Improvements in Combination Implements.
Year: 1893

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by ABBOT AUGUSTUS Low, of Brooklyn, County
of Kings, State of New York, U.S.A., Gentleman.]
Improvements in Combination Implements.
I, HUGH DONALD FITZPATRICK, of 70 Wellington Street, Glasgow, Scot-
land, Registered Patent Agent, 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 the class of implements designed to afford a con-
venient device suitable to be carried in the pocket, and capable of use in various
ways in connection with the ordinary emergencies of daily life, the combined
implement being adapted to perform the function of a button hook or pull, paper
cutter, nail cleaner, screw driver, and other instrument, according to the requirements
of use.
The present improvements relate more particularly to the form of implement
shown and described in Letters Patent No. 20,893, of December 1st, 1891, in
which the cutting blade is protected by a swinging guard which is adapted for use
as a nail cleaner and for analogous purposes, and is shielded, in turn, when not
employed in such special use by a point protector. By the use of the point
protector I not only guard the point effectually and positively against unintentional
engagement with surrounding or adjoining objects, but I am also enabled to extend
such pointed end of the cutting-edge guard approximately to or even beyond the
end of the cutting blade, thus rendering the cutting-blade, and the point of its
parallel guard more convenient and effective in use.
In the Patent hereinbefore referred to the point protector consists of a flat
swinging plate, which when adjusted in position to protect the latter simply projects
over and beyond it, a small disc being formed on the end of the point protector for
this purpose, the curved edges of which are designed to avoid objectionable
engagement or contact with other articles.
The present invention consists essentially in forming the point protector with a
lateral shoulder or projection which, when the protector is adjusted to shield the
point, occupies a position in front of the point and prevents the possibility of the
point engaging with any object. This lateral protector or shield is preferably
though not necessarily, cylindrical in form, so as to avoid engagement or frictional
contact as far as possible with other objects; and its projection towards the outer
end of the cutting blade contracts the entrance to the space between the latter and
its parallel guard so as to exclude, to a great extent, the entrance of foreign
objects into the space before the cutting blade. Thus practically only a narrow
entrance is left to the space in front of the cutting blade, suitable only for
cord &c., for the entrance of which room is designedly provided between the inner
and outer end of the cutting blade and the spur or projection of the point of the
protector.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1, is an elevation of one side of my improved combination implement;
Figure 2, an edge view of the same upon the side uppermost to Figure 1 ;
Figure 3, is a view of the opposite edge of the implement ;
Figure 4, an end view upon an enlarged scale, of the button hook end of the
implement;
Figure 5, an elevation of the opposite extremity of the implement ;
Figure 6, a transverse section upon plane of line x, a, Figure 1;
F

page_text: Figure 8, a side elevation of the implement similar to Figure 1, showing the
parallel guard swung back from the cutting blade;
Figure 9, is a similar view to Figure 1, showing the point protector turned back
over and parallel to the guard, exposing the point of the latter for use;
Figure 10, an elevation of one end of the implement showing a modified construc-
tion of the point protector.
The shank A, is formed of a single piece of metal including the hook B, straight
edge and paper cutter C, and cutting-blade D, constituting also a combined wedge
and screw driver.
In all essential respects the construction and arrangement of the body of the
implement is substantially the same as in implements of the character heretofore
invented by me.
The hook B, is designed as a button hook or lace pull hook for shoes and for
analogous uses. The adjoining portion C, of the shank A, is formed with a straight
edge c, adapted for use as a paper-cutter.
The interior blade D, is formed in the usual way except that it tapers gradually
and uniformly longitudinally from the shank d, to the outer end d', as will be seen
by reference to Figure 3. The cutting edge d³, extends the whole length of the
inner edge of the blade.
The blade D, is preferably V shaped in cross section, its back or spine being
comparatively thick to impart strength and rigidity to the blade.
The elongated wedge shape of the cutting blade D, not only permits of the
insertion of the end of the blade between bindings &c., so that they may be severed
by the cutting edge, but also performs the function of a wedge, screw driver, &c.,
as heretofore provided for by me in this class of implements by a shouldered head
upon the end of the blade, tlie main distinction in this respect in the present case
consisting in tapering the blade longitudinally for its whole length, so that a smooth
even surface is presented on both sides of the blade.
The interior blade D, is provided with the parallel guard G, extending substan-
tially the whole length of the cutting blade and beyond the end thereof if preferred.
This guard G, may be made solid or rigid with the hody A, of the implement, if
desired, although I prefer to employ the form of pivoted swinging guard shown in
my Patent hereinbefore referred to. Thus in order that the guard G, may be swung
out of the way when it is desired to employ the cutting edge d³, of the blade D, for
cutting in any of the various uses to which blades of pocket-knives are ordinarily
applied, I pivot the said guard G, at h, to the edge of the shank A. A groove 1,
is formed in the edge of the shank A, in which a double ended spring i, is situated,
both ends ',, projecting, when free, slightly beyond the edges of the groove h³.
A corresponding groove g', is formed in the under side of the guard G, at its rear
extremity, into which either one end or the other of the spring i, snaps when the
guard is turned parallel to the shank in either one direction or the other, as the
case may be, as fully illustrated and described in the Patent herein before recited.
The point shield consists of a movable section S, which may be adjusted over or
retracted from the point g³, of the guard G. The shield S, is pivoted to the upper
side of the guard G, by a screw s, the head of which is countersunk within the
body of the shield S. A recess 92, under the shield S, contains a spring s, the
end of which engages with a corresponding recess s³, formed in the under side of
the shield S, when the latter is adjusted to shield the point 93, of the guard G.
The outer end of the shield S, is formed with a lateral shoulder or fingers,
projecting towards the outer end of the cutting blade D. This lateral finger or
extension is preferably cylindrical in shape, and extends only a portion of the
distance across the space between the guard G, and the blade D. If preferred
however the guard G, and its point protector S, may be extended out beyond
the end of the blade D, and the lateral fingers, of the protector S, may
extend all the way across the space d³, and in front of the end of the blade D.
as shown in Figure 10, thus closing the space between the guard G, and blade D,
and protecting the end of the latter at the same time. Where the end of the

page_text: blade D, is sharpened for use as a chisel or similar device this latter construc-
tion is especially desirable.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
5 claim is,
A combination implement substantially such as described, consisting of the
shank A, pointed arm G, interior cutting blade D, and pivoted protector S,
formed with the lateral projections, extending in front of the point 9³, of the
guard G, and toward the outer end of the blade D, so as to contract the
entrance to the space in front of the interior cutting edge d, the whole arranged
and operating substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.
Dated this 11th day of February 1893.
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70, Wellington Street, Glasgow.