GB2181381A

GB2181381A - A stripping tool

Info

Publication number: GB2181381A
Application number: GB08525181A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Margetts
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1985-10-11
Filing date: 1985-10-11
Publication date: 1987-04-23
Also published as: GB8525181D0; GB2181381B

Abstract

A stripping tool for separating layers of an applied wall covering and consisting of a blade (10, Fig. 1) of generally triangular shape with a handle (11, Fig. 1) affixed to the apex. A cutting edge remote from the handle is serrated with peaks and troughs 19 which are chisel-ended at 17 to provide two rows of individual spaced cutting edges co-planar with one face of the blade. A part (14, Fig. 1) of the blade near the cutting edge is of reduced thickness and thus increases flexibility and resilience. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A stripping tool This invention concerns a stripping tool for separating layers of an applied wall covering such as a laminated wallpaper. Many paper wall coverings which are not self-coloured are adapted to be painted, usually with an emulsion paint, and as layers of paint are built up on the paper over a number of years this renders eventual removal of the paper extremely difficult, particularly when the paint used is of a plastics substance preventing penetration of water to the bonded face of the paper.

An object of the present invention is to provide a tool which can easily penetrate the upper layers of paint and paper thus to separate them from the wall surface or from a thin layer of porous backing paper which can then readily be removed by a conventional scraper, after wetting.

According to the present invention there is provided a stripping tool for separating layers of an applied wall covering, comprising a blade having a generally serrated cutting edge, characterised in that the peaks and troughs of the serration are chisel-ended thus to provide a plurality of individual spaced cutting edges coplanar with one face of the blade.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an elevation of a stripping tool made in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is en enlarged view showing a part of the cutting edge of the tool; and Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on line Ill-Ill of Fig. 2.

The tool essentially comprises a blade 10 of a partially resilient material such as tempered steel, and a handle 11. The handle may be fixed to the blade by screws 12 or may be integrally formed therewith such as by a plastics moulding process.

The blade 10 is of a generally triangular shape similar to that of a conventional scraping tool. A first portion 13 extending from the handle 11 is preferably of a thickness in the region of 0.75mm, and a second portion 14 is thinner i.e. in the region of 0.5mm, thus to afford increased flexibility and resilience in the outer part of the blade. There is a gradual transition in thickness between portions 13 and 14.

The working or cutting edge 15 of the blade 10 is generally serrated as can be seen at 16.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3, it will be seen that the peaks and troughs of the serration are chisel-ended as illustrated at 17 thus to provide a plurality of individual spaced cutting edges which are co-planar with one face 18 of the blade as can be seen in Fig. 3. The thickness of the blade is chamfered from the opposite face towards the cutting edges 17 as can be seen at 19 in Fig. 3.

Preferably, the width of each cutting edge 17 is in the region of 0.5mm, and the pitch of the serration as indicated by bracket 20 is in the region of 1.75mm. The overall depth of the serration as illustrated by bracket 21 is preferably about 3mm. The overall dimensions of the blade are approximately 10cm long by 10cm wide, and the cutting edge 15 incorporates some 45 separate teeth.

In use, the flexibility of the blade and the effect of the chisel-ended cutting edges 17 permit the tool, when advanced in a direction at right angles to the cutting edges, to penetrate a multi-layered wall covering thus separating the upper layers in a strip approximately equal to the width of the blade, leaving only a thin layer of backing paper bonded to the wall. This can then be soaked and becomes very easy to remove using a conventional scraping tool.

After a period of use, the cutting edges can be sharpened ensuring that the edges 17 remain substantially co-planar with the face 18 of the blade.

The tool made in accordance with the invention has been found to operate efficiently in readily stripping wallpapers to which have been applied several layers of paint. Indeed, the greater the paint thickness the greater the ease with which the paper may be stripped with this tool.

It is not intended to limit the invention to the above example only, many variations such as might readily occur in one skilled in the art being possible without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the cutting edge of the blade may be much wider than that illustrated and described, and the handle may be of a different form, although the stripping operation with this tool, as with a conventional scraping tool, is most easily carried out with the handle aligned with and following the direction of movement of the blade.

1. A stripping tool for separating layers of an applied wall covering comprising a blade having a generally serrated cutting edge, characterised in that the peaks and troughs of the serration are chisel-ended thus to provide a plurality of individual spaced cutting edges coplanar with one face of the blade.

2. A stripping tool according to Claim 1, in which the blade is of a partially resilient material such as tempered steel, is of generally triangular shape and has a handle at one corner.

3. A stripping tool according to Claim 2, wherein the blade consists of a first portion extending from the handle and a second, more

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION A stripping tool This invention concerns a stripping tool for separating layers of an applied wall covering such as a laminated wallpaper. Many paper wall coverings which are not self-coloured are adapted to be painted, usually with an emulsion paint, and as layers of paint are built up on the paper over a number of years this renders eventual removal of the paper extremely difficult, particularly when the paint used is of a plastics substance preventing penetration of water to the bonded face of the paper. An object of the present invention is to provide a tool which can easily penetrate the upper layers of paint and paper thus to separate them from the wall surface or from a thin layer of porous backing paper which can then readily be removed by a conventional scraper, after wetting. According to the present invention there is provided a stripping tool for separating layers of an applied wall covering, comprising a blade having a generally serrated cutting edge, characterised in that the peaks and troughs of the serration are chisel-ended thus to provide a plurality of individual spaced cutting edges coplanar with one face of the blade. An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an elevation of a stripping tool made in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is en enlarged view showing a part of the cutting edge of the tool; and Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on line Ill-Ill of Fig. 2. The tool essentially comprises a blade 10 of a partially resilient material such as tempered steel, and a handle 11. The handle may be fixed to the blade by screws 12 or may be integrally formed therewith such as by a plastics moulding process. The blade 10 is of a generally triangular shape similar to that of a conventional scraping tool. A first portion 13 extending from the handle 11 is preferably of a thickness in the region of 0.75mm, and a second portion 14 is thinner i.e. in the region of 0.5mm, thus to afford increased flexibility and resilience in the outer part of the blade. There is a gradual transition in thickness between portions 13 and 14. The working or cutting edge 15 of the blade 10 is generally serrated as can be seen at 16. Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3, it will be seen that the peaks and troughs of the serration are chisel-ended as illustrated at 17 thus to provide a plurality of individual spaced cutting edges which are co-planar with one face 18 of the blade as can be seen in Fig. 3. The thickness of the blade is chamfered from the opposite face towards the cutting edges 17 as can be seen at 19 in Fig. 3. Preferably, the width of each cutting edge 17 is in the region of 0.5mm, and the pitch of the serration as indicated by bracket 20 is in the region of 1.75mm. The overall depth of the serration as illustrated by bracket 21 is preferably about 3mm. The overall dimensions of the blade are approximately 10cm long by 10cm wide, and the cutting edge 15 incorporates some 45 separate teeth. In use, the flexibility of the blade and the effect of the chisel-ended cutting edges 17 permit the tool, when advanced in a direction at right angles to the cutting edges, to penetrate a multi-layered wall covering thus separating the upper layers in a strip approximately equal to the width of the blade, leaving only a thin layer of backing paper bonded to the wall. This can then be soaked and becomes very easy to remove using a conventional scraping tool. After a period of use, the cutting edges can be sharpened ensuring that the edges 17 remain substantially co-planar with the face 18 of the blade. The tool made in accordance with the invention has been found to operate efficiently in readily stripping wallpapers to which have been applied several layers of paint. Indeed, the greater the paint thickness the greater the ease with which the paper may be stripped with this tool. It is not intended to limit the invention to the above example only, many variations such as might readily occur in one skilled in the art being possible without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the cutting edge of the blade may be much wider than that illustrated and described, and the handle may be of a different form, although the stripping operation with this tool, as with a conventional scraping tool, is most easily carried out with the handle aligned with and following the direction of movement of the blade. CLAIMS

3. A stripping tool according to Claim 2, wherein the blade consists of a first portion extending from the handle and a second, more resilient, portion extending from the first portion and of lesser thickness than the latter, there being a gradual transition in thickness between the first and second portions.

4. A stripping tool according to any preceding claim, wherein, in the region of the serrated cutting edge, the thickness of the blade is chamfered from the face opposite to said one face, towards the chisel-ended cutting edges.

5. A stripping tool substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.