This invention relates generally to a combination locking sheath and knife, and more specifically, a knife that can be easily extracted from the sheath for use.
When carrying a fixed-blade knife, it is typically desired that the knife blade be retained within a sheath or scabbard at all times the knife is not in use. Furthermore, since fixed-blade knives are typically carried and used in dynamic activities such as hunting, SCUBA diving, sky diving and other such activities, it is desirable to have the fixed-blade knife secured to the sheath such that the knife will not be lost, and more importantly that the knife will not inadvertently exit the sheath and injure the carrier or others in close proximity and will not damage any gear.
There do remain instances, however, where extraction of the knife from the sheath very quickly and easily is of paramount importance. Such instances may include, for example, a sky diver having to cut himself free from a tangled parachute, or a SCUBA diver getting entangled in fishing lines from a passing boat.
The need for securing a knife to a sheath was recognized long before any patent system was developed, and was originally accomplished by simply tying the knife to the sheath with a leather strap. The leather strap was eventually given a snap to make it faster and more user-friendly.
In more recent years, locking mechanisms have included such ideas as a rubber ring that is stretched over the handle of the knife, which is particularly common in SCUBA diving knives, as well as spring biased levers, latches, or buttons. The spring biasing devices have been located on either the knife handle or on the sheath. In either case however, the spring-biased device springs back to its original position upon releasing the knife from the sheath. In the case where the spring-biased device is on the knife, there exists potential for the spring-biased device to interfere with the interaction between the user's hand and the knife such that comfort, safety, and usefulness are hindered. It is also typical for the spring-biased device to be physically located in such a place and manner that one or more fingers are required to perform dexterous tasks in order for the locking mechanism to be disengaged.
What is needed, therefore, is a knife that can be securely locked into a sheath when not in use, yet requires no additional action other than gripping the knife in a normal use position to release the locking mechanism, without sacrificing comfort, safety, and usefulness.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a locking knife and sheath combination which allows for automatic locking of the knife to the sheath upon insertion therein, and which allows for quick and easy unlocking of the knife from the sheath by simply grasping the knife firmly by the handle in preparation for normal knife use.
It is another objective of the invention to provide a locking knife and sheath combination wherein upon extraction of the knife from the sheath, the knife is free from unrestrained spring biasing members that may interfere with comfort, safely, and usefulness of the knife.
Generally, the present invention includes a fixed blade knife having an elongated blade and a tang end. The tang end of the knife has scales on each side to form the knife handle, with the tang end being placed at the top of the scales. A spring-assisted release lever is pivotally mounted between the scales below the blade tang, and rotates partially out of the handle bottom end where the blade transitions into the tang; the spring urging the release lever to rotate out of the handle. A spring-assisted release lever retainer is incorporated into one scale beside the blade tang, and secures the release lever within the scales of the handle when the knife is extracted from the sheath such that the release lever does not interfere with the use or feel of the handle. When the knife is inserted into the sheath, an interface plate protrusion on the sheath interacts with a lock spring plate, thereby allowing the release lever to rotate partially out of the handle and interact with a catch on the sheath to secure the knife into the sheath.
The present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which some but not all embodiments of the invention are shown. Indeed, this invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.
As shown in
The knife 10 may be comprised of a blade 15 at one end that translates in the medial portion of the knife to a blade tang 16 at the other end. Generally, the blade 15 and the blade tang 16 are made from a single piece of metal. Scales 14 may be attached to the blade tang 16 through fastener holes 21 via fasteners 22 to form a handle, and may be manufactured out of natural or synthetic materials. Fasteners 22 again may be screws, rivets, bolts, or other mechanical fasteners as known in the art. Optionally, a lanyard hole 24 may extend through the scales 14 and blade tang 16 for receiving a lanyard.
The inside walls of scales 14, or in other words the walls of the scales 14 that contact the blade tang 16 have voids for receiving and encasing other mechanical parts. As can best be seen in
As seen in
The lock spring plate 38 contains a sheath interface plate 48 that interacts with the interface plate protrusion 60 on sheath 12 when the knife 10 is inserted into the sheath, the interaction resulting in the lock spring plate 38 being rotated clockwise, against the resistance of the lock spring 44. A spring release catch 46 is located on the other end of the lock spring plate 38, and interacts with an upper spring release protrusion 50 on the medial end of the spring release lever 18. As shown in
When the knife 10 is inserted back into the sheath 12, the interface plate protrusion 60 of the sheath 12 contacts the sheath interface plate 48 of the lock spring plate 38, and causes it to rotate clockwise around the lock spring resistor 42 and against the resistance provided by lock spring 44. This, in turn, rotates the spring release catch 46 away from upper spring release protrusion 50 and into a spring catch void 56, thereby allowing the spring release lever 18 to rotate counterclockwise around the spring release axle 26 until the upper spring release protrusion 50 contacts and rests upon blade lock protrusion 54. At this point, the medial end of a textured grip 20 of the spring release lever 18 interacts with a spring catch 58, thereby holding the knife 10 securely in the sheath 12, as shown in
Although the embodiment shown includes only one interface plate protrusion on the sheath, and interacting with one lock spring plate, the invention could optionally have multiple such protrusions to interact with one or more lock spring plates. Similarly, the embodiment shown has the interface plate protrusion and the lock spring plate on the top of the sheath and knife respectively, it may be located at any point where the sheath and knife could interact and enable the knife to lock into the sheath. The spring release and spring catch are also not limited by the location or by numbers. Indeed, multiple spring releases and spring catches could be utilized, such as one on the top and another on the bottom of the knife and sheath respectively, or perhaps from each of the scales, for example.
Spring catch 58 is shown as a metal bar that extends outward from the medial end of the sheath, but could optionally be molded as part of the sheath in any suitable material such as sheet metal, plastic, glass-filled nylon and so forth, and my be in the shape shown, or converted to other shapes such as an cup shape that holds the medial portion of the textured grip.
Although the example shown is a knife and sheath combination, the principles taught may also be applied to other hand tools ranging from screwdrivers to cameras where it is desired to secure an item in a sheath or similar protective or storage case, but be unimpeded by the locking mechanism when the tool is extracted.
Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which this invention pertains having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing description and associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that modification and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not for purposes of limitation.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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