Year: 1889

page_text: [Communicated from abroad by ARTHUR WILZIN, of the City and State of New York,
and NORMAN CHARLES STILES, of the City of Middletown, State of Connecticut,
both in the United States of America.]:
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to pocket knives.
In the more general construction of this class of pocket-knives, each blade is
provided with a nick" into which the thumb-nail may be inserted to open the blades,
but in many cases it is very difficult to open the blades through this nick on account
of the weakness of the thumb-nail, or its liability to break. This is a source of
great inconvenience in pocket cutlery.
It is the object of this invention to overcome this difficulty, and provide the knife
with means by which the blade may be automatically started from its pocket so
far as to be readily grasped by the thumb and finger, and thereby avoid the use of
the finger-nails in opening the blade, and the invention consists in a pocket-knife
constructed as hereinafter described and more particularly recited in the claims..
In carrying out this invention the knife in its general features and appearance is
made similar to the ordinary pocket knife.
In the accompanying drawing,
Figure 1 represents a side view of the knife, the blades being closed.
Figure 2 is a side view showing the facing side of the handle removed, and one
of the blades as partly thrown up to the opening position.
Figure 3 is an outside view of one of the linings detached, showing the recessos
for the attachment of the locking devices.
Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of the said lining cutting through the recesses.
Figure 5 is a similar view to Figure 4 showing the spring latches or locking
devices introduced.
Figure 6 is a transverse section on line x, x of Figure 5.

page_text: Figure 7 is a side view of a portion of the handle, the facing side removed,. and
showing the blade in the open position.
Figure 8 shows a modification in the formation of the opening devices.
Figure 9 is a transverse section on line x, x of Figure 2.
Like letters refer to similar parts in all the Figures.
A two bladed knife is represented in the illustration of the invention but it will
be understood that the number of blades is immaterial to the invention.
A represents the back spring which is secured to the two sides by the rivet B in
the usual manner and is of the usual length with relation to the handles and blades.
C represents one blade and D a second blade, the blades being hung respectively on
pivots c and d
Instead of making the heel or pivotal portion of the blade on the inner or knife
edge side straight and parallel with the back of the blade, so that the spring may hold
the blade in the. closed position we. construct this edge portion of the heel with a
projection or spring bearing e forward of the pivot, and a second bearing f in rear of
the pivot, the bearing point being nearer the pivot line than the bearing-point e,
and so that when the blade is in the closed position, as seen at the left in Figure 2,
the spring will bear directly against the projection e forward of the pivot, but
without contact with the pivotal portion at the rear of the pivot, the tendency
of the spring therefore is bearing upon the projection e forward of the pivot to throw
the blade outward, as seen at the right, Figure 2, until the spring comes to a bearing
upon both the points e, f, this throws the blade into a convenient position to be
grasped by the thumb and finger, so as to be opened.
The back of the pivotal portion of the blade is constructed with the usual shoulder
which when the blade is open, as seen in Figure 7 will rest against the back of
the spring, in the usual manner and so as to hold the blade firmly in the open
position.
In order to secure the blade in the closed position, a locking device of some
character is necessary to engage the blade when it has, been pressed down to the
closed position. In such pressing down to the closed position, as from the position
seen at the right in Figure 2 to that seen in the left in the same Figure the bearing e.
forces the back spring to its normal position.
Various constructions of latches may be employed to engage the blade, but the
spring latch illustrated in the drawings is preferred. This consists of a spring F,
which is arranged and secured in a recess g in the side of the lining or handle; the
latch is secured by its inner end, leaving the outer end free, and it is best secured
as represented in Figure 6 by making the inner end of dove-tail shape and the recess
in the side of the handle of corresponding shape, or first setting the spring into the
recess, and then closing the metal down onto the dove-tail edges of the latch, but it
will be understood that it may be otherwise secured.
At the end of the handle the recess for the spring is cut entirely through, so as
to form a slot H, and the position of this recess is below the heel of the blade and
outside the pivot, as seen in Figures 3 and 4. The outer end of the latch is constructed
with a projection I, or so as to project through the said slot as seen in Figure 5
and the width of this projection of the latch corresponds to the distance between the
bearing point of the heel of the blade in rear of the pivot, and the spring below as
seen in Figure 2 and so that the latch projecting into the handle will stand beneath
the heel end of the blade, and outside the pivot as seen at the left in Figure 2, and
as also seen in Figure 9, thereby preventing the action of the spring upon the blade,
and so that the blade will be firmly held in its closed position.
The outer end of the latch projects beyond the end of the handle to form a convenient
thumb-piece J, by means of which the latch may be conveniently operated as indicated
in broken lines at the left Figure 5, so as to draw the nose of the latch from between
the heel end of the blade and the spring, and when the latch is so drawn from between
the blade and spring, then the spring is free to act upon the bearing point e of the
blade, and will throw the blade to the position seen at the right in Figure 2, ready to
be grasped by the fingers.

page_text: The latch is automatic in its closing action, and so that when the blade is pressed,
down to the closed position, as seen at the left in Figure 2, then the latch will
automatically spring into its place between the heel of the blade and the spring, and
as also seen in Figure 9. Thus the preliminary opening of the blade is made
substantially automatic, and the use of the thumb-nail in opening the blade is entirely.
avoided, and the blades are constructed without the inconvenient nick.
Instead of making the bearing-point between the blade and spring as a projection
on the blade, the projection may be made on the spring, as seen in Figure 8, so as
to bear upon the heel of the blado forward of the pivot. It will be clearly seen that
the operation is the same in one case as the other.
It will be apparent that the construction does not materially change the general
character or form of the knife, and that the usual straight back spring and of the full
length relatively to its pivot, may be employed, the blade being secured in its open
position, as in the usual arrangement of the back-spring and blade, but the invention
is not to be understood as limited to any particular arrangement of the opening
engagement of the blade.
This illustration of a spring-latch or locking device to hold the blade in the closed
position, and so that upon disengagement of the said latch or locking device the blade
will automatically fly open, is sufficient to enable others skilled in the art to apply
various constructions of such locking or latching devices, whereby the object of the
invention is accomplished, the invention is therefore not to be understood as limited
to any particular construction of locking device, it only being essential to the invention
that there shall be a bearing between the spring and blade forward of the pivot when
the blade is in the closed position, and so that the spring through the said bearing,
shall when free, automatically throw the blade to a partially open position, which has
been fully described.
While representing the spring-latch as being automatically thrown inward between
the heel of the blade and the spring, and so that in preparing to open the blade the
spring-latch is moved outward, this order may be reversed, and the spring-latch
automatically spring outward; in this case the latch will be held inward by the
pressure between the spring and the heel of the blade. Under this arrangement, in
closing the blade it will be pressed little beyond its own position, and then the latch moved
inward between the heel of the blade and the spring, the blade then released, the latch
will be grasped between the spring and blade and there held. To give the blade the
preliminary opening, it will be first pressed inward to release the latch, which will
instantly fly outward, and then the blade left free, will be thrown to its preliminary
opening position, as before described, however the arrangement of latch first described
is preferable.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is :-
First. A pocket-knife comprising a handle, a blade and a back-spring of the full
regular length relatively to the pivot, but bearing with full tension, when the blade
is closed, against the pivotal portion of the blade, on the edge adjacent to the knife-
odge at a point forward of the pivotal point of the blade, in combination with a
locking device engaging the blade when fully closed, substantially as set forth.
Second. A pocket-knife comprising a handle, a blade with the usual shouldered
heel to engage the back spring when fully opened, and to be locked thereby, and a
back spring of the full regular length and with the usual straight end, but bearing
with full tension, when the blade is closed, against the pivotal portion of the blade on
the edge adjacent to the knife edge, and at a point forward of the pivotal point of
the blade, in combination with a locking device engaging the blade when fully closed,
and holding its portion in rear of its pivotal point out of contact with the knife
spring, substantially as shown and described.
Third. The combination with the knife handle and the ordinary back-spring-held
therein, of a blade having a projection on the inner edge of its pivotal portion forward

page_text: of its pivotal point, and bearing against the said spring when the blade is closed,
and a lock or catch to hold the blade fully closed, substantially as described.
Fourth. In a pocket-knife having the blade or blades arranged to automatically
fly open when free so to do, a back-spring having the usual straight end, and the
blade having the usual shouldered heel to engage the back-spring, when the blade is
fully opened, substantially as described.
i
Fifth. A pocket knife comprising a handle, a blade, and a back-spring bearing
with full tension, when the blade is closed against the pivotal portion of the blade
on the edge adjacent to the knife edge, in combination with a locking device on the
knife handle, and extending between and clamped by the knife-spring and the butt of
the pivotal portion of the blade, substantially as described.
Dated this 9th day of April 1889.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.