Knife scabbard or holder

Claim 2

A knife scabbard including, a hollow housing defining a knife receiving passage having an access opening at one end thereof and a remote end, a carrier member within said passage, and pivot means adjacent said remote end mounting said carrier for movement towards and away from one wall of said passage, a sharpening device mounted on said carrier at a position adjacent said opening, and separate biasing means between said carrier and said housing urging said carrier towards said one wall.

Claim 3

A knife scabbard according to claim 1, wherein a reaction member is located within said passage and has a part located between said one wall of the passage and said carrier member for engagement by a knife blade inserted into said passage between said carrier member and said passage one wall and to be thereby urged against said one wall; and said reaction member cooperates with said carrier member so as to apply a force thereto in opposition to the influence of said biasing means when said reaction member part is urged against said one wall, at least during initial insertion of said knife blade into said passage.

Claim 4

A knife scabbard including; a hollow housing; an elongate knife receiving passage defined within said housing and having an access opening at one end thereof; an elongate carrier member located within said passage and having a rear end portion pivotally connected to said housing at a position remote from said access opening, said pivotal connection having its axis extending transverse to said passage to allow said carrier member to be pivoted towards and away from a side wall of said passage; a sharpening device mounted on a front end portion of the carrier member for engagement by a knife blade inserted into said passage between said wall and said carrier member; guide means located within said passage adjacent said access opening and operative to minimize lateral tilting movement of a knife blade located within said passage; and biasing means urging said carrier member about its pivot towards said wall.

Claim 5

A knife scabbard including; a hollow housing; an elongate knife receiving passage defined within said housing and having an access opening at one end thereof; an elongate carrier member located within said passage and having a rear end portion pivotally connected to said housing at a position remote from said access opening, said pivotal connection having its axis extending transverse to said passage to allow said carrier member to be pivoted towards and away from a side wall of said passage; a sharpening device mounted on a front end portion of the carrier member for engagement by a knife blade inserted into said passage between said wall and said carrier member; guide means located within said passage adjacent said access opening and operative to minimize lateral tilting movement of a knife blade located within said passage; and biasing means urging said carrier member about its pivot towards said wall.

Claim 6

A knife scabbard according to claim 3, wherein said guide means includes two laterally spaced guide surfaces, each of which is located on a respective side of a knife blade located within said passage, and said surfaces extend substantially the full height of that part of the said blade which is at any time located between said surfaces.

Claim 7

A knife scabbard according to claim 3, wherein a reaction member is located within said passage and has a part located between said passage wall and said carrier member for engagement by a knife blade inserted into said passage between said carrier member and said passage wall and to be thereby urged against said wall; and said reaction member cooperates with said carrier member so as to apply a force thereto in opposition to the influence of said biasing means when said reaction member part is urged against said wall, at least during initial insertion of said knife blade into said passage.

Claim 8

A knife scabbard including; a hollow housing; an elongate knife receiving passage defined within said housing and having an access opening at a front end thereof; an elongate carrier member located within said passage and having a rear end portion pivotally connected to said housing at a posiTion remote from said access opening, said pivotal connection having its axis extending transverse to said passage to allow said carrier member to be pivoted towards and away from a side wall of said passage; a sharpening device mounted on a front end portion of said carrier member for engagement by a knife blade inserted into said passage between said wall and said carrier member; biasing means urging said carrier member about its pivot towards said wall into a rest position; and a reaction member pivotally mounted on said carrier member so that part thereof is interposed between said front end portion of said carrier member and said wall and is located forwardly of the pivotal mounting of said reaction member, at least when said carrier member is in said rest position; whereby said reaction member part is engageable by a knife blade inserted into said passage and engaging said sharpening device so as to react between said wall and said carrier member and create a force on the carrier member in opposition to the influence of said biasing means, at least during initial insertion of said blade into said passage.

Claim 9

A knife scabbard including; a hollow housing; an elongate knife receiving passage defined within said housing and having an access opening at a front end thereof; an elongate carrier member located within said passage and having a rear end portion pivotally connected to said housing at a posiTion remote from said access opening, said pivotal connection having its axis extending transverse to said passage to allow said carrier member to be pivoted towards and away from a side wall of said passage; a sharpening device mounted on a front end portion of said carrier member for engagement by a knife blade inserted into said passage between said wall and said carrier member; biasing means urging said carrier member about its pivot towards said wall into a rest position; and a reaction member pivotally mounted on said carrier member so that part thereof is interposed between said front end portion of said carrier member and said wall and is located forwardly of the pivotal mounting of said reaction member, at least when said carrier member is in said rest position; whereby said reaction member part is engageable by a knife blade inserted into said passage and engaging said sharpening device so as to react between said wall and said carrier member and create a force on the carrier member in opposition to the influence of said biasing means, at least during initial insertion of said blade into said passage.

Claim 10

A knife scabbard including; a hollow housing; an elongate knife receiving passage defined within said housing and having an access opening at a front end thereof; an elongate carrier member located within said passage and having a rear end portion pivotally connected to said housing at a position remote from said access opening, said pivotal connection having its axis extending transverse to said passage to allow said carrier member to be pivoted towards and away from a side wall of said passage; a sharpening device mounted on a front end portion of said carrier member for engagement by a knife blade inserted into said passage between said wall and said carrier member; biasing means urging said carrier member about its pivot towards said wall into a rest position; a latch member pivotally mounted on said carrier member and having a reaction part interposed between said front end portion of said carrier member and said passage wall and located forwardly of the pivotal mounting of said latch member, at least when said carrier member is in said rest position, the pivotal axis of said latch member being substantially parallel to the pivotal axis of said carrier member, and said reaction part slidably engages said passage wall so as to be movable rearwardly of said passage when engaged by a knife blade inserted into said passage; and a pair of guide surfaces formed on said latch member, extending between said reaction part and the pivotal mounting of the latch member, and being spaced to provide lateral support for a knife blade inserted therebetween.

Claim 11

A knife scabbard including; a hollow housing; an elongate knife receiving passage defined within said housing and having an access opening at a front end thereof; an elongate carrier member located within said passage and having a rear end portion pivotally connected to said housing at a position remote from said access opening, said pivotal connection having its axis extending transverse to said passage to allow said carrier member to be pivoted towards and away from a side wall of said passage; a sharpening device mounted on a front end portion of said carrier member for engagement by a knife blade inserted into said passage between said wall and said carrier member; biasing means urging said carrier member about its pivot towards said wall into a rest position; a latch member pivotally mounted on said carrier member and having a reaction part interposed between said front end portion of said carrier member and said passage wall and located forwardly of the pivotal mounting of said latch member, at least when said carrier member is in said rest position, the pivotal axis of said latch member being substantially parallel to the pivotal axis of said carrier member, and said reaction part slidably engages said passage wall so as to be movable rearwardly of said passage when engaged by a knife blade inserted into said passage; and a pair of guide surfaces formed on said latch member, extending between said reaction part and the pivotal mounting of the latch member, and being spaced to provide lateral support for a knife blade inserted therebetween.

Claim 12

A knife scabbard according to claim 7, wherein said pivotal connection between said carrier member and said housing includes a part cylindrical rib formed on said carrier member and extending transverse thereof, and at least one recess formed within said housing and being open in a direction away from said passage wall; said rib being releasably retained in said recess by the influence of said biasing means; and said carrier member being adapted to be withdrawn out of said housing through said access opening when said rib is disengaged from said recess.

Claim 13

A knife scabbard according to claim 7, wherein said sharpening device includes a support block mounted on said carrier member for pivotal movement about an axis extending substantially parallel to the carrier member axis, and sharpening elements carried by said support block for engaging with and sharpening the cutting edge of a knife blade; and stop means is provided to limit the degree of pivotal movement of said support block relative to said carrier member.

Claim 14

A knife scabbard according to claim 9, wherein said stop means includes a leaf spring dependent from said support block, and a pair of reaction surfaces formed on said carrier member and being spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of that member; said leaf spring engaging a respective said reactioN surface in each of the extreme pivotal positions of said support block relative to said carrier member.

Claim 15

A knife scabbard according to claim 7, wherein said housing is releasably connectable to a mounting plate by a sloping abutment surface provided adjacent the rear end of said housing and being cooperable with a complementary surface of said mounting plate, and a detent member flexibly attached to the front end of said housing for snap engagement with a part attached to said mounting plate.