A POCKET-TOOL, POCKET-KNIFE OR SIMILARLY RETRACTABLE TOOLS

Abstract: Tool elements (1) rotating in and out of the tool holder (4) around a cylinder (2) of such dimensions and construction that it has a strength similar to the tool elements, The aperture of the cylinder can fit, for instance, a forefinger, and, together with the flanges (19) of the cylinder, it will provide the user of the pocket tool with a firm grip. The greatly increased width of the tool element around the cylinder provides for a locking device (3) consisting of a spring-­ loaded cath (9) and a recess arrangement (9, 10) at the rim of the tool element so as to hold the opened tool element securely when in use. The locking device can be released by pulling a catch, or with the aid of a lever (6, 7).

Description: A pooket-tool, pooket-knife or similarly retraotable tools The invention relates to a folding-type pooket-tool such as a pocket-knife, with one or more tool-elements whereby the toolelements can rotate in and out of the holder which serves simultaneously as a protector and as a handle for handling the tots. Pooket-tools are handtools that oan be stored in a safe place whereby usually the handle serves simultaneously as the store. A mechanism releases and returns the tool-element to its store, usually a pivot-type arrangement is chosen, whereby the tool-element is rotating around a pin. The piwot-type pocket-tool has usually a spring that keeps the tool-element in place. By overooming the springaction usually by pulling at the tool-element, it snaps into open position. Similarly, by overcoming the springaotion in open position, the tool-element snaps into closed position. When the strength of the tool is put at a test, considerable forces have to be borne by the parts forming the pivot-arrangement, in particular bending-forces acting in a plane rectangular to the plane in which the tool pivots will give rise to distortion and damage to the pivot-arrangement. The tool itself usually oan withstand con- siderable higher bending-foroes. The weak spot of a pooket-tool is the pivot-arrangement, it does not allow a similar use being made of a pocket-knife and pocket-tool as of an equivalent fixed tool. A second reason why the two cannot be oonsidered equal and treated as such in use is often the lack of a looking device that locks the tool-element in the operating position. The invention as claimed is intended to remedy these drawbaoks. It solves the problem of how to design a pooket-tool and similarly retractable tools in which the forces are transmitted to the handle by means of a cylinder with solid flanges, of such dimensions that it has a similar strength and resistance against bending as the tool-element itself. The aperture of the cylinder and the flanges and their sizes give the pooket-tool a firm grip and a greatly increased width of the tool-element at the location of the cylinder sothat a locking device for insrance consisting of a spring loaded catch and chamber arrangement can operate with sufficient strength at the rim of the tool-element thereby adsorbing severe operating forces. It may be also possible to slip the forefinger through the aperture thereby improving the grip remarkably. By reducing the cross section of the pooket-tool after the cylinder, an extra safeguard and a further improved grip is achieved. The advantages offered by the invention are manifold: the rivetted ends of the pins, used normally for rotating the tool-elements, are not anymore pulled through the coverplates and the coverplates are not being bent which loosens the tool-elements. Accidents with pocket-tools are greatly reduced now that the tool-element cannot oollapse, fold baok and cut the operators hand. Also the hand is protected against sliding into the sharp edges of the tool, and it can now be made easily possible to replace tool-elements. Without complicating the pocket-tool by adding devices, the pooket-tool has beoome more effective, safer to operate, can be handled with greater force and has beoome extremaly durable. A way of carrying out the invention is described in detail below, with reference to drawings which illustrate only one specific embodiment of the invention with some variations in some details. The figures 1, 2 and 3 show a pooket-tool in closed position oom- prising essentially a tool-element 1, a cylinder 2 around which the tool-element 1 oan rotate, a springloaded looking device 3 securing the tool-element 1, ooverplates 4, separatingplates 5 and lifting handles 6, 7 and 8. In accordance with the invention, the tool-element 1 is firmly placed with flat surfaces between flat mating surfaoes of separatingplates 5 or coverplates 4. Likewise the innersurfaces of the flanges 19 of cylinder 2 rest firmly and with flat surfaoes against sating surfaces of the coverplates 4. The springloaded locking device 3 is keeping the tool-element 1 secured when catch 9 falls in chamber 10 which can be achieved by rotating tool-element 1 around cylinder 2. Lifting the looking device 3 can be accomplished in various ways, in figure 1 for instance a recess 12 is provided which can have various shapes and can also be a void. By pulling disengagement of catch 9 is achieved. The surface of tool-element 1 over which catch 9 moves falls back at location 13 where tool-element 1 is nearing its restposition as is shown in figure 1 and 2. This secures the toolelement 1 in its restposition. In figure 2 lifting handles 6 and 7 are shown as variations for lifting the springloaded looking device 3 when more force is required then can be reasonably expected from a thumbnail. Handle 6 pivots around pin 15 which runs through the separatingplates 5 and coverplates 4. Separatingplates 5 are having a recess 16 to accommodate handle 6. Oh handle 6 a stud 17 is provided resting with one side against the springloaded arm of locking device 3. When lifting and rotating handle 6, stud 17 rotates and lifts locking device 3 whereby face 18 becomes engaged. Handle 7 pivots around pin 15 in the same chamber that gives accommodation to the tool-element 1 thereby lifting locking device 3. A cross-section of the cylinder 2 is given showing an alternative solution to the locking of the tool-elements 1 and plates 4 and 5; instead of for instanoe direct riveting, a ring 20 is slipped over the unfinished end of the oylinder till it meets a stepwise increase in the diameter at the location of endplate 4 sothat ring 20 is locked in the right position when the cylinder extension is rolled into a flange. The advantage of this variation is that the landing force of ring 20 onto coverplate 4 by which the tool-elements 1 are looked can be well controlled. Ring 20 can have a circular shape or any other shape to improve its strength. Figure 3 shows a looking device whereby catch 9 extends over all tool-elements 1, serving all tool-elements 1 simultaneously. For lifting the locking device 3 any lifting device can be used. Shown is a handle 8 rotating around cylinder 2. Him 21 in oontaot with oatch 9 is curved such that a larger radius lifts the locking device 3 when handle 8 is rotating. For passing handle 8, locking device 3 is provided with a window 22. The fixed end of looking device 3 for instance has recesses 23 for accommodating separatingplates 5. Holes 24 for instance indicate a fastening means for coverplates 4, separatingplates 5 and the locking devioe(s) 3. Two more possible means of constructing the cylinder 2 are claimed. In detail A a double cylinder consisting of an inner cylinder 25 and an outer cylinder 26 are screwed in each other with matching thread sothat the toll-elements 1, separatingplates 5 and coverplates 4 are looked together as tight as required between the surfaces 27 and 28. The position of the two cylinders 25 and 26 can be secured for instance with a spring 29 provided in one of the coverplates with a buSt 30 that fits into a recess in the flange of one of the cylinders 25 and 26 while the other cylinder flange for instance is secured for instance with a fixed pin. This construction allows replacement of tool-elements 1 and cleaning. An other method of securing the two cylinders together is for instance by rolling the inner cylinder end into a flange 31 fitting a recess in the flange of the outer cylinder 26 fer instance as shown in detail B.

Claims: Claims 1. A pooket-tool and similarly acting multiple tool-carrying devices whereby tool-element 1 can We released from a holder and looked in position, oomprising of a holder consisting of coverplates 4 and separatingplates 5 with a oylinder 2 around which the tool-elements 1 rotate, wherein the ends of the oylinder 2 have flanges resting with flat surfaces against the flat corresponding outersurfaces of the coverplates 4, characterised in that the cylinder 2 consists of one or more solid undevided cylinders, and that the aperture can be small or of such size that it fits the forefinger, whereby tool-element 1 fits securely the oylinder 2 and has flat continuous parallel surfaoes matching and resting against flat surfaces of the separatingplates 5 and coverplates 4, and wherein a springloaded looking device 3 with catch 9 fits into a corresponding reoess 10 in the toolelement 1 and in a second looation which has a sloping surface 13 on the adjacent rim-surfaoe of the tool-element 1 and wherein the looking device 3 has a recess or void 12 for lifting and disengaging the locking device 3. 2. A pocket-tool as claimed in olaim 1 or any oombination of olaims, characterised in that the holder is reduced in width as compared to the seotion that accommodates the cylinder 2. 3. A pooket-tool as olaimed in claim 1 or any combination of claims, wherein the oylinder has a reoess and a mating ring 20=oharaoterised in that the package of tool-elements 1, separatingplates 5 and coverplates 4 fits preoisely the distance between ring 20 and the opposite flange 19. 4. X pooket-tool as claimed in claim 1 or any combination of claims, wherein the oylinder 2 consists of 2 cylinders 25 and 26 closely fitting in each other for instance with a thread or for instanoe rolled, characterised in that each cylinder has a flange 27 and 28, and a length such that when fitted together they fit preoisely the package of tools 1, separatingplates 5 and oovorplates 4. 5. A vooket-tool as claimed in claim 1 or any combination of claims, wherein the lifting means of the locking device 3 is a lever 6 located between the looking devices 3 with a stud 17 characterised in that when the lever 6 is lifted, the stud 17 is lifting the looking device 3. 6. A pocket-tool as claimed in claim 1 or any combination of claims, wherein the lifting means of the locking device 3 is a lever 7 looated inside the tool-element chamber of the holder and between the separatingplates 5 pivoting near the catoh 9 of the looking device 3 characterised in that the short end of lever 7 lifts the locking device 3 when the long end of the lever 7 is lifted out of the tool-element chamber. 7. A pocket-tool as claimed in claim 1 or any combination of claims, wherein the lifting means of the looking device 3 is a lever. 8 located between separatingplates 5 and pivoting around cylinder 2 characterised in that it lifts catch 9 directly with its rimsurface when rotating.

Inventors: VOSLAMBER, BRAM JAN
Applicants: VOSLAMBER, BRAM JAN
Application year: 1982
Main classification: B26B1
IPC codes: B26B1, B25F1