to the accompanying drawing, showing a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a knife structure made in accordance with the present invention and shown in closed and locked position;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the knife structure of Fig. l in open position, the section being taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 3--3 of Fig. 2 with the bail pivoted to an upright position for ease of explanation.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, there is shown an elongated casing or housing 10, substantially U-shaped in cross-section, and including side walls 11 and 12 each provided with a cut-out or indentation 13, a top wall 14 provided with an elongated slot or aperture 15, and an end wall 16 extending from the top wall 14 about halfway down side Walls 11 and 12.

A plurality of

pivot axles

17, 18, 19 and 20 extend between the side walls 11 and 12. Within the housing 10, a rocker member 21 is pivotally mounted on axle 17, said rocker including a bifurcated tongue 22 and a catch 23 fixed at the end of the rocker opposite to the tongue. A bail 24 is also pivotally mounted to swing about axle 1'7 and exteriorly of the housing.

A knife blade 25 is pivotally mounted adjacent the rounded end thereof about the median portion of the axle 18. This rounded end of the knife blade is provided with a shoulder 26 for a purpose hereinafter described. On either side of the knife blade 25 a pair of lateral guides 27, 28 are disposed, the axle 18 passing through said guides 27, 28. These guides are prevented from pivotal movement, however, since they are elongated and also intersected by axle 19.

Axle 19 also passes through a blade spring 29, which includes a retaining portion 30, through which there passes axle 20. The blade spring further includes a resilient portion 31 on which there is mounted a leaf spring 32, which is in engagement with rocker member 21.

An implement 33 extends lengthwise of and into the housing and in closed or inoperative position occupies the space between top wall 14 and the upper ends of the lateral guides 27, 28 and of blade spring 29, the implement including a tapered end or nose 34 and a pair of serrated legs 35, underlying aperture 15. In the embodiment illustrated this implement comprises a pair of mainicuring scissors.

As shown in Fig. 1, the tapered end 34 of the scissors seats in the base of the bifurcated tongue 22 of the rocker member 21, thereby holding said rocker in upwardly tilted position against the action of leaf spring 32. In this position catch 23 of the rocker engages between shoulder 26 of the knife blade 25 and resilient portion 31 of the blade spring 29. As a result, the knife blade 25 cannot be pivoted about axle 18 and is in a safe or locked position.

To open or unlock the knife blade 25 or like swingable instrument so that the knife blade may be moved to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2, the operator engages the serrated portion 35 of the scissors 33 through the aperture 15 and displaces the scissors to the right, as shown in dotted lines. As the end 34 is withdrawn from the bifurcated tongue 22, the rocker is automatically pivoted about axle 17 under the action of leaf spring 32 to the position shown in Fig. 2. In this position the catch 23 is withdrawn from the shoulder 26 of the knife blade 25 and abuts against end wall 16 so that the knife blade may be grasped through indentations 13 and pivoted about axle 18 to open position (from the closed position indicated in dotted lines). The resiliency of portion 31 of the blade spring 29 serves to hold the knife blade preferentially in either the open or closed positions. In reclosing the structure the operation indicated is reversed.

The bail 24 may be employed for suspending the knife structure on a key or watch chain, but may be omitted, if desired. Similarly, the implement 33 need not be useful in itself as a pair of scissors but may be employed solely for releasing the knife blade. It is preferable, however, that this locking mechanism serves a dual function. By making the catch portion 23 of the rocker 22 of resilient material, the scissors may be reinserted fully to its original position while the catch portion is resiliently biased.

More than one knife blade or other tools may be mounted to swing about axle 18 for locking in the manner indicated. If desired, other tools may be mounted about axle 20 in a conventional manner, but they may not be provided with a safety catch in accordance with the invention.

It can be seen that the knife structure herein provided is exceedingly compact and may be manufactured easily and inexpensively. Nonetheless, provision is made for preventing the accidental opening of the knife blade with its attendant hazards.

It can thus be seen, that there has been provided according to the invention a knife or like tool structure having a casing and tool means pivotally mounted for movement from a first position within said casing to a second position without said casing, said tool means being provided with a shoulder, catch means cooperating with said shoulder of said tool means in said first position and mounted for movement to 'a second location out of engagement with said shoulder, locking means releasably holding said catch means in said first position, and spring means normally urging-said catch means into said second location, whereby upon release of said locking meansv movement of said catch means from said first position to said second location is effected by said spring means, to

thereby permit pivotal; movement of; said tool; means to, said second position.

Variouschanges and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the: present invention and it is intended that such obviouschanges and modifications be embraced by the annexed'claims,

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new 'and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. A structure for a tool, such as a knife, comprising arr elongated easing substantially U-shaped in cross seetion and including abutment means, tool means pivotally mounted for movementfrom a position within' said casing to a position without the'same, said tool means being provided with a shoulder, blade spring means within said casing and overlying said shoulder of saidtool' means,- rocker. means pivotally mounted within said casing and including catch means, said rocker means terminating in tongue means, locking means longitudinally displaceable within said casing and engageable with said tongue means of said rocker means to thereby cause said catch means to engage between said blade spring means and said shoulder of said tool means, said tool means being thereby locked against accidental pivotal movement, and leaf spring means mounted on said blade spring means and urging said rocker means against said abutment means in which position said catch means and said shoulder become disengaged, whereby upon longitudinally displacing said locking means from engagement with said tongue means said leaf spring means effects disengagement of said catch means from said shoulder to thereby free said tool means for pivotal movement.

2. In a structure according to claim 1, said locking means comprising a scissors, one end of said scissors being engageable with said tongue means.

3. A knife structure comprising an elongated casing having a pair of side walls, a top wall connecting said side walls and an end wall extending between said side walls, a knife blade pivotally mounted between said side walls and provided with a shoulder, a rocker pivotally mounted between said side walls, said rocker being provided with a bifurcated tongue at one end and with a catch at the opposite end,-said oatch normally engaging with said shoulder of said knife blade, locking means disposed for longitudinal movement within said casing, said locking means being provided with a nose engaging said bifurcated tongue of said rocker and maintaining said engagement of said catch with said shoulder, and a spring disposed to urge said catch out of engagement with said shoulder, whereby upon longitudinally displacing said locking means within said casing said nose is disengaged from said tongue to thereby release said rocker, the latter being pivoted by said spring so that said shoulder is freed from said catch which abuts against said" end wall, said knife blade being-thereby freed for pivotal movement.

4. In a knife structure according to claim 3, said top wall of said casing being provided with an elongated slot, said locking means comprising scissors including serrated legs normally disposed adjacent said slot, whereby said scissors may be displaced by manipulation of said sernated legs through said aperture.

References Cited in the file of this patent France Dec. 23, 1953