Folding pocket knife with a lock

• US 6,574,869 B1
• Filed: 09/28/2000
• Issued: 06/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/1996
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Mentor Group LLC
• Original Assignee: Mentor Group LLC
• Inventors: Williams, Jason L., Ingram, Steven J., McHenry, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Watts, Douglas D.
• Application Number:
  US09/647,683
• Time in Patent Office: 985 Days
• Field of Search: 301/60, 301/61, 711/8-1-0, 814/89
• US Class Current: 30/161
• CPC Class Codes: B26B 1/048 with a locking member being slidable or movable along the handle

Abstract

Knives (10, 182) each include a handle (12, 184) having a blade (14, 90, 194) pivotally attached to the handle. The blade is movable between a closed posiiton in which it is received within a groove (36, 192) of the handle and an open position. The blade has a working portion (38, 198) and a tang portion (44, 98, 204), which remains within the groove when the blade is in its open position. A locking pin (72, 208) extends transversely of the handle and blade and is movable along a pair of elongated openings (74, 216), and engages the tang portion (44, 98, 204) of the blade to lock the blade in its open position. A spring (78, 228) biases the locking pin toward the tang.

Claims

1. A folding tool, comprising:

(a) a handle having a pair of opposite ends and including a pair of elongate side walls spaced apart from each other and defining a blade receiving groove therebetween, each of said side walls defining one of a pair of elongate openings located opposite each other, said handle including a pair of liners and said elongate openings are defined by said liners and extend therethrough, and said handle further including a pair of outer plates of which one is located outwardly alongside each of said liners, each of said outer plates defining a respective cavity adjacent one of said elongate openings and each of said elongate openings communicating between said groove and the respective cavity;

(b) a tool blade pivotally attached to said handle proximate one of said ends and movable about a blade pivot axis extending transversely with respect to said side walls, between a closed position and an open position of said blade, said blade having an elongate working portion and a tang, said elongate working portion being received within said groove when said blade is in said closed position and extending away from said handle when said blade is in said open position, and said tang being located between said side walls when said blade is in said open position;

(c) said tang having a peripheral edge including a locking surface portion thereof;

(d) a blade locking pin extending transversely with respect to said handle and having a pair of opposite end portions each extending through a respective one of said elongate openings defined in said side walls, said blade locking pin having an outer surface of which a portion is located between said side walls, and said blade locking pin being movable longitudinally of said elongate openings between a first position, in which said outer surface engages said locking surface portion of said tang when said blade is in said open position and thus locks said blade in said open position, and a second position in which said locking pin is spaced away from said locking surface portion of said tang, thus allowing said blade to move from said open position; and

(e) a spring disposed between said handle and said locking pin, said spring urging said locking pin toward said first position along a path defined by said elongate openings in said side walls.

2. The folding tool of claim 1 wherein said spring is located within said cavity defined between one of said liners and the one of said outer plates located alongside said one of said liners.

3. The folding tool of claim 1, including a lock assembly body member fixedly attached to said locking pin, said lock assembly body member extending alongside one of said liners and being movable along said one of said liners, thereby moving said blade locking pin between said first and second positions.

4. The folding tool of claim 1, said locking pin including a retainer located at each of said opposite end portions thereof, each said retainer extending radially outward about said locking pin and including a base surface located outwardly alongside a respective one of said liners and keeping said locking pin oriented transversely with respect to said handle.

5. The folding tool of claim 4, including a pair of said springs, each one of said pair having a first end interconnected with a respective one of said liners and an opposite end engaging a respective one of said retainers and thereby urging said locking pin toward said first position.

6. The folding tool of claim 1 wherein said handle includes a pair of outer plates of which one is located outwardly alongside each of said liners, each of said outer plates defining a respective cavity located adjacent one of said elongate openings, and each of said outer plates defining an opening therethrough aligned with said one of said elongate openings and exposing an end of said locking pin.

7. The folding tool of claim 6 wherein said spring is located in said cavity defined by one of said outer plates, between said one of said pair of outer plates and the one of said liners located alongside said one of said pair of outer plates.

8. The folding tool of claim 1 wherein said locking pin is carried on a lock assembly body member extending longitudinally of said handle and located movably within one of said side walls.

9. The folding tool of claim 8, including a latch operating arm attached to said lock assembly body member and projecting outwardly through an opening defined in said one of said side walls.

10. The folding tool of claim 1 including a spine disposed between said side walls and including an inner surface facing toward said locking surface portion of said tang and spaced apart from said peripheral edge of said tang when said blade is in said open position.

11. The folding tool of claim 10 wherein said inner surface of said spine is aligned with both of said elongate openings and respective portions of said outer surface of said locking pin engage both said inner surface of said spine and said locking surface portion of said tang when said locking pin is in said first position.

12. The folding tool of claim 1 wherein said peripheral edge of said tang includes a ramp surface located so that said blade locking pin engages said ramp and forces said blade from said closed position toward said open position when said locking pin is moved from said first position toward said second position.

13. The folding tool of claim 1, including a blade pivot shaft and plurality of blades all pivotally attached to said handle proximate said end thereof, each of said blades being movable separately about said blade pivot shaft and each of said blades including a tang having a respective locking surface portion.

14. The folding tool of claim 13 wherein said handle includes a generally U-shaped channel member including a handle back portion and a pair of parallel side walls each defining one of said elongate openings, said tool including a pair of said springs, each of said pair being attached to a respective one of said side walls and acting upon said blade locking pin proximate a respective one of said end portions thereof.

15. The folding tool of claim 14 wherein said locking pin has a respective retainer located at each of said opposite end portions thereof adjacent an outer face of respective one of said side walls.

16. The folding tool of claim 13 wherein said tang of one of said plurality of blades includes a retainer surface, said blade locking pin being located closely adjacent to said retainer surface when said one of said blades is in its closed position and said blade locking pin is in said first position, said one of said plurality of blades thereby being kept in said closed position until said blade locking pin is moved to said second position.

17. The folding tool of claim 1 wherein said peripheral edge of said tang defines a cam against which said locking pin is urged by said spring as said blade is moved between said open position and said closed position.

18. The folding tool of claim 1, including a pair of said handles and a pair of said tool blades, wherein said pair of tool blades are a pair of pliers jaws pivotally interconnected with each other.

19. A folding knife, comprising:

(a) a handle having a body portion defining an elongate groove located therein;

(b) a blade pivotally attached to the body portion of the handle at one end of the body portion, said blade being movable between a closed position in which the blade is received within the groove of the handle and an open position in which the blade is extended away from the handle and exposed, said blade having a working portion which extends away from the handle when the blade is in its open position and a tang portion which is substantially received within said elongate groove when the blade is in its open position, said tang portion having a peripheral edge defining a cam;

(c) a pin having a cylindrically-shaped outer surface and a long axis extending in a direction generally transverse with respect to the direction of the handle and blade, said pin being movable between a first position in which an outer surface of the pin engages the tang portion of blade for locking the blade in its open position and a second position in which the pin is spaced away from the tang portion of the blade for allowing the blade to move to its closed position, the outer surface of said pin riding upon the cam of the tang portion during movement of the blade to its open position when the pin is in its second position;

(d) a resilient member biasing the pin to its first position; and

(e) means for manually moving the pin to its second position from its first position.

20. A tool having an elongate body, an implement, and an improved locking mechanism, wherein the body includes two opposed sidewalls and a connecting spine thereby forming a channel that is partially bounded by the sidewalls and the spine, the implement is pivotally attached to the body and the implement is movable from a first position in which it is at least partially received in the body channel and a second position in which the implement is partially rotated out of the body channel for use, and the locking mechanism can hold the implement in the second position, the improvement comprising:

(a) a slot in each of said sidewalls, each slot defining an opening through a respective sidewall to the body channel;

(b) the locking mechanism having a transverse member that extends transverse to the body, said transverse member having opposite ends extending through a respective one of said slots, said transverse member movable in said slots between an implement locking position and an implement unlocking position so that when the implement is in the second position and the transverse member is in the locking position and pressure is applied to the implement to urge it toward the first position, the transverse member wedges between the sidewalls and the implement thereby preventing the implement from moving to the first position.

21. The tool of claim 20, wherein each sidewall includes an outer plate and a liner, and the slots further define an opening in each liner.

22. The tool of claim 20 further including a bias member that urges the transverse member into the implement locking position.

23. The tool of claim 22, wherein the transverse member is a pin that extends into the slots of each sidewall.

24. The tool of claim 20, wherein the transverse member includes an implement engaging portion and a sidewall engaging portion that are of unitary construction, and when pressure applied to said implement urges the implement to move from the second position to the first position, the implement bears against the implement engaging portion and the sidewall engaging portion bears against both sidewall slots thereby hindering the implement from moving to the first position.

25. A folding tool, comprising:

a handle having first and second opposed sidewalls held in a spaced-apart arrangement to define an elongate slot therebetween, at least one of said sidewalls having a cavity defined therein facing said elongate slot;

an implement having a working portion and a tang portion having a peripheral edge defining a cam and a shoulder at the junction of the cam and the working portion, said tang portion pivotally attached to one end of the handle and said implement movable between a closed position in which the implement is at least partially received within the elongate slot and an open position in which the implement is extended away from the handle;

an implement locking member movable between a first position in which the member engages said tang to lock said implement in said open position and a second position in which the member disengages said tang so that said implement may be moved into said closed position;

at least one resilient spring member for urging said implement locking member to the first position, said resilient member received in said cavity and having a first end interconnected to said implement locking member and a second end interconnected to a sidewall.

26. The folding tool of claim 25 wherein both sidewalls have a cavity formed therein facing said elongate slot, and a pair of resilient spring members, one in each cavity, each having a first end interconnected to said implement locking member and a second end interconnected to a sidewall.

27. The folding tool of claim 25 in which the at least one resilient spring member comprises a U-shaped member.

28. The folding tool of claim 27 in which the first end of the U-shaped member includes a loop that interconnects with said implement locking member.

29. A folding tool, comprising:

a handle having first and second opposed sidewalls, each sidewall defined by an inner liner and an outer plate located outwardly alongside each liner, and each sidewall defining a slot, said sidewalls held in a spaced-apart arrangement to define an elongate slot therebetween, and each of said outer plates defining a cavity adjacent a respective one of said elongate openings;

an implement having a working portion and a tang portion having a peripheral edge defining a cam and a shoulder at the junction of the cam and the working portion, said tang portion pivotally attached to one end of the handle and said implement movable between a closed position in which the implement is at least partially received within the elongate slot and an open position in which the implement is extended away from the handle;

an implement locking member extending through said slot and movable between a first position in which the member engages said tang to lock said implement in said open position and a second position in which the member disengages said tang so that said implement may be moved into said closed position;

a spring located in each cavity between the outer plate and the respective inner liner, each spring having a first end interconnected to said implement locking member and a second end interconnected to an inner plate.

30. A folding tool, comprising:

a handle comprising first and second sidewalls, each sidewall defined by an inner liner and an outer plate, and each sidewall having an opening extending through said inner liner and outer plate, said sidewalls held in a spaced-apart arrangement to define a slot therebetween and each of said sidewalls having a cavity formed therein;

an implement having a working portion and a tang portion, said implement pivotally attached to the handle and movable between an open position and a closed position;

a lock member having opposite ends extending through said openings in said sidewalls;

a substantially U-shaped spring in each cavity, each spring having a first end interconnected to said lock member and a second end interconnected to an inner plate.

31. A folding knife, comprising:

a handle having a substantially planar first sidewall, including a first inner liner and a first touter plate and a first opening extending through said inner liner and outer plate, said first sidewall having a first cavity formed therein;

a blade pivotally attached to the handle and movable between an open position and a closed position;

a lock member extending through said first opening in said first sidewall in a direction transverse to said first sidewall;

a first spring in said first cavity, said first spring having a U-shaped portion and a first end associated with said lock member and a second end anchored to said sidewall.

32. The folding knife according to claim 31 including a second sidewall with a second opening, said second sidewall parallel to said first sidewall and defining a slot therebetween.

33. The folding knife according to claim 32 wherein said second sidewall includes a second cavity with a second spring.

34. The folding knife according to claim 33 wherein said locking member extends through said second opening in a direction transverse to said second sidewall.

35. The folding knife according to claim 31 wherein said locking member is movable in a plane parallel to the plane of the first sidewall.

36. The folding knife according to claim 31 wherein said first spring includes an S-shaped portion.

37. The folding knife according to claim 31 wherein said first spring is moveable in a plane parallel to the plane of the first sidewall.

38. The folding knife according to claim 31 wherein said blade has a tang portion and said locking member has a curved outer surface engaging the tang portion of the blade.

39. The folding knife according to claim 38 wherein said tang portion defines a cam and wherein said curved outer surface rides on said cam.

40. The folding knife according to claim 31 wherein said locking member extends through said first cavity.

41. The folding knife according to claim 31 wherein a portion of said first cavity is coextensive with said first opening.

42. The folding knife according to claim 41 wherein said first spring engages said locking member in a portion of said first cavity that is coextensive with said first opening.

43. A knife having an elongate body, a blade, and an improved locking mechanism, wherein the body includes two opposed sidewalls held in a spaced-apart arrangement thereby forming a channel therebetween that is partially bounded by the sidewalls, the blade is pivotally attached to the body and is movable from a first position in which it is at least partially received in the body channel and a second position in which the blade is partially rotated out of the body channel for use, and the locking mechanism can hold the blade in the second position, the improvement comprising:

(a) the locking mechanism having a transverse member that spans the sidewalls so that the transverse member rides in elongate openings in the sidewalls so that when the blade is in the second position and urged toward said first position, said transverse member wedges between the sidewalls and the blade thereby preventing the blade from moving to the first position, wherein each sidewall comprises an inner liner and an outer plate, the elongate openings extend through said inner liner and outer plate of each sidewall, and each of said sidewalls has a recess formed therein, and a spring received in each recess, each spring having a first end associated with said transverse member and a second end anchored to a sidewall.

44. A folding knife comprising:

a handle having first and second opposed sidewalls, each sidewall defined by an inner liner and an outer plate located outwardly alongside each liner, and each sidewall defining and elongate opening, said sidewalls held in a spaced-apart arrangement to define an elongate slot therebetween, and each of said outer plates defining a cavity adjacent a respective one of said elongate openings;

a blade having a tang end pivotally attached to one end of the handle and movable between a closed position in which the blade is at least partially received in the elongate slot and an open position in which the blade is extending away from the handle;

a blade locking member having opposed ends extending through said slots and movable between a first position in which the member contacts said tang end to lock said blade in said open position and a second position in which the blade may be moved into said closed position;

a spring located in each cavity between the outer plate and the respective inner liner, each spring having a first end associated with said blade locking member and a second end associated with said sidewall.

45. A lock mechanism for a folding knife, comprising:

a handle comprising first and second sidewalls, each sidewall defined by an inner liner and an outer plate, and each sidewall having an opening extending through said inner liner and outer plate, said sidewalls held in a spaced-apart arrangement to define a slot therebetween and each of said outer plates defining a cavity formed therein adjacent said inner liners;

a blade pivotally attached to the handle and movable between an open position and a closed position;

a lock member having opposite ends extending through said openings in said sidewalls;

a spring confined in each cavity, each spring having a first end engaging said lock member and a second end anchored to said sidewall.

46. The lock mechanism according to claim 45 wherein each spring defines a U-shaped portion.

47. The lock mechanism according to claim 45 wherein each spring defined an S-shaped portion.

48. A lock for a folding knife, comprising:

a handle comprising first and second sidewalls, each sidewall defined by an inner liner and an outer plate, and each sidewall having an opening extending through said inner liner and outer plate, said sidewalls held in a spaced-apart arrangement to define a slot therebetween and each of said sidewalls having a cavity formed therein;

a blade pivotally attached to the handle and movable between an open position and a closed position;

a lock member having opposite ends extending through said openings in said sidewalls so as to be exposed, and the lock member movable between a first position wherein the lock member locks the blade in the open position, and a second position wherein the lock member permits the blade to be moved to the closed position;

a wire spring in each cavity, each wire spring having a first end engaging to said lock member to urge the lock member into the first position.

49. The lock mechanism according to claim 48 wherein the lock member must be moved to the second position against the force of the wire springs to move the blade into the closed position.

50. The lock mechanism according to claim 49 wherein each spring defines a U-shaped portion.

51. The lock mechanism according to claim 50 wherein one end of each U-shaped spring is connected to the lock member and the opposite end of each U-shaped spring is connected to an inner liner.

52. The lock mechanism according to claim 48 wherein said wire spring has a fixed end and a movable end, said spring lies within a plane parallel to the plane of said sidewall and said movable end moves in said plane.