Abstract: A utility knife has a handle and a replaceable blade fixed to the handle. The blade has a cutting edge extending from the handle along an axis for a distance. The utility knife includes a movement mechanism, which may be at least partially enclosed by the handle. The movement mechanism is adapted to provide reversible motion along relative to the blade. A shield is connected to the movement mechanism and disposed adjacent to the blade, whereby the shield is movable between an extended position covering the cutting edge and a retracted position exposing the cutting edge. When in a retracted position, the shield may be inside or closely adjacent to the handle, so as to not interfere with handling of the knife.

Abstract: A replaceable blade utility knife is disclosed that uses permanent magnet to facilitate opening the knife handle for blade replacement. The utility knife has a handle made of two halves. The halves are held together by a connector, and rotate around the connector when the knife handle is opened. Permanent magnets are mounted in each half of the knife handle to separate the halves, rotate the halves to the desired open position, and to hold the halves in position while the blades are being changed. The permanent magnets act as a magnetic actuator for opening the handle halves.

Abstract: A utility knife has a handle and a replaceable blade fixed to the handle. The blade has a cutting edge extending from the handle along an axis for a distance. The utility knife includes a movement mechanism, which may be at least partially enclosed by the handle. The movement mechanism is adapted to provide reversible motion along relative to the blade. A shield is connected to the movement mechanism and disposed adjacent to the blade, whereby the shield is movable between an extended position covering the cutting edge and a retracted position exposing the cutting edge. When in a retracted position, the shield may be inside or closely adjacent to the handle, so as to not interfere with handling of the knife.

Abstract: A carpet seaming iron includes a platen, a heating element conductively coupled to the platen, and a passageway interposed between the platen and handle. The passageway is configured to accommodate a piece of seaming tape over the platen and under the handle of the seaming iron. The handle is designed to protrude between adjacent pieces of carpet that are to be seamed together. The seaming iron may be used to make a seam using a seaming tape having thermal adhesive on an upper side, by heating the seaming tape from below. Advantageously, a seam may be completed without contact between the thermal adhesive of the seaming tape and the platen of the seaming iron.

Abstract: A method and tool for repairing worn seams in sheet materials, such as linoleum or vinyl floor coverings, is disclosed. The tool is a specially constructed, double bladed utility knife. The tool has dual cutting blades that are rigidly secured to the tool for precision cutting. The blades are set at a slightly divergent angle relative to one another, and the distance between the blades is adjustable. The tool may be used to repair a damaged seam in a floor covering as follows. First, the blades are set to span the widest portion of the damaged portion of the seam. Cutting pressure is applied and the tool is drawn along the seam to remove the damaged portion. The blades are then adjusted to a slightly wider-apart position, and the tool is used in a similar manner to cut a repair piece from a matching piece of material. The repair piece is then adhered to the floor and will fit snugly between the adjoining pieces of material to accomplish a perfect repair of the seam.

Abstract: An insulation blanket is disclosed that contains fire-blocking materials for preventing rapid penetration of fire into an aircraft fuselage in case of a fire outside the aircraft. The insulation blanket contains at least one layer of fiberglass or other thermal-acoustic insulation material without fire-blocking properties, and one or more layers of fire-blocking material. The fire blocking material is wider than the thermal-acoustic insulation so that it may be folded against and attached to adjacent structural frame members of the fuselage. In the alternative, a thermal-acoustic insulation material is used that has fire-blocking properties instead of the separate layers of fire-blocking and thermal-acoustic insulation materials. A method for installing insulation blankets according to the present invention is disclosed, whereby a fire-blocking insulation portion of the blanket is folded against and attached to frame members of the aircraft using attachment posts or spring clips.

Abstract: A method and tool for repairing worn seams in sheet materials, such as linoleum or vinyl floor coverings, is disclosed. The tool is a specially constructed, double bladed utility knife. The tool has dual cutting blades that are rigidly secured to the tool for precision cutting. The blades are set at a slightly divergent angle relative to one another, and the distance between the blades is adjustable. The tool may be used to repair a damaged seam in a floor covering as follows. First, the blades are set to span the widest portion of the damaged portion of the seam. Cutting pressure is applied and the tool is drawn along the seam to remove the damaged portion. The blades are then adjusted to a slightly wider-apart position, and the tool is used in a similar manner to cut a repair piece from a matching piece of material. The repair piece is then adhered to the floor and will fit snugly between the adjoining pieces of material to accomplish a perfect repair of the seam.

Abstract: The invention concerns a seaming tape for seaming carpeting and other flexible materials, and method of seaming carpet thereby. The seaming tape is reinforced by rigid strips so that the seam does not visibly peak, profile, or otherwise bulge visibly when the flexible material is placed in tension in a direction perpendicular to the seam. The seaming tape comprises an adhesive, a reinforcing scrim, a flexible backing, and rigid strips that are aligned parallel to the scrim, on opposite sides of the longitudinal centerline of the scrim, and spaced apart a distance from the centerline of the scrim. The rigid strips are sized and placed so that after a seam is made using the tape, the rigid strips are on opposite sides of the seam and aligned parallel to the seam. When the seamed material is stretched, the rigid strips resist flexure, resulting in a seam that stays virtually flat and invisible.

Abstract: A carpet seaming iron having an internal electronic temperature control circuit including a solid state temperature sensor, a power controller, and a solid state switching device is disclosed. The iron does not use a thermostat for temperature control. The iron includes a baseplate, an electrically powered heating element, a heat shield, a handle and the internally mounted control circuit. The control circuit includes a means for providing a signal to the power controller corresponding to a desired temperature of the iron. A solid state temperature sensor sends a signal to the power controller corresponding to the baseplate temperature. The power controller controls the switching device so that the amount of power supplied to the heating element is proportional to the difference between the baseplate temperature and the desired temperature. Thus as the baseplate becomes hotter, less power is supplied to the heating element, and the seaming iron maintains a stable and precise temperature.

Abstract: A novel carpet seaming method and tools for reducing or eliminating seam peaking and profiling is provided. The backing of abutting pieces of carpeting can be reinforced along their respective edges. A staple is supported on an anvil with its legs facing the carpet backing beneath the seam line while a hammer is driven onto the carpet pile and the underlying staple base. The impact of the hammer impales the carpet backing over the legs of the staple, and compresses the staple base against the anvil. The legs can then be forced towards each other to lock the staple in position. The process is repeated along the length of the seam line until a row of staples spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance and extending from one end of a seam to the other end securely holds the abutting pieces of carpet together to form a seam. After seaming, the carpet may be stretched conventionally and secured to tack strips along the periphery of the area being carpeted.

Abstract: An improved carpet seaming electric iron of the kind used for making carpet face seams with hot melt adhesive tapes is disclosed. Improved heat transfer and control is achieved by reducing the thermal mass of the iron baseplate, and by providing a raised channel, integral with the top surface of the base plate, for mounting the heating element to efficiently transmit the heat generated by the heating element through the baseplate. A temperature control switch having a sensor is provided for sensing the temperature of the baseplate at the top surface, and for controlling the flow of current to the heating element to return the baseplate to a desired temperature set by the operator. A heat shield is provided to protect the operator and carpet backings.

Abstract: A gauge including a housing mounted as a telescoping extension section in a power stretcher unit between the transfer tube and the baseplate. At one end of the housing is a connector for mating the housing to one point on the power stretcher, a chamber and a socket communicating with the chamber; at an opposite end of the housing is a movable piston which is slidably received in the socket at the first end, and a connector for mating the housing to a second point on the power stretcher. A sensing device is mounted in the chamber which senses the movement of the piston towards the chamber as occurs when a force is applied to stretch the carpet. Finally, a display, such as a gauge dial or digital display, can be connected to the sensing device for indicating to the operator of the power stretcher the force applied by the carpet stretcher to the carpet.

Abstract: A cutter for face cutting of carpeting is provided. The cutter includes a floor engaging base and a plate attached to the floor engaging base which is slidable along an inclined path forming an acute angle with the base to form between the movable plate and the base a forwardly facing carpet receiving slot having a longitudinal central axis. A downwardly and rearwardly inclined cutting blade disposed in a plane which is parallel to and spaced to one side of a longitudinal central axis of the carpet receiving slot spans the rear end of the carpet receiving slot at the same acute angle as that formed by the inclined path of the floor engaging base, and is secured in a blade housing having an open-ended slot to provide easy access for adjustment, removal, and replacement of blades. Also provided are coacting bearing surfaces for securing the lowermost end of the blade against deflection, and cutouts for preventing an accumulation of debris around the lowermost corner of the blade.

Abstract: A substantially rigid strain relief bracket is provided for use with an electrical appliance having a power cord which extends from a handle and is attached to the handle through a conventional flexible strain relief device. The strain relief bracket can be attached over the flexible strain relief device at the end of the power cord adjacent to the handle. The strain relief bracket can be permanently attached for movement to the power cord or strain relief device or, alternatively, can be removably secured in a desired position relative to the handle to enable a user to extend the power cord away from the appliance to avoid interference between the appliance and the power cord. The strain relief bracket includes a substantially rigid, hollow tubular section having a proximal end and a distal end. A spacer arm extends from the proximal end of the tubular section and terminates in a jaw which can be used to secure the bracket in one or more cutouts provided in the end of the appliance handle.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for installing face seamed stretched carpet, wherein the carpet seam is adhesively bonded to the floor or other substrate after stretching to eliminate peaking and profiling. A flexible, tear resistant release liner is used to isolate the adhesive used for bonding the seam to the floor, to prevent bonding prior to stretching of the seamed carpet. Once seaming is complete, the carpet can be stretched and anchored, and the release liner can be easily pulled out from underneath the stretched carpet to expose the adhesive, and the seam can be bonded to the floor simply by applying pressure to the top surface of the seam area along the entire length of the seam.

Abstract: A novel carpet seaming tape and method for use in glue down carpet installations is provided. A carpet seaming tape having a paper carrier with a hot melt adhesive on its top surface and a pressure sensitive adhesive on its bottom surface is aligned beneath the abutting edges of two pieces of carpeting to be seamed, with the hot melt adhesive on top. The tape is attached to the floor using the pressure sensitive adhesive, the carpet pieces are removed and the floor is coated with general purpose adhesive everywhere except in those areas where the seaming tape has been attached. The carpet is replaced and realigned, and seaming is completed by using a seaming iron to melt the hot melt adhesive and pushing the edges of the carpeting pieces into the molten adhesive atop the carpet seaming tape so that the edges of the carpet closely abut each other.

Abstract: A carpet stretching device using a power stretching adapter attached to a standard carpet kicker is provided. The stretching adapter is formed from a frame having an anchor plate attached to the front of the frame for anchoring the device between the wall and tack strip adjacent to the carpet edge to be stretched. A handle is provided which is pivotally attached along its lower portion to the back of the frame. A clamp is located at the bottom of the handle for attaching the handle to a standard carpet kicker adjacent to the head of the kicker, so that the head will be positioned between the anchor plate and the clamp. The device functions by placing the handle upright, placing the anchor between the wall and tack strip, engaging the carpet pile with the carpet kicker head, and pivoting the top of the handle down towards the knee pad of the carpet kicker, forcing the kicker head towards the anchor, thus stretching the carpet.