Device for cutting through automobile belts with a knife

• US 4,563,815 A
• Filed: 07/20/1984
• Issued: 01/14/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hoffelner, Volkwin
• Original Assignee: Hoffelner, Volkwin
• Inventors: Hoffelner, Volkwin
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US06/632,888
• Time in Patent Office: 543 Days
• Field of Search: 30/294, 30/289, 30/296 R, 30/296 A, 30/151, 224/232, 224/247, 224/311
• US Class Current: 30/298.4
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/32 Devices for releasing in an emergency, e.g. after an accident ; Remote or automatic unbuckling devices unlocking devices for retractors B60R22/3416

Abstract

In a device for cutting through automobile belts with a knife, a holder (5) is provided at the lower rim of the window opening of the automobile door and the knife (12) is slidably fitted and held in said holder to extend above the inner upper edge of the lower rim of the window opening. The knife (12) consists of a handle plate (20) and a blade (21), which is protected from being touched in that it is accommodated in a slot (18) extending from the edge of the handle plate (20).

Claims

1. A device for cutting through automobile safety belts with a knife, said device comprising:

a holder including a pair of spaced flanges to engage a portion of a vehicle door between a window and an inner door surface, a web extending between said flanges, a pair of spaced, upwardly protruding lugs extending from said holder and terminating in inwardly facing, spaced end portions to define with said web a knife-receiving opening;

a substantially planar knife adapted to be slidably received in said knife-receiving opening, said knife including a handle having a side wall and a slot positioned obliquely relative to said side wall and having an opening to receive an automobile safety belt, said slot including a knife edge positioned at an inner portion thereof to permit the cutting of an automobile safety belt, said knife edge being removable from said holder.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein said web in position for use is downwardly inclined toward the interior of the vehicle.

3. A device according to claim 2, wherein one flange is adapted to be inserted between a window pane and a window seal and is provided on an inside surface with inclined sawteeth that extend upwardly toward said web.

4. A device according to claim 2, wherein the flanges of the holder converge.

5. A device according to claim 2, wherein one lug is remote from the windowpane and is longer than the other lug and extends from that flange of the holder which in position for use engages the inner surface of the automobile door, and the end portions of the lugs are bent toward each other and extend in a plane which is parallel to the plane of the web of the holder.

6. A device according to claim 5, wherein the handle of the knife includes a finger-receiving opening at that end which is nearer to the slot opening for receiving a finger of a hand of a user and the other end of the handle is tapered relative to said side wall to facilitate positioning of the knife in said knife-receiving opening in the holder.

7. A device according to claim 1, wherein the slot flares outwardly toward an end of the handle and has an inner portion defined by a pair of parallel walls.

8. A device according to claim 7, wherein the handle of the knife includes a finger-receiving opening at that end which is nearer to the slot opening for receiving a finger of a hand of a user, and the other end of the handle is tapered relative to said side wall to facilitate positioning of the knife in said knife-receiving opening in the holder.