Knife sheath

A sheath and sheath knife wherein the sheath is of rigid construction fabricated from a formed metallic liner and a leather covering. This invention relates to a sheath knife and unique sheath device assembly. The assembly is of a nature incorporating a rigid belt type sheath device adapted to receive a waist-line belt through a belt loop portion thereof. The sheath device is configured to provide a discreet offset between the plane of the belt loop portion and its holding sheathing portion.

It is a feature of the invention to provide a new and improved sheath 
device for a sheath knife of the hunting knife variety which provides 
greater comfort for the user thereof and greater rigidity of support for 
the sheath knife carried therein. 
It is an object of the instant invention to provide a more durable and yet 
more comfortable sheath device and knife assembly which provides all of 
the advantages of sheaths for hunting-type sheath knives of the character 
heretofore or now in use and provides additional rigidity and protection 
for both the blade portion of the knife and the body of the wearer of the 
assembly. 
Another object is to provide a sheath device and sheath knife assembly 
wherein the sheath device is of a rigid construction and is economical to 
manufacture in that thinner layers of leather material may be utilized in 
the construction of the portion of the sheath device overlying the 
metallic former incorporated therein. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved sheath 
device and knife assembly wherein the belt loop portion which is attached 
to the belt of the user is offset relative to the plane of the blade 
supporting and sheathing portion of the sheath knife assembly, in a manner 
to provide a more comfortable lay of the sheathing portion of the device 
against the leg or hip of the individual user wearing the sheath knife. 
In correlation with the foregoing object it is an additional object to 
provide a sheath device of a sandwich-type construction in which 
rivet-type fastenings as utilized in the prior art sheaths are minimized 
and stitched methods of assembly for laminated sheath construction also of 
a nature well known in the prior art are obviated and yet a device is 
provided which provides greater serviceability and comfort for the 
individual when the assembly is in use.

Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, there is a showing of the handle 
portion 1 of a hunting knife 2 of a conventional nature incorporating a 
steel blade 3, which is not visible in FIGS. 1 and 2 but is understood to 
be inserted in the sheath portion 4 of the sheath device 5 as indicated by 
the dash - line outline in FIG. 1. The handle portion 1 incorporates an 
assembly which is for all practical purposes manufactured integral with 
the blade 3. The handle 1 may be constructed in any suitable manner as is 
well known in the art. 
The sheath portion 4 is constructed generally in a configuration to conform 
to the outline of the blade 3 of the knife 2 with an extension around the 
periphery of the portion indicated at 4 where the knife is inserted 
therein to provide an overlap for protection of the blade and protection 
of the person using the sheath knife thereby to avoid accidental injury 
from the sharp cutting edge portion and point of the knife blade 3. 
Referring now to FIG. 2 and more particularly to the broken-away portion 
indicated in section, the formed metal support or liner member 6 of the 
sandwich is configured with an offset at 7 between the terminal portion 8 
of the upper end of the blade receiving section thereof and the portion 9 
along which the handle 1 is intended to lie. The upper or outer terminal 
portion at 10 of this off-set area is provided with a loop of a nature to 
permit passage of a belt therethrough at 11 whereby the user may carry the 
knife in the sheath device as an assembly dependent from a belt worn about 
the user's waist. The lower terminal portion 12 of the belt loop is 
deformed to return to a parallel position adjacent to the areas of the 
upper portion as indicated at 6 and 7 respectively. 
The outer surface 4 of the sheath device 5 is of relatively thin leather 
such for example as deer skin or buck skin. It is thin as compared with 
the sole-type leather used for a sheath in the prior art. It is of such 
nature as to completely enclose the metal former or liner 6. It fits in a 
glove-tight manner about the insert or metal former member 6. In addition 
to providing protection for the knife blade 3 on the inside of the sheath 
portion, it also protects the wearer thereof. The foregoing disclosed 
construction renders the sheath device of the assembly relatively simple 
and economical to manufacture. Assembly is accomplished by gluing up the 
leather portions about all of the outer surfaces of the metal former 
member 6. 
The cross sectional view of FIG. 3 indicates the general shape of the metal 
former 6 as disposed in sandwich-type form in the sheath portion 4. The 
cross sectional view of FIG. 4 indicates the construction which provides a 
belt loop as indicated by the void at 11. 
The configuration of the metal former 6, preferably of aluminum alloy, as 
well as the developed configuration of the leather elements is indicated 
in FIG. 5. 
After the former or liner 6 is bent to shape along line 13, the outer edges 
at 14 are fastened together by rivets at 15. The leather on the top and 
bottom is cemented over the rivets at final assembly. The belt loop 
portion is rivited together at 16. 
While the invention has been described with reference to a preferred 
embodiment thereof which gives satisfactory results, it will be obvious to 
those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains, understanding 
the invention, that various changes and modifications may be made as to 
the fastening devices and the like by using other instrumentalities of a 
conventional nature without departing from the spirit and scope of the 
invention. 
The presently disclosed embodiment is, therefore, to be considered in all 
respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention 
being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing 
description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of 
equivalency of the claims are, therefore, intended to be embraced therein. 
The rigid former may be fabricated from other than a metallic material. 
The cross sectional shape of the blade enclosing sheath portion may be of 
alternative shape in cross section. Alternative cross sectional shapes 
envisioned include among others, rectangular, triangular, trapezoidal, 
airfoil, flattened teardrop and elliptical.