KNIFE WITH PUSH BUTTON ARTICULATED SPRING

Abstract

A folding knife with a push button automatic open spring configuration to propel the pivoted knife blade outwardly from between the support handle frames. A bifurcated compound spring configuration has a transverse blade engagement portion and a pair of returning integral handle engagement arms against which the spring is compressed when in closed folded position within the handle. The bifurcated spring exerts opening force on the blade when the blade is released to a full open use position.

Claims

1. An automatic opening folding blade knife comprising, a handle portion defining a recess into which a knife blade is capable of retracting, A bifurcated dual blade engagement spring retained within said handle portion, Said bifurcated dual blade engagement spring having elongated pairs of spaced parallel arms, said arm pairs interconnected to one another defining a frame engagement arm pair and a blade engagement arm pair, blade engagement arm pair having interconnected end linkage for direct transverse contact with said knife blade when retracted within the handle recess, a blade release, registerable with said knife blade.

2. The automatic opening folding knife blade of claim 1 wherein said knife blade has an apertured proximal end tang with locking and release notches therein.

3. The automatic opening folding knife blade of claim 1 wherein said bifurcated dual blade engagement spring applies force on said blade adjacent to said blade release.

4. The automatic opening folding knife blade of claim 1 wherein said bifurcated dual blade engagement spring frame engagement arm pairs have respective free ends in contact with said handle portion.

5. The automatic opening folding knife blade of claim 1 wherein said bifurcated dual blade engagement spring pairs of spaced parallel arms further comprises, a single continuous spring wire.

6. The automatic opening folding knife blade of claim 1 wherein said blade release registerable with said knife blade comprises, a spring urged button extending through said frame and said handle portion.

7. The automatic opening folding knife blade of claim 1 wherein said spring pairs of spaced parallel arms are in spaced vertical overlying position to one another.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the folding knife and spring of the invention in open position.

[0012] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the folding knife and spring of the invention in closed position.

[0013] FIG. 3 is an enlarged top plan view of the folding knife in closed position.

[0014] FIG. 4 is a graphic sectional view of the folding knife with the spring of the invention in closed compressed position shown in solid lines and in open position in broken lines.

[0015] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a folding knife in closed position prior to deployment of the blade.

[0016] FIG. 6 is an enlarged side elevational view of the knife's spring in rest position and in compressed position shown in broken lines within a spring retaining frame of the handle.

[0017] FIG. 7 is a top plan view thereof.

[0018] FIG. 8 is an end elevational view of the knife spring.

[0019] FIG. 9 is a side elevational sectional view of the folding knife and spring in open locked position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, a dual spring 10 of the invention can be seen in a folding knife 11. The folding knife 11 has a handle portion 12 adapted to receive a knife blade 13 pivotally positioned there within. The exploded view shows the handle portion 12 having a pair of oppositely disposed identical frame members 14 and 15, each having multiple assembly apertures A aligned with one another for receiving tubular spacers 16 and corresponding fasteners F there through.

[0021] Spring receiving recesses 16A and 16B are formed respectively in each of the frame members 14 and 15 in aligned facing orientation to receive and hold the dual spring 10 of the invention there within. The folding knife blade 13 proximal end having an apertured contoured arcuate surface tang 13A for receiving a blade pivot pin assembly 17 there through with aligned apertures in the corresponding frame members 14 and 15 have oppositely disposed spacer washers W and a pair of interengaging thread fasteners F for pivotally securing the blade 13 to the handle portion 12, as will be well understood by those skilled in the art.

[0022] The proximal end of the knife blade 13 tang 13A has a release engagement and retainment notches 18A and 18B aligned to receive a spring urged release button 19 as best seen in FIG. 5 of the drawings that is movable from a depressed release position to an engagement lock in both blade open and closed position.

[0023] As noted, the dual spring 10 of the invention is retained within the corresponding spring receiving and retaining recesses 16A and 16B that are of a general V-shape with a reduced transverse arcuate base end 17A tapering outwardly to an oppositely disposed wider distal end 17B.

[0024] Referring now to FIGS. 1-4 and 6-9 of the drawings, the dual spring 10 of the invention can be seen having a blade engagement portion 21 and a frame engagement portion 22. The dual spring 10 is formed from a continuous length of contoured wire resilient material, in the example spring steel which under translateral compression will impart stored kinetic energy when released. The blade engagement portion 21 defines an elongated U-shaped configuration with a pair of spaced parallel extending arms 23 interconnected by an integral end linkage 24 that is in direct transverse contact with the knife blade 13 adjacent the blade retaining and release notches 18A in the tang 13A when folded in closed position with the spring 10 in compressed orientation as seen in FIGS. 2 and 5 of the drawings.

[0025] The spring frame engagement portion 22 has a pair of spaced parallel free end arms 25 that are interconnected to the respective corresponding blade engagement arms 22 in oppositely disposed relation thereto in a continuous configuration.

[0026] The frame engagement arms 25 are therefore registerable within the respective spring receiving recesses 16A and 16B as hereinbefore described when assembled.

[0027] It will be apparent that the spring force, force exerted by the spring perpendicular to the contact tangency line CTL on the knife blade, illustrated best in FIG. 6 of the drawings, supplies the opening force to the blade 13 once released sufficient to open the knife blade to a blade extended locked position as illustrated in FIG. 9 of the drawings.

[0028] In application, the dual spring 10 is assembled into the knife frame members 14 and 15 in aligned spring receiving recesses 16A and 16B, best seen in FIGS. 3, 4 and 6 of the drawings in a blade open configuration illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 9 of the drawings. Once assembled by corresponding interengaging fasteners F, the knife frames 14 and 15 secure the aforementioned dual spring 10 and folding knife blade 13 within the spring receiving area with a spring urged blade lock and release button 26 in positional orientation there through.

[0029] It will be seen in operation, the assembled release button 26 when depressed releases the knife blade 13 allowing it to move from an open locked use position to a folded lock position within the handle portion 12 thereby compressing the dual spring 10 within the spring receiving recesses 16A and 16B as seen in FIGS. 2, 5 and 6 of the drawings with the lock button 26 engaged in the corresponding notch locking the blade in place under spring tension.

[0030] For activation and automatic release, the lock button 26 is then depressed displacing the button from a temporary locking engagement within the recess notch 18A in the proximal end tang 13A of the knife blade 13.

[0031] The dual spring 10 in transverse linkage 24 engagement with the knife blade 13 surface S is released propelling the knife blade 13 from within the handle portion 12 to a fully open position as seen in FIGS. 1 and 9 of the drawings.

[0032] A blade stop pin 27 fixed to the handle frame engages the knife blade 13 upstanding stop portion 28 and the spring urged release button 26 registers in the locking notch 18B of blade in the handle in open locked position.

[0033] Correspondingly, to close the knife 11, the release button 26 is depressed displacing the button from the locking notch 18B allowing the blade 13 to be folded into the handle portion 12 engaging and compressing the dual spring 10 as hereinbefore described.

[0034] It will be evident that the release button 26 automatically engages the tang notch 18A locking the blade in closed folded position, as seen in FIG. 4 of the drawings.

[0035] It will be seen that by providing a bifurcated dual spring 10 in transverse end registration against the blade surface independently of the blade tang 13B that a true auto opening switch blade folding knife can be achieved.

[0036] It will thus be seen that a new and novel bifurcated dual spring for application use within an automatic release folding knife has been illustrated and described and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention.