Abstract: Apparatus and method for trimming a reed used in conjunction with a musical instrument includes a support structure and at least one cutting instrument that can be manually coupled to and removed from the support structure. When the cutting instrument is positioned in the support structure, the reed is inserted between a die portion and a punching portion of the cutting instrument. A force applied to a lever mechanism coupled to the support member forces the punching member in to the plane of the die portion thereby trimming the edge of the reed. In addition to the convenient interchangeability of the cutting instruments permitting a plurality of reed sizes to be trimmed, the support structure can be fabricated from a single sheet of material. The number of parts needed for the apparatus is further reduced by having the lever mechanism comprised of two identical parts.

Abstract: A tool (15) with pivoted handles (18 and 19) for operating jaws (16 and 17) provides a means for removing unwanted "eyes" (7) from pineapples (6) when such handles are squeezed to close the jaws around and under an eye (7a). A spring (11) exerts opening pressure on handles so as to open the jaws after each use. An anvil blade (16) on one jaw cooperates with an open loop cutter blade (17) on the other jaw. In one preferred embodiment the jaws meet so as to sever the pineapple's fibers, while in another preferred embodiment, the anvil blade passes through the loop jaw so as to push the eyes out after cutting.

Abstract: A hand tool for sheet metal workers notches and soft-noses an end of a sheet metal drive in one operation, and saves time and prevents injuries as compared with use of tin snips to do the same job. Paired handles of the tool are held in one hand while, with the other hand, the end of a sheet metal drive is slid onto an upper plate and against a stop. The upper plate, a lower plate fixed to it, and a blade shaped to engage portions of the periphery of the upper and lower plates form a shear in which a lower plate fixed in parallel spaced relation to the upper plate serves to support a portion of the drive. Shape of the shear causes the drive to be notched and soft-nosed with a squeeze of the handles.

Abstract: A pair of haircutting shears wherein first and second shear blades, associated at a pivot point, contain sinusoidally grooved cutting edges comprising a plurality of wave cycles thereon. The grooved cutting edges are separated from the pivot point by air gaps to prevent the lodging of unsevered hair therebetween during a haircut and provide a smooth or blended overall appearance after cutting. The shears are relatively lightweight for ease of use and allow an improved and more efficient resulting haircut.

Abstract: A shear attachment is provided with fixing means so that it can be replaceably mounted in place of a bucket on the end of an arm of an excavator, the attachment comprising a pair of co-operating shearing jaw members, one of which is attachable to the arm of the excavator and carries a piston and cylinder device for actuating the other jaw member.

Abstract: A cutting apparatus is described for cutting an opening in beverage cup lids. This is accomplished by providing a housing, with a slot for orienting and maintaining the lid in a proper cutting position. While the lid is properly held, a cutting assembly mounted inside the housing and containing a cutting blade is slid past the slot, excising that portion of the lid exposed therein. When the cut lid is placed on a beverage containing cup, the contents can be consumed directly through the opening produced by this invention.

Abstract: A notching tool for forming notches in ridge- or hip-capping for roofs, the notches being formed to match the profile of the roofing sheets.The tool has a base with a pair of spaced feet which engage the ribs on the roofing sheets to align the tool. A notching head on the base has a replaceable die and punch pair, one of which is fixed to support the capping while the other is manually or power-operated to provide a shearing-type cutting action between the die and punch to cut the notches. Adjustable guides on the notching head support the capping for angular alignment between the capping and the notching head and for adjustment of the depth of the notch. The notching head may be pivotally and/or rotatably mounted on the base and the die and punch may be reversible.

Abstract: A device is provided for cutting roofing caps efficiently and easily from standard asphalt or fiberglass roofing shingles. The device comprises a support base to hold a shingle, the support base being hinged to a top plate having cutting blades affixed thereto. The support base has cut-outs corresponding with and acting cooperatively with the configuration of the cutting blades. Standard shingles can be cut to desired patterns. Preferably two interior, wedge-shaped cut-outs and two exterior, beveled cut-outs are employed in the support plate, and cutting blades are arranged in the top plate so as to penetrate the shingle along the bevels and the sides of the wedges and thereby cut the shingle in the desired pattern and permit unwanted shingle material to fall away and be discarded, producing three precision-cut roofing caps from each shingle.

Abstract: A cutting tool includes a pair of pivotally connected handles extending through and defining a pair of coacting U-shaped cutting jaws. Each of the cutting jaws defines a cutting edge extending throughout the base and side legs of the U shape. The jaws have a closed position wherein one of the jaws is an inner jaw disposed within the other of the jaws, which is an outer jaw. The cutting edges are angulated in relation to each other so that each of the cutting edges defined by the legs of the respective jaws are not in coacting relationship before the bases of the corresponding jaws. Additionally, the cutting tool includes a knock-out member pivotally disposed within one of the U-shaped jaws for removing material severed by the jaws from the inside thereof.

Abstract: Cutting dies are mounted for parallel movement in a scissors-action handle assembly employing pivot pins mounted both forward and rearward of the pivot axis of the handles, and one of the engagement openings for a pivot pin in each die is longitudinally extended for necessary clearance. The cutting edges of the two dies are at one longitudinal end of the tool extending beyond the portion of the dies between the two pivot pins. Parallel action is guided by a pair of guide pins longitudinally spaced and to the maximum extend possible located in the plane of the die cutting edges. A compression spring is centrally located between the guide pins to bias the dies to open position. When the dies are of the kind adapted to trim venetian blind slat ends, one die aligns the blind slat by transverse ribs to the cutting edge.

Abstract: A tool for the selective severing of a conductor in a multi-conductor flat cable and preforming the remaining free end comprising a punch means with a first conductor relief slot and a die means with a second conductor relief slot such that when the die and punch means are applied to a conductor it is severed and the free end trapped between the first and second conductor relief slots. Guides on the tool and die means permit alignment of the tool with a selected conductor while grooves on the die means prevent unwanted cable movement.

Abstract: Manually operated tool, primarily a hand tool, for cutting strip elements, more especially, blind strips of Venetian blinds. The tool has cooperating blades. Associated with one of the blades is a feed guide particularly configurated to be adapted to the shape of the strip to be cut for accurate delivery to the blades. Associated with the blades also is a measuring gauge for accurately measuring the amount to be cut off. The blades are especially configurated to be adapted to cut strip material having transverse curvature and further to make a curved cut providing a finished end to the strip being cut.

Abstract: A tool for sheet metal or the like and for partially cutting blanks from a margin of a workpiece, such as a sheet metal pipe end, and simultaneously and accurately bending the partially cut blank at a substantially right angle to its original position in the plane of the workpiece without distorting the adjacent metal and with one motion of the handles of the tool.

Abstract: My invention relates to a hand operated notch cutting tool that will notch woven fabric, pliable or other thin material.

Abstract: A hand tool having a cutting blade to cut and form ends on decorative molding is provided with a movable guide for supporting the molding material at different positions with respect to the blade such that ends and insert pieces may be cut from the molding material to form decorative ends on strips of molding material applied to a receptor surface.

Abstract: A cutter, simple in construction but having good cutting quality and durability, for cutting paper in a semicylindrically curled state. With radii equal to or approximate to the radius of curvature of the paper to be cut, a stationary blade having a semicircular receding contour and a movable blade having an at least semicircular extending contour are spring-biased into pressure contact edgewise. The distance between the centers of the blades is greater than the difference between the blade radii so that the movable blade can always move in contact at only one point with the stationary blade during cutting operation.