DE20300588U1 - Knife, for hunting and fishing, has double ended blade held in one of two ratchet positions by sliding out of either end of handle - Google Patents

Abstract

A double end blade has a conventional knife blade at one end and a tool, e. g. saw blade, pointing the other way. The rigid double blade slides through a handle (20) to deploy either blade while the other blade is securely lodged inside the handle. A sprung ratchet grip (27) inside the hollow handle secures either extended setting. The handle is made from two half shells and includes fixed guides for the blades.

Description

Ju/hb LIPPERT, STACHOW, SCHMIDT & PARTNER 200 3

Patent Attorneys - European Patent Attorneys - European Trademark Attorneys"

Kölner Strasse 8 · D-42651 Solingen
Telephone +49 (0) 2 1 2.2 22 13-0
Fax +49 (0) 2 12.1 03 22

Klaus Friedrich Günther 42605 Solingen

Hunting and/or fishing knives

The invention relates to a hunting and/or fishing knife with a handle and a blade comprising a knife edge.

Various types of knives are known in this field. In a pocket knife, blades are folded lengthwise into the handle on both sides and can be swiveled out of the handle for use. A pocket knife, or what is known as a knicker, comprises a fixed blade with a knife edge molded onto it, as well as an additional blade that folds into the handle with a breaking edge or a saw. In a fishing knife, the second tool is usually designed as a scaler. Such foldable blades can usually only be used with reduced effort, as the blades are not locked, but are only held in their operating position by a spring force. Furthermore, with a knicker, the fixed blade increases the risk of injury when using the second tool if the user's hand slips off the handle and comes into contact with the knife edge.

The object of the invention is therefore to provide a hunting and/or fishing knife with multiple functions, with which work can be carried out even under high force without the risk of injury to the user.

The invention achieves this object in that the blade is rigid and extends lengthways to the handle, with one longitudinal half of the blade comprising a knife edge and the other longitudinal half of the blade comprising at least a second tool. The blade section with the knife edge can be pushed out lengthways at one end of the handle and the blade section with the second tool at the other end of the handle. Furthermore, a locking device is provided for locking the blade relative to the handle part in at least two predetermined positions, with the knife edge protruding from the handle part in the first position and the second tool protruding from the handle part in the second position and the other tool being protected in the handle part. According to the design, the blade can therefore be approximately twice the length of the handle.

The invention is based on the idea of providing a multifunctional hunting or fishing knife in which the various tools are molded or attached to a single, rigid and one-piece blade, and the blade is designed to be movable in the longitudinal direction relative to the handle part, so that the required tool can be exposed by moving the blade accordingly, while an unused tool is covered by the handle part. This greatly reduces the risk of injury when using the hunting or fishing knife according to the invention. Enclosing the tools on a single blade simplifies production and enables a very stable knife with which very large forces can be transmitted.

Thus, for example, a hunting or fishing knife can be provided that includes three or more tools that are integrally formed on the blade. For this purpose, the knife edge is designed on one longitudinal half and another tool is designed on the other longitudinal half, for example along one side. The rigidity of the blade results in a high degree of dimensional stability, which far exceeds that of conventional multifunctional knives. Since the blade is rigid and one-piece, the term "longitudinal half of the blade" refers to one of the two sections of the blade, on which

at least one tool is attached or formed, with both longitudinal halves forming the blade. At least a part of each longitudinal half can be pushed out of the respective associated opening on the front side of the handle along the handle, so that the respective tool is exposed from the handle in the associated locking position. So that this exposed section can be pushed completely into the handle, the blade can be moved between the two locking positions by at least a distance that is equal to the longest of the exposed sections.

Advantageous embodiments are specified in the subclaims.

To protect the user, the handle can be designed to be closed around its circumference and have an opening on each end face through which the respective blade section can be guided outwards. Accordingly, a cavity can be formed inside the handle part, which accommodates a blade section, wherein the cavity comprises guide means for forcibly guiding the blade in the longitudinal direction, which interact with contact surfaces on the blade in order to keep the blade essentially free of play in the transverse direction to the handle part.

Side guide surfaces can be advantageously formed at one end of one longitudinal half of the blade, which interact with associated counter surfaces running along the entire circumference in the handle in order to absorb forces which act on the tool formed on the other longitudinal half of the blade during use. Such a mounting of the blade in the handle enables a large lever with which the forces can be transferred to the handle.

In order to enable a quick assembly of the hunting or fishing knife according to the invention, it can be provided that the handle comprises two half shells which form a cavity for accommodating the blade in sections, the half shells being fixed to one another by means of fastening means such as screws.

A particularly stable construction is achieved if the cavity is provided by a metal housing.

In order to provide locking of the blade relative to the handle in the longitudinal direction, a locking device can be provided with a locking pin extending transversely through a hole in the blade and carried along with the blade, on which a force means acts to exert a force parallel to the longitudinal axis of the pin. This pin can thus be automatically brought into positive engagement with a fixed part of the handle at the locking points by a transverse displacement caused by the force means, whereby the blade is secured in the longitudinal direction.

In an advantageous embodiment, the locking pin comprises a head which is guided lengthwise in a fixed slot or groove, with an extension adjoining the longitudinal ends of the groove in which the locking pin can be received circumferentially. The relative position of the locking pin head in the extension of the groove corresponds to a locking position in which a positive connection is realized which prevents a relative displacement of the pin and thus of the blade to the handle.

In a special embodiment, it can be provided that the groove is arranged in a fixed plate extending longitudinally in the handle part and the groove widens on both long sides into a hole which can be brought into a positive connection with the head of the locking pin by a transverse displacement of the locking pin, in particular via a force means. This force means ensures that the locking pin, when it is in a locking position, comes into a positive connection which prevents the longitudinal displacement 5 of the blade towards the handle. The force means can be provided by a leaf spring, the ends of which are each arranged adjacent to the extensions of the groove, wherein the leaf spring can be attached to one of the handle shells.

It should be noted that the described principle of locking with a locking pin, which has a head, can also be used according to the invention if the locking pin head is guided into a material undercut which, at a locking point, merges into a recess in which the locking pin is positively received after a transverse movement. In this case too, the pin is guided in a fixed slot or groove.

To cancel the described form-fitting connection, a trigger device can be provided which is designed in such a way that it can be operated with a single actuating element, regardless of the locking position of the blade. In the event that two locking devices are designed to be triggerable, the trigger device can comprise an actuating element which is operatively connected to a rocker extending longitudinally to the handle, wherein a trigger element is arranged at one end of a rocker leg and the trigger element is aligned longitudinally to the handle in such a way that it can be moved essentially axially and against the locking pin when the latter is in a locking position.

In order to avoid tilting of the rocker when moving towards the locking pin, the rocker can be mounted in a tiltable manner, with the axis of rotation lying in the plane of the blade.

It is particularly advantageous if the rocker is mounted in such a way that it can be moved transversely inwards to the stop on the locking pin and also tilted towards the blade.

Preferably, the actuating element can be offset inwards in a handle shell and arranged substantially centrally for mounting the rocker, wherein the rocker can be moved with the actuating element.

To return the rocker to its original position, it can be provided that force means are provided on it that act outwards in relation to the longitudinal axis of the handle. This can prevent the blade from being accidentally released from its locked position, since the actuating element must be moved against this force means.

In order to prevent the hollow space and thus the guide of the blade in the handle part from becoming dirty, a stripping device can be provided in the area of the front openings to clean the blade section that is moved into the handle part. This can, for example, comprise a collar made of an elastic material arranged on the front side of the handle part around the opening, which rests against the blade all around, in particular under force.

The hunting or fishing knife according to the invention can be equipped with a variety of tools. In addition to the knife blade attached to one longitudinal half, a gutting blade or a saw can be arranged on the other longitudinal half. On the other hand, however, it is also possible to arrange the gutting blade on one long side of the other longitudinal half and the saw on the other side, so that ultimately a hunting knife can be provided with which all the necessary work on the hunted game can be carried out.

The invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

Fig. 1 the hunting and/or fishing knife according to the invention in a plan view;

Fig. 2 the knife in a side view;

Fig. 3 shows a section through the line III-III according to Fig. 2 with the blade displaced;

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Fig. 4 shows a section through the line IV-IV according to Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 shows the sectional view according to Fig. 4 with the actuating element activated;

Fig. 6 the displacement of the blade between two locking positions;
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Fig. 7 the blade at the end of the sliding process in the second locking position;

Fig. 8 shows a section through the line VIII-VIII according to Fig. 4;

Fig. 9 shows a section through the line IX-IX according to Fig. 4; and

Fig. 10 shows a section through the line X-X according to Fig. 5.

The hunting knife according to the invention described below is shown in a top view in Fig. 1. It comprises a continuous, rigid and one-piece blade 21, on which a saw 24a and a breaking edge 24b are formed on one longitudinal half 22. A knife edge 25 is formed on the other longitudinal half 21. The knife 20 also comprises a handle, which in the example given has two handle scales 30, 31, see Fig. 2.

In every position, the blade extends in sections in the handle and can be moved longitudinally relative to it. A position is shown in which the second longitudinal half 23 of the blade 21 is located completely within the handle part of the knife. This position corresponds to one of two possible locking positions.

Approximately in the middle of the blade there is a passage in the form of a hole which runs through the flat side of the blade. A locking pin 27 runs through this hole and is thus carried along by the blade when it moves. For this purpose the locking pin is guided in a slot or groove 38 in a fixed metal plate 29 (see Fig. 2). The two locking positions are defined by two extensions or recesses 39, 40 at the lateral ends of the groove 38. The width of the groove 38 is smaller than the diameter of the locking pin head 27a so that the head 27a slides on the metal plate 29 outside the locking position when the blade is moved. The pin 27 can be moved in the hole in the blade perpendicular to its longitudinal extent, that is to say parallel to the pin axis. The dimensions of the recesses 39, 40 of the groove 38 are such that they can accommodate the head 27a of the locking pin 27 when the blade and thus the pin are aligned in the longitudinal direction of the knife with the extensions or recesses 39, 40 of the groove 38 and the pin is moved perpendicular to the blade. The dimensions of the locking pin head 27a and the extensions 39, 40 are coordinated with one another in such a way that when the head is inserted into one of the extensions 39, 40, a positive connection in the longitudinal direction results, so that the relative position of the blade 21 to the handle part is fixed. Accordingly, the relative position of handle to blade shown in Fig. 1 corresponds to a first locking position in which the saw 24a or the breaking edge 24b is accessible and the knife edge 25 is arranged in the handle part and covered by it. To release the locking position, there is an actuating element 26 in the form of a button on one of the handle shells, which is discussed in more detail below.

Fig. 2 shows the hunting knife of Fig. 1 in a side view. As can be seen, the blade 21 is guided between two handle parts 28, 29, which form a cavity for receiving a blade section. This guide is shown in the sectional view.

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The arrangement is shown in Fig. 3. The metal part 28 has guide surfaces 28a which interact with contact surfaces 41a, 41b to absorb forces on the extended blade half. 5

It should be noted that the play shown in Fig. 3 between the contact surfaces 41a, 41b of the blade and the guide surface 28a of the metal part 28 is drawn only for the sake of clarity. In reality, there is a fit between the surfaces shown which allows the blade to be moved towards the handle without there being any significant play between the guide and the contact surfaces of the blade perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the blade.

Fig. 4 shows a representation of a section through the line IV-IV indicated in Fig. 1. In a side view, the locking pin 27 can be seen, which in the specified locking position is inserted with its lens-shaped head 27a into the recess 39, whereby a positive connection exists between the locking pin and the fixed metal part 29, so that the blade 21 is fixed relative to the handle. In order to automatically move the locking pin transversely to the blade when the locking position is reached, a leaf spring 36 is provided, which presses with its end 36a against the head of the locking pin 27 and moves the pin in the drawing to the upper half of the blade, so that the head comes into a positive connection with the metal part 29. The leaf spring is centrally attached from the inside to one of the handle shells 30 with a screw 37 and extends with its legs and their ends 36a and 36b to the two locking positions in which the locking pin can be brought into positive engagement with the handle. Also shown are the two openings 42a and 42b on the front side of the handle through which the released blade section passes or into which the blade part to be inserted into the handle passes.

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In order to release the locked blade again, a device in the form of a rocker 32 is provided, each of which extends with one leg to the two extensions or recesses 40 and 39. At the ends of the rocker legs there is a release element 33 or 34 running parallel to the locking pin axis, with which the rocker can be moved against the pin 27 in one of the locking positions. For this purpose, an actuating element 26 is arranged above the rocker's axis of rotation 32a, which runs perpendicular to the blade axis. The actuating element is used to move the entire rocker transversely in the direction of the blade and to tilt the rigid rocker legs relative to the blade. By enabling a tilting movement of the rocker, the actuating element is prevented from jamming in its guide.

In an embodiment not shown, the actuating element is rigidly connected to the rocker and has a lateral play in the handle shell so that the actuating element can be operated in one of the two possible directions to actuate the rocker. Accordingly, in this embodiment, the provision of a transverse displacement of the rocker can be omitted.

In order to hold the rocker in a starting position in which the trigger elements 33, 34 do not press on the locking pin 27, springs 35 are provided which are supported on the metal part 28 and move the actuating element 26 radially outwards in relation to the blade into a starting position. This starting position is characterized by the fact that the legs of the rocker are parallel to the blade and the trigger elements 33, 34 do not press against the locking pin in the axial direction, so that the head 27a comes out of the positive locking position.

As can be seen in Fig. 4, in the locking position the front edge of the pin is also in a positive connection with the metal part 28.

Fig. 5 shows the release of the blade from a locking position. To do this, the actuating element 20 is operated, whereby in the example given the rocker is pressed to the right, whereby the right leg with the associated release element 33 in the drawing moves downwards against the locking pin and moves it out of the form fit. In this release position, the release element 33 protrudes with its outer edge just below the blade surface, so that the blade can now be moved freely within the guide in the handle. As shown, the actuating element must be operated against the spring 35 and the leaf spring 36 for release.

In a further embodiment, the rocker is designed in such a way that the rocker legs are not tilted relative to the blade, but can only be moved transversely. In this case, the rocker has no axis of rotation, but is moved against a spring force, similar to the embodiment shown in Fig. 5. This movement is then such that the rocker as a whole is moved against the blade, whereby both trigger elements 33, 34 have the same height relative to a predetermined plane perpendicular to the drawing plane (see Fig. 5) in all operating positions.

The release of the blade from a first locking position shown in Fig. 5 enables the blade to be moved in the direction of the second locking position, see Fig. 6. The longitudinal half 22 of the blade 21, which includes the breaking edge 24b and the saw 24a, is moved into the handle part via the opening 42b, whereby the other longitudinal half 23 of the blade moves out of the handle part through the opening 42a. The locking pin 27 is carried along by the blade in the groove. In the area of the second locking position, the left end 36b of the leaf spring 36 presses again against the head 27a of the locking pin 27 and presses it upwards in the plane of the drawing into the recess 40 of the groove 38, so that a positive connection between the locking pin and the fixed part 28 is again ensured.

29, see Fig. 7, in which the reaching of this second locking position is shown. This is characterized by the fact that the longitudinal half 22 of the blade is completely covered by the handle.

Fig. 8 shows a section along the line VIII-VIII of Fig. 4, in which the design of the metal parts 28, 29 and the actuating element with the rocker is illustrated. These metal parts 28, 29 are mounted between the handle shells 30, 31, the surface of which is structured to improve grip. The circumferential guidance of the blade 21 between the metal parts 28, 29 can be clearly seen. The locking pin, shown hidden, lies in the locking position with its head 27a in the recess 39 (see Fig. 5) and thus at the level of the groove 38.

Fig. 9 shows a sectional view along the line IX-IX, see Fig. 4. The positive engagement of the locking pin head 27a with the perimeter of the recess 39 can be seen, which prevents the blade from moving against the handle. The right end 36a of the leaf spring 36 presses against the locking head 27a and holds the pin in the locking position. As can be seen from the above description, the blade is automatically locked when the blade reaches one of the two predetermined locking positions relative to the handle.

The release from this first locking position is shown in Fig. 10, which shows a section along the line X-X, see Fig. 5. By operating the rocker in the direction of the arrow, the trigger element 33 presses against the pin 27, which moves downwards against the spring element 36a, whereby the positive connection of the head 27a with the recess 39 is canceled and the blade can be moved freely within the handle so that it can be moved into the second locking position.

Ju/hb LIPPERT, STACHOW, SCHMIDT & PARTNER

Patent Attorneys · European Patent Attorneys ■ European Trademark Attorneys XfI. JSnUaJT ZUU-3

Kölner Strasse 8 ■ D-42651 Solingen Telephone +49 (O) 2 12.2 22 13-0 Fax +49 (0) 2 12.1 03

Klaus Friedrich Günther 42605 Solingen

Hunting and/or fishing knives

List of reference symbols

20 knives

21 Blade

22 Blade lengthwise

23 Blade lengthwise half 24a Saw

24b Breaking edge 20

25 Knife edge 26 Actuator 27 Locking pin 27a Locking pin head 28 Metal part of the handle 28a Guide surface 29 Metal part of the handle 30 Handle shell 31 Handle shell 32 Seesaw 32a Rocker axle 33 Trigger element 34 Trigger element 35 Feather 36 Leaf spring 3 6a Leaf spring end Ggr;:·:" ···::·:·" f:M XXX ! !

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36b Leaf spring end

37 Attaching the leaf spring

38 Groove or slot in the metal part 39 Expansion of the groove 38

40 Expansion of the groove 38

41a Contact surfaces of the blade

41b Contact surfaces of the blade

42a Opening

42b Opening

Claims (16)

1. Hunting and/or fishing knife with a handle and a blade with a knife edge, characterized in that the blade ( 21 ) is rigid and extends lengthways to the handle, one longitudinal half ( 23 ) of which comprises the knife edge ( 25 ) and the other longitudinal half ( 22 ) of which comprises at least one second tool ( 24 a, 24 b), wherein the blade section with the knife edge can be pushed out lengthways at one end of the handle and the blade section with the second tool can be pushed out lengthways at the other end of the handle, and a locking device ( 27 , 27 b, 28 , 29 ) for locking the blade relative to the handle in at least two predetermined positions is included, wherein in the first position the knife edge and in the second position the second tool protrude from the handle and the other tool is protected in the handle. 2. Hunting and/or fishing knife according to claim 1, characterized by a circumferentially closed handle which has an opening ( 42 a, 42 b) on each of its two end faces and a cavity in the interior which accommodates a blade section, the cavity comprising guide means ( 28 b) for forcibly guiding the blade in the longitudinal direction, which cooperate with contact surfaces ( 41 a, 41 b) on the blade. 3. Hunting and/or fishing knife according to claim 2, characterized in that lateral guide surfaces ( 41a ) are formed on one side of a longitudinal half ( 22 ) of the blade, which side guide surfaces interact with associated counter surfaces ( 28a ) in the handle in order to absorb forces which act on the tool formed on the other longitudinal half ( 23 ) of the blade. 4. Hunting and/or fishing knife according to one of claims 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the handle comprises two half shells ( 30 , 31 ). 5. Hunting and/or fishing knife according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the locking device has a locking pin ( 27 ) extending transversely through a hole in the blade ( 21 ) and carried along with the blade, on which a force means ( 36 ) acts to exert a force parallel to the longitudinal axis of the pin ( 27 ). 6. Hunting and/or fishing knife according to claim 5, characterized in that the locking pin has a head ( 27a ) and is guided longitudinally in a fixed groove ( 38 ), wherein an extension ( 39 , 40 ) adjoins each of the longitudinal ends of the groove, in which the locking pin head can be received circumferentially. 7. Hunting and/or fishing knife according to claim 6, characterized in that the groove is arranged in a plate ( 29 ) extending longitudinally in the handle and the groove widens at both longitudinal ends into a recess ( 39 , 40 ) with which the head ( 27a ) of the locking pin ( 27 ) can be brought into a positive connection. 8. Hunting and/or fishing knife according to one of claims 5, 6 and/or 7, characterized in that the force means comprises a leaf spring ( 36 ) fastened to one of the handle shells ( 30 , 31 ), the ends of which are each arranged adjacent to the extensions of the groove. 9. Hunting and/or fishing knife according to one of claims 5 to 8, characterized by a release device for releasing the blade ( 21 ), which comprises an actuating element ( 26 ) which is operatively connected to a rocker ( 32 ) extending in the longitudinal direction of the handle, which comprises at least one release element ( 33 , 34 ) which is aligned in the longitudinal direction of the handle such that the release element can be moved essentially axially towards and against the locking pin ( 27 ) when the latter is in a locking position. 10. Hunting and/or fishing knife according to claim 9, characterized in that the rocker ( 32 ) is pivotally mounted to carry out a tilting relative to the blade ( 21 ), wherein the axis of rotation lies substantially in the plane of the blade. 11. Hunting and/or fishing knife according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the rocker ( 32 ) comprises two release elements ( 33 , 34 ) at the ends of its longitudinal extension, each of which is assigned to a locking position, wherein the rocker is movable transversely perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the handle via the actuating element and is also mounted so as to be tiltable to the longitudinal axis of the blade. 12. Hunting and/or fishing knife according to claim 9, 10 or 11, characterized in that the actuating element ( 36 ) is offset inwards in a handle shell ( 30 ) and is arranged substantially centrally to the pivot bearing of the rocker, wherein the rocker can be tilted with the actuating element. 13. Hunting and/or fishing knife according to one of claims 9 to 10, characterized by force means acting on the rocker ( 32 ) and acting outwards. 14. Hunting and/or fishing knife according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized by a stripping device for cleaning the blade section moved into the handle. 15. Hunting and/or fishing knife according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the second tool comprises a breaking blade ( 24 b) and/or a saw ( 24 c). 16. Hunting and/or fishing knife according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the second tool comprises a fish scaler.