US3079686A

US3079686A - Handle construction for sliding blade knives

Info

Publication number: US3079686A
Application number: US161512A
Authority: US
Inventors: Earl B Christy
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1961-12-22
Filing date: 1961-12-22
Publication date: 1963-03-05
Anticipated expiration: 1980-03-05

Description

March 5, 1963 E. B. CHRISTY K 3,079,686

HANDLE CONSTRUCTION'FOR SLIDING BLADE KNIVES Filed Dec. 22, 1961 3 1.9 4

MyW/Zava dgl@ United States Patent Otlice Eh Patented Mar. 5, i953 3,679,636 HANDLE CGNSTRUCTN FR SLENG BLADE KNIVES Earl B. Christy, 995 Dickinson Si., Fremont, Ohio Filed Bee. 22, 1961, Ser. No. 161,512 1 Claim. (Cl. :itl-162) This invention relates to improvements in so-called penknives, more particularly, to a knife of that character wherein the blade is slidably received by and is extendable from or retractible into its handle, Le., a knife of the type disclosed in the United States Letters Patent issued to Russ I. Christy, numbered 2,074,640.

lt is an object of the invention to provide a knife of the above stated type whose handle is constructed of plastic or kindred moldable material, being rigid and sturdy and internally free of jointure seams or other protuberances which might tend to or would interfere with, if not prevent, free and smooth sliding of its blade from or into the same.

Another object of the invention is to provide a knife handle which is of substantially one piece construction having one side so formed as to afford a continuous or unbroken solid surface area (plane or otherwise) on which certain decoration, design or intelligence (advertising matter, etc.) may be economically and satisfactorily imprinted, inscribed or otherwise eEected.

A further object of the invention is to provide a knife handle capable of being produced and surface treated, as above, prior to the assembly of its blade and operational adjuncts therein, hence, yielding beneficial and material production advantages and economies, particularly to the end that manufacturing loss by parts rejection will be reduced greatly in that such rejections will be of parts only, in contra distinction to rejection of an entire knife.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a knife handle, the major portion of which is of one piece form, but has one end open to facilitate eiiicient and rapid assembly of blade and companionate components therein, then being finished or end closed by a capping whose construction and design ensures positive, tight and interlocking connection between the two parts.

An equally important object of the invention resides in the provision of a knife handle wherein the end capping or mating bail end thereof, in addition to closing its open end, post parts assembly, may be furnished with or carry an accessory device or tool of various kinds or types, such, for example, as a letter opener, a bottle or can opener, a screw driver, etc., hence, materially increasing its utility and its value as an article of manufacture.

I'he foregoing, as well as other objects, advantages and meritorious teachings of my invention will be in part obvious and in part pointed out in the following detailed disclosure thereof, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, it being understood that the forms of the invention presented herein are precise and what are now considered to be the best mode of embodying its principles, but that other modifications and changes may be made in specific embodiments without departing from its essential features.

ln the drawings:

FIGURE l is a side elevation of my improved sliding blade knife showing its blade extended from the handle thereof, and said blade, in dotted lines, in retracted position.

FlGURE 2 is an enlarged side elevation `of the knife wherein the blade is shown in retracted position within the handle and the blade cutting edge in an upwardly disposed position.

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal elevational edge view of the knife.

FEGURE 4 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 4-4 of FGURE 2, looking in the direction in which the arrows point.

FIGURE 5 is a transverse section taken on the line 5 5' of FIGURE 2, looking in the direction in which the arrows point.

FGURE 6 is an enlarged detail inside elevation of the blade attachable button plate illustrating the movable mounting of the button and the detent or locking pin carried thereby, plus the spring lor normally urging and retaining said detent in an operative extended position.

FGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of a modified form of end closure or cap for the knife handle, usable as a bail to permit the joining of a chain or other and similar device t ereto.

FlGURE 8 is an edge View thereof.

FlGURE 9 is another modified form of end closure or cap for the knife handle whereby an accessory tool, such as an envelope opener, screw driver, tile, etc., may be ciedly joined thereto and carried thereby, and

FIGURE l0 is an edge view of the same.

Referring in detail to the drawings, particularly, to the form of invention shown in the FIGURES l through 6, the invention, generally stated, comprises a handle indicated in its entirety by the numeral l and a knife or cutting blade 2 slideably and wholly or partially containable 'therein or entendible therefrom. To effect sliding of the -blade into or from the handle, a button carrying plate 3, iereinafter more fully described, is connected to the inner end portion of said blade and slideably received by the handle in a manner to be accessible or engageable rom without the same.

The handle l consists of an elongated substantially rectangularly shaped body, preferably made of or molded from la suitable plastic material, though, of course, being constructable from other types of material, including metal. Said body is channeled, i.e., formed with a longitudinally disposed and shouldered way 4 opening onto and substantially throughout the length of one side thereof, as shown in FiGURES 1 and 2, whose opposite ends open onto the opposite ends of the handle 1 (see FIG- URES 2 and 3). One of such open ends of the way, indicated at 5, permits the sliding extension or retraction of the blade from or into the handle.

The remaining open end of the channel or way in the handle is closed by a cap piece 6 also made of plastic, metal or other suitable material, preferably like that of the handle. As shown in the drawings, it consists of a one piece arcuate body having fingers 6 integral with and eX- tended longitudinally from its opposite ends, the outside width of the cap corresponding to that of the handle.

To effect secure connection between the above referred -to handle end and the cap, said end is tapered or reduced, `as at 7, and formed or otherwise provided on its edges with acutely shouldered and relatively spaced bosses or teeth 8 snugly receivable in correspondingly formed and positioned seats or notches 9 in the matchingly formed or shaped inner end of said cap. Thus, to close the tapered end of 'the handle and the adjacent end of its way 4, the cap piece 6, having inherent elasticity, is moved onto said end whereupon the finger 6 will be flexed sufficiently to permit their sliding over the same and inter engagement with or interlocking of the now juxtaposed teeth S and seats 9, hence, eilecting a self-clamping interconnection. if desired, positive, tight and permanent interlocking between the 'two parts (the tapered handle end and the cap) can be assured by preapplication of a proper adhesive to the mating parts.

It is to be, and of course, will be understood that prior to the capping closure of the 'aforesaid end of the bundle l, the cutting blade Z and the button carrying plate 3 are assembled' and slidingly introduced into the handle and its4 longitudinally disposed way 4.

The cutting blade 3 comprises the usual edged and pointed body portion and a tang 1t) of greater width. To effect positive guiding of the blade during its sliding in and from the handle`(extension or retraction) the opposite longitudinal sides of the handle are each formed with inwardly facing and opposed grooves or ways 11 contiguous with the channel 4. The width ofthe tang is such that its longitudinal side portions are slideably received in the grooves or Ways, while the width of the blade causes its back edge to be likewise received in the adjacent one (see FIGURE 2) and in longitudinal alignment with the end way opening for an obvious purpose. l

In order that the cutting blade 2 may be slidwithin the handle 1 to either extended or retracted, or partially extendedor retracted, positions, the button carrying plate 3 riveted or otherwise permanently connectedto the tank 10, as at I2. Its width is such that it is snugly though slideably received between the Vopposite sides of the Way 4 within the handle. An elongated or ovate opening 13 is formed in one portion of the plate and receives therethrough -a reduced shank 14 carried by and extended from a finger engageable button 15 of size greater than said opening. A detent or locking pin '16, carried by the reduced shank, is ,slideably received through an appropriate opening in the plate and is normally retained extended therefrom beyond the adjacent plate side by means of a spring 17 seated, as at 18, in the inner side of said plateand bea-ring on the shank 14, all as shown in FIG- URES 5 and 6 of 'the drawings.

Relatively longitudinally spaced inwardly opening pockets 19 are formed in that side Wall of the channel 4 adjacent the normally extended detent 16 and are adapted to receive thesame therein. Thereby, the cutting blade 2 Ican be selectively retained in various adjusted positions with relation to the handle 1, either fully or partially extended therefrom or retracted thereinto. Y

lIn FIGURES 7 and 8 of the drawings, I have shown a modified form of cap piece 6a. Therein, Ithe body por- "tionY of the piece isY elongated, as at 19, and has an open,- ing 20 therethrough,'thus constituting a bail whereby a chain or similar device may be connected to the knife handle. Another modied form ofthe cap piece is illustrated by the FIGURES 9 andY l0. Therein, the cap piece 6b is formed with a longitudinally disposed extension o1' shank portion 21, preferably having an outwardly opening socket therein. Various forms or kinds of accessories, Such for example as a paper cutting or envelope opening blade 22, or a screw driver, file, etc., can be engaged in the extension socket and thus, iix'edly connected to the knife.

A pen or pocket knife and/or handle constructed according to my invention aifords material adv-antageous results and beneiits, certain of which are identilied as follows:

(a) Work to be performed on the solid back of the handle, such as hot stamping or silk screening of intelligence and ornamentation, may be performed prior to assembly of the cutting blade and its associated components. Faulty or imperfect parts may be pre-assembly rejected rather than the rejection of an entire knife assembly.

i After said work has been performed on the back of the handle, `assembly of partsl can be eiected with but little chance of spoilage thereof.`

(b) The button plate and cutting blade assembly can be accomplished with certainty that it will function properly, whereupon the assembly can be endwise inserted into the handle channel or blade track. Then the end piece Vor cap 6 can be attached without chancing improper functioning of the slidable cutting blade and the button plate assembly, 'such for example as binding caused by too tight ilt or installation, or because surplus adhesive shouldl elect malfuuctioning of the button plate -assembly. Y I

(c) The handle proper can be molded in one piecevfor greater rigidity as comparedwith the production of Aa khand-le in longitudinally divided sections which are retained in assembled relation by adhesivey or glued joints. (d) The handle proper by being molded in one `piece with the end positioned cap 6 engaged withy and secured thereto results lin but. a small seam at the rear end ofzsaid handle, whereas a sectional handle assembly, as described in Ithe above sub-jgtarag'raph- (c), extends or runs along its longitudinal axis for the ful-l lengthrthereof. kThe latter form of jointure detracts from the appearance of the knife. Qftentimes, it isfaulty to the extent of being insecure. Furthermore, the internal presence of excessive and hardened adhesive results in faulty sliding of the cutting blade in the handle. I claim: l A knife handle, comprising: Y A (a) a body, one side of hich is flat and continuous andthe other formed with an outwardly opening continuous channel vsubstantially throughout its length opening onto the opposite ends 'of said body. (b)r the opposite marginal sides of the body eachhaving inwardly opening blade edge receiving tracks in and extending throughout the lengths thereof opening into said channel, f Y I (c) one end ofv the body having outwardly tapered marginal sides land formed to constitute one portion of a scarfjoint, Y (d) a capping device ofV cross-sectional shape substanjtially correspondingto the cross-sectional shapel of said body having an inwardly opening pocket therein of shape and size conforming to that of saidbody one end for receiving the same therein and formed to, constitute a second scarf joint portion companionate to that on said body end, and (e)V interlockingly engageable means on adjacent and contacting portions of said one end ofthe body and the capping device whereby to interconnectthe same.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS