Knife Lock Mechanism

This invention relates to a folding knife having a manually depressible lock element for holding the knife blade in a closed position or an open position. The lock element is preferably formed as a slidable lock pin movable at right angles to the motion plane of the blade, such that the blade cannot easily deflect the lock pin from its lock position.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,670,984 issued to T. Richard shows a folding knife that is in some respects similar to the knife of the present invention. However in the knife of U.S. Pat. No. 4,670,984 the lock element is formed as a lateral extension of the blade pivot pin. This extension would in many cases have to be a relatively small size structural component. I believe such a small size component might have strength deficiencies and alignment deficiencies. Also, assembly (manufacture) of the pivot pin-lock element combination might prove to be a relatively difficult manipulative operation. The lock element mechanism of my invention is believed to have advantages over the lock element shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,670,984.

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a folding knife embodying this invention. The knife blade is shown in an open position.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on broken line 2--2 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of the FIG. 1 knife in the general plane of the knife blade.

FIG. 4 is a view taken in the same direction as FIG. 2, but illustrating another form of the invention.

FIGS. 1 through 3 illustrate a folding knife that includes a hollow handle 10 and a flat blade 12. The blade is adapted for swinging motion around a pivot pin 13 for movement between an open position (shown in FIG. 1) and a closed position telescoped into the handle. Numeral 15 in FIG. 1 designates the arcuate swinging motion of the blade between its open and closed positions.

Handle 12 comprises two flat parallel walls 17 and 19 connected along adjacent edge areas by means of a web wall 21. The two walls 17 and 19 are spaced apart to form a blade-accommodation space 23. A pivot pin 13 extends between walls 17 and 19 near one end of the blade-accommodation space.

The knife blade has a circular hole concentric with pivot pin 13, such that the blade can be manually swung around the pivot pin axis. An arcuate edge 25 is formed on the blade concentric with the pivot pin axis. Two diametrically-spaced notches 27 and 29 are formed in the arcuate blade edge to mate with a circular lock pin 31. As seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, each notch has a semi-circular configuration conforming to the side surface contour on lock pin 31.

Lock pin 31 extends freely through circular holes in handle walls 17 and 19, such that the pin can be manually depressed for slidable motion parallel to the axis of pivot pin 13. Extending transversely through lock pin 31 is a semi-circular slot 34. A leaf spring 33 has one end thereof attached to pin 31 near its rightmost edge (FIGS. 1 and 2). Near its leftmost edge the leaf spring is attached to wall 17 by a rivet 35. The spring is configured to normally bias lock pin 31 upwardly (in FIG. 2) to a position wherein the cylindrical pin extends through one of the notches in blade edge 25. A flange 37 on the pin limits the pin motion in the upward direction.

Slot 34 is located along the side surface of the lock pin so that when downward manual pressure is applied to the right most portion of spring 33 the slot moves into the plane of blade 12. The slot is slightly wider than the blade thickness, such that when lock pin 31 is depressed edge 25 of the blade can move through slot 34; the blade can be swung around pin 13 to the open or closed position. In the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 notch 27 retains the blade locked in the open position. When the blade is swung clockwise (arrow 15 in FIG. 1) and pressure on spring 33 is released, notch 29 can engage pin 31 for holding the blade in the closed position. FIG. 3 shows the blade in an intermediate position, with the arcuate edge 25 of the blade extending through slot 34 in lock pin 31. When the blade reaches its closed or open position the leaf spring snaps the lock pin to its locked position extending through one of the notches in blade edge 25. There is an audible clicking that alerts the person to the fact that the blade is locked. The lock pin extends across the blade edge to provide a relatively high strength lock action resistant to deflection or excessive wear.

FIG. 4 shows a second form of the invention, wherein leaf spring 33 has a portion thereof connected to wall 19 and another portion thereof connected to the lower end of lock pin 31a. The lock pin has an enlarged head 39 on its upper end. Spring 33 is configured to exert an upward pushing action on the pin.

Manual pressure on head 39 depresses the lock pin so that its transverse slot 34 lies in the plane of the knife blade 12, thereby permitting the blade to be manually swung around the axis of pivot pin 13. Normally spring 33 will hold lock pin 31a in its lock position extending through one of the notches in the arcuate edge of the blade.

The drawings show two specific forms of the invention. However, it will be appreciated that the invention can be practiced in other forms.