US2862296A - Knife - Google Patents

Description

mrmu I v FIG.5\

Dec. 2, 1958 c. M. ANDERSON 2,862,296

KNIFE Filed July 25, 1957 mum Fl 6 8 9 "23f; I frtz, 26 27 INVENTOR: CLAREN E M. ANDERSON United States Patent KNIFE Clarence M. Anderson, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Anderson Tool & Manufacturing Company, Chicago, IlL, a corporation of Illinois Application July 25, 1957, Serial No. 674,176

4 Claims. (Cl. 30-162) This invention relates to improvements in knives, and particularly to knives of the type required for cutting through heavy, non-metallic materials, as for example, linoleum, tile, carpeting, and the like.

The main objects of this invention are to provide an improved form of knife of the type wherein the blade is slidable in a handle into and out of cutting position; to provide a knife of this kind having an improved mounting for the shiftable blade; to provide an improved pair of separable handle elements recessed and slotted for so enclosing the blade and shiftable mounting as to permit the blade to be reversed or replaced and have the cutting edge held out of contact with the housing when being shifted back and forth; to provide an improved handle-housing and blade-mounting which positively secures the blade against accidental or cuttingpressure retraction from its fully projected cutting position; and to provide an improved knife of this kind the several parts of which are so simple in construction as to make its maunfacture very economical and its use extremely facile as well as highly eflicient.

One embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an improved knife constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a left-hand end view of the same taken'on the plane of the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse, vertical, sectional view of the same taken on the plane of the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a right-hand end view of the same taken on the plane of the line 44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an inside side elevation of one of the handle elements, as viewed from the plane of the line 55 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a reverse inside elevation of the other handle element, as viewed from the plane of the line 6-6 of Fig. 3, showing the knife blade in retracted position;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to that of Fig. 6 except the knife blade is extended into cutting position;

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of the assembly shown in Fig. 1, as taken on the plane of the line 8-8 of that figure; and

Fig. 9 is an exploded perspective of the blade and the blade-mounting whereby the blade is shifted back and forth in the assembled handle elements.

The essential concept of this invention involves a twopiece handle one of which pieces is longitudinally channeled to form guideways of differing width and depth respectively, for the sliding support of a knife blade and a blade-mounting, and slotted to support a finger-contact, blade-mounting, shifting-button, the other of which handle pieces is longitudinally embossed and slotted, the embossment being in width and depth equal to the wider channel in the one handle piece whereby the pieces snugly fit together and are held in rigid assembly by a single screw, the slot being in depth and length suflicicnt to accommodate the free end of a knife-positioning lug on the knife-mounting.

2,862,296 Patented Dec. 2, 1958 A knife embodying the foregoing concept comprises a pair of handle pieces or elements 11 and 12 which, superimposed, are held together by a single screw 13 to constitute a housing for a knife blade 14 removably positioned on a reciprocable mounting 15 oppositely shiftable by a finger-contact button 16 to project the knife blade 14 into cutting position forwardly of one end of the housing or retract it into a concealed position therein.

The handle elements 11 and 12 are complementary in form and so shaped exteriorly as to conveniently fit within the hand of a user to permit the application of considerable pressure which may be required to cut some very tough material, such as linoleum, tile, carpeting and the like. Preferably, these elements 11 and 12 are made of a light-weight rust-proof metal. Both ends here are shown tapered, as at 17 and 18, the latter end being slightly larger than the former. All longitudinal edges are rounded and the upper and lower portions as well as the opposite sides are slightly bellied between the tapered ends.

The element 11, the inner face which opposes the element 12, is cut away to form guideways 21 and 22 for the knife blade 14 and mounting 15, respectively, and slots 23 and 24 for finger-contact button 16 and its connecting pin 19 to the mounting 15.

The guideway 21 is channelled in the handle element 11 to extend the full length of the element and is of uniform width throughout its length. This channelled guideway 21 coacts with a comparable embossment 26 on the handle element 12 to hold the two elements in transversely unshiftable relationship by a single screw 13. The embossment 26 in height is about half the depth of the channelled guideway 21. The space between the plane of the embossment 26 and that of the guideway 22 is such as to accommodate the knife blade 14, as presently will be pointed out.

The guideway 22, formed to slidingly accommodate the blade mounting 15, is recessed below the plane of the guideway 21 and is narrower and slightly shorter than the guideway,21. The opposite ends 27 and 28 of the guideway 22 constitute shoulder stops limiting the opposite shifting of the blade mounting 15. Intermediate these end stops 27 and 28, the element 11 is transversely recessed to provide a third stop 29, against which abuts the trailing end of the blade mounting 15 to, prevent cutting-pressure retraction of the knife blade 14 when in its extended. cutting position.

The handle element 12, as already has been noted, has the embossment26 which seats in the channelled guideway 21 of the element 11. The element 12 also has a longitudinally-disposed medial slot 31 adjacent one end of the element, to accommodate the free end of the knife-blade positioning post 32 on the blade mounting 15.

The two handle elements Hand 12 have registering holes 33 and 34 respectively (see Fig. 3) for the reception of the single screw 13 by which the two elements 11 and 12 are held in their assembled relationship. These registering holes 33 and 34 are located approximately at the center of the elements longitudinally and transversely.

The hole 34, in the element 12, is threaded to receive the.

end of the screw 13 and the hole 33, in the element 11, is countersunk at 36to seat the head of the screw 13.

The knife blade'14 is made of high grade steel and in form simulates a conventional single-edge razor blade, but is a bit thicker than most if not all such blades. Medially the blade 14 has a polygonal-shaped aperture 37 fitting over the comparatively-shaped post 32 on the blade mounting 15.

The blade mounting 15 is a strip of flat, resilient metal mounting the post 32 at one end and the pin 19 at the other, which pin attaches the finger-contact button 16. This mounting 15 is of a width to easily fit in the narrower guideway 22 and is of a length equal to the dis- 3 tance-between the shoulderstops 27 and 29. The mounting 15 is permanently bowed, asmost clearly shown in Figs. 8 and 9, so that when the handle elements 11 and 12 are securely assembled the mounting 15 is pressed firmly against the element 1 1 by the ernbossment 26. on

the element 12. Thus theblademountinglSis yieldingly.

held in its retracted position, with the blade 14. concealed,

and the blade can hardlyxbeaccidently shifted. out of;- such retractedrposition; it must be..done. by conscious, pressureon thefinger-contact button 16. Moreover, this.-

pressure on. theblade mounting. 15..wil1 insure the trailing.

end. of the mounting. dropping into thetransverse recess.

that forms the shoulder stop. 29 so asto secure themounting 15 against retraction when the pressure is being. ap-,.

plied onthe knife blade 14 forv cutting. operations.

The blade mounting 15 is. formedtwith a longitudinally-disposedslot 35 of a lengthand-width and positioning to straddle the screw 13 when. the parts. are all.

assembledin functioning relationshiptsee Figs. 6 and 7-).

The post32 here is shown of, rectangular form. and is suitably secured at the forward end of the mounting 15. The post 32 and the blade aperture 37 are-soformed as to have a sung fit whereby the blade 14 is incapable of' any rotative movement on the mounting 15. Moreover, the positioning of the post 32 and blade aperture 37 is such that when the blade 14 is in place on. the post 32..

the rear edge of the blade bears directly against the wall 39 which defines one edge of the channelled guideway 21. At the same time the cutting edge 40 of the blade 14 is held free of any possible contact with the opposite, de-

fining wall 41 of the channelled guideway 21. Thus the combined shape and positioning of the post 32 and the aperture 37 at all times hold the knife blade 14 firmly against the wall 39 and the cutting edge 40 away from the wall 41 during any shifting of the blade relative to the assembled handle elements 11 and 12.

The button 16, being secured to theblade mounting 15 by the pin 19, is seated in theslot 24 on the outer face of the handle element 11. The. slot 24 is of a length to arrest the opposite movement of the button 16, by its contact with the opposite ends. of. the slot 23, in. synchronization with the abutment of the trailing end of the blade mounting 15 against the shoulder stops 28 and, respectively. The button 16, on its exposed face, is formed with. the. conventional serrations to insure a firm contact of the users finger or thumb when the-knife blade 14 is to be shifted ineither direction in the handle housing.

The operation of. the knifeisbelievedto be so obviousfrom the foregoing descriptionas to require. only this observation: When the knife is not in use for cutting, thebutton 16 is shifted to the rear of its slot 23 so as to retractively conceal the knife blade 14 within the assembled handle elements 11 and 12. When the knife is to be used for cutting, the button716 is oppositely shifted in the slot 23 which projects the. knife blade 14 beyond the. end 17' of the handle housing, as shown in Figs. land 7. In that position, the trailing end of. the mounting 15 drops behind theshoulder stop 29 so that no cutting pressure candislodge the mounting 15 and/ or accidently permit the retraction of the blade 14. A retraction of the blade 14 is possible only by a depression of the button and shifting it rearwardly in. the slot 23.

Although but one specific embodiment. of this ll'lVCIl: tion is herein shown and described it will be understood that details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the. spirit of the inven- A. the length of the guideways and extending exteriorly to the outer. face of the one. handle element, a slightly bowed resilient blade-mounting reciprocatingly slidable in the blade-mounting guideway in yielding contact with the other handle element, a pair of stops for limiting the opposite reciprocation of the blade-mounting, a knifeblade means on the blade-mounting positioning the knife blade thereon, finger-contact means on the blademounting projecting outwardly through the handle-element slot for shifting the blade-mounting to project the blade from and retract it into the assembled handle elements, a third stop in the form of a depression on the inner face of the one element intermediate the pair of stops for seating the trailing end of. the blade-mounting when the end of the blade-mounting is in its forwardmost position and thereby locking the blade against retraction by pressure on the cutting edge thereof, the trailing end of the blade-mounting being retractable from the third. step bythe depression of the finger-contact means to permit retraction oftheblade into the assembled handle elements, and-a fastener securingthe handle elements in superimposed assembly.

2. A knife. comprising, a knife blade, a pair of complementary handle elements one of which has longitudinally-disposed blade. and blade-mounting guideways formed in the face thereof which is opposed to the other element, the blade-mounting. guideway-being deeperthanthe blade guideway, the onehandle element also having anarrow slot formed thereinfor a portion of the-length of the .guideways and extending exteriorlyto the outer faceof the one handleelement, a slightly bowed resilient blade-mounting reciprocatingly slidable in the bladernounting guideway in yielding contact with the other".

dispose the back of. theblade. in contactwith-one-defining. wall of the blade. guideway with the cutting edgeof the blade spaced from the opposite defining wall of the blade guideway, finger-contact. means on the blademounting projecting outwardly. through. the. handle.- element slot for shifting the blade-mounting to project the blade from and retract it into theassembled handle elements, a thirdstop in theform of a depression on the inner face of, the oneelement intermediate the pair of stops for seating the trailing end of the blade-mounting when the end of the blade-mounting is in its. forwardmost position andthereby lockingthe bladeagainst retraction by pressure on the cutting. edge thereof, thetrailing end of the blade-mounting being retractable from the third stop by the depression of the. finger-contact means to permit retractionv of the blade into the assembled.

handle elements, and. a fastener. securing the handle elements in superimposed assembly.

3. A knife comprising, a.knife blade, a pair ofcomplementary handle elementsone of which has longitudinallydisposed blade and blade-mounting guideways formed in the face thereof which is opposedto the other element, the blade-mounting guideway being deeper than the blade guideway, the one handle element alsohaving a narrow slot formed therein for a portion of the length of the guideways and extendingexteriorly to the. outer face of the one handle element, the other handle element having the opposed face embossed to fit the. blade guideway and positioning the handle elements with their perimeters in flush interfitting relationship, the embossment being of less depth than the blade guideway and providing shifting space for the blade, a slightly bowed resilient blade-mounting reciprocatingly slidable in the blade-mounting guideway in yielding contact with the other handle element, a pair of stops for limiting the opposite reciprocation of the blade-mounting, a knifeblade means on the blade-mounting positioning the knife blade thereon, finger-contact means on the blade-mounting projecting outwardly through the handle-element slot for shifting the blade-mounting to project the blade from and retract it into the assembled handle elements, a third stop in the form of a depression on the inner face of the one element intermediate the pair of stops for seating the trailing end of the blade-mounting when the end of the blade-mounting is in its forwardmost position and thereby locking the blade against retraction by pressure on the cutting edge thereof, the trailing end of the blade-mounting being retractable from the third stop by the depression of the finger-contact means to permit retraction of the blade into the assembled handle elements, the handle elements having medially located registering screw holes, the hole in the one handle element being threaded to receive a screw end, the hole in the other handle element being counter-sunk to seat a screw head, and a screw seated in the registering handle element holes for securing the elements in superimposed assembly.

4. A knife comprising, a knife blade, a pair of complementary handle elements one of which has longitudinally-disposed blade and blade-mounting guideways formed in the face thereof which is opposed to the other element, the blade-mounting guideway being deeper than the blade guideway, the one handle element also having a narrow slot formed therein for a portion of the length of the guideways and extending exteriorly to the outer face of the one handle element, the other handle element having the opposed face embossed to fit the blade guideway and positioning the handle elements with their perimeters in flush interfitting relationship, the embossment being of less depth than the blade guideway and providing shifting space for the blade, a slightly bowed resilient blade-mounting reciprocatingly slidable in the blade-mounting guideway in yielding contact with the other handle element, a pair of stops for limiting the opposite reciprocation of the blade-mounting, a knife blade of less width than the blade-guideway and having a polygonal-shaped aperture therein, a polygonal-shaped post on the blade-mounting snugly fitting the blade aperture to dispose the back of the blade in contact with one defining wall of the blade guideway with the cutting edge of the blade spaced from the opposite defining wall of the blade guideway, finger-contact means on the blademounting projecting outwardly through the handleelement slot for shifting the blade-mounting to project the blade from and retract it into the assembled handle elements, a third stop in the form of a depression on the inner face of the one element intermediate the pair of stops for seating the trailing end of the blade-mounting when the end of the blade-mounting is in its forwardmost position and thereby locking the blade against retraction by pressure on the cutting edge thereof, the trailing end of the blade-mounting being retractable from the third stop by the depression of the finger-contact means to permit retraction of the blade into the assembled handle elements, the handle elements having medially located registering screw holes, the hole in the one handle element being threaded to receive a screw end, the hole in the other handle element being counter-sunk to seat a screw 7 head, and a screw seated in the registering handle element holes for assembly.

securing the elements in superimposed References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 509,228 Larson Nov. 21, 1893 628,259 Wheeler July 4, 1899 2,548,797 Ingwer et a1. Apr. 10, 1951 2,607,987 Bettenhausen Aug. 26, 1952

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