Push Or Pull Type Patents (Class 30/294)
  • Publication number: 20020000045
    Abstract: A bag slitting apparatus for opening a sealed bag along an edge of the bag. The apparatus has a first arm having first outer and inner surfaces, and a second arm having second outer and inner surfaces. The arms are in tensioned movable opposed relationship to each other such that the first and second inner surfaces are movably positionable against each other. One of these inner surfaces is a bladed inner surface having extending inwardly therefrom a non-pointed, generally flat, bag cutting blade, while the other inner surface has extending inwardly therefrom a cutting surface. Exteriorly, the first and second outer surfaces are concavely contoured for simultaneous opposingly-squeezing receipt of a finger and thumb of a user for slitting the edge of the bag between the blade and cutting surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2001
    Publication date: January 3, 2002
    Inventor: Earl J. Votolato
  • Publication number: 20010054236
    Abstract: The cushion back carpet cutting tool is a hand tool for cutting foam back carpeting that creates a clean straight cut through the carpeting so that a smooth unnoticeable seam results where two pieces of carpet material are brought together. The tool includes a leading edge on the center plate that opens the adjacent rows of tufts in the carpeting, three blades for cutting the carpeting between adjacent rows either close to the right row of tufts, left row of tufts or midway between the tufts, three plates that retain the blades and an adjustable retainer system for the blades, and a handle. The leading edge has an angle of less than 90 degrees from the horizontal and is rounded in shape to prevent loop or woven carpeting from catching on the tool, and also to keep the tool from jumping out of the row where the cut is being made. The blades are kept in place at an angle of between 15 to 25 degrees from the bottom edge of the tool, which results in a smoother cut being made in the carpeting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2000
    Publication date: December 27, 2001
    Inventors: Martin L. Anderson, Raymond N. Taylor
  • Patent number: 6321454
    Abstract: The present invention is a hand held utility knife for cutting and trimming materials such as carpet, vinyl, wallpaper and the like. The utility knife comprises a knife body adapted for grasping in a single hand and at least one knife blade mounted proximate a guide end in the knife body and having a cutting direction axis. The guide end includes at least one guide cheek defining a planar surface disposed at an angle theta relative to the knife blade such that the guide cheek is adapted to slidably engage and move parallel along an adjacent planar surface thereby ensuring that the blade cuts material at a uniform and preselected angle. The guide cheek ensures the knife cuts in a uniform angular relationship relative to an adjacent planar surface such that the guide minimizes rotation of the knife body about the cutting direction axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2001
    Inventor: Steve Wass
  • Publication number: 20010034919
    Abstract: Accessory to clean and recondition the rubber profile (12) of windscreen wiper arms (13) comprising a containing body (14) shaped substantially like an upside-down U, open on one side (14a) and housing scraping and/or abrasive means The scraping and/or abrasive means may consist of scraping blades or cylindrical milling wheels made to rotate by rubber rollers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2001
    Publication date: November 1, 2001
    Inventor: Elberino Faggiotto
  • Patent number: 6298562
    Abstract: An apparatus for marking and cutting of construction material, wherein the apparatus is adapted for use with a flexible measuring tape. The apparatus utilizes a main body in which a measuring tape is slideably engaged into a retaining slot. A protruding cutting wheel or marking material is set at a desired dimension and guided against a construction material in order to mark or cut the material at a uniform width. Movement of the apparatus along the work piece is easily accomplished since the angled tip or leader of a flexible measuring tape is used as a fence capable of sliding along the work piece with movement of the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Inventor: David M Duquette
  • Patent number: 6260462
    Abstract: Cartons of the type used for domestic milk supply may be more readily opened if a portion of the ridge that extends above the wings of the carton is first severed between the wings and the heat sealed closure so that the severed portion of the ridge may be folded back from above the wings or removed by a further cut across the ridge to the first line of sever. The wings are then free to be folded back and pressed inward to open the carton to form a pouring lip. A device for opening cartons comprises a thin blade secured to a handle and hinged within a shrouded recess in a two-part housing. Handles act about the double action hinge to move the blade across the slot to sever a portion of the carton ridge positioned in the slot. A tongue (not shown) holds the device in alignment with the ridge to ensure that the severing is below the sealed portion of the ridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Inventor: William George Edward Daysh
  • Patent number: 6240645
    Abstract: A sewing cutter is provided which includes a handle, a cutting member attached to the handle, and a guiding member supported by the handle. The guiding member, which is arranged below the cutting member, may be an elongated plate whose front end is tapered. The guiding member is provided with an upper surface which is brought into facing relation to cloth to be cut by the cutting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: Clover Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Katuhiko Ozeki
  • Patent number: 6230410
    Abstract: The wall trimmer for carpet and vinyl floor coverings is a hand tool for cutting floor coverings flush to the wall. The wall trimmer may be used in both directions along walls, and may be used right or left handed. The wall trimmer includes a base plate that allows the wall trimmer to be slid on the surface of floor coverings. The base plate is wide and flat, which stabilizes the tool for true cuts along the walls. There is also a handle assembly that is used to move the wall trimmer along its path, which is attached to the base plate. The handle assembly can be easily angularly adjusted for different jobs. The wall trimmer also includes a blade guide assembly that retains a pair of blades that are used to cut the floor covering. The blades are retained at an angle of about 15 to 25 degrees from the base plate. This shallow angle allows for good cutting with little effort. The blades are also crossed so that the trimmer is able to cut floor coverings closer to the corners of rooms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2001
    Assignee: National Carpet Equipment, Inc.
    Inventors: Raymond N. Taylor, Martin L. Anderson
  • Patent number: 6216577
    Abstract: A guided cutting system including first and second blade cartridges which are used in association with templates. The blade cartridges each include a head portion and cover portion wherein the head portion includes a non-use end and a cutting end. The cutting end includes a pair of guide pegs and a cutting blade wherein the guide pegs are adapted to be received within a peripheral groove formed on a template. The cover portion is adapted to be attached to the non-use end of the head portion whereby the cover portion acts as a handle for guiding the head portion during a cutting operation. Alternatively, the head portion may be attached over the cutting end of the head portion to cover and prevent contact with the cutting blade. A different spacing is provided between the cutting blade and guide pegs for the first and second head portions whereby one head portion may be used for cropping a photograph and the other head portion may be used for cutting a corresponding backing mat for the photograph.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: The Antioch Company
    Inventors: Carmen Lira-NĂșnez, Erhua Cai, James W. Reardon
  • Patent number: 6195896
    Abstract: A safety knife comprises a handle, a main blade mounted on the handle with a pointed end part of the cutting edge of the blade projecting from the handle at an obtuse angle, and a guard mounted on the handle to shield the projecting portion of the blade. The guard comprises a further blade which is mounted on the handle in generally the same plane as the main blade and has a concavely curved cutting edge which extends around the projecting point of the main blade. The outer edge of the guard blade is unsharpened so that the guard blade protects and shields the point of the main blade as well as contributing to the cutting action of the knife.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Inventor: William Alfred Ireland
  • Patent number: 6182364
    Abstract: A stock carton knife including a handle and a blade projecting from the handle and having two lateral edges and an outer end. The blade has a lateral cutting notch in one of the lateral edges, the cutting notch having a laterally oriented mouth including an inner edge closer to the handle and an outer edge farther from the handle. The outer edge converges with the outer end to form a juncture. The juncture has a configuration which includes at least one lateral recess. The safety carton knife further includes a blunt knob bonded on the juncture by a bonding material which is in the least one recess, thereby securing the knob to the blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2001
    Inventor: Thomas P. Reyburn
  • Patent number: 6178645
    Abstract: A device for severing a bonding strip located between and securing together two rigid panels, one of which may be of glass. The device has a flat elongated blade intended, in use, to be inserted between the panels to sever the bonding strip. The device is provided with a rest mechanism adapted to sit on one of the panels being separated to guide reciprocation of the elongated blade, whereby the blade reciprocates in a direction parallel to the panel being separated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Inventor: Stanley Trevor Lock
  • Patent number: 6178640
    Abstract: In a slitter, the combination comprises a blade having a cutting edge; a holder for the blade, including a handle, and a terminal on the handle retaining the blade with the blade edge protruding; a shield carried by the holder proximate the terminal, for movement between extended position in which the blade is protected, and retracted position in which the blade edge is exposed for cutting, there being a torsion spring carried by the holder and having an arm biasing the shield toward extended position, the spring arm projecting in a hollow defined by the shield; and the shield extending parallel to the blade, at opposite sides thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: Spellbound Development Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Earl Votolato
  • Patent number: 6170160
    Abstract: A baked potato opener is comprised of a pair of side members with connected top ends, downwardly projecting middle portions, and outwardly flared bottom ends. The side members are generally bell shaped in an end view. A cutter is connected to the top ends of the side members, and has a serrated cutting edge positioned between and slightly higher than the bottom ends of the side members. The greatest width between the side members at the bottom ends is about the same as the width of an average potato. To use, the opener is positioned on top of a potato, aligned with its longitudinal axis, and pushed downward. The top of the potato is cut by the cutter. Any aluminum foil wrapped around the potato is cleanly cut by the serrated cutting edge. The sides of the potato are engaged by the flared bottom ends of the side members. The cut is spread apart when the sides of the potato are pressed down by the bottom ends of the side members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2001
    Inventor: Diab Edmond Freige
  • Patent number: 6154967
    Abstract: A tool is described as including a pivotable guide member through which a rotatable cutting blade extends. As the cutting tool is advanced over the object to be cut, the guide member pivots in response to contacting the object which allows the object to be compressed under the guide member if desired. The guide member includes rounded first and second ends which accommodate using the cutting tool by either dragging the tool rearwardly or pushing the tool forwardly over the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Inventor: Paul E. Rogala
  • Patent number: 6112417
    Abstract: A hand operated trimmer for trimming an edge of vinyl, carpet or the like being installed on a floor so that the cut edge of the floor covering will lie closely against an adjacent wall. The trimmer comprises an elongate base member and an integral cutting blade. The base member has a generally triangularly shaped cross section, with two of the elongate external surfaces of the base member meeting at a right angle, and the elongate external surface opposite the right angle being a concave surface. The cutting blade is mounted closely adjacent the concave surface and in a substantially perpendicular relationship thereto. Pressure applying rollers are spaced a slight distance from the concave surface so as to define a vinyl-receiving entry location for a vinyl sheet to pass in a longitudinal direction along the concave surface, with the pressure applying rollers serving to keep the vinyl sheet in close contact with the concave surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Inventors: Michael L. Hyer, Raymond E. Hyer
  • Patent number: 6108913
    Abstract: A stripping tool for removing clothing, and the like, in emergency situations. The present tool allows for clothing to be stripped from a patient quickly, safely, and efficiently. The stripping tool may be pulled toward the operator of the tool for quickness and ease of use. A handle provided to be used within the operators palm creates an ergonomic, comfortable grip. The handle allows a blade to be pulled upward in a scissoring motion to start a cut in fabric. Therefore, thicker, and heavier fabric may be removed since an initial cut may be made.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Inventor: John B. Tidwell
  • Patent number: 6082008
    Abstract: A knife for drawing along a cutting channel in a template defining a puzzle piece outline, so as to cut an underlying workpiece along lines conforming to the shape of the puzzle piece outline to form a puzzle piece from the workpiece. The knife includes a handle portion, a hollow nose portion mounted on the handle portion, a blade mounting portion contained by the nose portion and rotatable therein and extending distally therefrom, and a cutting blade mounted on the blade mounting portion and extending distally therefrom. The cutting blade includes a leading edge, a longer trailing edge, and a cutting edge extending therebetween. In its preferred form the knife includes a shield that is disposed forwardly of the leading edge of the cutting blade and extends along at least a portion of the length of the leading edge of that blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Inventor: Richard L. Lariviere, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6070326
    Abstract: A knife has an elongated handle having an outer end and a longitudinally extending flat blade secured in the handle and projecting from the outer end. The blade has a transverse outer edge and a longitudinally extending side cutting edge meeting at a point. The handle is formed with a pair of longitudinally outwardly open and longitudinally extending guides flanking the blade adjacent the cutting edge thereof. Respective longitudinally extending pins having generally parallel and transversely projecting outer ends sections are longitudinally displaceable in the guides between extended positions with the outer end sections lying longitudinally outward of the point and retracted positions with the outer end sections longitudinally rearward of the point and the blade passing between the outer end sections. Respective springs braced between the pins and the handle urge the pins into the extended positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2000
    Assignee: Martor-Argentax E.H. Beermann KG
    Inventor: Harald Berns
  • Patent number: 6052908
    Abstract: A knife for cleaning and dressing an animal. More specifically, the knife comprises a blade having a perimeter defined by a parabolic cutting section, a straight cutting edge, a blunt top edge, blade sleeves, pins and a handle. The parabolic cutting section includes a front portion, a center portion and a back portion. The front portion is convex and terminates in a point joining with the straight cutting edge, so as to increase the cutting pressure on the hide of an animal. The back portion forms a protuberance so that the hide of the animal may slide away from the center of the cutting section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2000
    Inventor: Wes F. Harman
  • Patent number: 6035534
    Abstract: A carton knife for opening a carton includes a body member and a blade supported by the body member. The blade has a cutting surface and a cutting edge disposed thereon, the cutting surface and the cutting edge being adapted for cutting movement through the carton during operative engagement of the knife with the carton. A guide is disposed on the body member and is adapted to engage and slide along an edge of the carton to maintain the knife at a predetermined orientation relative the carton during the operative engagement, in which the cutting surface is disposed at an oblique angle relative the edge of the carton. The oblique angle serves to maintain a leading portion of the cutting edge closer than a trailing portion to the edge of the carton. Advantageously, during cutting, the blade is biased towards the edge of the carton and thus away from product inside the carton. Moreover, the orientation of the blade generates a force vector towards the edge during cutting for improved tactile sensitivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2000
    Assignee: Progressive Distributors, Inc.
    Inventor: John P. Abbott
  • Patent number: 6032371
    Abstract: A cutting device includes a cutting blade having a cutting edge, and a shell holding the cutting blade on the inside thereof. The shell has an outer edge, and has defined therein a chamber that encompasses at least a portion of the cutting edge of the cutting blade, as well as an insertion slot extending from the chamber to the outer edge of the shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2000
    Assignee: Welcome Company Ltd.
    Inventor: Shu Hui Chou
  • Patent number: 6029355
    Abstract: A device for longitudinally cutting tubing is comprised of a block presenting an engaging surface for receiving tubing, blades and protective guards both coupled to the block and both extending beyond the engaging surface, and a handle coupled to the block. When cutting tubing, the device receives the tubing so that each of the blades cuts at an angle less than 90 degrees with respect to the tangent line of the tubing at the point where each contacts the tubing. This device may be used in a method for cutting tubing comprised of securing a section of tubing, receiving the tubing with the engaging surface of the device, contacting an end of the tubing with at least one blade wherein the blade is positioned at an angle less than 90 degrees with respect to the tangent line of the tubing at the point where the blade contacts the tubing, and cutting the tubing by pulling the block longitudinally along the tubing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Assignee: Kejr Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael B. Carlin
  • Patent number: 6009786
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for quickly and easily cutting straight and uniform dessert bars is provided. The baker's cutting device consists of two parallel blocks connected perpendicularly by two parallel guide bars. The bottom of the front block is configured such that the block fits over one edge of the baking pan and the back edge of the block hangs over the edge of a table or counter top to hold the apparatus in place. The guide bars are in this manner suspended just over the top of a typical baking pan. Resting perpendicularly upon the guide bars is a sliding cutting bar, this cutting bar may be supplied with handles at each end. A plurality of cutting blades are attached to both the upper and lower sides of the cutting bar at various intervals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2000
    Inventor: Rodney Allen Hjelden
  • Patent number: 6003181
    Abstract: A letter opening device is provided. The letter opening device includes a generally rectangular body having a letter opening blade for opening envelopes. The body is formed from a molded plastic material and is suitable for being hand held, and the letter opening blade is molded partially within the plastic molded body. The device further includes a sheet-like material cutter having a coupon cutting blade. A portion of the coupon cutting blade is exposed exteriorly of the body whereby the exposed portion can be manipulated to selectively separate sections of sheet-like materials such as paper and plastic sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1999
    Assignee: Pacific Handy Cutter, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert B. Wenk
  • Patent number: 5992286
    Abstract: Coin wrapper opening apparatus that has a surface with a curved or angled cutting edge fixed to it so that the cutting edge faces away from the surface and projects away from it at a height effective to score or cut the wrapper of a wrapped roll of coins, when brought into cutting relationship with the roll. In several embodiments the surface also includes a guidepath to guide wrapped rolls to the cutting edge. In one embodiment, the cutting edge is shielded by a resilient flap that pushes up and away when a wrapped coin roll passes the cutting edge, and the flap then returns to its original shielding position when the roll is removed. In other embodiments, the cutting edge is shielded by a resilient strip fixed over the cutting edge so that the resilient strip stands away from the cutting edge with no pressure on it, and the resilient strip deforms to allow the cutting edge to pass through an aperture when the apparatus is placed against a wrapped coin roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Inventor: Leon Boole
  • Patent number: 5983505
    Abstract: A hand-held bagel slicer is described for circumferentially slicing a bagel into two equal halves. The slicer comprises a generally U-shaped clip attached to a handle. The clip comprises a generally semi-circular bight and two flexible legs. The legs converge slightly from the bight to their free ends to hold the bagel sideways, and the free ends are outwardly flared to facilitate insertion of the bagel for slicing. Midway between the two legs is a 2 edged knife blade. The blade has a base secured to the bight and a tip terminating in a point. The blade is about 50 to 75% of the length of the legs. The free end of the handle is generally elliptical in cross section. The handle decreases in cross-sectional size and becomes generally rectangular in shape toward the flared end. The clip is joined to a core which has one or more small cross ribs extending laterally from a center rib to match with a similarly shaped recess in the handle to prevent relative rotation between the handle and the clip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1999
    Assignee: Faye Fong Chen
    Inventor: Jeremy H. Gibson
  • Patent number: 5979063
    Abstract: A sheet rock measuring and cutting device, comprising: a T-square arm for abutment with an edge of a piece of sheet rock; a base scale arm positioned within the T-square arm for selective sliding interengagement therewith; and a sliding scale arm positioned within the base scale arm for selective sliding interengagement therewith. The sliding scale arm includes a cutting tool engagement member for receipt and positioning of a cutting tool at a measured distance from the edge of the sheet rock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Inventor: William A. Pritz
  • Patent number: 5979062
    Abstract: A cutting assembly structured to cut sheets of paper or a like material from a supply roll, the assembly including a base having a guide assembly and at least one cutting blade disposed in a predetermined cutting orientation. The guide assembly includes a contact portion which is configured to substantially conform to the outer surface configuration of the supply roll so as to facilitate sliding engagement of the contact portion with the supply roll as the base is moved along a length thereof. Moreover, the cutting blade is disposed in the base such that the sheet of material is guided thereto as the base is passed across the sheet of material, and the contact portion and cutting blade are cooperatively disposed and structured relative to one another so as to maintain the cutting blade in the cutting orientation and at a substantially constant spacing relative to the supply roll and the sheet of material being cut as the base is moved along the length of the supply roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Inventor: Scott Prosan
  • Patent number: 5966820
    Abstract: A sheetrock panel cutting device that is attachable to the end of a conventional metal tape ruler and uses that same tape ruler to not only measure the opening but to also guide the cut of a sheetrock panel while accomplishing both these functions without removing the tape ruler therefrom. A utility knife is inserted into a preformed slot in a base plate which causes the blade of the knife to be aligned juxtaposed to the right angle clip of the tape ruler. The blade protrudes through the base plate and which is directly mounted against the right angle ruler end clip. The device is used to cut a rectangular panel of sheetrock of predetermined size from a full sheet by holding the utility knife, which is positioned in the device, against the sheetrock paper surface with one hand while grasping the metal tape ruler surface, at a previously measured position on the tape, with the other hand against the edge of the sheetrock panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Inventors: Michael V. Cornacchio, Robert P. Bisey
  • Patent number: 5960547
    Abstract: A cutting tool for cutting wall hanging material lying close to curved surfaces is disclosed. The cutting tool has a handle and a base. A blade is mounted on the base and is secured thereon by a retaining guard. The guard is rotatable around a post to a first position exposing the cutting edge of the blade and to a second position covering the blade. A guide is connected to the handle in a spaced apart position by a bolt which is securely attached on one end to the handle. The distance between the guide and the handle is adjusted by appropriately positioning the guide along the axis of the bolt. The guide is spaced a predetermined distance and fixed in the desired position with respect to the blade by a bolt engaging a threaded aperture in the guide and secured by a wing nut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1999
    Inventor: Ronald Bedard
  • Patent number: 5946808
    Abstract: This invention is directed to a device designed to cut or score floor covering materials such as vinyl, linoleum, carpet and other sheet goods. The device has a metal base with a straight edge located on the front and rear portions of the meal base. Stabilizing members fixed to the top surface of the metal base provide a support for positioning pins which hold the metal base to the carpet. When cutting vinyl of linoleum floor coverings, the positioning pins are adjusted upward and the non-slip rubber coating on the bottom surface of the metal base prevents the straight edge from moving. A first guided track is fixed to the top surface of the metal base between the front portion of the metal base and the stabilizing members. The first guided; track has a channel designed to receive a cutting member. The cutting member has a vinyl knife or a carpet knife mounted to a second guided track. The cutting member is available in a right handed version and a left handed version.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1999
    Inventor: Salomon C. Martinez
  • Patent number: 5943780
    Abstract: The cutter of my invention is a unitary device that does not require a utility knife, only a blade. The cutter exposes twice the blade length of a conventional utility knife, i.e., approximately 2.2 inches. The blade can be extended into the insulation over 4 inches. The cutter has a blade guard (to keep fingers out of the way, etc.). The cutter also has a safety mechanism to guard against accidental exposure of the blade (you have to grip the tool by the handle to allow the blade to be exposed). The cutter also has an added leverage point directly in front of the grip to increase the amount of pressure you can exert on the insulation. This cutter compresses and cut in one continuous motion, i.e. the same motion does both compressing and cutting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1999
    Inventor: Edward T. McIlhatten
  • Patent number: 5937626
    Abstract: A hand-held device for picking fruit which includes an elongated grip member and a head member connected to the elongated grip member which includes a pair of fixed immovable blades. Each blade has a cutting edge. The blades are positioned in the head in opposed planar relationship to one another so that at least a portion of each respective cutting edge is in spaced opposed relationship to the cutting edge of the other blade at a distance less than the thickness of the stem of the fruit to be picked. Picking is accomplished by a thrusting motion in which the device is held in one of the laborers hands while the fruit to be picked is grasped in the other. The device is thrust at the stem of the fruit to be picked. The pair of fixed blades guides the stem into the cutting region where the stem is severed. The fruit can be removed by the hand holding it during the cutting operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1999
    Inventor: Timothy Gorman
  • Patent number: 5924348
    Abstract: An insulation cutting guide apparatus 10 for use with a cutting implement 101 to sever an unrolled sheet of insulation material 100. The cutting guide apparatus 10 includes a generally flat open framework member 20 having an elongated aperture 21 and provided with a knee pad member 30, a hand grip member 40, and an alignment member 50. The framework aperture 21 is dimensioned to receive, and at least one side of the aperture 21 is designed to guide, the cutting implement 101 during the severing of the insulation material 100.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1999
    Inventor: William C. Schelli, III
  • Patent number: 5920991
    Abstract: A device for removing dough from a piece of baked goods includes a handle and a blade having a cutting edge secured to the handle. The blade is contoured to define an open region between the blade and the handle so that dough removed from the piece of baked goods can pass through the open region between the blade and the handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1999
    Assignees: Anthony S. Tracy, Elaine Ginsberg
    Inventor: Anthony S. Tracy
  • Patent number: 5903982
    Abstract: A hand-held bagel slicer is described for circumferentially slicing a bagel into two equal halves. The slicer comprises a generally U-shaped clip attached to a handle. The clip comprises a generally semi-circular bight and two flexible legs. The legs converge slightly from the bight to their free ends to hold the bagel sideways, and the free ends are outwardly flared to facilitate insertion of the bagel for slicing. Midway between the two legs is a 2 edged knife blade. The blade has a base secured to the bight and a tip terminating in a point. The blade is about 50 to 75% of the length of the legs. The free end of the handle is generally elliptical in cross section. The handle decreases in cross-sectional size and becomes generally rectangular in shape toward the flared end. The clip is joined to a core which has one or more small cross ribs extending laterally from a center rib to match with a similarly shaped recess in the handle to prevent relative rotation between the handle and the clip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1999
    Assignee: Faye Fong Chen
    Inventor: Jeremy H. Gibson
  • Patent number: 5899000
    Abstract: A hand held cutter which is self guiding and includes a roller with a resilient workpiece contacting surface and is rotatably mounted adjacent each pair of cutting rolls on a cutting roll supporting body. When the cutting roll supporting body is pulled or pushed across a sheet to be cut, the rollers frictionally engages the upper and lower surfaces of the sheet and tend to guide the cutter in a straight line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1999
    Inventors: Douglas G. Break, Arthur B. Chubb
  • Patent number: 5896667
    Abstract: A piercing-cutting device for plastic wrap removed from an object, which includes a handle, a complex blade connected to the handle, the complex blade having a piercing blade section and a cutting blade section, the piercing blade section and the cutting blade section being at substantially right angles to one another, and the cutting blade section being a concave, crescent cutting blade. In some present embodiments, the piercing blade section and the cutting blade section are located contiguously and establish a generally L-shaped or T-shaped relationship relative to one another. In other embodiments the handle is elongated with an imaginary centerline and the complex blade is connected to the handle so as to extend outwardly therefrom at a substantially right angle from the imaginary center line. In yet other present embodiments, the piercing-cutting device of the handle has a front and the complex blade extends outwardly from the front of the handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1999
    Inventor: Jennifer B. Hawkins
  • Patent number: 5881624
    Abstract: A cutting apparatus in a strong plastic housing having two rotatable slitter blades. The cutting apparatus is mounted on a guide rail for movement by hand across a tightly held sheet of media such as paper, vellum or film. The slitter blades are mounted back-to-back at an angle, and the shafts to which the blades are mounted are positioned in the housing so that their longitudinal axes are not parallel to each other. This offset minimizes the region of contact between the two blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1999
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventors: Joaquim Brugue, Richard Meyer
  • Patent number: 5881463
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1999
    Assignee: Orcon Corporation
    Inventors: James Vernon Casteel, Michael David Wenzel
  • Patent number: 5878498
    Abstract: A tool and method are provided for manually cutting twine wrapped around a bale. The tool includes a stem having a handle attached to one end and a hook at the other end. The hook opens reversely toward the handle. The hook includes an outer edge sharpened for cutting through ice and twine. The hook also includes an inner dull surface facing toward the handle for selectively engaging the twine upon placing the hook between the bale material and twine. The dull surface permits a user to pull the twine away from the bale without severing the twine. This allows the user to easily grasp the twine in his hand, and then cut the twine using the outer edge of the hook.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1999
    Inventor: Louis Henry Mundt
  • Patent number: 5875551
    Abstract: A knife includes two housings having a front portion for engaging with blades. One of the housings includes a projection formed in the front portion for engaging with a depression of the other housing so as to secure the front portions of the housings together. A rod is rotatably engaged in the rear portion of one of the housings. A cap is secured to one end of the rod, and a spring biases the cap to engage with the rear ends of the housings so as to secure the rear ends of the housings together. The housings can be secured together without additional tools.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1999
    Inventor: Yin Han Huang
  • Patent number: 5852874
    Abstract: A carton cuing device includes housing and a guard member extending about the exterior of and pivotally attached to the housing. The housing includes a handle portion, neck portion, and hook portion which together define a cutting area therebetween and a channel therein for receiving and supporting a blade partially disposed in the cutting area. A frictionally slidable stop member is displaceable within the channel of the handle portion for abutting engagement with a blade received in the channel for supporting the blade from sliding within the channel. A spring is disposed between the guard member and the housing and urges the guard member into a first position in abutment with the hook portion for closing the cutting area to cutting. The guard member is displaceable by a carton to be cut to a second position in abutment with the handle portion for opening of the cutting area to cutting, and to all positions between the first and second positions for at least partial opening of the cutting area to cutting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1998
    Inventor: Henry F. Walker
  • Patent number: 5848471
    Abstract: A hand-held windshield wiper reconditioning device that has a body shaped and sized to be operated by a hand of a user. In an embodiment of the reconditioning device, a pair of opposing guide surfaces extends between a front face and a rear face of the body. The guide surfaces are shaped to define a channel through the body with a cross-sectional profile that substantially corresponds to a cross-sectional shape of a wiper blade. A cutting blade is mounted across an upper portion of the channel at an acute angle with respect to the cutting path. In operation, the channel positions the wiper blade to maintain a constant spatial relationship between the wiper blade and the body. As the body moves along the wiper blade, the cutting blade cleanly slices material from the tip of the wiper at a substantially constant depth along the whole length of the wiper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1998
    Inventor: Jay Freeland
  • Patent number: 5845404
    Abstract: An ergonomically-designed, multipurpose tool including a handle, a blade with a shank and a tip, and a fastener for attaching the handle to the shank. The blade has a curved outer edge extending substantially from the shank to the tip, with, preferably, an integrally-formed gut hook positioned near the shank and opening toward the tip. A portion of the outer edge is sharpened to form a cutting edge. The fastener is user-operable for moving the blade from a first operating position where it opposes the handle to at least one next operating position, for example, extending forward of the handle for use as a hatchet. Regardless of the position of the blade, the user can control the length and direction of a cut by pivoting the wrist alone, the forearm at the elbow, the entire arm from the hand gripping the knife to the shoulder, by pushing or pulling the knife with the hand and forearm, or any combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1998
    Inventor: Norman C. Jeffcoat
  • Patent number: 5832613
    Abstract: A cutting apparatus (10) comprising a cutting assembly (11) mounted on a mounting member/actuation member (12) which is pivotally connected to an article support member (13) having a receiving portion (14). In use a user may, by tightening his or her grip about the apparatus (10) overcome the resistance provided by the leaf spring (25) and thereby urge the free ends of the mounting member (12) and the article support member (13) together such that the incising end portion (16) of the blade assembly (11) extends through the slit (30) and engages the complementary shaped recess (14) so as to form an incision in the article (50). The user may, while maintaining sufficient pressure on the mounting member/actuating member (12), draw or slide the apparatus (10) relative to the material in a general direction indicated by arrow (51), for example, such that the cutting edge (18) cuts the portion of the material (50) which it bears against.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1998
    Assignee: Port Bell Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Michael Kenneth Adrian Rhodes
  • Patent number: 5829321
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a safety/rescue knife requires the forming of four blank laminates. Each blank laminate has a handle portion and includes a base arm which is attached to the handle portion. Also, each blank laminate has an extension arm which extends from the base arm to define a groove therebetween. One blank laminate is further formed with a cut out in its base arm, and another blank laminate is further formed with a cut out in its extension arm. The method then requires aligning each of the cut out laminates with a respective blank laminate to create blade recesses. Next, cutting blades are placed in the recesses, and the cut out laminates are juxtaposed in alignment. The blank laminates are then connected together to hold the inner laminates and the blades therebetween with the blades crossed to establish a cutting angle in the groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1998
    Assignee: Square One Parachutes, Inc.
    Inventor: Anthony J. Domenico
  • Patent number: 5827311
    Abstract: A two piece construction disposable carpal tunnel ligament tome is provided. In a preferred embodiment the tome has a handle, stem, cutting head with two forward extending and parallel spaced upper and lower forks. The handle, stem, cutting head and forks are injection molded as one plastic piece. Mounted in the cutting head is a blade fabricated from flat stock metal with a forward facing cutting edge concealed by the forks. Extending forward from the blade are upper and lower fork reinforcement members. The fork reinforcements are encapsulated by the molded upper and lower forks. The inventive carpal tunnel ligament tome provides very rigid forks, yet does not require the extensive machining required by tomes with metal forks. Since the blade and fork reinforcement can be fabricated from a flat stock material, fabrication costs can be lowered with extremely high performance of the tome being maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1998
    Assignee: Biomet Inc
    Inventors: Brian K. Berelsman, Daniel E. Williamson
  • Patent number: 5826342
    Abstract: A vehicle windshield removing tool includes a handle for gripping by the user, and a blade extending from the handle for insertion between the vehicle windshield and the vehicle or gasket holding the windshield. The blade includes a base portion which is mounted in the handle to extend outwardly therefrom and a cutting portion which is formed into an inverted U-shaped terminal end which is used to cut the adhesive or bonding material between the windshield and the molding by sliding the U-shaped terminal end about the perimeter of the windshield, with the windshield edge being positioned and sliding within the U-shaped portion of the blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1998
    Assignee: Equalizer Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark E. Zuro