Patent ID: 7581321

Claim:
A folding knife comprising: a handle portion having a locking pin; a blade having a tang portion pivotably coupled to the handle portion, the blade being pivotable relative to the handle portion between a closed, or folded, position and an open, or extended, position; a locking mechanism coupled to the tang portion of the blade such that the locking mechanism is caused to pivot 180 degrees with the blade when the blade is pivoted from the closed position to the open position and vice versa, the locking mechanism having an elongated slot and first and second notches formed on opposite sides thereof; and a pivot element disposed in the handle portion and extending through a non-circular opening in the tang portion and into the slot in the locking mechanism, the pivot element defining a pivot axis extending through the tang portion of the blade and the locking mechanism, the pivot element having a non-circular cross-sectional profile where it extends through the opening in the tang portion and into the slot in the locking member such that pivoting movement of the blade causes corresponding rotation of the pivot element and the locking mechanism about the pivot axis; the locking mechanism being slidable relative to the pivot element lengthwise of the blade between first and second positions such that when the blade is in the open position, the locking mechanism can be moved to the first position to cause the first notch to engage the locking pin and prevent pivoting of the blade and to the second position to move the first notch away from the locking pin to permit pivoting of the blade, and when the blade is in the closed position, the locking mechanism can be moved to the first position to cause the second notch to engage the locking pin and prevent pivoting of the blade and to the second position to move the second notch away from the locking pin to permit pivoting of the blade.