AU667125B2

AU667125B2 - An improved comb

Info

Publication number: AU667125B2
Application number: AU47516/93A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Peter Miller White
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-09-23
Filing date: 1993-09-22
Publication date: 1996-03-07
Anticipated expiration: 2013-09-22
Also published as: AU4751693A

Description

1

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

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COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATEFJT Applicant: PETER MILLER WHITE Invention Title: AN IMPROVED COMB S. *.S IS 'S ~4 0 S. S

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The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: AN IMPROVED COMB The present invention relates generally to cutting implements and in particular to cutting implements having a fixed member and a movable member in which the movable member moves relative to the fixed member to sever material located between the two. More particularly, the present invention relates to improvements to the fixed member of such cutting implements. Even more particularly, the 10 present invention relates to improvements to the fixed comb •o of a reciprocating or oscillating hand piece used for c. shearing, particularly for shearing wool from sheep. The c •present invention finds particular application in improvements to the shape, length and arrangement of the fingers of a conventional reciprocating or oscillating comb of a conventional reciprocating or oscillating shearing handpiece.

Although the present invention will be described with oo*o :20 particular reference to an improved comb of a conventional shearing handpiece used for shearing sheep in which the comb is provided with modified fingers it is to be noted o a. that the present invention is not limited in scope to the described embodiment only but rather the scope is more extensive so as to include other arrangements of the comb, including other arrangements of the fingers, and the use of the improvements in implements for other applications than in shearing handpieces.

One problem associated with existing hand pieces, or more particularly with the fixed combs of conventional reciprocating or oscillating shearing hand pieces, is that when using some forms of the comb shearers find it difficult to shear quickly and efficiently due to one or more of the fingers of the comb becoming entangled amongst the woollen fibres of the fleece of the sheep being shorn.

Such entanglements sometimes causes the shearing handpiece to "kick" or "jump" which results in the skin of the sheep being cut or otherwise injured by contact with the handpiece or in damage to the fleece by being unnecessarily cut. Additionally, even if the sheep is uninjured, the fibres of the fleece sometimes gather and tightly bind around one or more fingers of the comb which makes it 10 difficult for the shearer to achieve a smooth cut of the 0 o: fleece since repeated passes of the hand piece over the 9* same spot or area of the sheep or fleece are required in order to free the hand piece from entanglement with the fibres or from the gathering of the fibres. The repeated passes of the L.andpiece causes unnecessary cutting of the fibres which sometimes results in the fleece being worth less than it otherwise would, not to mention the increased 0 likelihood of injury to the sheep.

20 Previous attempts to overcome the problem of existing handpieces, particularly by providing modified combs have not been entirely satisfactory for one reason or another so that there is still further room for improvement.

°e Therefore, it is an aim of the present invention to provide a modified comb suitable for use in a shearing handpiece which modified comb at least alleviate one or more of the problems of existing combs and allows easier and more efficient shearing of the sheep with a reduced ohait&e of injury to the sheep.

According to the present invention there is provided a rcomb for use in a cutting implement comprising a body portion and a plurality of fingers extending in spaced apart Mn- relationship to each other from one side of the body portion, said fingers being provided with respective finger tips, arranged such that the finger tips collectively define a profile or contour common to all of the finger tips in the form of a curve such that the fingers are not all of the same length, said curve being a compound curve having two or more portions of differently shaped or oriented curvature.

According to the present invention there is provided a cutting implement comprising a fixed member and a movable member arranged such that material located between the fixed member and movable member is severed when the movable member moves relative to the fixed member in use wherein 15 the fixed member is provided with a body portion and a plurality of fingers extending in spaced apart relationship to one another from one side of the body portion in the direction of forward movement of the implement in normal use, said fingers being provided with respective finger 20 tips arranged such that the finger tips collectively define S* a profile or contour common to all of the finger tips in the form of a curve such that the plurality of fingers are not of the same length, said curve being a compound curve having two or more portions of differently shaped or 25 oriented curvature.

Typically, the cutting implement is a shearing handpiece for shearing sheep. More typically, the handpiece is a reciprocating or oscillating handpiece in which the movable member or cutter oscillates in use between two extreme sidewardly located positions relative to the fixed member which is a comb.

Typically, the movable member is a cutter having a plurality of cutting teeth. Typically, the fixed member is a comb having a plurality of fingers. More typically, the staWf~nd/lkeplpat4751 93 whdo 10 11 4a number of cutting teeth is less than the number of fingers.

Typically, the plurality of fingers are all more or less *9 slaftlindikeppat/47516 93 white 10 1195 generally arranged to extend in substantially the same direction. More typically, the fingers are arranged to extend generally outwardly from the handpiece in a direction substantially the same as the forward direction of use of the handpiece when shearing normally. More typically, at least part of all of the fingers are generally aligned substantially parallel to each other so that the finger tips are arranged in spaced apart ao. relationship to each other. Alternatively, the plurality 10 of fingers are arranged to extend substantially outwardly from the body of the comb in directions inclined at angles :4o to each other. More typically, the plurality of fingers .o are arranged to extend more or less generally radially from Soso the comb. Even more typically, the fingers are arranged to extend angularly from the comb, even more typically at an angle which increases in accordance with the exact position of the finger as the location moves in a direction from one side of the comb to the other side of the comb.

e*g 20 Typically, the fingers are provided with tapered finger tips. More typically, the tips are provided with enlarged head portions. Even more typically, the enlarged head portions are provided on selected ones of the fingers only.

*Typically, the enlarged head portions extend from the undersurface of the fingers. Typically, the second, third and fourth fingers of the comb are provided with enlarged head portions on their respective undersurfaces.

Typically, the common profile or contour containing the plurality of finger tips is curved gradually in a direction from one side of the comb to the other side. Typically, the curve is a simple convex or concave curve or is a substantially compound curve comprising two or more portions of differently oriented curves. More typically, the curve is substantially sinusoidal or sinusoidal-like, or S-like having a substantially convex portion and a substantially concave portion. Even more typically the curve consists of two substantially concave pbrtions located adjacent each other or two substantially convex portions located adjacent each other.

The present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in 10 which Figure 1 is an underneath plan view of one form of the modified comb of the present invention showing one form of the modified fingers.

Figure 2 is a side elevation view taken in the direction of arrow 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a partial cross-section view taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a partial cross-section view taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

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S. S 5 9 .5 In Figure 1 is shown one form of a modified comb suitable for use in a reciprocating or oscillating hand piece for shearing sheep. The hand piece may be any one of the many available conventional handpieces which are currently used for shearing sheep. The conventional reciprocating handpiece, in so far as the present invention is concerned and for the purpose of describing the present invention, comprises a fixed comb having a plurality of finge:rs which remains stationary and a cutter which moves reciprocally between the two extreme sidewardly located positions of travel in use with respect to the comb. The cutter is located in intimate sliding contact with the comb inboard of the inner side of the comb so that any material, such as for example fibres of wool, located between the cutter and the comb are cut or otherwise severed by the reciprocal or oscillating action of the cutter as it moves with respect to the comb.

The drawings illustrate comb 2 only of the handpiece in isolation for the sake of clarity and brevity of description. The remaining components of the handpiece are not shown in the drawings and may take any conventional 6' form. Comb 2 of the handpiece is provided with a body 10 portion 6 and a plurality of fingers, collectively denoted as 4, :rranged along one edge of the comb. Body portion 6 o. Qis provided with two spaced apart generally elongate slots 8a, 8b to allow comb 2 to be releasably attached to the De0 handpiece by suitable fastening means, such as for example screws or the like (not shown). Slots 8a, 8b are arranged such that their respective longitudinal axis are aligned substantially parallel to each other and are aligned in the direction generally parallel to the direction of extension of fingers 4 that are located at or towards the centre of 20 the comb. It is to be noted that fingers 4 generally extend outwardly from the body in the normal direction of movement of the handpiece in use such as in the forward direction to facilitate guiding of the woollen fibres into engagement between the cutter and the comb to be cut.

The fingers are collectively denoted as 4 merely for the sake of easy reference. However, it is to be noted that not all of the fingers are identical, but rather in the embodiment illustrated in the drawings each individual finger, denoted as one of fingers 4a, 4b, 4c and so on is unique or substantially so. Fingers 4 are denoted in accordance with their relative position in the direction from the right hand side of Figure 1 to the left hand of this figure as finger 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 4f, 4g, 4h, 4i, 4j, 4k, 41, 4m. Finger 4a which is located on the extreme right hand side of Figure 1 is known as the top glider finger and is generally longer and more curved than the remaining fingers. Finger 4a is provided with a free end which generally curves away from comb 2. Finger 4a is tapered towards its end or tip 12a to terminate in a flattened point or similar. Finger 4a is provided with a number of flat segments extending longitudinally along the lengthwise extending axis of the finger and arranged at 10 spaced locations around the circumference or diameter of the finger to define a cross-section which is a combination of curved portions and flat portions. The flat segments off# converge at tip 12a to form the flattened tapered tip.

Finger 4m which is known as the bottom entry tooth is located on the other extreme side of the comb to the top glider finger 4a i.e. at the extreme left hand side of 0 Figure 1. Bottom entry tooth 4m is arranged to curve generally in the opposite direction to the direction of 20 curvature of finger 4a so that finger 4m gently curves away from, the remaining fingers of the comb. Additionally, finger 4m has a lesser amount of curvature than does finger D 4a and accordingly presents a somewhat more straighter appearance than does finger 4a and is arranged to extend more or less substantially in the normal forward direction of use of the handpiece. In fact, in some embodiments bottom entry finger 4m may extend straight outwardly from the body 6 of comb 2, or at least one side edge of finger 4m extends straight outwardly. Finger 4m is provided with a tip 12m which is formed as a flattened taper of the sides of this finger. Finger 4m is of a shorter length than finger 4a and is also of a small diameter or thickness.

It is to be noted that with particular reference to Figure I 1 that the tips of the fingers collectively denoted as tips 12 terminate at different distances from body 6 of comb 2 so that each of the fingers is of a more or less different length, albeit very slightly so. The contour or profile 14 collectively containing the tips such as for example when the tips are joined by an imaginary line, presents a gentle or gradual curve as is shown in Figure 1. It is to be noted that the profile or contour 14 shown in Figure 1 may o take any suitable form. The gentle or gradual curve or 10 profile 14 may be simple in shape ranging from being either substantially concave or substantially convex through to obeing a compound curve having different portions of sad different shapes such as concave merging into convex, S*ei too: sinusoidal or the like. One curve which is particularly efficient begins from finger 4m in the direction towards finger 4a as having a first portion being generally concave 0* such as is denoted by arrow A, having a second portion denoted by arrow B which is a transition portion from substantially concave to substantially convex and a third 20 portion denoted by arrow C being a substantially convex curve so as to define a gently undulating shape overall between fingers 4a and 4m.

r Another curve which is particularly efficient which is not shown in the drawings, comprises a first portion which is substantially concave, a second portion which is a transition portion and a third portion which is also substantially concave so as to present a substantially reverse scallop appearance. Alternatively, the curve may consist of two substantially convex portions which present a substantially scalloped appearance.

In addition to the tips 12 of the fingers 4 being collectivc'ly arranged in a gentle or gradually curving Bl~bBYPPC I IsCprofile or contour 14, the fingers 4 are more or less curved about their lengths in their respective lengthwise extending directions as shown in figure 1. Finger 4a and adjacent finger 4b are clearly shown as being, curved away to the right from their respective central axes whereas fingers 41, 4k are shown as being more or less arranged substantially along their respective central axes. As the finers go from finger 4m through to finger 4a the amount that each finger curves about its own central axis in the 10 lengthwise extending direction of the fingers becomes 0. increasing greater from being almost straight in the case of fingers 41, 4k to having very pronounced curves as in •the case of fingers 4b, 4a with the amount of curvature of the intermediate fingers being between the two extremes possessed by the fingers 4a,4m. It is to be noted that the underneath surface in use of comb 2 which is the surface that contacts the sheep is shown in figure 1 and is denoted as 18.

4 20 With particular reference to fingers 2 to 4, the shape of selected ones of the fingers 4 of comb 2 will now be described. It is to be noted that Figures 2 to 4 show the orientation of the comb in its normal in use position with the undersurface 18 shown lowermost.

As can be seen in Figure 2 some of the tips 12 of selected fingers are provided with enlarged head portions 16 which have the lower surface in use extending or projecting outwardly from the common plane containing the tips 12 of the remaining fingers. In particular, fingers 4b and 4c are provided with enlarged head portions 16 as shown in Figure 2. Enlarged head portion 16 is located at the extreme distal end of selected fingers, such as for example fingers 4a, 4b, 4c and in a preferred embodiment takes the form of a generally arcuate portion located immediately adjacent the normal outer surface of the finger. Although in the described and illustrated embodiment the raised head portion 16b, 16c is shown as being on the lower surfaces of the tips 16b, 16c of fingers 4b, 4c only and not on either tapered side portion it is to be noted that on other embodiments different arrangements of the enlarged head portion 16 are possible, such as for example an enlarged portion partially or wholly surrounding the tip of the 10 finger. Enlarged head portion 16 may take any convenient or suitable shape, form or orientation. It is to be noted that not all embodiments of the comb of the present "Q invention have finger tips with enlarged head portions. In some embodiments the finger tips are conventionally shaped.

Top glider finger 4a and bottom entry finger 4m are each provided with enlarged head portions 20 also. Enlarged head portion 20 is similar but different in 'ahape to enlarged head portion 16.

o Figure 3 illustrates a conventional finger without enlarged head portion 16, such as for e:ample finger 4i, as a *9 'a comparison to those fingers, particularly fingers 4b, 4c \which are provided with enlarged head portions 16.

Advantages of the present invention include that the comb allows easier entry of the hand piece into and through the fleece being shorn. The hand piece becomes less entangled within the fibres of the wool in v.se of the handpiece and the sheep being shorn by the hand piece having the improved comb of the present invention suffers less from injuries to the skin.

There is less cutting of the skin of the sheep or other injury to sheep. This is due to the fingers 4b, 4c, 4d in particular being shorter in length than top glider finger 4a which allows top glider fingers 4a to hold down the skin of the sheep or push the skin down so as to be clear of the tips of fingers 4b, 4c, 4d do not cut the sheep. This can be contrasted with conventional combs in which the fingers corresponding to fingers 4b, 4c, 4d of the present invention are about the same length as finger 4a or only .slightly shorter at best so that the tips of these fingers 10 of the conventional comb can cut the skin of the sheep.

Additionally, the enlarged head portions of the tips of the fingers 4b, 4c, 4d are not as sharp but are more rounded which assists in these teeth not cutting or injuring the sheep when the handpiece is being used.

too *s 0 30 .3 4* 00.3 0 SO S. 9 The described arrangement has beex advanced by explanation and many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention which includes every novel feature and novel combination of features 20 hereindisclosed.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention described herein is susceptible to variations and modifications other than those specifically described. It is understood that the invention includes all such variations and modifications which fall within the spirit and scope.

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Claims

1. A comb for use in a cutting implement comprising a body portion and a plurality of fingers extending in spaced apart relationship to each other from one side of the body portion, said fingers being provided with respective finger tips, arranged such that the finger tips collectively define a profile or contour common to all of the finger tips in the form of a curve such that the fingers are not all of the same length, said curve being a compound curve having two or more portions of differently shaped or oriented curvature.

2. A comb according to claim 1 in which the length 15 of the fingers varies in a gradual manner in a widthwise 'direction of the comb.

3. A comb according to any preceding claim in which the profile or contour common to all the finger tips is a 20 combination of a convex or concave curve.

4. A comb according to any preceding claim in which the curve further comprises a transitional portion located intermediate the at least two differently shaped portions.

A comb according to any one of claims 1 to 3 in which at least two differently shaped portions are contiguous with no transition portion therebetween.

6. A comb according to any preceding claim in which the compound curve is substantially sinusoidal or sinusoidal or S-like or is a reverse curve.

7. A comb according to any preceding claim in which the curve profile or contour comprises two substantially similar curved portions being two substantially concave stafUindkeeppaV4751693.whde 10.1195 portions or two substantially convex portions.

8. A comb according to any preceding claim in which the fingers are provided with tapered finger tips, said finger tips being provided with enlarged head portions.

9. A comb according to any preceding claim in which the enlarged head portions project from the undersurface of the comb in use.

A comb according to any preceding claim in which the enlarged head portions are provided on selected finger tips only. 15

11. A comb according to any preceding claim in which e at least some of the fingers are curved or bent about their respective lengthwise extending axes so that the end of the fingers having the finger tips diverge away from the respectiv-e central axes of the fingers.

12. A comb according to any preceding claim in which the amount of curvature of the fingers about the respective central axes increases in accordance with the location of the finger from one side of the comb in a direction towards 25 the other side of the comb.

13. A cutting implement comprising a fixed member and a movable member arranged such that material located between the fixed member and movable member is severed when the movable member moves relative to the fixed member in use wherein the fixed member is provided with a body portion and a plurality of fingers extending in spaced apart relationship to one another from one side of the body portion in the direction of forward movement of the implement in normal use, said fingers being provided with respective finger tips arranged such that the finger tips stalind/eoppat/4751693.whte 1011 collectively define a profile or contour common to all of the finger tips in the form of a curve such that the plurality of fingers are not of the same length, said curve being a compound curve having two or more portions of differently shaped or oriented curvature.

14. A cutting implement having a comb in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 12.

15. A cutting implement according to claim 13 or 14 which is a shearing handpiece.

16. A cutting implement according to claim 15 in which the shearing handpiece is a sheep shearing handpiece.

17. A comb substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. eee

18. A cutting implement substantially as hereinbefore S. S: 20 described with reference to any one of the accompanying drawings. **e e. 0 Dated: 10 November 1995 PETER MILLER WHITE By His Patent Attorneys: GRIFFITH HACK CO Fellows Institute of Patent Attorneys of Australia. sta'i idiVko 1 pai47516,93.whin 10.11.95 A Abstract A comb suitable for use in a conventional shearing handpiece is provided with a plurality of forwardly directed fingers such that the finger tips (12) of the fingers are collectively arranged in a common profile or contour which is curved over the width of the comb from the fingers located at the extreme sides of the comb. The curve of the common profile or contour can be a simple 10 curve or may be a, compound curve such as a sinusoidal curve S or a double concave curve or a double convex curve. 6 ,l S SOC eu« 900 oS @0 *0 0 a.. 0. S0 S S.. 0* *4 0 'A i~-e