Importance

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Abstract

A knive having a tubular handle and provided with an open end for receiving a pair of blade clamping members in the form of leaf springs, one of the leaf springs being longer than the other leaf spring and having a projecting tab for insertion into a hole in the shank of a blade to be coupled to the handle. The inner end of the longer leaf spring is coupled to a slidable member having a knob projecting through and movable longitudinally of a slot in the handle. Movement of the slide member in one direction causes the projecting tab on the longer leaf spring to become exposed for coupling the blade shank to the leaf spring. Movement of the slide member in the opposite direction causes the longer leaf spring to be retracted fully into the handle so that the blade will be centered between the two leaf springs while projecting outwardly from the handle to expose the cutting edge of the blade. When the blade is in its operative position, the shank of the blade is in surface contact with and clamped between the adjacent surfaces of the two leaf springs. When the blade is separated from the handle, the two leaf springs bow toward each other. In one embodiment, the handle is metal. In another embodiment, the handle is plastic and the shorter leaf spring has a pair of side flanges at the outer end thereof to prevent damage to the plastic material of the handle when the blade is moved into its operative position.

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First Claim