US2896576A - Combination pocket knife and pen - Google Patents

Description

July 28, 1959 A. M. BAER COMBINATION POCKET KNIFE AND PEN Filed Nov. 1, 195e A8 2" 11. Ab

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United States Patent Oilce 2,896,576 Patented July 28, 1959 Knife Associated Companies, Inc., New York, N.Y., a

corporation of Rhode Island Application November 1, 1956, Serial No. 619,858

3 Claims. (Cl. 120-1) This invention relates to a combination pocket knife and pen.

It is an `object of my invention to provide a combined implement of the character described, i.e., a pen-knife, which is compact, sturdy and reliable and is so arranged that with a minimum of parts'the knife and pen, and particularly the pen, are so located when in infolded condition as neither to damage themselves nor a users pocket.

It is another object of my invention to provide a penknife of the character described which constitutes relatively few and `simple parts and is so arranged as to lend itself to mass production at low cost.

It is another object of my invention to provide a penknife of the character described wherein the connection between the pen and the implement frame is such lthat the frame can be used as the shank of the pen to be grasped by -a user for writing.

It is another object of my invention to provide a penknife of the character described in which a fresh pen unit can be readily and simply substituted for an exhausted one.

It is another object of my invention to provide a penknife of the character described the construction of which is such that it can be comfortably held for writing purposes despite its comparatively small size when 'both the knife and pen are infolded.

Other `objects of my invention will be in part obvious and in part will be pointed out hereinafter.

My invention accordingly consists in features of construction, combinations yofelernents and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the Vcombination pocket knife and pen hereinafter described and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the laccompanying drawing, in which is shown one of the various possible embodiments of my invention,

Fig. 1 is a side view of a pen-knife constructed in accordance with my invention, the pen being outfolded and portions of the implement being broken away, better to illustrate certain details thereof;

Fig. 2 is a back edge View of the pen-knife with the pen outfolded;

Fig. 3 is a view `similar to Fig. l with the pen infolded and one of the covers and lining plates removed in order to illustrate mountings for the knife blade and pen;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but with the pen infolded; `and Fig. 5 is an end view of the device showing the tang of the knife blade and the tip of the pen.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, the reference numeral `shows a combined implement, i.e., a penknife, constructed in accordance with my invention and including a frame which essentially constitutes a pair of spaced lining plates 12, 14 held apart in spaced parallel relationship by a thick narrow block 16 of resilient metal stock which is conventionally known to the art as a backspacer spring. The spacer spring is secured fand open positions.

to the two lining plates in -any suitable manner and preferably by a pair of rivets 18, 20 which are located near the center of the pen-knife so as to leave the ends 22, 24 thereof free for a purpose which will be apparent hereinafter. The'outer broad surfaces of the two lining plates are covered in a suitable conventional manner, as with scales 26 which may comprise sheet met-al supports shaped to match the lining plates `and provided with end holsters 28 and a depressed central portion that is `drumtightly overlain by a thin plastic decorative sheeting 30. The ends of the sheet metal supports are provided with tongues (not shown) which are folded into pockets 31 provided therefor in the lining plates `in order to hold lthe scales in place.

It will be observed that by using a narrow back spring 16 located between a pair of lining plates and by disposing said spring substantially at the longitudinal central axis of the elongated frame, I provide along the front edge of the device a compartment 32 and along the back edge a compartment 34, both said compartments extending inwardly from their respective edges up to the spring and running the full length of the pen-knife.

A standard knife blade 36 is located, when infolded, in the compartment 32. Said knife blade includes the V usual cutting portion 38 having a keen edge 40 and terminating at one end in a flat tang `42 provided with an opening 44. The tang is disposed at one end of the compartment 32 and is held in pivoted relationship therein as by a rivet 46 having its opposite ends located in holes (not shown) in the two lining plates. The outer end `48 of the tang is curved to facilitate camming engagement with the adjacent end 22 of the back spring. One side edge rS0 of the tang is straight and ilatly abuts the corresponding edge of the back spring when the knife is infolded. The opposite edge 52 of the tang likewise is straight and flatly abuts against said edge of the back spring when the knife blade is .outfolded, thereby precisely locating the knife blade in its closed The thickness of the tangs is substantially equal to the thickness of the `back spring so that said tang will aid in maintaining the lining plates in properly spaced parallel relationship at the associated end of the device.

The compartment 34 is arranged to receive in infolded position a ballpoint pen 54. Said compartment 34, unlike the compartment 32, which is of full depth over its entire length, is deeply notched, as at 56, to substantially the back spring (see Fig. 3). The pen comprises aA hollow metal tube 58 having female threads 60 formed at the rear open end thereof. A conical plug 62 is located at the front open end of the tube, the plug including a reduced cylindrical shoulder `64 which is tightly frictionally fitted into the tube. The plug is longitudinally bored to receive a conventional ballpoint cartridge 66 with the writing tip 68 thereof protruding from the apertured narrow front end of the plug 62.

The tube is screwed tightly on a male threaded stem 70 extending from a base 72 in one piece therewith. It will be observed that the base is of greater diameter than the stem and that there thus is provided :a perpendicular shoulder, i.e., seat 74, at the bottom of the stem which is engaged by the rear end of the tube l58 when the same is ,screwed home onto the stem.

Integral with the base 72 is a dat pen tang 76 pro- Ivided with an opening 78 through which a rivet 80 extends to secure the pen tang to the frame. Said rivet projects through openings (not shown) in the lining plate. One side edge I82 of the pen tang is straight and flatly abuts against the adjacent edge of the end 24 of the back spring thus defining the extended position of the pen and tending to maintain it thereat. The pen tang includes a shoulder 84 at the inner end of the edge 82,

tion.

the shoulder being disposed to abut against the flat tip 86 of the end 24 of the back spring (Fig. 3) thereby attording a rm support for the pen in its outfolded posi- It will be observed that in such position not only is the pen tightly held against the back spring but the entire handle of the knife is able to function as a comfortable holder for the pen thereby facilitating convenient writing although, Vas will be seen, both the pen and the knife frame are comparatively short.

In the same connection it is desired to point out that the tube `58 is of comparatively great diameter being indeed, yas will be seen from inspection of Figs. 4 and 5, substantially equal to the full thickness of the knife handle, including the covers. It is for this reason that the notch 56 is provided that allows the pen when infolded to protrude beyond the restricted confines of its narrow compartment 34. This additional width of the tube expedites the handling of the pen for writing.

It will be observed from inspection of Figs. 3, 4 and 5 that the pen in infolded position with the side edge 88 of the tang against the back spring has its writing tip 68 located between the lining plates where it is protected from contact with stray `objects in a users pocket and is prevented from soiling a users clothes or hands or otherl objects that may be in the pocket.

The compactness of the pen-knife, the protection of the pen point in infolded position, the ease of use of the pen in its extended position, and the ready ability to substi-t tute a new ballpoint pen unit for a used one are believed to be due in Inost part to the location of the pen und `knife on opposite edges of the frame and on opposite sides of the back spring. Moreover, the particular arrangement employed to detachably secure the ballpoint pen unit to its tang has been found to make the pen unusually easy to mass produce and to make it uniquely adaptable for ready replacement in the field.

It thus will be seen that I have provided a combination pocket knife and pen which achieve the various ob. jects of my invention and are Well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention and as 'various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein described or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A combination pocket knife and pen comprising an elongated frame including a pair of parallel lining plates, an elongated back spring located between said plates,

said spring extending longitudinally in a direction parallel to the length of the frame and being disposed approximately centrally between the opposite longitudinal edges of the frame, plural means securing said spring to said lining plates, said securing means being spaced inwardly from the ends of said spring whereby to leave said ends free, a knife blade, means pivotally mounting said knife blade adjacent one end of the frame and bearing on one free end of the spring to one side of said spring, said spring and plates defining an elongated pocket on the side of the frame opposite from the knife blade, a tang, means pivotally mounting said tang adjacent the other end of the frame and bearing on the other end of the spring to the opposite side thereof, a metal tube, a pen having a ball point tip located at one end of said tube and a ball point cartridge within the tube, associated means at the other end of the tube and on the tang for detachably coupling the tube and tang upon rotation of the tube whereby the tube with the ball point pen is detachably secured to the tang, said ball point tip being narrower than the spring, said tube being Wider than the thickness of the frame and at the end remote from the tang tapering to approximately the diameter of the ball point tip, said lining plates being notched in registry over almost the infolded length of the ball point pen, said ball point tip being located in protected position in the back between the lining plates when the pen is infolded.

2. A combination pocket knife and pen as set forth in claim 1 wherein the associated means on the tube .and

`tang for detachably coupling the same constitutes a female thread at one end of the tube and a male threaded stem on the tang.

3. A combination pocket knife and pen as set forth in claim 2 wherein a protruding flange is provided adjacent the base of the stem for engaging the end of the tube having the female thread therein.

References Cited in the file of this patent VUNITED STATES PATENTS

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