KNIVES

KNIVES

This invention relates to knives.

A knife is a useful tool to carry when fell walking, hiking, climbing, on military exercises, and so on, since it is an excellent survival aid. Another useful tool to carry when on such outdoor pursuits is a whistle. A whistle is a recognised distress signal and can attract attention to a lost or injured party far better than simply shouting. At present one carries a knife and a separate whistle.

A proposal to combine a knife and a whistle is disclosed in G.B.-A- 705 246 in which a knife has a mouthpiece of a whistle projecting from one end of the knife. The whistle is formed by a channel defined between a casing of the knife and a metal substrate and extends over both sides of the knife. The projecting mouthpiece has the disadvantages that it is prone to damage and that it cannot be used on a knife having a fold-out blade at each end.

U.S.-A-4 633 552 shows a proposal to combine a whistle with a tool handle. The handle comprises a substantially cylindrical casing, within which the sounding chamber of one or more whistles is formed; the whistle mouthpiece and air outlet are formed as apertures in the casing. While this arrangement does not have any projecting parts, it is not suitable for use with a knife with fold out blades.

According to the present invention a _f knife comprises a body portion, a knife blade mounted on the body portion, and a whistle, having a mouthpiece, a sounding chamber and an air outlet, and being provided on the external surface of the body portion to lie substantially within the plan projection of the body portion, at least when the knife is in a carrying configuration.

This enables a whistle to be incorporated on a knife with fold-out blades, but without any projecting parts, so that the whistle is protected from accidental knocks. Furthermore, the whistle is inherently stronger than one with projecting parts.

Preferably the whistle is defined at a single side of the body portion. This leaves the other side of the body portion free for other uses.

The whistle may be defined, at least in part, by a side casing of the body portion. Preferably the whistle is fully defined by the side casing. Conveniently the whistle is formed integrally with the side casing, ensuring that it cannot be lost accidentally. The casing is preferably of plastics, with the whistle moulded in.

Where the body portion has an elongate, longitudinal, extent the mouthpiece is preferably directed transversely of the elongate direction, while the sounding chamber has at least a part extending in the elongate direction.

The sounding chamber may lie in a plane which is generally parallel to the plane of the blade. Alternatively the chamber may be in a plane inclined to the plane of the blade.

In some embodiments of the invention the whistle may be provided as a separate element having a first. carrying position relative to the body portion, and being movable into a second position, a position of use. The whistle may be provided as a slide-out member which is preferably retained on the knife. It may however be detachable. The whistle may be provided as a fold-out attachment on the external surface of the knife.

Preferably the knife is a pen-knife having at least one fold-out blade. The whistle can preferably be used when the blade or blades are folded out.

The knife may have an attachment point at one end for a key-ring, or belt-hook, or other attachment.

The whistle may be so designed as to be operable by the wind, so that a user can simply position it in the wind and wait for help.

Various embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings of which:-

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a pen-knife;

Figure 2 shows a cross-section on line II-II of Figure 1;

Figures 3 to 6 schematically illustrate other knives incorporating whistles in accordance with the invention; and

Figures 7 and 8 are plan and side views respectively of a further pen-knife. Figures 1 and 2 show a multi-tool pen-knife 1 having a main knife blade 2, a body portion 3, first and second opposed sides 4 and 5, an attachment formation 6, various fold-out tools or blades 7, and a whistle 8.

It will be appreciated that many different types of fold-out tools are known, for example corkscrews, screwdrivers, bottle openers, can openers, stone removers, saw blades, and so on. The nature of the particular fold-out blades in the knife of Figures 1 and 2 is immaterial to the invention.

The body portion 3 has a central spine metal plate 9 and two side metal plates 10 and 11 (shown in Figure 2) . Knife blade 2 is pivotally connected to the body 3 by a pivot 12 at one end of the body and is mounted between plates 9 and 10. The tools 7 are pivotally mounted between the plates 9 and 10 and 9 and 11. A spacer plate 13 is also mounted between plates 9 and 10. The attachment formation 6 is provided at one end of the spine plate 9.

The sides 4 and 5 comprise plastics moulded cover plates 14 and 15 glued to the side plates 10 and 11.

Cover 15 is a substantially flat plate, but cover 14 has the whistle 8 integrally moulded in it as a surface moulding.

The whistle 8 has a mouthpiece 17 opening at an aperture 18 facing transversely of the body, a sounding chamber with a main portion 16 extending longitudinally of the body 3, and a neck 19 connecting the mouthpiece 17 to the chamber 16, together with an outlet aperture 20. The connection neck 19 turns through a right angle to connect the aperture 18 to the chamber 16. The whistle 3 is defined by a substantially flat upper surface 21, a substantially flat lower surface 22 of the moulded cover 14, and upstanding walls 23.

In use the mouthpiece of the whistle is placed to the user's mouth so as to abut the user's lips and the whistle is blown. It will be appreciated that the whistle can be used even when blade 2 is extended. In the embodiment shown none of the tools 7 opens to project in use away from the edge of the knife at which the mouthpiece 17 is provided, so that the user does not run the risk of stabbing himself in the face when he uses the whistle in an emergency. The whistle is always accessible for use and a user does not have to fold tools in before using it - an advantage if the whistle is needed in an instant. The user may even choose to fold out the knife blade 2 to provide something on which to hold when blowing the whistle.

As the mouthpiece of the whistle is within the plan area of the body 3 it does not have the problems associated with a projecting mouthpiece; that it could easily be knocked against something and be damaged. Furthermore, the construction of the whistle makes it stronger than a projecting whistle. This can be important during transport of the knife when it is not in use as it is likely to be treated roughly.

The note of the whistle is determined by the acoustics of the chamber and the frequency of sound can be varied by making whistles with different acoustic properties. The size and/or shape of the whistle may need to be altered to change the note. Because the whistle is provided as a surface moulding at only one side of the knife it releases the other side of the knife to incorporate other features. Since the whistle is provided in the casing it does not interfere with the conventional fold-out tools 7. The mouthpiece 17 opening to the side of the whistle increases the effective length of the whistle.

In a modification (not shown) the knife could of course be provided with two or more separate whistles

(one could be a spare in case of damage) . A whistle similar to whistle 8 can be provided on each of sides

4 and 5 if so desired.

If preferred, the mouthpiece 17 may be towards the middle of the body portion rather than at the end.

Alternative ways of providing the whistle at the surface of the cover plate 14 include providing the upper surface 21 and side walls 23 as a separate piece welded or oth'erwise afixed to a base cover defining the lower surface 22, or even having the lower surface 22 defined by a metal part of plate 10, which part could be a projection which assists in locating the plastics cover 14.

Figures 3 to 8 illustrate further embodiments, and corresponding reference numerals have been applied to corresponding parts. Figure 3 illustrates the provision of a surface moulded whistle 8 provided to one side only of a knife 1, with the whistle being directed transversely of the body 3 of the knife.

Figure 4 illustrates a pen-knife in which the whistle 8 is inclined to the longitudinal direction of the body 3. In a further modification (not shown) , the sounding chamber of the whistle may also be inclined to the plane of the knife blade 2.

Figure 5 illustrates a pen-knife in which the whistle 8 is provided on a detachable elongate component 25. The component 25 is of hollow cylindrical construction, having the mouthpiece 17, sounding chamber 16 and air outlet 20 of the whistle 8, together with retention means 26. The component 25 slides into a recess 27 provided in the cover 14 of the body and the retention means 26 holds the component 25 in place in the body 3, when the knife is in its carrying configuration with the whistle in its position of non-use.

Figure 6 shows a pen-knife having a body 3 and a whistle 8 provided as a fold-out member 28, pivotally mounted at one end to the side 4 of the knife. The member 28 is of rectangular section, with the mouthpiece 17, elongate chamber 16 and air outlet 20 of the whistle 8. The side 4 has a recess 29 to accommodate the member 28 when the knife is in its carrying configuration.

Figures 7 and 8 show a pen-knife having a body 3, at each end 30, 31 of which is pivotally mounted a fold-out blade 32. A whistle 8 is provided on the side 4, and has its mouthpiece 17 at one end 30 of the body 3, its sounding chamber 16 extending longitudinally of the body, with the air outlet 20. The mouthpiece 17 could instead be directed towards the side of the body 3 so that the whistle 8 can be blown with both blades 32 in the position shown. The frequency of the whistles described could be chosen for non-human ears, for example dogs, or even for detection by machines.

Although pen-knives with fold-out blades have been described it will be appreciated that the invention also applies to knives with fixed blades which do not fold.