Belt buckle knife
The present invention is directed to a combination belt buckle and knife, and, more particularly, to a belt buckle and knife device wherein the knife blade is effectively contained and concealed within the buckle during wear, and may be quickly and easily removed therefrom for use, with a portion of the buckle serving as the handle for the knife blade. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a combination belt buckle and knife device which provides an aesthetically attractive belt buckle for wear, with concealed storage of a knife therein which may be quickly removed from the buckle for use. 
    
    
     The invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof, when taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a front view of the combination belt buckle and knife of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a front view, on reduced scale, of the base member of the belt buckle knife of FIG. 1, with the front cover plate of the base member removed therefrom; 
     FIG. 3 is a view of the inside face of the removed cover plate of the base member seen in FIG. 2, and showing the component parts of the knife with the blade positioned in closed condition for concealment within the buckle; 
     FIG. 4 is a view of the inside face of the cover plate of FIG. 3 illustrating the knife blade in locked extended position for use; 
     FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the belt buckle knife taken along line V--V of FIG. 1; and 
     FIG. 6 is a view of the inside face of a cover plate for the base member of FIG. 2 illustrating a modified form of locking means for the knife blade when in use. 
    
    
     Referring more specifically to the drawings, the belt buckle knife 10 of the present invention comprises a base member 12 having a removable front cover plate 14. As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 5, the base member has a flat rear face 16 to which is attached a ring 18 and finger-like hook 20 for receiving opposite ends of a conventional belt (not shown). The base member has an upstanding peripheral edge portion 22 which defines peripheral walls of a recess or compartment 24 within the base member for the concealed containment of a knife blade 26 and blade-locking mechanism 28 attached to the inside face of the cover plate 14 (FIG. 3). 
     As seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, knife blade 26 is attached to the inside face of the cover plate for pivotal movement between a first or closed position (FIG. 3) wherein the blade overlies the inside face of the cover plate 14 and a second or open position (FIG. 4) wherein the blade extends outwardly from the cover plate for use, with the cover plate serving as a handle for the blade. The blade is mounted for pivotal movement between said first and second positions through a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the cover plate by means of a pivot pin 30 attached to the cover plate which engages an opening in the tang portion 32 of the knife blade 26. 
     Knife blade locking means 28 comprises a locking arm 34 pivotally attached by means of a pivot pin 36 to the inside face of the cover plate. One end of arm 34 is provided with a detent 38 which is urged into engagement with the peripheral edge of the tang of the blade by a compression spring 41 which is attached to a finger-like element 42 on the cover plate and exerts a biasing force against the opposite end 43 of the locking arm from the detent. The peripheral edge of the tang includes a first shoulder means, or recess, 44, for receiving the detent of the locking arm when the blade is pivoted into position for use (FIG. 4) to lock the blade in its use position. 
     As best seen in FIG. 3, blade 26 is also provided with a second shoulder portion 46 which is engaged by the detent 38 when the blade is pivoted in closed position to prevent contact of the sharp edges of the blade with the locking arm 34. Thus, when the cover plate is removed from the base member, the knife blade may be readily pivoted by hand from its closed position (FIG. 3) to its extended position for use (FIG. 4), where it is locked into position by engagement of the detent 38 with tang recess 44. To return the blade to a closed position after use, the end 43 of the locking arm is depressed to unlock the blade and permit its pivotal movement back to closed position as shown in FIG. 3. 
     The means for removably attaching the cover plate 14 to the base member 16 are best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Base member 12 is provided with a resiliently deformable elongate element, such as a small metal rod 50 which is attached at its opposite ends to edge portions 22 of the base member to span one end portion of the recess 24 in spaced relation from the rear face 16 of the base member. Edge portion 22a of base member 12 at the opposite end of the recess from the rod 50 is provided with an undercut groove 52 for the reception of a portion of the peripheral edge of the tang 32 of the blade when the blade is in closed position, as seen in FIG. 3. As seen in FIGS. 3, 4 and 6, element 42 on the inside face of the cover plate is provided with an undercut groove or slot 54 for the reception and engagement of a central portion of rod 50 on the base member when the cover plate is attached to the base plate as shown in FIG. 1. 
     The attachment and removal of the cover plate from the base member of the belt buckle may best be described by reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. To attach the cover plate to the base member, the right hand end of the cover plate, as seen in FIG. 3, with the blade in closed position as shown, is superposed over the left hand portion of the base member as seen in FIG. 2. Cover plate 14 is then slid along the base member to the left to engage the rod 50 in the recessed slot or groove 54 of element 42 on the inner face of the plate. The cover plate is then pushed slightly further to the left to slightly bend the rod 50 as the left hand end of the cover plate, as seen in FIG. 3, is pushed downwardly toward the recess 24 to snap the outer peripheral edge 56 of the tang 32 of the blade into the groove 52 on the right hand end of the base member, thus securing the plate to the base member with the knife blade and locking mechanism concealed in the recess 24 of the base member, as seen in FIG. 5. To remove the cover plate from the base member, the plate is pushed by the palm of the hand in a leftward direction, as seen in FIG. 1, to slightly bend the resilient rod 50 and remove the end of the tang of the blade from the base plate groove 52, whereby the end of the plate may be pivoted outwardly to detach the plate from the base member. 
     As seen in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 6, the compression spring 41 of the locking means for the blade may be replaced by a conventional leaf spring 60 positioned between the end of the locking arm and the element 42 to biasingly urge the locking arm detent 38 into engagement with the peripheral edge of the tang of the blade. 
     As illustrated in the drawings, portions of the peripheral edge of the cover plate 14 may be provided with serrations 62 which not only provide an attractive decoration for the belt buckle, but also facilitates retention of the plate 14 by the hand when the plate serves as the handle for the knife during use. 
     Although the belt buckle knife of the present invention has been shown to be of a generally overall rectangular configuration, it should be understood that the exact shape, size, and decorative design of the belt buckle knife may vary, depending upon the aesthetic appearance desired. From the foregoing, it can be seen that the belt buckle knife of the present invention effectively serves as a decorative article of wear while providing for the concealed containment of a knife therein.