US2889621A - Combined tool - Google Patents

Description

Jun 9, 1959 w. BASSETT 2,889,621

COMBINED TOOL I Filed Aug. 6, 1957 l I /l-| Hwy A h. .L M,

Hill

- INVENTOR fimrhlfinusrr ATTORNEYS Uted States Patent 4 Claims. (Cl. 30-152) Conn., asslgnor to The Derby, Conn., a corporation My invention relates to a combined tool, and particularly to an improved means for holding a blade or blades in desired position. The invention will be described as applied to a combined tool, including a case having one or more blade-like members pivotally mounted therein and movable from closed position within said case to open position extending away from said case. The blades are held in desired positions by friction means.

It is an object of the invention to provide a combined tool with improved means for holding blade members in predetermined positions.

Another object is to provide an improved tool involving a case and blades independently movable from closed position to open position and held frictionally in predetermined positions.

Still another object is to provide a tool of the character indicated wherein the blades are frictionally held during movement and in predetermined positions by improved and simplified spring means.

Other objects and various features of novelty and invention will be apparent or will be pointed out.

Briefly stated, in a preferred form of the invention, I employ a channel having a base and opposed upstanding side walls defining a retaining case. One or more blade-like members are held within said case and are pivotally mounted on a pivotal axis between said side Walls. The blades are independently movable from closed positions within said case to open positions extending away from said case. Each blade is provided with a friction surface for frictionally engaging a spring means on said case for holding said blades in predetermined positions and the friction surfaces on said blades are preferably concentric with the pivot axis, and the spring means on the case will preferably be formed integrally with the case. Thus, when a blade is opened or closed, it will be frictionally resisted during the opening or closing motion and frictionally held in wide open or other predetermined position.

In the drawings, which show for illustrative purposes only, preferred forms of the invention:

Fig. 1 is a front view in central vertical longitudinal section through the case of a combined tool illustrating features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing two blades in place, one open and one closed;

Fig. 3 is an inverted perspective view of the combined tool case shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. l, but illustrating a modification;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but illustrating the modification of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an inverted perspective view of the case of the combined tool shown in Figs. 4 and 5;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating a still further modification;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but illustrating the modification shown in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is an inverted perspective view of the case shown in Figs. 7 and 8.

In said drawings, the case consists of a channel-shaped member including a base 5 with upstanding side walls or flanges 6, the whole channel being elongated and forming the case or housing of the combined tool. A plurality of blade members such as 7-8 are pivotally mounted in the housing between the upstanding side walls, and the pivot member preferably consists of a hollow eyelet 10 passing through openings in the side walls and through registering openings in the blade members 7-8.

The blade members are designed to be held in predetermined definite positions by friction means, and therefore each blade is provided with a friction surface 11 preferably concentric with the pivotal axis of the blades and extending arcuately to an extent suflicient for pro viding friction for the blade during at least a part of the opening movement and while the blade is in open position. In the form shown in Fig. 2 this surface 11 terminates in a tangential surface to engage the inside of the base and the spring when the blade is open. Spring means will serve to engage friction surfaces 11, and in the forms shown, such spring means are integral with the bases of the channels. a

As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, a spring tongue 12 is formed in the base adjacent the pivot openings through the side walls, and this tongue, in the form shown in Fig. 3, is preferably formed by slitting or lancing the metal of the base along parallel spaced lines 13-13, leaving the tongue 12 between them. These lancings 13-13 are adjacent the upstanding side wall 6 and therefore the intermediate spring part covers substantially the entire transverse extent of the channel at the particular end where the spring tongue is located. The channel base is further provided with another lancing or slit 14 transversely of the base and joining the slits 13-13 at one end so as to leave the spring tongue 12 free of the base except at the rear end where it is integrally joined thereto. This spring tongue 12 in the form shown is initially displaced inwardly as indicated particularly in Figs. 1 and 3, and when the blades assembled with the case are open this spring tongue 12 will be stressed and the spring tongue 12 will then occupy a position as shown in Fig. 2 substantially flush with the outside of the base.

Each friction surface 11 is preferably of a circum ferential extent sufiicient to contact the spring tongue 12 and exert a friction stress during at least a considerable portion of the opening movement of the blade, such as 7; and the spring exerts spring friction pressure enough to hold the blades in open position as shown in Fig. 2. The other blades are preferably relieved at the back edge 15, that is the edges opposite the friction surfaces engaging the spring when the blades are wide open. Thus, and the other blade, 8, are closed those latter blades in closed posi-'- when one blade, such as 7, is open, such as tion being relieved as shown at 15, will not impair the spring action of the tongue 12 in engagement with the friction surface 11 or its tangential continuation on the blade 7 in open position.

In the form shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, all of the parts are substantially duplicates of those heretofore described and are given the same reference characters except that the spring on the case is different and the conformation of the friction surfaces vary slightly. In the form shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, the spring member 20 is formed integrally with the base. The spring is formed by slitting the base 5 along two parallel lines, as indicated at 21- 21, and these slits 21-21 terminate short of the ends so that spring member 20 will be integrally secured at its ends to the base of the channel but will be free of the Patented June 9,1959.

3., base=anrfwailt-ofthercliannel at the sides because of the slits ZT-ZI'. This sprmg-member 20" is preferably dis-' placed inwardly as indicated particularly in Figs44, 5 and 6 so as to provide an inwardly extending spring portion within the case for engagement by the friction surfaces 11' on the blades as heretofore described. These friction surfaces 11 will normally not have the tangential continuations shown in Fig, ZJ-but' will be aren'- atein all spring engaging zones.

'I'heother; features; such as relieving'ofthe blades: over springs: when in'closedtpositions and other. construetions; are, the. same. as those heretofore described.

: Inv therfbrmshown in. Figs. 7; 8 and 9;, all of 'the parts. againnre substantially thesame" as heretofore described; except the construction" of the spring 25 integral with the base of. the. channel. This. Spring member 25 is formed by, two parallel. slits. 2E2Z extending longitudinally of the basehandlsubstantially. along edges of. the side. walls 6 -41 These? slits -26. terminate. short of the.

ends ofithebaseandthe. spring member. istherefore 'integrally. joined to therbase atits two ends andisfreeofl thebase only along, slits. Eda-26; This. spring member 25: may while unstressed, be flush. with the. outsidezofi the. channel. base, and. the friction surface 11" on. the

blades: are. of such. radial. extent. thatv they engage. the. 9

spring member. 25 andfunction exactly the. same as the blades heretofore described. When. the. blade 7 is in open position, as shown in Fig. 8.,- the. spring member 25. will be. displaced outwardly to some. extent asshowm in exaggerated: form-.in. Fig, 8 so. as-toppovide. the: necessary springfriction onthe blade. Theiblades themselves. and the: friction; surfaces. and all. other features except the: partimflar construction. ofithe-tsppingmember 25: are. the. same as: those" l1r-:ret.ofore.-v described in connection. with: Fig;.4, S-i and'fii Itrwilllbe;seemthcntbatzlhaveprovided acombined tool: whereinamty. one. bladevort all blades: may be; moved; to open; position and. frictionally held-inthat. or any; othen position by spring means: integral. with the.- case; or. base of: the. case. When. one blade is. in opempositionandthe. other-blades are. in closed. position; the construction. ofntheabladesziszpreferably such that they do not impair the spring actioru on. the blade in open. position. The entent'iofi-thefrictiorc surfaces preferably willbe such. as. to: crcate'arfri'ctiombindof the; blades on the case spring: dluzing'at lcasta part anrl; preferably a large-part, of theopening: movement? of: the blades and also a sufficient frictional force to: hold; the: blade'indefinitely inopen; or any other position.

Since the friction-surfaces on thebladesare perfectly concentric: withthepirotal axes, thef'riction forceswill.

be substantially constant duringzthe: opening movement? either-blade; anchwhile thei blade-:isheld in open-position; Whilethefrictionsurfaces. such as:.11 aresall shownas. being concentric; with the pivotal-axes, such. surfacescould be.-.ma'de-. slightly spiralor very slightly enlarged at thev parts: engaging thezspring members when the blades are. in. wide open position, thusproviding. additional. friction forcesas; distinguished .fromsnap action forces for holdingthe blade or blades inwide: openposi-tion'.. The blade pansare: all. very; simply formed, and. the spring means assesses along the bases are easily formed by slitting the metal of the base so astrr provide spring tongues.

Reference is made herein. to Bassett application Serial No. 615,200 filed October 10, 1956, now Patent No. 2,798,290.

While the invention has been described in considerable detail and preferred forms illustrated, it is to be understood that various changes .may be. made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Ilclaim:

l. Ina devicee of'the. character indicated, an elongated channel having a base and opposed upstanding side walls and defining; a. retaining case, a plurality of. elongated blade members, means for pivotally supporting said blade members about a common: axis between said side walls, one of said blade members having a friction surface substantially concentric with said pivot axis, the base of said channel having a pain of. longitudinal slits adjacent. said upstanding, side. walls and located beneath said. pivot. axis, said slits: terminating short. of the longitudinalend'ss of" said base, whereby a spring member is defined. integral atboth ends with'said base and free thereofbetween said i slits, saidfi'i'ction surface engaging said spring, member and being; of a circumferential extent to engage said. spring member during apart of the opening movement of" said blade member and continuously up to and including the blade-open position.

2". A deviceaccording to claim 1, in which said fri'ce tion surface is formed" of contour having progressively varying radius, the low point of the. contour: being adjacent but relieved from said spring member. when the. blade is. in. closed position.

3; In the combination defined in claim 1, the-metal between said slitstbeing displaced inwardly so, as to provide'a springprojectinginto: said channel for the purpose setforth.

4. In a device of the character indicated, an elongated channel having a base and opposed upstanding side walls and defining a' retaining case, an elongated. blade mermber and meansfor pivotally supporting saidblade me her about an axis extending between said side walls, said blade member. having a friction surface substantially con-- centric with said pivot axis, the baseof said channel hav-- ing a pair of longitudinal slits adjacent said upstanding side walls and located beneath said pivot axis, said slits? terminating short of the longitudinal ends of said base, whereby a spring, member is defined integral at both ends" withsaidbase and free thereof between said slits, said; friction surface engaging said spring member and being. of a circumferential extent to engage said spring mem. ber duringa part of'theopening movement of said blade" member and continuously up to andincluding the blade.- openposition.

Referencesflitedin the-file-of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,779,098 Pocoski'et a1 I an. 29, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 21,911 Great Britain Nov. 20,1902.

Images