GB2333486A

GB2333486A - A rope cutting device

Info

Publication number: GB2333486A
Application number: GB9826598A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Gobsill; Christopher W Kirby
Original assignee: ELIZA TINSLEY GROUP PLC
Current assignee: ELIZA TINSLEY GROUP PLC
Priority date: 1998-01-24
Filing date: 1998-12-04
Publication date: 1999-07-28
Anticipated expiration: 2018-12-04
Also published as: GB2333486B; GB9826598D0; GB9801483D0

Abstract

A rope cutting device 10 has a frame 12 housing a circular cutting blade 18 mounted on an axial shaft 20 extending to each side of the blade 18 through aligned opposite slots 22 in casing sides 14,16. A handle 42 acts on the shaft 20 through a ratchet mechanism 43 so that the cutting blade 18 is driven in one direction of rotation only. In use, a guard 32 is pulled downwards to be inserted between the extensions 20 into the guide slot 28, whilst the cutting blade 18 is at its uppermost position held by a spring 24. The guard 32 is then released and the blade 18 is moved downwardly by means of a second handle into the guide 28 to engage the rope. Whilst downward pressure is maintained on the blade, handle 42 is pulled backwards and forwards to rotate blade 18 to cut through the rope.

Description

A CUTTING DEVICE The invention relates to a cutting device.

It is known to use scissors to cut rope, but this tends to fray the end of the rope and considerable strength can be required to cut through rope using scissors. It is also known to cut rope using a hot wire but this can be dangerous to the operator as well as requiring the complication of a power supply.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a cutting device for rope or the like, the cutting device comprising a frame mounting a circular blade and a handle to enable the blade to be manually rotated for cutting, the frame further including means for locating rope or the like to be cut, the blade and the locating means being relatively moveable over a guided path so that the blade can cut through the rope or the like located by the locating means.

The use of a circular blade gives a rapid positive cut with less fraying compared with scissors.

The term "rope or the like" is intended to cover rope, string, twine, plastic tubes and similar elongate cuttable material.

While the locating means may be moveable to bring the rope or the like towards the blade, or both blade and locating means may be moveable, preferably the blade is moveable in the frame and the locating means is fixed in relation to the frame. The blade may be provided with an axial shaft which may be received in aligned slots defined in the frame to guide movement of the blade.

The locating means may comprise a yoke and may thus comprise the ends of aligned slots defined in the frame.

The handle may be arranged to rotate fully, but preferably the handle is arranged to drive the blade through a ratchet so that reciprocal movement over a part circular path drives the blade to rotate in one direction.

The device preferably includes a cover for the blade for safety.

Preferably the blade and cover are resiliently biased such that the blade is normally covered by the cover. While the cover could be moveable over the blade, or both cover and blade could be moveable, preferably the cover is fixed and the blade is moveable.

Preferably, the cover covers the whole of the blade such that it is not accessible to fingers. The cover may comprise a housing including a slot through which the blade may be relatively moved to protrude for cutting. The housing may comprise the frame.

The device may include means for relatively biasing the blade and locating means together. The biasing means may comprise a second handle. The second handle is preferably on one side of the frame and the first handle on the other side of the frame.

The blade is preferably arranged above the locating means.

There may be a guide to guide rope or the like to the locating means and the entrance to the guide may be covered by a guard being relatively moveable with respect to the guide to allow rope or the like to enter the guide.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a cutting device comprising guide means to guide and locate rope or the like to be cut and a guard to cover the entrance to the guide, the guard being relatively moveable with respect to the guide means to allow rope or the like to enter the guide means, and a blade, the blade being relatively retractable with respect to a cover such that the cutting edge of the blade is not accessible to fingers during relative movement of the guard and insertion of rope or the like into the guide means to the position to be cut by the blade.

The guide means may comprise a slot.

The guard is preferably resistantly biased to cover the entrance to the guide means.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG.1 is a side elevation of the device of the embodiment of the invention in partial cross-section; FIG.2 is a front elevation of the device of FIG.1; and FIG.3 is a side elevation of the device of FIG. 1 from the opposite side from that shown on FIG.1 and showing an alternative position of the guard in phantom.

The cutting device 10 comprises a metal frame or housing 12 which comprises two substantially parallel planar sides 14, 16. The housing 12 houses a circular cutting blade 18. The cutting blade 18 is mounted on an axial shaft 20 which extends to each side of the circular blade 18 through aligned opposite slots 22 in the casing sides 14, 16. Bushes 17 are provided to either side of the blade 18 to keep it central within the casing 12 and one bush 17 is connected through a lug 19 to one end of an extension spring 24 which is connected at its other end to a peg 26 spanning the casing.

The shaft 20 extends through the casing 12 and on one side is connected to a first handle 42 extending radially thereof. The handle 42 acts on the shaft 20 through a ratchet mechanism 43 so that it drives the cutting blade 18 in one direction only. A second handle 44 extends horizontally co-axially with the shaft 20 on the opposite side of the casing 12.

The casing 12 is substantially rectangular with the lower front corner cut away. The upper front corner 27 is curved to reflect the shape of the circular cutting blade 18 which lies adjacent the corner in its uppermost, retracted position. A horizontal slot 28 penetrates the casing 12 below the blade 18 horizontally.

This guide slot 28 has a splayed mouth defined by additional upper and lower plates 30 extending outwardly from the casing 12. The upper wall of the guide slot 28 defines a slim slot (not shown) narrower than the width of the casing 12 through which the cutting blade 18 descends to cut rope or the like which is entered through the slot 28 and rests against the end 31 of the slot 28 acting as the aforesaid locating means.

A guard 32 has a front wall 34 which extends over the mouth of the guide slot 28 as defined by the extensions 30 and underneath the slot into the cutaway part of the casing 12. The guard 32 also includes sides 36 which extend alongside the guide slot 28 to adjacent the rear of the casing 12 where the guard 32 is pivoted at pivot pins 38. The underside of the front wall 34 is connected through a spring 40 to the underside of the casing 12.

In use, the user grasps the guard 32 and pulls it downwardly pivoting at the pivot pins 38 and against the bias of the spring 40. With the guard 32 pulled downwards, the user inserts a length of rope 46 or the like between the extensions 30 into the guide slot 28 to be located by the end 31 of the guide slot 28. Throughout this procedure, the cutting wheel 18 is at its uppermost position held by the spring 24, and inaccessible to fingers due to being completely enclosed by the casing 12 except for the slot in the ceiling of guide slot 28 which is sufficiently slender that fingers cannot touch the blade 18 through it. The user then releases the guard 32 and grasps the handles 42, 44 one in each hand. Pressing down on the handle 44 will move the blade 18 downwards through the slot in the roof of the guide slot 28 to engage and bear against the rope 46 or the like.

Maintaining pressure on the second handle 44, the user then pulls the first handle 42 backwards and forwards to rotate the cutting blade 18 and cut through the rope 46 or the like. When the cut rope is removed the guard 32 will spring back into position under the action of the spring 40. When the handles 42, 44 are released the cutting blade 18 will be retracted into the casing 12 by the spring 24.

The device 10 provides a very good cut with little fraying and relatively little effort on the part of the user. The device 10 is very safe because the blade 18 is encased and is normally kept away from the slot 28 which is in any case guarded in normal use. Even when the guard 32 is pushed downwards, the blade 18 is not accessible unless the user presses down on one of the handles 42, 44 so that the blade 18 emerges into the guide slot 28.

The device 10 could be used in conjunction with a taping device or might incorporate a taping device to tape the rope to be cut to further minimise fraying and possible untwisting of rope strands.

It is to be understood that the scope of the present invention is not to be unduly limited by the particular choice of terminology and that a specific term may be replaced by any equivalent or generic term. For example, the term "apparatus" may be replaced by "device"; "handle" could be replaced by "handle/drive means"; "circular" may be replaced by "part-circular" or "curved". "Cutting blade" could be replaced by "cutting blade means".

Further it is to be understood that individual features, method or functions or a kit of parts related to the cutting apparatus or combinations of same, might be individually patentably inventive. In particular, any disclosure in this specification of a range for a variable or parameter shall be taken to include a disclosure of any selectable or derivable sub-range within that range and should be taken to include a disclosure of any value for the variable or parameter lying within or at the end of a range. The singular may include the plural and vice versa.

Therefore, further according to the present invention there is provided cutting apparatus for cutting rope or the like, said apparatus comprising a housing for receiving a length of rope to be cut, a cutting blade and handle means, the handle means being operable to move the cutting blade relative to the rope to cut the rope, the handle means preferably comprising a first handle to move the blade into a first rope cutting position from an out of the way position and a second handle operable in the cutting position to cut the rope preferably whilst pressure is maintained on the first blade. Preferably, a safety guard is provided to cover a cutting edge of the cutting blade when not in use.

Further according to the present invention there is provided cutting apparatus having any derivable combination of features as herein disclosed and in particular which may have one or more of the following features: a) Two handles to be operated to perform the cutting operation on the rope, preferably one handle being operable to move a cutting blade relative to a rope from an out of the way position to a cutting position and a second handle being operable to cut the rope with pressure preferably being maintained on the first handle during said cutting, the cutting blade preferably being spring biased to said out of the way position; b) A housing for receiving rope or the like and a reciprocable (preferably curved or circular/part-circular) cutting blade preferably operated via a ratchet mechanism; c) A safety guard preferably pivotable and preferably spring loaded; d) The cutting apparatus being hand held or manually operated rather than automatically operated; e) A guide slot for the rope, possibly with an open side or top through which a cutting blade can be advanced to engage the rope or retracted to an out of the way position; f) A cutting blade spring biased to an out of the way position; g) A safety guard that automatically returns to a safety position after a rope has been cut; h) A cutting blade that automatically retracts to an out of the way position on release of handle means.

Further according to the present invention there is provided rope cutting apparatus incorporating a taping device.

Still further according to the present invention there is provided a method of cutting rope or the like, said method comprising receiving rope in a housing and operating handle means to move a cutting blade relative to the housing in a first cutting position and then operating the handle means to cut the rope.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A cutting device for rope or the like, the cutting device comprising a frame mounting a circular blade and a handle to enable the blade to be manually rotated for cutting, the frame further including means for locating rope or the like to be cut, the blade and the locating means being relatively moveable over a guided path so that the blade can cut through the rope or the like located by the locating means.
2. A cutting device as claimed in claim 1 in which the blade is movable in the frame and the locating means is fixed in relation to the frame.
3. A cutting device as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which the blade is provided with an axial shaft.
4. A cutting device as claimed in claim 3 in which the blade is received in aligned slots defined in the frame to guide movement of the blade.
5. A cutting device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the locating means comprises a yoke.
6. A cutting device as claimed in claim 5 when dependant on claim 4 in which the locating means comprises the ends of aligned slots defined in the frame.
7. A cutting device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the handle is arranged to rotate fully.
8. A cutting device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 in which the handle is arranged to drive the blade through a ratchet so that reciprocal movement over a part circular path drives the blade to rotate in one direction.
9. A cutting device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims including a cover for the blade.
10. A cutting device as claimed in claim 9 in which the blade and cover are resiliently biased such that the blade is normally covered by the cover.
11. A cutting device as claimed in claim 9 or claim 10 in which the cover is fixed and the blade is moveable.
12. A cutting device as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 11 in which the cover covers the whole of the blade such that it is not accessible to fingers.
13. A cutting device as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 12 in which the cover comprises a housing including a slot through which the blade can be relatively moved to protrude for cutting.
14. A cutting device as claimed in claim 13 in which the housing comprises the frame.
15. A cutting device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the device includes means for relatively biasing the blade and locating means together.
16. A cutting device a claimed in claim 15 in which the biasing means comprises a second handle.
17. A cutting device as claimed in claim 16 in which the second handle is on one side of the frame and the first handle is on the other side of the frame.
18. A cutting device a claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the blade is arranged above the locating means, in use.
19. A cutting device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which there is a guide to guide rope or the like to the locating means.
20. A cutting device as claimed in claim 19 in which an entrance to the guide can be covered by a guard being relatively moveable with respect to the guide to allow rope or the like to enter the guide.
21. A cutting device comprising guide means to guide and locate rope or the like to be cut and a guard to cover an entrance to the guide, the guard being relatively moveable with respect to the guide means to allow rope or the like to enter the guide means, and a blade, the blade being relatively retractable with respect to a cover such that the cutting edge of the blade is not accessible to fingers during relative movement of the guard and insertion of rope or the like into the guide means to a position to be cut by the blade.
22. A cutting device as claimed in claim 21 in which the guide means comprises a slot.
23. A cutting device as claimed in claim 21 or 22 in which the guard i resistantly or resiliently biased to cover the entrance to the guide means.
24. A cutting device for ropes or the like substantially as herein described with reference to the FIGURES of the accompanying drawings.
25. A cutting apparatus for cutting rope of the like, said apparatus comprising a housing for receiving a length of rope to be cut, a cutting blade and handle means, the handle means being operable to move the cutting blade relative to the rope to cut the rope, the handle means preferably comprising a first handle to move the blade into a first rope cutting position from an out of the way position and a second handle operable in the cutting position to cut the rope preferably whilst pressure is maintained on the first blade.
26. A cutting apparatus having one or more of the following features: a) Two handles to be operated to perform a cutting operation on the rope, preferably one handle being operable to move a cutting blade relative to a rope from an out of the way position to a cutting position and a second handle being operable to cut the rope with pressure preferably being maintained on the first handle during said cutting, the cutting blade preferably being spring biased to said out of the way position; b) A housing for receiving rope or the like and a reciprocable (preferably curved or circular/part-circular) cutting blade preferably operated via a ratchet mechanism; c) A safety guard preferably pivotable and preferably spring loaded; d) The cutting apparatus being hand held or manually operated rather than automatically operated; e) A guide slot for the rope, possibly with an open side or top through which a cutting blade can be advanced to engage the rope or retracted to an out of the way position; f) A cutting blade spring biased to an out of the way position; g) A safety guard that automatically returns to a safety position after a rope has been cut; h) A cutting blade that automatically retracts to an out of the way position on release of handle means.
27. The combination of a cutting device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims including a taping device.
28. A method of cutting rope or the like, said method comprising receiving rope in a housing and operating handle means to move a cutting blade relative to the housing in a first cutting position and then operating the handle means to cut the rope.
29. A method of cutting rope or the like substantially as herein described.