Abstract:
A combined hatchet and knife are provided wherein the knife is stored in the handle of the hatchet for easy transportation by means which allow the knife to be completely separated from the hatchet when desired.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention is directed to tools normally carried by outdoorsmen for use when camping, fishing, hunting or similar types of activity. More specifically, the invention is directed to a combination tool whereby a plurality of tools are combined for easy packing and transporting as a single unit but which may be readily completely separated for independent use when desired. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In normal outdoor activities, such as camping, fishing, hunting or the like, it is desirable to have different tools available for different purposes. Two of the more commonly used tools in such activities are a hatchet and a knife. There have been suggestions in the prior art to combine these tools into a single unit. This is disclosed in Rieffer (U.S. Pat. No. 3,627,007); Shultz (U.S. Pat. No. 2,721,340) and Williamson (U.S. Pat. No. 2,280,463). However, in these prior art references, either the knife cannot be removed completely from the hatchet or the handle of the hatchet is shortened when the knife is completely removed. Eslick (U.S. Pat. No. 1,028,008) discloses a knife mounted in a handle of a hatchet so that the knife may be completely removed from the handle, but Eslick requires a sheath for the knife which sheath is not removed from the handle. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a combination tool which in the preferred embodiment comprises a hatchet and a knife wherein the knife is positioned in a cavity in the handle of the hatchet for ready transportation therewith but may be readily and completely removed from the handle when desired. This is accomplished by having a pin secured to the handle with a portion of the pin located in the cavity. The handle of the knife is provided with a cutout adjacent one end thereof which cutout partially surrounds the portion of the pin when the knife is positioned in the cavity. Means are provided for locking the knife in the cavity. In the preferred embodiment, the locking means comprises a quarter turn lock fastener having a shank portion extending through an opening in the handle of the knife. 
     It is an object of this invention to provide a combination tool wherein a cutting tool may be mounted in the handle of a tool by means which allow for readily removing the cutting tool completely from the handle. 
     It is another object of this invention to provide a combination tool wherein the useable portions of each tool remain the same when the cutting tool is completely removed from the handle. 
     These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of the preferred embodiment as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the various views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the knife removed from the handle; 
     FIG. 3 is a top plan view of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is an end view of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a plan view of one portion of the locking means with a portion of the handle in cross section; and 
     FIG. 6 is a plan view of the other portion of the locking means. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In FIG. 1, there is illustrated a combination tool having a handle 2. At one end of the handle, a hatchet head 4 is secured thereto by a pair of extensions 6 having rivets 8 extending therethrough. The handle 2 is provided with a cavity 10 defined by the walls 12. A cutting tool 14 having a handle 16 and a blade 18 is mounted in the cavity 10. A pin 20 is secured to the handle 2 and has a portion 22 in the cavity 10. One end of the handle 2 is provided with a cutout 24 which is adapted to partially surround the pin 20 when the cutting tool 14 is mounted in the cavity 10. The handle 16 of the cutting tool 14 is also provided with an opening 26 shaped to allow passage therethrough of the locking means described below. 
     The locking means is illustrated specifically in FIGS. 5 and 6 and comprises a quarter turn lock fastener having a head 28, a shank 30 and locking bars 32. A ring 34 is secured to the head 28 for assistance in turning or removing the locking means. A plate 36 having projections 38 for receiving the locking bars 32 is mounted in the handle 2. A recess 40 is provided in the handle 2 for receiving the head 28 and the ring 34 which may be folded over a projection 42 in the cavity so as not to interfere with gripping the handle 2 of the hatchet. A portion 44 of the recess 40 is joined to a recess 46 adjacent the cavity by a narrow opening 48 so that the locking means cannot be completely removed from the handle 2. 
     The cutting tool 14 is mounted in the cavity 10 by inserting the end of the cutting tool having the cutout 24 into the cavity 10 so that the cutout 24 partially surrounds the portion 22 of the pin 20. The cutting tool is then rotated about the pin 20 until it is fully within the cavity 22. The locking bars 32 are then passed through the opening 26 in the handle 16 and through the plate 36. The ring 34 is then used to turn the locking bars 32 one quarter of a turn into a position secured by the projections 38. When it is desired to remove the cutting tool 14, the foregoing procedure is reversed. 
     While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described herein, it may be otherwise embodied and practiced within the scope of the following claims.