June 10, 1969 H.

SKAR 3,448,518
KNIFE
Filed July 27, 1967

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 United States Patent Office 3,448,518
Patented June 10, 1969
1. 2
It is accordingly among the primary objects of the in
3,448,518 vention to provide an improved retractable blade knife
KNIFE subject to being used as a pocketknife.
Harry Sklar, 3204 Holland Ave., Another object of the invention is to provide a re
Bronx, N.Y. 10467 tractable blade knife subject to being manufactured at
Filed July 27, 1967, Ser. No. 656,502 relatively low cost, with relatively little bulk or weight.
B26b 3/06, 1/08, F41b 13/02
U.S. C., 30-162 5 Claims Another object of the invention is to provide a retract
able blade knife in which the knife blade is subject to
selective positioning at any degree of extension or re
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE 10 traction in a secure position with respect to the handle.
A retractable blade knife having an elongate unitary A further object of the invention is to provide a re
handle with an open channel within which a knife blade is bladetractable blade knife in which the cutting edge of the
axially retractable. The channel is formed with a lower is not damaged during extension or retraction.
guide groove accommodating the tip of a Securement 5 These and other objects of the invention, which will
screw. Overlying the guide groove in the channel is an become hereinafter more apparent, are achieved by pro
intermediate blade carriage slideway of greater breadth viding a retractable blade knife with an elongate unitary
than said guide groove, slidingly accommodating a blade handle element with an open channel having a lower
carriage plate, and overlying the blade holder slideway guide groove dimensioned to accommodate the head of a
is an upper blade slideway slidably accommodating the 20 thumb screw. Overlying the guide groove in the channel
blade for extension or retraction from the handle. A is an intermediate blade carriage slideway and overlying
headed thumb screw extends through the blade and in the blade holder slideway is a blade slideway formed by
threaded engagement through the blade holder to abut slidably laterally extending slots in the channel. A knife blade is
against the bottom of the guide groove, whereby the carriage positioned in said blade slideway, and a blade
of a plate like configuration is arranged within
knife blade may be selectively positioned in varying de 25
grees of extension with respect to the handle. said blade carriage slideway. A thumbscrew extends
through said knife blade and in threaded engagement
through said blade carriage, with the tip end of the screw
Background of the invention subject to abutment against the bottom of the guide
groove so that upon tightening of said thumb screw to
This invention relates to the art of retractable knives, 30 bring the tip thereof against the guide groove, the blade
and more particularly to an improved knife construction carriage will move up to sandwich the blade between the
formed with a unitary handle lending itself to inexpensive upper wall of the blade slideway slots and the blade car
lightweight production. Tlage.
A variety of retractable blade knives have been evolved 35 A feature of the invention resides in the provision of
permitting retraction of the knife blade into the handle protuberances in the guide groove at the desired limit of
for storage purposes, such for example as shown by U.S. movement of the blade with respect to the handle.
Patent 2,862,296. Such prior knives, though generally Another feature of the invention resides in the forma
adequate for workshop use, do not lend themselves to tion of the blade slot on the cutting edge of the blade of
being carried about as pocket knives since they are rela a dimension such that the cutting edge of the blade does
tively bulky, and expensive due to the multiparted con 40 no contact the knife handle during its movement with re
struction of their handles. Additionally, the mounting spect to the handle.
mechanism for the blade employed to permit extension An additional feature of the invention resides in the
and retraction of the blade into the handle generally does formation of the knife handle with a beveled end adjacent
not provide for the security of locking of the blade in a the cutting edge of the knife blade so as to provide clear
retracted position which would be required were the ance for any kerf material cut by the knife.
knife to be carried around as a pocket knife. Other prob
lems arise in that the precise positioning of the blade at Brief description of the drawing
any specified degree of extension with respect to the
handle is generally not available, since these prior art 50 The specific details of a preferred embodiment of the
knives either provide for a stepped degree of extension, or invention, and their mode of functioning, will be par
locking in an extended or retracted position. Obtaining ticularly pointed out in clear, concise, and exact terms in
precise extension of the blade at a point intermediate the conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
stops is substantially unattainable, preventing use of the FIG. 1 is a perspective view looking down at a knife
blade for making a cut of a precise depth such as would 55 made in accordance with the teachings of this invention,
be used in scoring for art purposes or the like. Other showing the channel formed in the unitary knife handle;
difficulties have arisen in prior art retractable knives in and
that the cutting edge of the blade becomes dulled by FIG. 2 is a top plan view looking down at the handle
rubbing against the inside surface of the handle during of the knife shown in FIG. 1, illustrating the protuber
extension or retraction of the blade. 60 ances employed for limiting movement of the knife blade
Summary with respect to the handle;
FIG. 3 is a slightly enlarged cross sectional view taken
It is with the above problems and desiderata in mind on line 3-3 of FIG. 1 illustrating the relationship of the
that the present improved knife has been evolved, a re knife components;
tractable blade knife provided with a unitary handle Sub 65 FIG. 4 is an enlarged transverse cross sectional view
ject to being made of an extrusion, or by a simple milling taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 1 illustrating the relative po
process, of relatively small weight and bulk, and rela sitioning of the blade with respect to the handle showing
tively inexpensive, with the blade subject to secure selec the clearance between the blade cutting edge and the
tive positioning at any degree of extension with respect to handle;
the handle, and subject to being locked in place in re 70 FIG. 5 is a plan view of the blade carriage;
tracted position, thereby facilitating use of the knife as a FIG. 6 is a detail view illustrating the kerf clearing
pocket knife. chamfer on the knife handle; and
 3,448,518
3
FIG. 7 is a plan view of a blade suitable for use in
practicing the invention.
Description of the preferred embodiment
Referring now more particularly to the drawing, like
numerals in the various figures will be employed to desig
nate like parts.
As seen in FIG. 1, the knife 10 comprises an elongate
handle 11 with open channel 12.
Channel 12 is formed with a cross sectional contour,
as illustrated to the left of FIG. 1, and in FIG. 4. The
bottom of the channel 12 is formed with a guide groove
14 underlying an intermediate blade carriage slideway
16. Above the plane of carriage slideway 16, a blade
slideway 18 is formed by means of slots 19 and 20. Slots
19 and 20 may be formed to extend an equal distance
from the center line of the handle, or may be formed
with the slot 19 extending a bit further from the handle
center line than slot 20 to provide desired cutting edge
clearance, or alternatively, the blade, as hereinafter de
scribed, may be positioned off center with respect to the
handle center line.
Upstanding from the bottom surface of guide groove
14, as best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3 are end protuberances
22 and 23, and an intermediate protuberance 24. The
protuberances 22, 23 and 24 are preferably formed by
upsetting the bottom surface of handle 11 by punching
or the like.
The knife handle contour, as best seen in FIGS. 1, 2,
and 4 is preferably of a trapezoidal configuration in plan
view with ends 26 and 27 inclined towards each other.
The cutting edge side of the handle is formed with bevels
28 and 29 to provide for kerf clearance, as will be here
inafter more fully described.
Mounted for sliding within the handle blade carriage
slideway 16 is blade carriage 30, as best seen in FIGS. 3
and 5. The blade carriage 30 is formed of a plate dimen
sioned to slide freely within the carriage slideway 16 in
handle 11, and having a relatively small extension as
compared to the length of the handle 11, as best seen in
FIG. 3. A threaded opening 32 is formed in the center
of the blade carriage 30, and one or more blade engaging
protuberances 33 are upset from the material of the
blade holder.
A variety of different types of knife blades may ob
viously be employed in connection with handle 11. A
preferred blade 35 is illustratively shown in FIG. 7 as
formed of a trapezoidal configuration geometrically simi
lar to the trapezoidal configuration of handle 11, and hav
ing ends 37 and 38 which extend parallel to the ends 26
and 27 of the handle 11. The cutting edge 40 of blade
35 is formed on the longer side of the blade 35. In the
illustrated embodiment, the blade is shown as formed
so that opposite ends thereof may be used for cutting, de
pending on which end of the blade is extended from the
handle 11. In this arrangement, the blade is formed with
a central aperture 41 slightly larger size than the aperture
32 in the blade carriage 30. Carriage engaging apertures
42 are dimensioned and positioned so as to Snugly ac
commodate carriage protuberances 33 to permit mini
mal lateral play between the blade and the blade carriage.
In the event that further stability of the blade with re
spect to the blade carriage 30 is desired, it will be under
stood that additional apertures in the blade and pro
tuberances in the carriage 30 may be formed. Should a
blade be utilized in connection with a knife which is in
tended for extension from only one side of the handle,
this blade may either be formed with a pair of protuber
ance engaging apertures 42 on one side of the aperture 41,
or may be formed with a variety of differently shaped
apertures to effect desired locking of the blade with re
spect to the carriage 30. In the illustrated preferred em
bodiment, it is preferred to form the blade with a plu
rality of spaced score lines 46 parallel to the end of the
blade, and therefore also parallel to the ends of the
4
handle 11. In the event of dulling of the point of the
blade, the score line forms a line of weakness permitting
the blade to be broken off along the score line to renew
the point thereof.
A selectively adjustable headed thumb screw 50, as
best seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, is positioned to extend
through aperture 41 in blade 35, and in threaded engage
ment through threaded aperture 32 in blade carriage 30.
The screw 50 is of a length such as to extend from the
10 upper surface of the handle 11, as seen in FIG. 3 to
the bottom surface of guide groove 14, with the tip 51 of
screw 50 extending below the level of protuberances 22,
23 and 24 in guide groove 14. The head 52 of the thumb
screw 50 is preferably edge knurled to permit ready grip
5 ping between the thumb and forefinger of the user, and
the dimensions of the head 51 are such that the diameter
of the head is equal to the distance across the top Surface
of the handle 11, preferably with the knurling extending
slightly over the edges of the top surface of the handle
20 11, as best seen in FIG. 1
Operation
The novel knife 10, above described, lends itself to
fabrication in a variety of fashions. By virtue of the
25 shaping of the handle 11 with channel 12, the handle
lends itself particularly to fabrication from extruded bar
stock. An aluminum extrusion formed with a channel 12,
as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 4, is found particularly suit
able. The extruded bar stock having the requisite channel
30 shape, is cut off to desired length and formed with the
contours illustrated in FIG. 2. Protuberances 22, 23
and 24 are upset into the cut off length of bar stock by
utilizing a punch, or the like, and the blade carriage 30
along with the knife blade 35 is positioned in the slide
35 ways formed by the channel 12, after which thumb screw
50 may readily be inserted.
As above described, the dimensioning of the carriage
30 with respect to the carriage slideway 16 is such that
the carriage may freely slide in the slideway, but not
40 be subject to skewing with respect to the axis of the
handle 11.
The blade and carriage are slid by means of the thumb
screw to any desired position with respect to the handle,
and thereafter by tightening the thumb screw 50, the car
45 riage 30 will be drawn up towards the top surface of the
handle, as viewed in FIG. 1, thus sandwiching the blade
between the carriage and the upper surface of the blade
slots 19 and 20 to maintain the blade in secure position.
As noted above, the blade slot 19 closest to the cutting
50 edge 40 of the blade may be made slightly deeper than
blade slot 20 so as to provide clearance between the sharp
edge of the blade and the knife handle. Alternatively,
the apertures 42 of the blade may be positioned slightly
off center with respect to the blade so that the blade is
55 oriented in the handle with clearance between the cutting
edge of the blade and the blade slot.
In order to effect sliding of the blade with respect to
the handle, only a slight loosening of the thumb screw 50
is required. The amount of loosening is not such as to
60 draw the tip 51 of screw 50 above the extension of
protuberances 22 and 23. As a result, inadvertent slip
page of the blade out of the handle is prevented by
protuberances 22 and 23 acting as end stops. In the event
that the blade is a double ended blade as illustrated, with
65 both ends of the blade intended to be extended from the
handle, it is preferred that a central protuberance 24 be
employed, the length of the knife blade on either side of
the thumb screw 50 is selected as such that in order to
have the opposite end of the blade extend from the
70 handle, it will be necessary to positively loosen the screw
to override central protuberance 24. As a result, in
advertent retraction of the blade will not cause the op
posite end of the blade to extend from the handle.
In use, it will be noted that as best seen in FIG. 6,
75 bevels 28 and 29 in the handle 11 provide clearance for
 5
3,448,518
6
any kerf material cut by the cutting edge of the blade, edge of said handle closest to said cutting blade is beveled
thus facilitating use of the blade in the scoring of soft off at an angle away from said cutting edge to provide
materials tending to produce a large kerf. kerf clearance.
The above disclosure has been given by way of illus 4. A knife, as in claim 1, in which said blade guideway
tration and elucidation, and not by way of limitation, and is formed by laterally extending slots in opposite sides
it is desired to protect all embodiments of the herein of said channel; and said blade is formed with a cutting
disclosed inventive concept within the scope of the ap edge positioned at a spaced distance from the inside edge
pended claims. of one of said slots, whereby rubbing of said blade will
What is claimed is: be avoided during extension and retraction of said blade
1. A retractable knife comprising an elongate unitary O with respect to said handle.
handle element formed with an open channel having a 5. A knife, as in claim 1, in which said blade is secured
lower guide groove; an intermediate blade carriage slide to said carriage at a midpoint of said blade, whereby said
way of greater breadth than said guide grove; and an blade may be extended from one or the other end of
upper blade slideway overlying said carriage slideway; a said handle.
blade carriage slidably mounted in said carriage slideway; 5
protuberances in said guide groove limiting the path of References Cited
movement of said carriage; a blade removably supported UNITED STATES PATENTS
on said carriage and sliding in said blade slideway; and a 1,906,573 5/1933 Gits -------------- 30-162 X
Screw member passing in threaded engagement through 2,145,985 2/1939 Krajicek ---------- 30-162 X
said carriage to engage said carriage to sandwich the blade 20 2,870,537 1/1959 Ortner ----------- 30-62
between said carriage and a wall of said blade slideway. 2,904,884 9/1959 Baum --------------- 30-162
2. A knife, as in claim 1, in which said blade is formed 2,948,961 8/1960 Ortner ------------- 30-162
with a peripheral boundary in plan view in the config 3,041,724 7/1962 Bobkowski -- 30-162
uration of a trapezoid geometrically similar to that of said 3,192,624 7/1965 Gringer ------------- 30-162
handle, with a plurality of spaced score lines parallel to the 25
ends of said blade, whereby blunted points on said blade MYRON C. KRUSE, Primary Examiner.
may be broken off.
3. A knife, as in claim 1, in which the cutting edge of U.S. C. X.R.
said blade is parallel to an edge of said handle, and the 30-335, 346