Improvements in the Construction of Clasp Knives and other Articles which Fold into their Handles
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 17th May, 1898
Complete Specification Left, 17th Feb., 1899-Accepted, 18th Mar., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Clasp Knives and other Articles
which Fold into their Handles.
We, WILLIAM BRADLEY, of 18, Collegiate Crescent, Broomhall Park, Sheffield,
in the County of York, Gentleman, and ARTHUR BENJAMIN BALL, No. 11, Well-
field Road, Upperthorpe, Sheffield, aforesaid, Cutler, do hereby declare the nature
of our invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates more particularly to knives and similarly closing instru-
ments which are locked in their open and closed positions, and in which the blades
or their equivalents are opened and closed by the rotation of one of the scales or
handles, our invention being applicable to knives having either one or more blades.
In the construction of a single blade knife for example, we proceed as
follows:
---
We prepare a blade and two metallic scales which form the handle, and dispense
with the usual spring.
The butt of the blade is provided with a centre pin which constitutes the axis
upon which the blade turns, and at a pre-arranged distance from the centre pin,
we fix another pin projecting upon both sides about the same distance as the thick-
ness of the scales.
At one end of each scale, we make a centre-hole to receive the centre pin upon
the blade, and concentrically with the centre hole we make a segmental slot of
rather more than a semicircle, the ends terminating on the longitudinal centre-
line of the scale, or thereabouts.
These slots are to receive the ends of the second pin before mentioned which is
the locking pin.
The scales when put together are reversed, so that the slot in one scale curves
to the right, and in the other to the left, and thus when the blade is open, the end
of the slot in one scale prevents the blade turning in one direction, and the end
of the other slot prevents rotation in the opposite direction.
The same locking action takes place when the blade is folded within the scales,
and various means may be used to secure the opposite ends of the scales, but the
method we prefer is to fix a stud upon the inner face of one scale, and to make a
hole in the corresponding position in the other scale, and then to spring the one
upon the other.
We prefer to secure the scales upon the centre-pin by means of circular discs
sufficiently large to cover and conceal the slots.
The blade is opened by first releasing the ends of the scales and turning one
round upon the centre pin until it is again secured as before described; the reverse
movements close and automatically lock the blade.
In applying our invention to a knife having more than one blade, we pivot the
second blade at the opposite end to the first, and upon the opposite side of one of
the scales, covering each blade with a second scale which is provided with a slot, and
means to fasten it in a manner similar to that before described with slight modifi-
cations, and so on with each additional blade.

page_text: As a modification in the construction of these knives or other like instruments,
we may fix two pins in the butt of each blade upon a transverse line on each side
of the centre pin.
A semicircular path is made round the centre pin in the scale, the ends of which
form an abutment for the stop pins to bear against.
The scales are held at the opposite end by a hole and stud, or other equivalent
means, and the blade is opened to its longitudinal position by one complete turn
of the scale, and is closed by the reverse movement.
We are aware that locking knives have been made upon somewhat similar lines,
but our method of construction is different and more simple and effective.
Dated the 22nd day of April “1898.
ROBT. F. DRURY, C.P.A.,
Agent for Applicants.
Bank Buildings George Street, Sheffield.
Improvements in the Construction of Clasp Knives and other Articles
which Fold into their Handles.
We, WILLIAM BRADLEY, of 18, Collegiate Crescent, Broomhall Park, Sheffield,
in the County of York, Gentleman, and ARTHUR BENJAMIN BALL, No. 11, Well-
field Road, Upperthorpe, Sheffield, aforesaid, Cutler, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:;-
Our invention relates more particularly to knives and similarly closing instru-
ments which are locked in their open and closed positions, and in which the blades
or their equivalents are opened and closed by the rotation of one of the scales or
handles, our invention being applicable to knives having either one or more blades.
In the construction of a single blade knife for example, we proceed as
follows, reference being made to Figures 1 to 5 inclusive of the annexed drawings
in which,
Fig. 1, represents the inside face of one of the scales.
Fig. 2, the outside of the corresponding scale.
Fig. 3, the face of the blade.
Fig. 4, the edge of same.
Fig. 5, one of the washers.
We prepare a blade, such for example as shown in Figs. 3 & 4, and two
metallic scales which form the handle, and we dispense altogether with the usual
spring for retaining the blade in position when open or closed.
The butt of the blade is provided with a centre pin P, which constitutes the
axis upon which the blade turns, and at a pre-arranged distance from the centre
pin P, we fix another pin L, projecting upon both sides as shown in Fig. 4, to a
distance corresponding with the thickness of the scales or thereabouts.
At one end of each scale A and B, we make a centre hole C¹, and C2, to receive
the centre pin P, of the blade, and concentrically with the centre hole we make a
segmental slot D', and D³, extending to rather more than half a circle, the ends of
which terminate on the longitudinal centre line of the scale or thereabouts.
These semicircular slots D1 and D2, are to receive the ends of the pin L, before-
mentioned which we call the locking pin.
The scales when put together with the blade in position, bring the slots D' and
D³, with their ends opposite each other, or right and left hand, and the locking
pin L, upon the blade having one end in slot D', and the other end in slot D³,

page_text: becomes locked when turned to the open or the closed positions, and further
movement is impossible except by rotation of one of the scales.
The scales A & B, are therefore constructed to rotate, or be turned upon the
centre pin P, to which they are permanently secured with outside washers W, of
sufficient diameter to cover the slots D' & 12, and thus prevent the entrance of
dirt.
The free ends of the scales may be secured by any suitable device such as the one
shown, which consists of a stud S, upon the inner face of one scale, and a corre-
sponding hole H, in the other scale, the parts being sprung into position.
To open the blade for use, the ends of the scales are sprung apart in order to
release the pin S, from the hole H, and one of them is turned upon the centre
pin P, unlocking the blade, and when the end of the slot in this scale comes in
contact with the pin L, of the blade, which it does in half a revolution, the con-
tinued revolution carries the blade with it until the scale is again secured in
position, and the open blade locked.
The reverse movement closes the blade and locks it between the scales.
In applying our invention to a knife with two blades we provide three scales
such as E, F, G, in Fig. 6, the centre scale or division piece F, having a semi-
circular slot D and D, at each end, and the outside scales E and G, having
single slots D³ and Do.
The blades are pivotted on the opposite sides and to the opposite ends of the
scales, which may be secured by catches or the like, as before described.
We are aware that locking knives have made upon somewhat similar lines,
but our method is essentially different in construction, is more effective, and the
manufacture is more simple and less costly; we therefore make no claim to the
automatic locking of a blade broadly.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim, is;
-
1. A clasp knife or other like implement, in which the blade (or the equivalent
of a blade which folds into the handle), is automatically locked, both when open
and when closed, and constructed as herein before described and shown in
Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.
2. A clasp knife with more than one blade, in which the blades are auto-
matically locked when open and when closed, constructed as hereinbefore
described, with reference so far as the scales are concerned to Fig. 6.
3. A knife, having two scales A and B, provided with semicircular slots
and D³, a blade having a centre pin or axis P, and a locking pin L, projecting
from both sides, and engaging with the said slots. The scales secured to, but
able to turn upon the centre pin independently, their free ends capable of being
secured by a device which can be readily released when required, constructed and
acting as herein before described and set forth.
Dated the 15th day of February 1800
ROBT. F. DRURY, C.P.A.,
Agent for Applicants.