Patent ID: 7080457
Filing Date: 2006-07-25
Classification: B26B

Abstract:
1. A folding knife, comprising: a handle defining a longitudinal axis, a knife-receiving chamber, and a spring chamber, said handle supporting a pivot pin; a blade having a tip end and a tang end, said tang end being pivotally attached to said handle about said pivot pin between a recessed position, wherein said blade resides within said knife-receiving chamber of said handle, and a usable position wherein said blade resides outside of said handle and inline with said longitudinal axis, said tang end of said blade including a slotted recess; a spring located within said spring chamber, said spring including a first end that is connected to said body of said handle and a second end; and a linkage including a first part and a second part, with said first part being connected to said tang end of said blade within said slotted recess and said second part being confined within said spring chamber and pivotally attached to said second end of said spring so that said spring force applies a pivotal force to said blade, said first part defining a tang end of said linkage and being pivotally attached to said second part as well as to said knife blade to provide an over-center arrangement with respect to said knife so that when said knife blade is within said knife-receiving chamber, said spring force causes said knife blade to remain in said handle, and when said knife blade is positioned about said pivot pin to a predetermined angle with respect to said longitudinal axis, said spring force causes said blade to open quickly to its usable position, said linkage and said spring being positioned and operating in alignment with the plane of the blade.