Patent Publication Number: US-6981290-B2

Title: Wire cutter and bayonet sheath combination

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of Invention 
   The present invention relates generally to combat knife scabbards, and more particularly to scabbards having a wire cutting tool provided therewith. 
   2. Description of Prior Art 
   Combat knives and bayonets are sometimes held in scabbards that may be worn on a person. Often, a wire cutting tool is separately incorporated with the knife and scabbard, or provided as an integral feature of the knife and scabbard. The purpose of the cutting tool is generally to cut through wire, such as chain link fencing, or to snip metal, thereby adding functionality to the knife and scabbard combination. 
   In their most traditional form, the scabbard and cutting tool combinations comprise a bolt or boss protruding outwardly from one surface of the scabbard. The knife includes one edge that is beveled in a manner making it conducive to cutting wire, and includes an opening formed through the body of the blade that is adapted to securely engage the bolt or boss protruding from the scabbard. The scabbard includes either as an integral part thereof, or as a separate component securely attached thereto, a beveled edge that functions as the second edge of the cutting tool. 
   In order to cut wire, a user would remove the knife from the scabbard, interconnect the blade to the scabbard by forcibly engaging the boss through the opening formed in the blade. Wire may then be clipped by pivotally moving the blade relative to the scabbard such that the wire cutting edge on the knife blade shearingly moves relative to the wire cutting edge formed as part of the scabbard. While very functional and useful, tools constructed in this manner are relatively time consuming and difficult to assemble. Examples of such types of tools are exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 3,842,458 to Bauer, U.S. Pat. No. 4,805,818 to Harrison, U.S. Pat. No. 4,821,356 to Finnand, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,594,967 to Morton et al. 
   Another type of wire cutting tool and scabbard combination includes a cutting tool that is separate from the knife and incorporated into the scabbard. This type of assembly includes a cutting tool arm that is pivotally movable relative to the scabbard and includes a cutting surface attached to one end thereof. The second surface is formed as an integral part of the scabbard at one end thereof. A strap or other closure element retains the movable arm in fixed relation to the scabbard when not in use. In operation, a user releases the strap and pivotally moves the movable arm relative to the scabbard in order to cut through the wire or other material. Although this type of tool is quicker and easier to set up and use than the typical tool previously described, because it must be used in combination with the scabbard which also serves to hold the knife, its usefulness is some what limited and it is some what cumbersome to maneuver and use. A representative example of this type of knife is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,720,030 to Petrovich. 
   OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES 
   It is therefore a principal object and advantage of the present invention to provide a cutting tool that may be used in conjunction with or apart from a scabbard. 
   It is an additional object and advantage of the present invention to provide a cutting tool that includes several types of tools incorporated therein. 
   Other objects and advantages of the present invention will in part be obvious, and in part appear hereinafter. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In accordance with the foregoing objects and advantages, the present invention provides a scabbard for a combat knife and cutting tool combination. The scabbard generally comprises a body extending along a longitudinal axis between first and second ends, and includes a channel formed therethrough that extends in spaced, parallel to the longitudinal axis, and a cavity that extends along the longitudinal axis. The cutting tool comprises first and second legs pivotally interconnected to one another that extend along longitudinal first and second axes, respectively, with the first leg being removably positionable within the channel of the scabbard, and the second leg being movable relative to the scabbard, but held firmly in position by a releasable strap when the tool is not in use. A combat knife is removably positionable in the cavity of the scabbard. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention will be more fully understood and appreciated by reading the following Detailed Description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a top plan view of the present invention with a combat knife and cutting tool both securely positioned relative to a scabbard. 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded top plan view of the present invention showing the combat knife in spaced realtion to the scabbard. 
       FIG. 3  is an end elevation view of the scabbard. 
       FIG. 4  is a top plan view of the scabbard and cutting tool, with the cutting tool shown with one leg pivotally moved away from the scabbard. 
       FIG. 5  is a partial cut-away, side elevation view illustrating the cutting tool locking feature of the scabbard. 
       FIG. 6  is partial cut-away, bottom plan view illustrating the position of the cutting tool arms relative to the scabbard. 
       FIG. 7  is a partial, top plan view of the scabbard and cutting tool, with the cutting tool shown being removed from the scabbard. 
       FIG. 8  is a top plan view of the cutting tool in a partially open position. 
       FIG. 9  is a top plan view of the cutting tool in its closed position. 
       FIG. 10  is a front elevation view of the cutting tool in its closed position. 
       FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional view of the cutting tool taken along line  11 — 11  of  FIG. 8 . 
       FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional view of the cutting tool taken along line  12 — 12  of  FIG. 8 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout, there is seen in  FIG. 1  a combination tool, designated generally by reference numeral  10 , generally comprising a scabbard  12 , a cutting tool  14 , and a combat knife  16 . As will be explained in greater detail hereinafter, scabbard  12  is adapted to be worn on the belt of a person and carry cutting tool  14  and combat knife  16  therein. 
   Scabbard  12  generally comprises a body having front and rear major surfaces  18 ,  20 , and extends along a longitudinal axis X—X. An elongated channel  22  is formed through scabbard  12 , extending in spaced, parallel relation to longitudinal axis X—X, and a cavity  24  is formed in the top end  26  of scabbard  12  and extends along axis X—X. A belt loop fixture  28  is attached to rear surface  20  to permit scabbard  12  to be attached to a person via a belt, and a conventional female connector  30  fixed to the end of a flexible strap  32  is also attached to rear surface  20  to securely clip scabbard  12  to a corresponding male connector (not shown) that may be fixed to a person&#39;s clothing, thereby permitting a quick release type of connector for scabbard  12 . A knife handle strap  34  with conventional male and female snaps  36 ,  38  on either end is attached to and extends transversely across strap  32  for wrapping around the handle of knife  16  when it&#39;s positioned in scabbard  12 , thereby preventing it from inadvertently falling out of the scabbard. Scabbard  12  further comprises a flexible, cutting tool strap  40  attached to and extending transversely across its rear surface  20  and that includes conventional male and female connectors  42 ,  44  attached to either end (the structural relation of strap  40  to cutting tool  14  will be explained in greater detail hereinafter). A knife edge sharpening tool  46  is attached to or made an integral part of scabbard  12 , protruding outwardly from and extending along one edge thereof. Finally, at least a portion of rear surface  20  and top end  26  are coated with a plastic, rubber, or other sound dampening material to diminish any noise scabbard  12  may make when contacting a wearer or having knife  16  removed therefrom or inserted therein. 
   Cutting tool  14  includes a pair of arms  48 ,  50  pivotally interconnected to one another by a pin  51 , and a pair of cutting heads  52 ,  54  securely carried by arms  48 ,  50 , respectively. When brought together, cutting heads  52 ,  54  form a wire snipping slot  56 , a fiber cord snipping slot  58 , and a tin snipping slot  60  between corresponding sets of surfaces collectively comprising cutting heads  52 ,  54 . A flat head screwdriver edge  62  is also formed on an outwardly facing surface of cutting head  48 . 
   Cutting tool  14  is removably securable to scabbard  12 . When secured to scabbard  12 , arm  48  (or arm  50 , as arms  48  and  50  are substantially identical to one another) is slidably positioned within channel  22  and arm  50  (or arm  48 ) is positioned in contacting relation with the side of scabbard  12  and held in position by strap  40 , with both arms extending in spaced, parallel relation to axis X—X. To prevent tool  14  from sliding out of scabbard  12 , a cutting tool locking mechanism  64  is incorporated into scabbard  12 . Locking mechanism  64  comprises a plate biased at one end  65  and a locking tab  66  formed on its free end  67 . Locking tab  66  engages a notch  68  (or  70 ) formed on leg  48  (or  50 ) when leg  48  (or  50 ) is positioned within channel  22 , with the bias imparted on the plate locking tab  66  in notch  68  (or  70 ), as illustrated in  FIG. 8 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 11 and 12 , notches  68  and  70  are formed in corresponding positions on opposite sides of legs  48  and  50 , respectively, thereby permitting tool  14  to have either leg  48  or  50  inserted into channel  22 . 
   To release locking mechanism  64 , a release tab  72  is formed on the plate between its two ends  65 ,  67 . Release tab  72  extends outwardly from scabbard  12 , permitting engagement by a user&#39;s finger/thumb. To disengage tab  66  from notch  68  (or  70 ), a user would engage tab  72  with his/her finger and apply an outwardly directed force away from scabbard  12 , thereby causing locking tab  72  to disengage from notch  68  (or  70 ), and permit tool  14  to permit arm  48  (or  50 ) to freely slide out of channel  22 , as illustrated by the directional arrow in  FIG. 7 . 
   In addition to being separable from scabbard  12  (and operable when it is separated), cutting tool  14  may also be operated when it is attached to scabbard  12 . When it is attached, strap  40  is released, thereby freeing arm  48  (or  50 ) to move relative to scabbard  12 , while the other arm  50  (or  48 ) remains locked in channel  22 . When tool  14  is in attached relation to scabbard  12 , cutting heads  52  and  54  are operably positioned in slightly spaced relation from the end of scabbard  12 , such that a user can operate tool  14  by holding scabbard  12  with one hand while operating the free arm  48  (or  50  of tool  14  with the other, as partially illustrated in  FIG. 6 . 
   Combat knife  16  is conventional in that it includes a blade  74 , handle  76 , and rifle mounting plate  78  positioned between blade  74  and handle  76  (for bayonet style combat knives). Plate  78  is generally constructed of metal. Thus, by coating the end  26  of scabbard  12  with a sound dampening material, insertion of knife  16  into scabbard  12  will be relatively quiet, as opposed to the sound that would be produced if scabbard  12  was made of a non-dampening material. As previously indicated, when knife  16  is positioned with its blade  74  in cavity  24 , a strap  32  may be wrapped around handle  76  to secure it in position. To release knife  16  from scabbard  12 , strap  32  is simply unclasped/unsnapped, thereby freeing knife  16  to be removed from scabbard  12 .