IMPROVEMENTS IN POCKET KNIVES
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the "International Patent
Office," No. 8, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN POCKET KNIVES."-A communication from abroad by L. B. Morris, of
Hopkinsville, Kentucky, United States of America.
Office," No. 8, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN POCKET KNIVES."-A communication from abroad by L. B. Morris, of
Hopkinsville, Kentucky, United States of America.
Sealed the 1st October 1867, and dated the 1st August 1867.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration on the 1st August 1867, pursuant to the 9th Section of the
Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office," No. 8, Southampton
Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex; Consulting Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
POCKET KNIVES," and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto me, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for the same,
and have made solemn Declaration that it has been communicated to me
from abroad by L. B. Morris, of Hopkinsville, Kentucky, United States of
America.
NOW KNOW YE, that 1, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby declare
that the following Complete Specification 'under my band and seal, fully

page_text: this Specification :--
My Invention has for its object the construction of a knife in which the
blade shall be fixed or rigid both when open and when shut, and which can
be opened or closed at will.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a side view of a knife made according to my improvements,
and having a portion of the handle broken away to show the inside; Figure 2
is a back view of a double bladed knife open, and Figure 3 is a plan of the
two sides of the handle of the same detached, like letters' indicate the same
parts in each of the Figures.
A represents the handle to which the blade B is pivoted in the usual
manner as shown in Figure 1. The pivoted end of the blade is formed on
a circle as shown by h and on the back at a point near the end of the handle
a notch is formed as shown in Figure 1 for the reception of the lug or
projection i formed on the handle at that point as shown more clearly in
the upper portion of Figure 3 which represents that portion of the handle
detached; on the under side of the blade another. notch or shoulder dis
formed, against which the lug or projection n attached to the opposite side
of the handle comes in contact when the knife is open, the position of the
Jug n being shown clearly in the lower portion of Figure and also in
position against the shoulder d in Figure 1. The blade B is inserted
between the handles A and pivotted, that being the only point at which the
handles are firmly united, the opposite ends being left loose so that the two
parts can be opened at the lower end and turned around on the pivot that
unites them at the opposite end. A stud or pin o is attached to one side of
the handle, on the inside as shown in Figure 1, against which the blade rests
I when closed as shown in dotted lines. In or on one of the sides of the
handle a spring a is secured, which springing outward engages in a notch
in the under side of a piece c, which is attached to the other part of the
handle and projects over the end of the spring a as shown in the various
Figures. A projection e is secured upon the outer surface of the spring a
as shown in Figures 1 and 2, for the thumb or finger to press upon in order
to depress the spring and readily open the parts. To open the knife it is
only necessary to unloose the catch or spring a and swing one of the sides
of the handle around in a circle upon the pivot, by which operation the blade

page_text: will be opened, and as the handles are brought into place and secured the
lug i will fit in the notch on the back of the blade while the lug n on the
opposite side will fit snug against the shoulder d on the front of the blade,
and thus hold it rigidly and securely in place; to close the knife it is only
necessary to reverse the operation. It is obvious that if desired the plates
of the handle may be covered with wood, horn, or other suitable material,
the point e protruding through it so as to be operated by the thumb or finger.
The catch a instead of being arranged to operate as shown may be arranged
to slide lengthwise like a bolt or in any suitable manner to secure the parts
in position; Figure 2 represents the back of a double bladed knife constructed
on this plan, the two outside plates of the handle being in this case duplicate,
each having the projection i thereon, while the projection n is attached to the
central plate on each side. It is obvious that these projections may be
attached to either plate, the only requisite being that they should be so
located as to fit into the notches or recesses in the blade when opened. By
these means I am enabled to construct a knife that is very strong and that
cannot be accidentally closed or opened and that is specially well adapted to
pocket pruning knife.
,
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent and shown how the same may be conveniently
and advantageously carried into practice I claim, a knife having its blade
provided with the notches or recesses and d, and a handle having the
projections and n arranged to fit therein as shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this First day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Witness,
GEORGE HASELTINE.
•
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.)