Improvements in Pocket Knives for Artisans and Mechanios.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in Pocket Knives for Artisans and Mechanios.
I, JACOB ALBERT SCHMIDT, of Solingen, Kolnerstrasse No 35, Rhenish Prussia,
Germany, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
1
My invention relates to an improved pocket knife which 18 especially in-
tented for artisans, mechanics, gasfitters and like work people who have often
outdoor work to do, whereby they require various small instruments, such as
pincers, screw drivers, gimblets, awls and similar small tools, and my object is
to combine these tools with a pocket knife in such a manner that certain of them.
i.e, the usual cutting blades are permanently fixed to the knife, whereas others
which are not so regularly used as for instance gimblets, screw divers, cork
screws are connected to the knife in an exchangeable manner, so that they can
be conveniently fixed thereto or taken off and exchanged for others
One main
tool, which however must form a permanent fixture of the same. 18 a set of pin-
cers, the movable shank of which serves induectly for securly fixing the exchange-
able tools
The handle of my new pocket knife 18 by preference made of metal so that at
the same time it can serve as scale or measuring ruler
On the accompanying diawing Figure One shows the new pocket knife with
the pincers open and the spring throwing them open in such a position that the
exchangeable tools can be put in place or taken out thereof,
Fig 2 shows the same with the pincers closed and the exchangeable instrument,
an awl in the case represented, held so, that it can not be taken out and securely
fixed for use and
Fig 3 shows various tools as examples, which can be used.
Like ordinary pocket knives my new knife consists of two or more compart-
ments between the two outside covering plates, which form the handle, and sepa-
rated from each other by intermediate plates In these compartments are laid
the different cutting blades as usual, so that they can be opened and closed by
turning them on a pin or livet and they are held in either position by the
ordinary sping In Fig. 1 A shows the usual big knife blade. B indicates the
cover or handle plate, which in this case is wholly of metal and provided with a
scale to serve as a measuring ruler At one end one of the plates B ends in a
thumb like projection C which together with a similar projection C', of shank or
lever D, in the first compartment nearest to the plate B, and turning on a pin E,
forms a pair of tongs, which can be opened and closed as indicated in Figs 1
and 2 A spring F. indicated in dotted lines placed below the lever D, in the
same compartment of the knife and bearing against a finger (t, of the lever D,
throws this outward when it is not pressed down by hand and held in thus closed
position, Fig 2, by a pawl H. held morably on a pin J, at the other end of the
knife
Below the sping F, are arranged two pins K and K', the pin K serves as
an abutment for the anring F, and at the same time in connection with the

page_text: pin K1, its object is to serve as a support for the exchangeable tools, which are
fixed to the knife in the following manner.
These tools as indicated in Figure 3 are provided with a flat head L, fitting
in thickness exactly into the open space below the spring F, in the first compart-
ment of the knife, at one side this head is bevelled or tapered, the oblique edge
ending in a recess M, of the width of the pin K¹; the upper side N, of the head
18 straight, whereas at the other side a suitable tool is connected thereto, as shown
in the drawing When the tongs are open, the head of any one of these tools
18 inserted into the knife with its recess M, upon the pin K¹, its oblique side
bearing against the pin K, then the lever D, is pressed down, its lower side piess-
ing upon the side N, of the tool head and thus holding it firmly and securly in
place the pawl H, is then placed over the end of the lever D, and 18 held there
also by a catch O, at the end of this lever, so that now this tool stands out per-
pendicularly from the knife (Fig 1), which forms a true handle of this tool.
Dated this 22nd day of December 1898.
Improvements in Pocket Knives for Artisans and Mechanics
I, JACOB ALBERT SCHMIDT, of Solingen, Kolnerstrasse No 35, Rhenish Prussia,
Germany, 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-
My invention relates to an improved pocket knife, which is especially intended
for artisans, mechanics, gasfitters and like work people, who have often outdoor
work to do whereby they require various small tools such as pincers, screw
divers, gimblets, awls and similar small instruments, and my object is to com-
bine these tools with the handle of a pocket knife in such a manner that cer-
tain of them, e. the usual cutting blades are permanently fixed to the knife,
whereas others, which are not so regulaily used, as for instance gimblets, screw
drivers, corkscrews are connected to the knife in an exchangeable manner, 80
that they can be conveniently fixed thereto or taken off and exchanged for others.
The said tools may thereby be arranged so as to stand out at the end of the
knife handle in a longitudinal duection with the same, or they may be held in
the middle of the knife and stand out closaways or at right angle to the knife,
in which latter case however one of the main tools, namely a set of pincers, must
form a permanent fixture of the knife, the movable shank of which serves in-
directly for securely fixing the exchangeable tools
My new artisans knife may be so aanged that the exchangeable tools can
be fixed in both manners, that is length wave and crosswave or I may carry it
out for one manner of fixing the tools only.
The handle on coveing plates of this knife, by preference, are made of metal
so that they can serve as a scale or a measuring ruler.
On the accompanying drawing.
Figure 1 shows a new pocket knife for fixing the exchangeable tools crossways
with the pincers open and tlie spring throwing the movable shank out in such a
position that the tool can be put in place or taken out thereof;
Figure 2 shows the same with an awl fixed and held therein closely, the pin-
ceis closed;

page_text: Figure 3 shows the knife without pincers and arranged for putting therein the
exchangeable tools end ways and in a longitudinal direction, the fixing lever in
an open position to allow a tool to be inserted;
Figure 4 shows the same with the tool fixed firmly the fixing lever locked;
Figure 5 shows the knife with two tools, one fixed crossways, the other one
held endways;
Figure 6 shows a few examples of tools with the peculiar head for fixing them
in the knife either crossways or endways.
In the knife shown on the drawing I have shown only one of the ordinary
cutting blades or such like elements which are to be found usually in pocket
knives, in order not to crowd the figure with parts having no reference to the
invention
Like ordinary pocket knives my new knife consists of two or more compart-
ments between the two outside covering plates, which form the handle and which
compartments are separated from each other by intermediate plates In these
compartments are laid the different cutting blades as usual, so that they can be
opened or closed by turning them on a pin or livet and they are held in either
position by the ordinary spring.
In the drawing A shows the usual big knife blade, B is the cover or handle
plate, which in this case is made of metal and provided with a scale to serve as
a measuring rule
In carrying out the knife according to Figures 1, 2 and 5 one of the plates B
ends in a thumb like projection C, which together with a similar projection C¹
of the lever D in the first compartment nearest to the plate B, and turning on
a pin E forms a pair of tongs As will be seen from Figures 1 and 2, a projec
tion or finger G at the lower side of lever D presses against a double armed
spring F, F, rivetted to the plates B at F, when the lever 1 18 pressed down.
This spring F has the tendency to throw the lever D out of the plates B and thus
to open the tongs.
In order to prevent this, when the tongs or pincers are not used, I anange a
pawl or detent H turning on a pin J at the end of the knife opposite to the pin-
ce18 C, CI
The hook shaped end, of the pawl I reaches over the nose H' of
the shank or lever D, as shown in Figure 2, and it is securely held in that posi-
tion by the sping F, which with one end presses against the lever D and with
the other against the lower edge of the pawl II hindering it from turning on the
pin J.
Below the spring F, I arrange two rivets K and K¹, the first one serving as
an abutment for the sping F only, and therefore not passing night through
the whole knife, the other one K' going night through from covering plate to
covering plate, serves to take up the tool as indicated in Figures 1 and 2 and also
to hold a spring R¹ used for fixing the tools lengthways which in some cases
may be desirable The tools for this reason are provided with a peculiarly shaped
head
This is shown in a few examples, 10 a screw driver, a gimblet and a cork screw
in Figure 6 The head L 18 just thick enough to fit exactly into the partition
between a covering plate and a partition plate, its bottom edge M is quite straight
and stands perpendicularly to the longitudinal duection of the tool; from one
corner of this edge M starts an oblique edge N nearly to the middle of the hend L,
there ending in a half circular recess of the width of the vet K' and open at
one side
The center of the half circular ecess Omg in the prolongation of
the oblique edge N and the real border of the recess running out in an oblique
edge P, forming a tangent to the circle of O
Now as indicated above, it may often be of advantage to fix the tools length-
ways to the knife instead of crossways. This can be done by using the same tools
with the peculiar head described above by means of the following device, which
is arianged in the knife

page_text: By means of the rivet K', which as stated above goes right through the knife,
I fix in one of the compartments between one of the outer plates B and an inter-
mediate plate, but not in the one containing the spring F, a double spring R¹, R³,
(a second rivet K* may be used for security sake), and near at one end of the
knife I fix movably on a vet S a lever Ť This lever has a straight bottom
edge M¹, a half round projection U at its inner side and a step or shoulder V at
the end opposite the bottom edge M¹ At the end opposite to ivet S there is
fixed on the vet Ja detent X having a nose X¹ and a thumb X and a straight
bottom edge X'
Now in pressing down the lever T its projection U presses upon the spring R¹
and this has the tendency to throw the levei T out of the knife, it can however
be secured therein by the nose X' of the detent X, which reaches over the step V
of the lever as shown in Figure 4, the sping R² pressing against the edge X
of the detent X prevents this from turning on the vet J This can only be
done by a pressure upon the thumb X2 m order to allow the shoulder V of the
lever T to be brought under the nose X' and thereby lock the same in its closed
position.
Now the vet E is arranged at such a distance outside of the bottom edge M¹
of the level T, that the distance left between E and M¹ is exactly wide enough
to pass the bottom part of the tool head L through it, so that a tool can be stuck:
upon this vet by the recess and held fast on the vet by the lever T, so as
to stand out lengthways
The fastening of a tool in the knife described is now done as follows
When a tool is to be connected to the knife so as to stand out crossways, the
pawl H 18 loosened and the lever D opened, the spring then goes back so much
that the head of the respective tool can be stuck upon the rivet K', as indicated
in Figure 1, by then depressing the lever ) again and locking it fast by the
detent H the tool is clenclied firmly between the spring F and the 11vet, as shown
by Figure 2 When the tool is to be fixed to the knife so as to stand out length-
ways the detent X 19 loosened, the level T is thrown open and now the head of
the respective tool can be stuck upon the vet E as shown by Figure 3 and if
then the love T is turned back again into the position of Figure 4, the tool 19
also turned so as to stand quite straight in direction with the knife, the edge
of the lever T presses against the edge M of the tool head and forces its recess 0
firmly into or upon the vet E and when then the end of the lever is locked fast
by the detent X, the tool is held securely in the knife
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same 18 to be performed, I declare, that what
I claim 18-
A pocket knife for artisans distinguished by an arrangement for connecting
with the knife exchangeable tools being provided for this purpose with a special
head L having a straight edge M at its bottom end, and an oblique side edge end-
ing in a halfcncular recess 0, by which the tool can be stuck either upon a
ivet K' in the middle of the knife crossways or upon a vet E at one end of the
same lengthways and being held firmly in its place;
A. In the first case; by the movable arm or shank D of a pair of pincers C, C¹
of the knife, said shank turning on the vet E and having a finger Gat
its lower side, thereby pressing upon one arm F¹ of a spring held in the
knife by a ret F, this spring being thereby pressed upon the straight
edge M of the toolhead, stuck by its recess O upon the rivet K¹ and hold-
ing it fast, wulst the level 1 18 locked in this depressed position by a
detent H of hook shape, which is turned so as to engage with the hook H¹
at the end of the lever D and being itself held in place by the spring F³,
B In the second case, by the movable lever T turning on a livet S and
having a straight edge M by which it presses against the straight edge M
of the tool head, stuck by its half round recess 0 upon the rivet E and

page_text: holding it fast, whereas a projection U at the lower side of the lever T
presses upon the aim R of the spring held in the knife by rivets K¹, K³,
thereby tending to throw the lever open, whilst by a detent X engaging
with its projection X with the shoulder V at the end of the lever tho
lever 18 locked, the detent being thereby held in place by the pressure of
the sping R upon its lower edge X3, the whole as described and illus-
trated and for the purpose set forth
Dated this 10th dox of Cantambor 1900