AU610655B2 - Sheathed cutting apparatus and method - Google Patents

Description

IIIII

11111 'I 1.25 1-4 1111.6 068r zAXMhnlsjbd zxMnnisNdd L99VEZLL sulul045ye ONWI)qrlH O KD39V 'Id OL 1.25 1111liI ni1.411 ii COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTR7ALIA PATENTS CT 1952 QPNR=-J-BF(,IFCAn NAME &e ADDRESS OF APPLICANT: arnett Ray Asbry 308 Texas Ave., No. 103 Round Rock, Texas 78664 United States of America NAMUE(S) OF RWVENTOR(S): fliir~~; a~un* nanrr'-lrrn'~~;~~" Wi~'"r~t~t"P~'ti -i e too* go( to 0 so~ so *4006* 0r too$ Garnett Ray ASBERY ADDRESS FOR SERVICE: DAVES COLLISON Patet Attorneys I Little Collins Street, Melbourne, 3000.

COMPLETE SPCIFICTION FOR TH3E INENN ENTITLED:: Sheathed cutting apparatus and method The following startement is a ful description of this invention, including the bet method of perfonning it knon to me/us:- -lalACKGRUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an improved sheathed cuttllcr means for cutting seals around windows in vehicles.

Both manual and automatically driven cutting mnechanisms ~have been knowil in the art f or quite some time. Most windshields and windo~ws placed in vehicles are sealed by means of a urethane seal. When it is desired to remove and/or replace such windows, a variety of cutting mechanisms known in the art are employed. Such a mechanism is the "Fein AStlxe 636-5 Special Cutter" sold by Fein Power Tools, Inc. of Pittsburg, PA. This device oscillates from right to left without any up and down movement. A "wild cat knife and blade pneumatic oscillating tool" is produced by C. R.

Laurence Co., Inc. These tools must urge the blade of the device around the bottom edge of the windshield in order to cout the urethane underneath, the windshield. Often the urethane is too far away for blades to reach. ?urther, at the bottom corners of the windshield, the fenders of the automobile ixiibit the use of existing devices. Further, a panels covering the bottom of the windshield must be removed, and chrome moldings or other combinatio.n chrome and plastic moldings will not allow the blade to reach completely around the windshield. Each of these tools is designed to be utilized from the outside of the windshield with the blade reaching underneath the lip of the windshield in order to cut the urethane. Thus, the operator's ability to control the blade is limited from the outside of the car the first ppLication. made in a Convention country in respect of the invention the subject of the application.

eoi t place and date ofsignature. Declared at Round Rock,Texas this 6th day of December, 1988. *9Siga ture of declarant(s) (no atestation required) Note' Initial all alterations. GArnett SRay Asbery DAVIIS ('OLLISON MELBOURNE and CANBERRA.

-2and, as a result, interior moldings are often damaged.

Additional damage is caused by existing devices because of rigid blades which are incapable of conforming to the curvature of the windshield as it cuts through the urethane. Further, exposed blade portions of existing devices unintentionally damage other parts of the vehicle.

SHORT STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the sheathed cutting apparatus of the present invention includes a power source, portable or I otherwise, to which one end of a flexible cutting blade is attached. The opposite end of the blade is sharpened for cutting purposes. A sheath is further attached to the power source and conformed to and covering the blade.

There is an opening in the tip of the rigid sheath 060: through which a portion of the cutting blade protrudes, when driven by the power source for cutting, so that the cutting blade is preferably exposed only where cutting is needed. This opening is at an approximate location of a vehicular window seal when the apparatus is in use such *C that said blade is exposed for cutting said seal.

Further, a mounting is preferably provided to which the sheath may be easily attached and removed. The mounting So" and sheath may then be attached to the power source and removed at will. A variety of lengths of sheaths and cutting blades are provided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side view of a preferred embodiment of the sheathed cutting means of the present invention attached to a portable power source.

910226,csspe, ery.spe,2 r L. 1 =3= FIG. 2 is a front view of the slightly curved sheath attached to a mounting means with the blade located within the sheath.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the invention shown on the interior of a vehicle windshield in position for cutting a urethane seal.

FIG. 4 is a side view of three embodiments of the flexible cutting blade.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In FIGS. 1 and 2, the sheathed cutting apparatus includes power source 12 shown as a portable jig saw, but whioh may be of any fixed or portable power source known in the art. The primary requirement of the power sotvrce 12 is that it have a connection 14. Power transmission member 16, in the form of a flexible thin cutting blade 18, has a connwiction end 20. Connection end 20 is designed, in a manner comnonly, known in the art, to connect with power source connection 14 in a removably attachable manner.

Cutting blade 18 also has the capability of being sharpened 2i~ *along its length. In the present invention, cutting blade 18 is sharpened only along the tip 22.

A rigid sheath 24 is conformed to Just f-it around cutting blade 18 so that cutting bladr, 18 can move back and forth within sheath 24. Sheath 24 may be any rigid material such as stainless steel, alumi~num, PVC, or the like. The purpose of rigid sheath 24 is to serve as a guide and protector for cutting blade 18.* It further protects other I -4portions of the vehicle from contact with the moving blade 18.

Rigid sheath 24 (FIG. 2) has a slight curvature along its length from top 26 to bottom 28. This curvature is designed to allow power source, 12 to be operated away from the windshield while work is being conducted and yet at the same time enable cutting blade 18 to be directed in a direction conformable to the curvature of the windshield.

Removably attachable mounting 30 Is designed to securely hold rigid sheath 24 in position by means of attachment 32. Sheath 24 and mounting 30 thus form a unified whole which may be transported together and placed see 0 on a power source 12 as desired. Once sheath 24 is attached *0 0 to mounting 30, mounting 30 in turn may be mounted to power source 12 by means of attachments 34.

FIG. 3 shows a side view of a vehicle windshield 36 fee 00 with exterior side 38 and interior sid~a 40 with apparatus in use, with seal 42, commonly of polyurethane, connecting windshield 36 with the in~ter'ior dash 44 of a vehicle. The 6:000: 20#4* top '16 of windshield 36, and bottom 48, are also shown. As shown in FIG. 3, apparatus 10 is utilized from the interior of a viahicle. In use, the portable power supply power source 12 is capable of being held away from the interior side 40 of windshield 36 and, because of the curvature In rigid sheath 24, flexible thin cutting blade 18 can still-be brought into proper position to cut seal 42.

FIG. 4A is a view of cutting blade 18 showing the cutting blade tip 22 formed with rip teeth on both sides of the blade.

FIG. 4B shows cutting blade 18 with a aknife edge around the tip and FIG. 4C shows cutting blade 18 with saw teeth on one side only.

Utilizing cutting apparatus 10 from the inside eliminates the necessity of removing parts from the car in order to bring the cutting blade 18 into cutting position on seal 42. A variety of similar blades of various lengths 18 may be utilized but in general the blades 18 are made, in 4 the preferred embodiment, of 0.020 inch thick, .50 inch 44 wide, mild steel. Any suitable substitute which is firm yet flexible and capable of acquiring a sharp edge may be used.

0*1 The blades 18 are sharpened only on the part of power transmission member 16 that extends out opening 17 of sheath 0 g 24. Sheath 24, in the preferred embodiment, is produced in four inch, eight inch and fourteen inch sections. The blades 18 are made in different lengths so that they will extend out of each sheath 24 from 1/4 inch to 1 1/2 inches 4 depending on the job.

Sj use of sheathed cutting apparatus 10, automobile windshields may be removed after cutting urethane seal 42 from the inside of the vehicle, without the necessity of removing the dash or any other parts of the vehicle, and without breaking the glass.

I. s6- Blade 16 has most of its length contained within sheath 24. The advantage of sheath 24 is that it serves as a guide for blade 18 and a protector of dash 44 and any other parts of the vehicle with which the blade 18 might come in contact. The tip 22 of blade 18, reciprocating in and out of the end of sheath 24, is the only portion of the blade that comes in contact with, seal 42.

O: The total width of sheath 24 and blade 18 is less than 1/8 inch. This very narrow width allows sheath 24 with 0 blade 18 to go between the windshield 36 and dash 44.

f *Further, the narrowness of sheath 24 and blade 18 enables them to slide easily under any garnish ;oldings of the vehicle.

0e S o• o•

Claims (4)

1. A cutting apparatus for severing vehicular window seals comprising: a power source; a flexible cutting blade attached to said power source; a sheath attached to said power source, conformed to and covering said blade; and an opening in the tip of said sheath through which a Sportion of said cutting blade protrudes, said opening at an approximate location of a vehicular window seal when the apparatus is in use such that said blade is exposed for cutting said seal. 0 .00 see:

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a o mounting member removably attached to said power source, to which is attached said sheath so that said sheath and said mounting member form a unified member removably attachable to said power source. 0*G0*o *6

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said cutting blade further comprises: 00 0 a two-ended, flexible, flat power transmission member capable of acquiring a sharp edge; connector means in the first of said ends so that 0 0 said power transmission member is removably attachable to said power source; and a sharp edge on the second end of said power transmission member which, when driven by said power source, alternately protrudes from and retracts into said sheath,

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said sheath further comprises a rigid encasing sheath curved along its length so that said rigid sheath is conformable to the curvature 71 1- 910227,csspe004,asbcry spe,7 h 6 a' -8- of vehicle windshields. A cutting apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings. DATED this 26th day of Febtuary, 1991 GARNETT RAY ASBERY By his Patent Attorneys: DAVIES COLLISON 0 0* 0* 0 6 6 060geO 0 0630 00 OS 0 0 00 0 S C 0O 0 6O 0e S S0 S. 0 SO rut 7'( 9102L4cssp.004,asbcy.spo,&