Abstract:
A sliding blade knife has an elongated frame-like handle. A blade is longitudinally positionable relative to the handle and is transformable between a stable extended and a stable retracted position relative to the handle. An exteriorly accessible button is depressible to allow the blade to be transformed between the retracted positions and the stable extended position. In the extended position, the blade projects outwardly of the handle for usage.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    This disclosure relates generally to blade knives used for hunting, fishing and sporting applications. More particularly, this disclosure relates to blade knives having a blade which is positionable in a protective case. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0002]    Briefly stated, a sliding blade knife comprises an elongated frame-like handle. A blade is longitudinally positionable relative to the handle. The handle comprises a structure which defines an extended and a retracted position disposed between the ends of a guide slot. A spring loaded assembly comprises a button having an operating pin engageable with the slot to allow the button to be depressed and the blade to be retracted to a stable, retracted position fully retracted within the handle and longitudinally projected to a stable, extended position wherein the blade projects outwardly of the handle for usage. 
         [0003]    The handle preferably has a concave finger grip. A spring biases the button to a stable position. The handle comprises transversely opposed pairs of a forward bolster member, a back bolster member and elongated strips which form generally transversely opposed sides defining a pair of spaced, generally parallel planes. The frame, at one side, provides a protective sheath which fully receives a blade in the retracted position. The handle preferably has a central plate-like support frame which defines a longitudinal channel for the blade. Closed plate members are mounted to opposed sides of the support frame in a laminar construction. The concave finger grip is preferably disposed adjacent a forward end of the handle. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0004]      FIG. 1  is a first side view of a sliding blade knife in a retracted blade position; 
           [0005]      FIG. 2  is an inverse opposite side view of the sliding blade knife in the retracted position of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0006]      FIG. 3  is a first side view of the sliding blade knife of  FIG. 1  in the extended position; 
           [0007]      FIG. 4  is an inverse opposite side view of the extended blade knife in the position of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0008]      FIG. 5  is a first side diagrammatic view of the sliding blade knife in the extended position of  FIG. 3 ; and 
           [0009]      FIG. 6  is an exploded perspective view of the sliding blade knife of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0010]    With reference to the drawings wherein like numerals represent like parts throughout the figures, a sliding blade knife is generally designated by the numeral  10 . The sliding blade knife  10  is linearly transformable between a retracted protective position ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ) and an extended usage position ( FIGS. 3 and 4 ). In the retracted position, the knife blade is enclosed within a rugged, durable protective frame-like case  20 . The protective case  20  also functions as a handle. In the extended and the retracted positions, the blade is maintained in a highly stable, positively locked position. 
         [0011]    The knife  10  may be employed for hunting, fishing, sporting and other tactical-type applications. In one preferred embodiment, knife  10  has a longitudinally extended dimension of approximately 218 cm and a nominal height of approximately 46 cm, as designated in  FIG. 5 . The knife includes a blade  12  with a sharpened peripheral edge  14 . The blade  12  has a shank  16  with a medial opening  18  ( FIG. 6 ). The blade  12  is preferably a rugged steel member which has a plating composition of nitrides, carbide and/or carbonitrides of titanium and/or chromium. 
         [0012]    The handle case  20  has a rugged multi-component elongated construction of laminar form with a contoured exterior surface. The principal central component is an elongated medial support frame  22  having a quasi-U-shaped configuration. The frame  22  defines a longitudinal channel  24  dimensioned to fully receive blade  12 . The frame has a peripheral recessed portion  28 . 
         [0013]    A plate  30  engages against an underside (opposing side) of the frame  22 . The plate  30  includes an elongated longitudinal guide slot  32  which terminates in a pair of opposed enlarged circular openings  34  and  36 . The plate  30  also includes a frontal recessed portion  38 . 
         [0014]    A second plate  40  engages the other side (first side) of the frame  22  and includes an enlarged longitudinal slot  42  which is closed, but otherwise generally commensurate with the U-shaped channel  24  of the frame  22 . The plate  40  also includes a recessed peripheral portion  48  generally commensurate with the corresponding recessed peripheral portions  28 ,  38  of the frame  22  and the plate  30 , respectively. 
         [0015]    A pair of aluminum back bolster members  31  and  41  each have a corresponding recess portion and is respectively mounted to the rear or heel of frame  22 . Plastic spaced medial handle strips  33 ,  35  and  43 ,  45  are mounted to opposed intermediate sides of the respective plates  30  and  40  by screws or other fasteners. A pair of aluminum forward bolster members  37  and  47  is mounted to opposed forward sides of respective plates  30  and  40 . Bolster members  37  and  47  respectively, have recessed peripheral portions  39  and  49  congruent with portions  38  and  28  to form a well-defined concave finger grip  48 . The leading and trailing edges of the handle medial strips engage against opposing bolsters  31 ,  41  and  37 ,  47  so that the forward, medial and back exterior sides of the handle case  20  have a generally integrated construction upon assembly. 
         [0016]    The extreme exterior sides of back bolster member  31 , strips  33 ,  35  and bolster member  37  generally define a plane which is spaced from the central plane of the blade  12 . The extreme exterior sides of back bolster member  41 , handle strips  43 ,  45  and forward bolster member  47  also define a plane which is spaced from the central plane of the blade. The planes are spaced a significant transverse distance so that the formed handle case has an integrated construction which is rugged and is also spaced transversely outwardly from the blade to provide a highly protective and functional handle. 
         [0017]    A button  60  carries a projecting pin  62  with a recessed circumferential portion of reduced diameter which is dimensioned so that it will enter and slide along the longitudinal guide slot  32  of the plate  30 . The pin  62  extends through opening  18 . The opposing end of the pin  62  is secured by a rivet or connector head  64 . 
         [0018]    A spring  66  encircles the pin  62  and biases the button  60  to an extended lock position wherein the enlarged portion of the pin  62  is captured in either of the openings  34  or  36  of the plate member. These openings  34  and  36  define the stable, longitudinally spaced, extended and retracted locked positions for the sliding knife blade. The spring  66  has a significant pre-load force to ensure positional stability at the extended and retracted positions. When the button  60  is depressed, the pin recessed portion aligns with the guide slot  32  and is longitudinally displaceable along the slot for displacement either to or from the end openings  34  and  36 . When the button  60  is in the normal (undepressed) state and the pin  62  is received in the opening  34  or  36 , the pin  62  functions as a lock stop to thereby prevent longitudinal movement of the blade. 
         [0019]    The longitudinal position of the pin  62  functions to determine the position of the blade  12 . The sliding blade knife  10  is transformable between a compact retracted position wherein the blade  12  is fully retracted within the handle case and an extended position for usage. 
         [0020]    While the foregoing has been set forth to describe a preferred embodiment of the invention, the foregoing should not be deemed a limitation of the invention herein. Accordingly, various modifications, adaptations and alternatives may occur to one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and the scope of the present invention.