Folding knife with compression locking mechanism

A folding knife with compression locking mechanism, comprising:

• a handle having a front end, a rear end and a cavity defined therebetween;
• a knife blade having a front end, a heel end with an anvil, a cutting edge and an upper edge, said heel end rotatably interconnected to said front end of said handle, wherein said knife blade travels between a first extended position of use and a second closed position with said knife blade cutting edge positioned within said handle cavity;
• a stop pin positioned within a forward end of said handle cavity for engaging said heel end of said blade to prevent over travel when said knife blade is in said first extended position of use;
• and
• a locking mechanism positioned within said forward end of said handle cavity and operably interconnected on at least a first end to said handle, said locking mechanism comprising a releasable tang positioned directly between said anvil of said blade and said stop pin when said knife blade is in said first extended position of use and traveling in a direction substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said handle, wherein when pressure is applied downward on said upper edge of said blade, said releasable tang is compressed between said blade anvil and said stop pin to prevent closure of said knife blade.

A method for preventing the inadvertent closure of a folding knife blade, comprising:

• providing a folding knife having a handle, a blade having a pointed end and a heel end, said heel end rotatably interconnected to a front end of said handle, said handle further comprising a cavity for receiving a cutting edge of said blade and a stop pin positioned proximate to an upper edge of said handle to engage said heel end of said blade when said blade is in an extended position of use;
• providing a blade locking mechanism operably interconnected on at least a first end to said handle and having a releasable tang positioned between an anvil on said heel end of said knife blade and said stop pin when said knife blade is in said first extended position of use said releasable tang traveling in a direction substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the handle;
• and
• biasing said blade locking mechanism, wherein when said blade is moved between a closed position with a blade cutting edge positioned within said handle cavity and said extended position of use, said tang becomes directly positioned between said anvil and said stop pin in substantially the same longitudinal plane and becomes compressed to prevent rotation of said blade.

A folding knife with compression locking mechanism, comprising:

• a handle having a front end, a rear end and a cavity defined therebetween;
• a knife blade having a front end, a heel end with an anvil, a cutting edge and an upper edge, said heel end rotatably interconnected to said front end of said handle, wherein said knife blade travels between a first extended position of use and a second closed position wherein said knife blade cutting edge is positioned substantially within said handle cavity;
• a stop pin interconnected to said handle proximate to an upper edge of said handle for engaging said heel end of said blade when said blade is in said first extended position of use;
• and
• a compression locking means interconnected on at least a first end to said handle and positioned within said handle cavity, said compression locking means comprising a releasable wedge positioned directly between said anvil of said blade and said stop pin when said knife blade is in said first extended position of use and traveling in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the handle, wherein when pressure is applied downward on said upper edge of said blade, said releasable wedge is compressed between said blade anvil and said stop pin to prevent closure of said knife blade.