EP0099373B1 - A device for shearing furs, fleeces and carpets - Google Patents

Abstract

A device for cutting hair of humans and animals as well as for shearing furs, fleeces and carpets, which comprises a tube (1) widening at one end (2) and provided at the other end with a housing (3) comprising blades (4) sliding in a horizontal way, the desired hair length being adjustable by a calibrating device (6), the device to be coupled with an air suction means (8).

Description

• The present invention relates to a device for the cutting or shearing of haired surfaces.
• It can be put into practice for shearing furs and fleeces of animals, and for the treatment of fabric pile, like woven or knotted carpets and similar textile products.
• Mechanical devices such as clippers for the cutting of hair in a previously fixed length have been designed earlier.
• An electrically driven device is described in the French patent FR-A-2.467.063.
• It consists of a device for cutting hair, comprising a housing with handle, which defines a closed passage releasably connected at one extremity to a flexible hose linked with a source of suction and at the other extremity to a telescopic tube having an effective length determined by external adjustment means, the free end of said telescopic tube being suited to engage a surface to be sheared, and said housing enclosing a pair of rotatory cutting elements and an electric drive to move said cutting elements relative to each other.
• Such a device is only destined for the cutting of human hair.
• Circularly rotating knife blades can give rise to clogging, if the hairy material is animal fleece or carpet pile.
• The objective of the present invention is to obtain a device to be suitable for shearing animal hair, such as furs and fleeces, and for fibres or fabric, like carpets, with which any disadvantages can be eliminated. For this purpose the present device of the above type is provided with mutually reciprocating plane cutting blades formed as a set of parallel blades defined by a grid of rectangular interstices surrounded by a closed frame.
• The open end of the telescopic tube is provided with a serrated edge such that an appropriate treatment of the surface to be sheared will be obtained. In this device each cutting element (4) is of generally rectangular form, comprising a plurality of parallel blades (10) separated by a series of parallel rectangular interstices (9), a first cutting element being fixed to form a grid and a second cutting element being driven by said drive, to slide reciprocally relative to said first cutting element in a direction substantially transverse to said blades of said cutting elements, and said adjustment means (6) incorporating a gauge screw (7) for selecting a cutting length, which is determined by the effective length of said telescopic tube (1), said tube widening towards its open end and culminating in a serrated edge (2).
• The parallel rectangular grid blades and moving edges are both sharpened.
• These rectangular sliding blades are operating horizontally.
• The edges of the blades can be self-whetting.
• The rectangular fixed grid prevents from damage of the surface by the blades during the shearing.
• The interstice between the blades should be large enough to let a reasonable quantity of hair penetrate.
• The blades are fixed in the housing in such a way that the rubbing is minimal so that both can slide easily over the other.
• The blades of both knives must be sharpened at both edges, so that the hair can be cut in both directions, while sliding over each other.
• The sliding of the blades is carried out by electrical drive (motor or vibrator).
• The voltage of the electromotor or vibrator can be e.g. 6V or 12V.
• If the shape of the upperside of the blades is equal to the lowerside and both edges of the blades are sharpened, the optimal result of shearing can be obtained.
• The most suitable adjusting position can be used.
• The tubes can have round or rectangular cross- sections.
• Adjusting the length of the telescopic tube is effected by loosening the screw (7), pulling the screw up or pushing it down, until the desired length is reached, and then fastening the screw again.
• This tube can be made of rubber or plastic and in such a way, that it will be easy to push it in and to pull it out, for making the tube shorter or longer. A spring can be used to stretch the tube.
• With this device the following advantages can be reached:
• 1. Equability of length of hair.
• 2. Reproducible adjustment of length of hair.
• 3. Saving of working-hours.
• 4. Avoidance of irregularities.
• 5. Useful for professional as well as for domestic applications.
• 6. Simple and easy construction for maintenance and cleansing.
• For the work with the device the desired hair length is to be adjusted by the calibration with the aid of the adjusting screw.
• Then the drive of the sliding blades is switched on and the widened end of the tube is passed over the hairy surface to be treated.
• If desired one part can be treated in a described way and for the treatment of another part another adjustment of the calibration with the adjusting screw can be selected (especially useful for carpets).
• On the hose (8), which is connected with the air suction (vacuum-cleaner) a bag or reservoir can be attached, in which the cut material is collected.
• The tube can also be made of several parts, which fit exactly into each other in length, so that it can be suited for shorter and longer distances from the surface to be treated.
• The mouth of the widened end is provided of half circularly serrated savings. The motor for the blades can be a small alternating current motor or a vibrator, which works on 6V or 12V.
• It may be powered by a rechargeable battery- cell built in the housing, or connected to a transformer, which can be located at the mains end of the power lead.
• The device is illustrated by the attached Figures 1-3.
• The sizes can be different, depending on the goal for putting it into practice (animal treatment or fabric manufacture).
• In the attached Figure 1, which gives a systematic view of a preferred device, the tube (1) is shown with the widened end with serrated edge (2), the housing (3) with grid and motor located inside (4), grip with handle (5), the adjustment calibration (6) with adjusting screw (7), and a sucking hose (8). In Figure 2 a view of the cutting element (4) is shown with blades (10) and interstices (9).
• Figure 3 shows the way of connecting the parts.

Claims (3)

1. A device for the cutting or shearing of haired surfaces, comprising a housing (3) with handle (5), which defines a closed passage releasably connected at one extremity to a flexible hose (8) linked with a source of suction (8) and at the other extremity to a telescopic tube (1) having an effective length determined by external adjustment means (6), the free end (2) of said telescopic tube being suited to engage a surface to be sheared, and said housing (3) enclosing a pair of cutting elements (4) and an electric drive to move said cutting elements relative to each other, characterized in that each cutting element is of substantially rectangular form, comprising a plurality of parallel blades (10) separated by a series of parallel rectangular interstices (9), a first cutting element being fixed to form a grid, and a second cutting element being driven by said drive, to slide reciprocally relative to said first cutting element in a direction substantially transverse to said blades of said cutting elements, and that said adjustment means (6) incorporates a gauge screw (7) for selecting a cutting length determined by the effective length of said telescopic tube (1), said tube widening towards its open end and culminating in a serrated edge (2).

2. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that said electric drive is a motor powered by a rechargeable battery cell contained in said housing.

3. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that said electric drive is a vibrator powered via leads connected to a remote transformer.

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