Game Hunting Knife

This invention relates to a game hunting knife especially constructed for vescuating of game animals and particularly to a dual-action knife for eviscerating and skinning of game animals.

Game animals should be at least partially dressed immediately after the kill of the animal. The dressing is necessary to maintain the meat in an optimal edible condition. This requires cutting into the animal and removal of the inner non-edible entail and other elements. Conventionally, a single bladed hunting knife has been used to open the belly of the animal from the crotch to the rib cage. The knife is preferably introduced into the animal to cut the skin from the inside out in order to minimize severing of the entails and introducing of hair and other foreign matter into the innards of the animal and thereby minimize contamination of the meat. It is of course quite important that the animal entrails and particularly the sock enclosing most of the entrails not be opened as a result of the cutting operation. As discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,839,788 which issued on Oct. 8, 1974, deer and other large animals are particularly difficult to dress in the field because the toughness of the hide makes it difficult to cut the animal open without contaminating the meat, and resulting in tainted meat. Even with a sharp knife it is often quite difficult for the average hunter to open a deer or other large animal with the necessary degree of accuracy.

Various suggestions have been made for a provision of a special knife for opening of game animals. The above '788 patent for example discloses a special multiple part knife having a generally U-shaped hook blade arrangement for eviscerating of large game animals. The V-shaped cutting edge is located inside of the U-shaped blade construction and is adapted after insertion to be pulled through the animal hide to sever the hide. The outer side of the U-shaped blade construction serves to guide and separate the skin from the innards of the animal thereby minimizing the danger of actually severing the animals innards. The pulling and inverted arrangement of the blade results in cutting from the inside out thereby minimizing the introduction of hair and foreign matter into the animal. The above patent also discloses multiple cutting blades with a second blade extending outwardly from the handle structure to provide for a more or less conventional forwardly projecting blade. The extended blade is desirable for skinning of the animal, wherein the skin is laid back and separated from the meat. The multiple blade unit of course requires separation of the knife structure for enclosing of the blades within the handle structure. The storing of the blades within the handle is of course desirable to avoid accidental engagement with the sharp cutting edges during storage and particularly while carrying the knife unit in the woods. The above structure does of course requires the opening and assembly of the knife structure in the woods, and often under severe environmental conditions such as cold, snow and the like. A similar eviscerating knife is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,906,021 which issued on Sept. 29, 1959. The latter patent discloses a single purpose U-shaped eviscerating knife, with an exposed blade. Generally, one would store the knife in a separate storage casing to avoid damaging or injury while carrying of the knife. The latter patent also discloses a generally conventional folding knife. The outer end of the handle is formed with a pivotal end movable from a closed protective position outwardly to form a jaw-like portion to permit an inside out cut with the tip portion of the blade.

The prior art solutions minimize the cutting of the innards of the animal while providing for opening of the animal as well as skinning of the animal.

Generally, the prior art as known to applicant has certain disadvantages, such as cost, inconvenient usage of the knife in the field and special storage requirement. There is a need for a highly safe and effective game hunter's knife which is conveniently used, stored and carried, and which of course can be constructed without undue cost.

The present invention is particularly directed to an improved eviscerating game hunter's knife, and in a optimum and particularly unique construction is directed to a dual functioning game hunter's knife having a folding blade unit which can be positioned in one position for optimum eviscerating cuts and alternately in a second position for skinning or like cuts.

Generally, in accordance with the present invention, the game hunter's hunting knife is constructed with a handle for operating of the knife, with a folding blade and a folding eviscerating back guard constructed and arranged which permits orientation of the blade and the eviscerating guard with respect to the handle to provide for an optimal eviscerating inside-out cut. For the dual functional game knife embodiment, the pivotal blade has an alternate position with the blade projecting outwardly in a skinning position.

More particularly in one embodiment of the invention, the handle is constructed for convenient grasping in the hand of the hunter or other user. An elongated blade is pivotally mounted in one end of the handle, which is provided with a through opening or slot permitting the orientation of the blade to the opposite sides of the handle. The blade has at least one sharp edge. The eviscerating guard is pivotally secured to the handle is and pivotal to one side of the handle with the blade. The guard is located opposite the particular eviscerating cutting edge of the blade. The blade and guard is pivoted outwardly, preferably substantially to about 45.degree.. The blade is then located for convenient cutting of the animal hide by a pulling action, with the eviscerating guard separating the entrails and meat from the skin during the cutting operation and thereby providing optimal severing. The handle provides a completely satisfactory handle for exerting the necessary pulling force. The handle may of course be constructed in any suitable manner to permit the holding required for convenient and reliable cutting of the hide. In the dual cutting action hunting knife, the blade slot or opening permits rotating the blade from the storage position to the opposite side of the handle from that used for the eviscerating cut. The guard is folded to abut the handle and includes an outer projection extending outwardly from the pivot end of the knife. In the skinning position, the blade is rotated to the opposite side, to generally extend longitudinally outwardly of the handle. The extended end of the guard serves as a back support and stop for the blade in the extended position. The extended portion of the guard thus locates and firmly holds the blade in position for cutting during skinning and other like conventional knife functions.

More particularly in a preferred embodiment of the dual action hunting knife, the handle is formed as an elongated and geneally flat handle somewhat longer than the width of the conventional hunter's hand. The one end of the knife handle is formed with a lateral through-slot. The handle may conveniently be formed with conventionally curved serpentine opposites long side edges providing for recesses within which the user's fingers are conveniently located for firm grasping of the handle. The blade and separator or eviscerating cover are rotatably pinned within the outermost end of the blade handle and slot. The blade is formed with a single cutting edge and of a length to pass through and within the slot from either side of the handle. The blade is preferably formed with a conventional tapered knife construction having a single cutting edge which curves and tapers to a sharp point. The eviscerating cover or separator is formed of a thickness generally corresponding to that of the handle and is formed with a generally curved configuration from the pivot point beyond the tip of the blade. The cover includes an inner recess within which the back edge of the blade fits with the tip of the blade located within the recess. Thus with the cover and the blade pivoted outwardly, and with the blade in the nested position, the main cutting edge of the blade is exposed facing inwardly toward the handle to provide the inside-out cut blade.

The outer cover includes am integral oppositely extending portion which curves in a somewhat opposite direction for a short distance. The extension is of a substantially shorter length than the length of the cutting blade. The extension includes an inner edge recess adapted to mate with the back edge of the blade immediately adjacent to the pivot location. With the blade pivoted outwardly in the opposite direction from the eviscerating position, the blade is in the skinning or more conventional knife position and engages the recess of the extension. The cover abutts the side of the knife handle for appropriately locating of the blade for skinning or the like. The cover is of course conveniently grasped and pivoted to the desired position. The knife blade is preferably formed with a knurled enlargement at the pivot position for appropriately rotating of the knife to the desired alternate position operative positions. The cover may move to the desired position upon the rotating of the blade.

In the folded carrying position, the knife blade is held within the pass-through slot to firmly and reliably protect the knife blade, permitting safe and reliable storage and carrying of the knife. Third, the knife is readily positioned in the desired cutting position.

The present invention thus provides a relatively simple folded knife construction which may be readily constructed as a multiple functioning hunting knife with the single blade movable between the alternate eviscerating position and skinning position. The knife construction is readily adapted to more or less to conventional mass production using readily available and constructed elements and components.

The drawing furnished herewith further illustrates a preferred construction of the present invention in which the above features and advantages as well as others are clearly disclosed.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the dual action hunting knife with the blade located in the eviscerating position;

FIG. 2 is a plan view with the knife of FIG. 1 in the folded storage and carrying position;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the knife of FIGS. 1 and 2 showing the knife blade in the skinning position;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal edge view and taken along line 4--4 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a vertical section taken generally on line 5--5 of FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawing and particularly to FIG. 1 the illustrated hunting knife includes an elongated hand-held handle 1. A double edged blade 2 has a first cutting edge 3 extending throughout substantially one edge of the knife blade 2. The blade 2 is pivotally secured to one outer end of the handle as at 4. A back-edge blade cover or shield 5 is pivotally secured to the handle 1 with the blade 2 and extends outwardly over the back edge of the blade 2. In one pivoted position, shown in FIG. 1, the blade 2 and cover 5 are shown projected outwardly at an angle to the handle 1, with the cutting edge 3 facing toward handle 1. FIG. 1 thus illustrate the knife in an inside-out cutting arrangement for opening of an animal by severing of the hide. The shield 5 is located inwardly within the animal and protects the animals innards from the blade 2 proper, and minimizes and essentially prevents actual opening and distruction of the innards. The blade 2 is formed at the pivot unit 4 with an enlarged knurled portion 6 permitting the pivoting of the blade 2 from the position of FIG. 1 toward the handle 1. A through-slot 7 is formed in the handle 1. The through-slot 7 extends from the pivot unit 4 for a length somewhat slightly greater than the length of total length of the cutting blade 2 and extends from the opposite side edges 8 and 9 of the handle 1. Thus, the blade 2 which may be pivoted inwardly within the slot 7 to a protected position as shown in FIG. 2. The outer shield 5 is folded to abut the adjacent edge 9 of the knife to provide a compact pivoted knife unit for storage carrying and the like.

The blade 2 is also adapted to be pivoted from the opposite outer edge 8 of the slot 7, with the cover 5 in the folded position. In the alternate position, the blade 2 projects outwardly from the pivot unit 4 with the knife back edge of the blade abutting a short, extended portion 9a of the cover 5 as shown in FIG. 3.

The width of the handle 1, at least in the area of the slot 7 of a sufficient width to receive the blade 2 and completely confines the blade within the handle 1 during storage carrying and the like, for example, as shown in the dotted outline in FIG. 2. The blade 2 is held in the storage position as well as in the alternate position in any desired manner, such as by a conventional latch or pressure fit. In the functioning or cutting positions, the cover 5 may function as a stop to positively limit and position the blade in the alternate functioning location against the cutting forces created by the use of the knife.

In summary, as shown in FIGS. 1 through 3, the knife unit is adapted to be a folded knife unit with the knife blade protected, and alternately and selectively the blade 2 may be rotated into either of the eviscerating position of FIG. 1 or the skinning position of FIG. 3 with the cutting edge 3 of the blade appropriate exposed and oriented for the desired functioning.

More particularly, the shield 5 includes a blade cover portion 10 of a length somewhat greater than the length of the blade 2. The thickness of the shield 5 is greater than the thickness of the cutting blade and generally will be formed of a thickness corresponding to that of the handle 1. The outer edge 10a of the shield 5 is formed as a continuous and smooth curved outer edge. The edge 10a not only curves smoothly from the pivot location outwardly beyond the tip of the blade but also has smooth curved side edges merging with the sides of the shield 5. The shield 5 also includes an inner slot or recess 11 of a thickness generally corresponding to the thickness of the back portion of the blade 2. The recess 11 is of a sufficient depth to telescope and receive the back edge of the blade knife 2 with the cutting edge in the eviscerating position exposed and to completely cover the outermost pointed end of the knife blade, as shown in FIG. 1. In the position of FIG. 1, the cutting edge is exposed inwardly throughout a partial length of the cover and generally provides a continuous expose cutting edge which terminates within and inwardly of the outermost end of the cover. The curved cover includes an outer curved tip portion 11a extending from the exposed cutting edge 3 of blade 2. The reverse portion is again formed as a smooth curved surface, having side edges with merges with the side walls and opposite edge of the cover or shield. The smooth curved back edge and extended portion which extends outwardly and longitudinally of the blade 2 will serve to engage the inner portions of the animal and move such portions inwardly and away from the skin before the blade 3 reaches the previously engaged portion of the skin.

The shield 5 has an enlarged circular portion at the pivot unit 4 between or within the slot 7 of the knife handle. The pivot unit passes between the handle and particularly the enlarged circular portion of the shield 5 and the knurled portion 6 of the knife blade 2 to pivotally support the cover.

A smooth, curved portion 14 of the shield 5 projects in the opposite direction of the handle 1 from that of the blade cover portion 10. The extension portion 14 curves outwardly with an inner edge curving outwardly from the handle in a direction generally opposite of the cover portion. The length of the extension 14 is only a portion of the length of the blade 2 and generally is shown as approximately 1/3 of the length of the blade. The reverse curved portion 14 includes an inner edge recess 15 extending throughout the length thereof and of a width generally corresponding to the thickness of the back portion of the blade 2 adjacent the pivot unit 4, and adapted to receive the blade in the skinning position shown in FIG. 3.

The illustrated cutting blade 2 is shown as a more or less conventional knife blade having the circular pivot portion 6 at the pivot unit 4. The blade 2 is formed with a smewhat generally curved back edge 18 extending from the circular portion 6 outwardly to a sharp outer point 19 with edge 3. The curved cutting edge 3 of the blade 2 extends outwardly from the circular portion 6 in a substantially curved manner with the outer end portion extending as a straight portion to the sharp point formed with the edge 3. The enlarged circular portion 6 at the pivot unit 4 has an outer knurled edge 20 for convenient pivoting of the knife within the pivot unit 4.

The illustrated pivot unit 4 is formed as a simple pin type pivot with a pivot bolt and nut unit extending through the handle 1, the shield 5 and the blade 2. Suitable lock washers are located within the pivot unit to provide an engagement and preferred pressure lock of the blade in the desired position, and a locking nut 21 provided for locking in the plate and shield in place.

The present invention provides a significantly practical hunting knife for immediate partial dressing of an animal in the field, and such a knife may be conveniently constructed with existing technology.

Although the knife has been developed for hunters of game animals, the knife may of course be used in other applications particularly where a pulling action is desired and the protected blade provides the desired orientation. The knife would be useful as part of a survival and/or emergency unit. For example, the knife provides an excellent cutter for cutting seat belts and similar restraining straps and tie-downs in vehicles in an emergency. The knife can be readily constructed as a compact and light weight unit for use by travelers, airborne survival vests and the like.

Various modes of carrying out the invention are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as the invention.