Patent ID: 8671578

Claim:
An out-the-front-style knife comprising: a blade assembly comprising a blade; a cross guard assembly; wherein the blade having a first void to receive a first pin and a second void to receive a second pin, wherein the first pin and second pin provide a pivot point for a first cross guard and a second cross guard and the first void and second void are near a base of the blade; a handle assembly, the handle assembly including an interior surface forming an interior chamber, wherein the blade repositions from a closed position in the interior chamber to an open position by sliding in a longitudinally forward direction with respect to the handle assembly, the handle assembly including a plurality of extension channels to receive a first extension of the first cross guard and a second extension of the second cross guard and the extension channels are angled near the longitudinally forward end of the handle assembly; wherein the cross guard assembly comprises the first cross guard pivotally attached to the blade with the first pin extending through the first void and the second cross guard pivotally attached to the blade with the second pin extending through the second void; wherein the first and second cross guards are configured to be pivoted toward the transverse center of the handle assembly as the blade is retracted from the open position to the closed position; and wherein the first extension and the second extension of the first and second cross guards engage the extension channels formed within the handle assembly and are contained substantially within the handle assembly in the closed position, wherein the first extension and the second extension coordinate with the angled end of the extension channels near the longitudinally forward end of the handle assembly to rotate the first cross guard and the second cross guard about the first pin and second pin to the open position.