GB2145361A - Thread nip - Google Patents

Abstract

A thread nip has a removable sheath (12) (Fig. 2) and cooperating handles (17, 18) which are pivotably connected through a pivot assembly (35-37, 39-41). Sharpened blades (21, 21') are supported on the handles (17, 18) and the handles are normally biased open against resilient members (44, 45). The resilient members (44, 45) may be diverging leaves of a bifurcated spring member (42) which fit in openings (29, 29') of the handles. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Thread nip This invention relates to a thread nip.

A thread nip or thread snip is widely used in the preparation of textile fabrics and yarns and has many diversified applications in areas other than for textiles. A thread snip is and has become a highly useful tool having a multiplicity of purposes in home, office, shop and industry. Usually, thread snips are fabricated of steel and are relatively heavy depending upon the nature of the type of cutting that must be performed. Periodic blade sharpening may be required depending upon the frequency of use and the materials severed. Occasional spring adjustment and pivot assembly repairs are necessary. Frequently, thread snips are discarded rather than repaired despite the relatively small expense in making adjustments and blade sharpening.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a compact, lightweight and durable thread nip which may be readily available for use as a cutting implement for innumerable tasks whether for seamstresses, industrial, office or home utilisation.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a thread nip that may be conveniently carried in the purse or pocket because of its light weight, compactness and protective features, comparable to a writing instrument such as a pen or a pencil.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a thread nip with replaceable cutting blades.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this novel thread snip will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment, a brief summary of the invention, and a brief description of a drawing of the preferred embodiment with the recognition that variations may be made in the materials and positioning of the components which variations are contemplated within the scope of the appended claims.

A thread nip in which a pair of reinforced plastic blade-retaining handles is pivotably connected adjacent one end of the handles by means of a pivot spring assembly and pin member. A pair of sharpened steel blade members, preferably replaceable, is secured to blade-receiving recesses in a bladereceiving portion of the thread nip for cooperative cutting engagement. Each blade-retaining handle is moulded and provided with an intermediate portion having an opening therein in which a springbiasing member cooperatively engages intermediate portion openings in each handle. The springbiasing member is retained in a recess in the handle openings in said intermediate handle portions.

In a preferred embodiment, divergent leaves of a spring-biasing member may be used in which one leaf section of said spring-biasing member is retained in one handle intermediate opening and the other leaf is retained in the other handle intermediate opening.

Upon urging the handles in overlapping relationship or in the closed mode, the spring-biasing member is biased or stressed urging the handles to the open mode. A single open-ended sheath slides cooperatively over the cutting blades, in the thread nip closed mode, for encapsulating the thread nip and retaining the nip in the closed mode against the biasing action of the spring-biasing member.

The invention will now be described further by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 is a side perspective view of an encapsulated thread nip embodying the invention; Figure 2 is a side perspective view of the thread nip in the open mode with the blade encapsulating sheath displaced laterally and the cutting blades in an operative cutting position with the handles pivoted apart in the open mode; Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the thread nip illustrating the various components in displaced relative positions, a spring-biasing member in its unbiased condition, and with the handle cover members removed and not shown; Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of a single blade handle and cover plate before assembly;; Figure 5 is an enlarged partial schematic view of a pair of handles pivoted to the open mode with the spring-biasing member in an unstressed position; and Figure 6 is similar to Figure 5 with the handles pivoted to the closed mode illustrating the blade spring-biasing member in a biased or stressed position.

Referring to the drawing and particularly to Figures 1 and 2, there is illustrated a thread nip or snips 10 in the open or operative cutting mode in Figure 2, and in the closed sheathed mode 11 in Figure 1. The closed thread nip 11, in Figure 1, is provided with a removable open-ended plastic sheath or sleeve member 12 which has a rectangular cross-section for cooperative and releasable retention over the pointed ends 13 and 14 of the sharpened cutting blades 21 and 21' for abutment with the forward or leading edges 15 on the end of the nip handles 16. In the closed sheathed mode 11 of Figure 1, the thread nip is slender, compact and sufficiently flat to be safely and readily pocketed either in a purse or pocket or suspended on a necklace (not shown).

Each of the blade-retaining handles 17 and 18, as shown in Figure 3, is substantially similar in many respects and the handles are moulded preferably of glass-reinforced nylon to ensure strength, lightness and durability. Since each blade-retaining handle 17 and 18 is similar, a detailed description of one handle will be designated and differences for the other handle will be noted in the assembled condition as will be readily apparent in Figure 3.

The components or portions of one handle will be designated by a reference character and a corresponding component or portion on the other handle that is the same will be designated with the same reference character modified by a prime (').

Other dissimilar structures will be referred to by a separate reference number.

Handle 17 has a blade-receiving flat base indentation 19 with a partial rectangular rear recess 20 for cooperatively seating a sharpened cutting edge and pointed steel blade 21 into the recess 20 for securement by means of the spaced blade-retaining lugs 22 and 23 which are integrally moulded preferably in the flat base blade-receiving indentation 19 for cooperatively receiving the blade openings 24 and 25, respectively, thereon. The projecting blade-receiving lugs 22 and 23, with the blade 21 mounted thereon, may be stamped or heated to retain the blade 21 securely on the forward blade section of the handle 17. Worn blades may be replaced readily by removaland substituting new sharpened blades on the same lugs 22 and 23.

The intermediate section 26 of the handle 17 is substantially rectangular in cross-section, and is provided with a flat or planar side 27 and a recessed flat opposite side 28 as illustrated on handle 18. The intermediate section 26 of the handle 17 has a substantially rectangular opening or window 29 into which opening 29 an axially offset rounded protuberance 30 extends forming springretaining recesses 31 and 32 at each side thereof.

An axially spring-biasing retaining member slot 33 is provided opposite from the protuberance 30 which also communicates with opening 29.

The rear pivot section 34 of handle 17 has a pivot pin-receiving opening 35 therethrough and an annular protruding rim for cooperatively seating in a circular recess (not shown) surrounding the pivot pin opening 36 in handle 18. A concentric countersink 37 surrounds pivot pin opening 36. Pivot pin 39 is provided with a flat head 40, and a frustoconical section (not shown) beneath the flat head for cooperative sliding reception into the countersink 37 in handle 18 and the stud end 41 of pivot pin 39 is frictionally retained in the pivot pin-receiving opening 35 in handle 17.

A spring-biasing member 42, shown as a bifurcated spring member, has an integral rear section 43 and a pair of arched diverging leaves 44 and 45.

Rear section 43 will be frictionally secured in position in recess 33 and loosely positioned in recess 33' of the handles 17 and 18, respectively, with the terminal end of the leaf 44 being lodged into its seating recess 31 in handle 17. The terminal end of leaf 45 will be lodged into its seating recess 32' in handle 18. The offset protuberance 31 and 31' will urge the leaves 44 and 45 into their respective recesses for seating.

As shown in Figure 5, the handles 17 and 18 are pivoted into the open mode about the pivot stud 39 with each of the spring leaves 44 and 45 being shown in their unbiased or unstressed condition, as is also shown in Figure 3. The terminal ends of leaves 44 and 45 are lodged in their recesses 31 and 32', respectively. In the closed mode, shown in Figure 6, the leaves 44 and 45 are stressed sufficiently to decrease the arched or arcuate configuration shown in Figures 3 and 5 resulting in a spring-biasing action whereby the leaves 44 and 45 and, while being subjected to the induced biasing or spring action to the leaves 44 and 45, will urge the blade handles 17 and 18 to pivot and separate into the open mode about the pivot pin 39 as illustrated in Figures 2 and 5 from the closed mode shown in Figures 1 and 6.

Preferably, a transverse guide slot 55 is moulded in handle 18 for cooperatively receiving the head 56 of guide member 57 and whose stud 59 is secured to the guide member receiving rimmed hole 58 in handle 17. Preferably guide slot 55 with guide member 57 therein will limit the displacement of the blade handles without employing a limit stop in the pivot pin 39 or elsewhere.

The sheath 12 is positioned by sliding it over the pointed ends 13 and 14 of the blades 21 and 21' to retain the handles 17 and 18 in the overlapped handle closed mode as shown in Figures 1 and 6.

Upon removal of the sheath 12, the biasing or spring action of leaves 44 and 45 will urge the blades 17 and 18 to pivot outwardly into the open mode as shown in Figures 2 and 5. Alternating finger pressure on the handles 17 and 18 adjacent to the blades 21 and 21' will produce the desired opening and closing or pivoting of the handles for the cutting action by the blades about the pivot pin 39.

Illustrated in Figure 4 is a handle 50 which has a raised perimeter 51 and a recessed rectangular base 52 as in the handles 17 and 18 for cooperatively receiving the cover plate 53 for a flush mounting. Plate 53 may be securely fastened within the recess 52 so that it may be substantially flush with the perimetrical rim 51 and the use of projecting studs (not shown) on the reverse side will be inserted into the stud openings 60 for retention. The exterior surface 54 of plate 53 may be knurled, scored or textured similar to the surface texture of sheath 12 or may be smooth, if desirable.

Handle covers may be slidably mounted on the handles 17 and 18 and frictionally or adhesiveiy secured to the handles, as shown and described in U.S. Patent No. 4,400,877.

Sheath 12 is retained by friction on the handles 17 and 18 covering the blades 21 and 21' with the biasing action of the spring leaves 44 and 45 serving to hold the sheath 12 releasably in position as illustrated in Figure 1. By slidably removing the sheath 12 off the handles 17 and 18 and blades 21 and 21', the thread nip will spring into the open mode ready for cutting action.

Claims (7)

1. A thread nip comprising a pair of blade-retaining handles positoned against each other, each said handle having a blade-receiving portion, an intermediate portion having an opening therein and a removable spring-biasing member supported in said opening, and a rear pivot portion having a pivot pin-receiving opening therein, a pivot assembly means pivotally joining said handles together retained in said pivot pin-receiving opening, said spring-biasing member having spring means positioned in said handle intermediate portion open ings cooperatively to pivot said handles about said pivot assembly means in an open mode and to bias said blades to separate in a closed mode, and a blade mounted on each of said blade-receiving portions for cooperative cutting engagement from the open to the closed mode.

2. A thread nip as claimed in claim land a blade handle cover retained by said blade handle covering said intermediate and rear pivot portions.

3. A thread nip as claimed in claim 2, and a sleeve member having an open end for slidably covering said blade-receiving portion and blades for retaining the thread nip in a closed mode against the biasing action of said spring biasing member.

4. A thread nip as claimed in claim 1, said spring-biasing member including a bifurcated spring having a pair of extending diverging arched leaves, one of said leaves being retained by one handle and the other of said leaves being retained by the other handle.

5. A thread nip as claimed in claim 1, each said blade being fabricated of steel and having means for securement to said blade-receiving portions, and each said blade having a sharpened exposed cutting edge.

6. A thread nip as claimed in claim 1, said spring-biasing member including a spring having an integral section and a bifurcated section said bifurcated section forming diverging arcuate leaves, said integral section being retained in said intermediate opening portion in said handles, said diverging leaves having ends spaced from each other, one end of said diverging leaves engaging one of said handles and the other end of said leaves engaging the other of said handles, each of said leaves engaging said handles urges said handles to pivot outwardly from a closed to an open mode.

7. A thread nip substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.