Improvements in Clasp Knives.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Clasp Knives.
I, RICHARD HOPPE, of 151, Aldersgate Street, London, E.C., Merchant, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows;
This invention relates to improvements in clasp knives, and has for purpose to
provide a new or improved device for opening the blade or blades from the handle or
haft by displacing a small knob forming the outward extremity of a simple attach-
ment to the blade pivot, instead of inserting the finger nail into a recess provided
for the purpose at or near the back of the blade as has hitherto been the more
common method of opening the knife, and frequently resulted in serious damage
done to the finger nail, and similar inconveniencies and dangers. My new or
improved device essentially consists of a thin but sufficiently strong metal plate
of suitable conformation pivoted on the blade pin, and having at one end a small
knob or the like protruding from the handle or haft while the other end is provided
with a flange, so arranged as to engage under the shoulder of the blade within the
groove or furrow in the handle or haft, intended to hold the blade or blades
when folded down the aforesaid attachment is therefore adapted to operate as
lever, as, when the protruding knob is pressed backwards the other arm as the lever
will with its flange press against the foot portion of the blade from within the
groove or furrow of the handle or haft raising the blade sufficiently from its folded
down position to admit of the said blade being easily and safely folded back com-
pletely against the back spring by the fingers without requiring the use of the
finger nails. The shoulder of the blade may be so fashioned or cut away as to
admit of the back spring, forcing the blade into a partly opened position, when
the lever device is being operated in the described manner, and holding the blade
in that position, until it is further folded back by the fingers. A further advantage
of my present invention, consists in the posibility of the back of the blade being
adapted to be flush with the sides of the handle or haft because no projection
containing recesses or grooves for inserting the finger nails are necessary.
Dated this 22nd day of April 1897.
HUGHES, ELI & HUGHES,
For the Applicant.

page_text: formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This invention relates to improvements in pocket-knives and has for its object
to so construct such knives whereby they can be opened more readily and speedily
than heretofore and without risk of damaging the operator's finger-nails.
And in order that this my said invention may be the more readily understood
and carried into practical effect, reference is hereby made to the accompanying
sheet of illustrative drawings, wherein:
Fig. 1 is a diagrammatical view of a knife-blade with my invention applied
thereto, illustrating the action of same.
:
Fig 2 a side elevation of a knife constructed according to my invention, the
front plate of such knife being removed to more clearly show the invention.
Fig 3 is a perspective view of the opening lever, while
Fig. 4 shews in side elevation, a view of the knife complete.
Referring to the drawings wherein like letters of reference indicate correspond-
ing parts throughout the figures, a is a curved lever which is pivoted upon the same
pin b as the knife blade c.
The said lever a is flanged at one end a which flange passes under the butt
of the blade, the other end a² of such lever being in the form of a button or knob,
which projects beyond the end of the knife.
In operation the button or knob a² is pressed downwards, (when it is desired to
open the blade) thereby causing the lever a to turn upon its pivot band raise the
blade by means of the flange a¹.
The knife is closed in the usual manner and is provided with the ordinary well
known form of spring d, and stop or rest e. The invention is applicable to all
kinds of pocket knives having one or more blades.
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
claim is:
-
In pocket knives, the means for opening the blades of same consisting in a
curved lever a pivoted upon the pin b and having one end a¹ flanged to take under
the knife blade the other end having a knob projecting through the end of
the knife, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described and as shewn
upon the drawings.
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1000