GB2360238A - Improvements in and relating to cutting tools - Google Patents

Abstract

A tool comprising a shoe, incorporating a first guide 14 and a second guide 16, for engaging surfaces lying in mutually perpendicular planes which meet at a junction line; a body 10 for mounting a cutting blade 20; a handle 22 which extends away from the body; and a blade mount within the body, the axis of which lies on a median plane which is 45 degrees from and between both perpendicular planes.

Description

2360238 I.MPROVEMENTS, IN AND RELATING TO CUTTING TOOLS This invention is

concerned with a cutting tool(s). and is particularly concerned with a tool(s) fOr Clittilll-l flOCK coverings SLICh as carpets and linoleum.

It is kiiown that the of a floor covering is a task requiring considerable skill and experience. but even the most skilled fitter finds 'It difficult to cut the edge of the covering so that the coverniL, lies neatly in the corner betkveen the floor and the wall after fittino. The basic reason for this is that the coverina. ready for CLIttinu. cannot be located close to the floor wall corner but always follows a radius between the plane of tile floor and the plane of the wal 1.

It is further known that in order to ensure that floor coverings will fit snugly against the wall after cuttiniz. the 8ti-aizlit line cut must be made at a pre-determined distance above the junction line between floor and wall. the distance being dictated not by the thickness of the floor coverim, being laid. but by the radius adopted by the covering during cutting.

Prior Art Carpet Cutting Tools of the type with mutually perpendicular planes for supporting the coverinu, during CLItti112. often incorporate a pre-determined radius between the planes.

- which can be used to encouraue the floor coverinc into close eneaulement with the corner between floor and wall. in readiness for cutting; the covering in consequence. adopts the same radius as the tool. enabling the cut to be made in precisely the right position to ensure a snLiGIv fittinc, floor coverin. is achieved.

Pr, us of this type however. suffers from disadvant ior art apparat 1 a2es associated with ease and freedom of use. Unlike simple. single-handed. carpet knives the-v- cannot be used universally.

Prior art cutting tools that utilise adjustable blades are limited in that the knife blade can only be ad. j usted in a sinzle direction i.e. above the median plane and above the junction line. This limited ad iLIStment rnakes it difficult or impossible for the tool to be used in an inverted or rotated rnanner SLICh as would be desired when confined spaces are encountered. such as in alcoves and recesses. or aLainst obstructinsz end walls and the like. Prior art cuttina tools with fixed. non-adjUstable blades are even more problematical.

1 oC6 WItli both the above tvpes of prior art cutting, tools the encountered problems preclude both left lianded and handed use. forehanded and backhanded use. and bi-directional CLIttlill-Y i.e. cLitting to left--- as as -left to ri(,lit'".

Of coLii.se when the carpet fitter is negotiating the alcoves and recesses mentioned above lie slic needs the freedom and flexibility of use in order to do a sound professional and neat the prior art apparatus is often complex. requiring specialist knowledge and skill 'In its use. ancl as a result is narrowly f0CLIssed in its purpose and restricted in its uses.

Considerinu nwv the relevant prior art in existance: -

GB 1157,417 discloses a carpet Cutter which is provided with a vertical adjustment feature to allow for differin2 thickness' and types of carpet to be cut. and also incorporates a pivoting blade carrier 20 which 'Includes means of manual adjustment for positioning the two blades 1 60 & 6 1 relative to the bend in the carpet.

The axis for the adjustment. provided by pivots 54. is displaced by, a considerable distance a,a-,. frorn the medlan plane between the two mutually perpendicular planes, formed by the front face Of I'Llide 38 and the under surface 32 of base 24. The displacement of the said pivot Z= 54 awav from the said median plane results in adjustment of the blade carrier being limited to upward radial displacement of the blade carrier 20 about pivot 54. This upward only.

unilateral adjustment prohibits the tool's use in that as a result. it can be used to cut the floor coverino in one plane only. that is with base 24 in contact with the covering which is resting on the floor.

2 5 FR 2263076 discloses a carpet cuttinc, toot which incorporates a blade 21 mounted to the fi-ont Cace of a support member 19 which itself is mounted to the front face of support 15. the Support 15 beln2 adjusted by a link 47 to pivot around the hinge 16. It can be readily appreciated that the hinge pivot 16 is in close proximity to the actual 'unction line between the perpendicular planes formed by the surfaces of the adjacent floor and the adjacent wall when the tool is In use. It can also be readily appreciated that the presence of the blade guide sli leld 13. touether with the relationship of the blade 2 1 to the said junction line. severely rCStriCtS the tOOIS LISC in tight corners, etc.

2 of 6 DE294691 4 fliscloses a tool incorporating a blade 14 which can be moved to either side of the median plane between floor and wall surfaces. the ad'LIStlllellt being achieved by the 1 Z 1 - iiio\,cii)ciit ofpin 34 across lindent 19 within gulde bod-y 11. using screws 2 1.22 one of which serves as a point for the handle.

It can he readlly appreciated that the axis of pin 34 is normal Le. at right angles to the Junction line between floor and wall. and that adJusti-nent is achieved by moving the pin 34 to either side of the rnedian plane between floor and wall planes. Furthermore this type of 1110tion results in the blade 14 adopting a position which is not parallel to the line of cut but at 10 a sll,.zlit anule to it. This is best seen in Flu, 2 of the drawings accompanying the patent 1 C ion. Due to it's construction and the position adopted by the cutting blade durill(l spec icat 1 1 1 c t7 use. this tool will also be impossible to use in tight corners. etc.

DE 3707045 discloses a simple tool with a fixed blade. the blade being offset to the bisecting 1 plane -T by an amount 'X'. but this tool also has severe limitations in use in that it can only be used in one direction. Great difficulties will be encountered when it is desired to Cut the CO%'Clillt.i into a corner where the side wall obstructs and hinders progress. or indeed if the tool xere to be used by a left-handed person.

It can be recoanised from the foregoing that the prior art apparatus restricts total freedom of t: t t7 use thereby introducing difficulties when it is desired to fit floor covering into alcoves. tight recesses and the like.

It is an ob ect of the present invention to obviate or mitigate these and other difficulties.

The present invention is a tool comprising a shoe. incorporating a first guide and a second CTUide. for eii,,azine surfaces Ivina in mutually perpendicular planes which meet at a junction line: a bod,,; for mountinu, a CLIttin. blade: a handle which extends away from the body. and a blade mount the bociv, the axis of which lies on a median plane which is 45 dearees 0 rrorn and between both perpendicular planes.

Preferab[v the shoe incorporates a radius alone it's heel. the heel being situate at the junction between the first and second auldes.

3 of 6 tile radills ajonu, the lice] is of known dimension. it's size bein(y determined in coil.] unction with tile Intended relative positioning of the cutting blade during use.

Preferably the shoe is pivotally connected to the said body.

the said shoe is rotatable about a central axis which lies substantially parallel to the sald,ILII]CtiOll Illic.

Preferably the blade mount is rotatable within the said body.

Preferably the said blade mount 'Is rotatable about a central axis which lies substantially parallel to thejunction line.

Preferabb., the said mount is adapted to secure a Cutting blade.

The present Invention is also a tool as defined ill the last eight preceding paragraphs in combination with a cutting blade.

Preferably the said cutting blade is mounted so as to extend towards the saidjunction line.

-)o Preferably the said cutting tool is used with the body positioned at either extreme of movement. dependinc, on whether the user is left handed. rialit handed, is using the tool with a forchanded action. or a backhanded action. or is cuttinE in a direction left to riLht as perceived by the user. or is Lising the tool cutting right to left as perceived by the user.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described. by way of example. with reference to the accornpanving drawings. in which: - 1 - -Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the cutting tool; and 2a is all Outline diatzi.aiii showinLY the relative positions of the aforementioned mutually perpendICUlar planes, junction line. median plane and the said central axis.

Fig. 2b is a perspective diagram showing the same details and is provided for clarity C 4 of 6 F[,-,. 3a Is an outline diaurarn showine the relationship between the cutting blade and the perpendicular planes. It also shows a heel radius between the perpendicular planes.

F1g. 3b is the opposite hand to Fig. 3a.

ReCerrin'- nox to Fia. 1. a cuttin,-, tool according to the present invention comprises a body 1 10. a shoe 12 Incorporating two guides 14 and 16.. a mount 18 for a Cutting blade 20. and a 10 handle 22.

The c-nildes 14 and 16 lie in and define planes which are mutually perpendicular and which rneet at a Junction line 24. the euides 14 and 16 both extendine, away from the junction line -24.

The rnount 18 is mounted in the body 10 for rotation about a central axis 26 which is substantially parallel to the junction line 24. the mount being provided with means for releasably Securing the CLItting blade 20. so that the blade extends frorn the mount 18 towards the j unction line 24. The shoe 12 incorporates a radius 28 at its heel. which is tangential to W both perpendicular guides 14 and 16. The means for securing the blade is conventional and is C1 Z:- not illustrated. The handle 22 extends from the body 10 away from the cutting blade 20 at a convenient ancIe that facilitates case of use.

Referrina now to Ficis. 2a and 2b. the outline diacrams show the relative positions of first 2 -5 plane 14 'and second plane 16. the second being perpendicular to the first, both planes extendin- away from a junction line 24 at which the two planes meet; a median plane 30. which bisects the anQle between the two perpendicular planes and which is coincident with the Junction line 24: and a central axis 26 which lies in the median plane 30 and which is siibstaiitia[]\ parallel to.)unction line 24.

Fi-s. 3a and 3b. show the relationship between the plane of the cutting blade 18 and the perpendicular planes 14 and 16. Fig. 3b shows the relationship when the blade has been repositioned to the other side of the median plane 30 for opposite handed use.

of 6 The simplified vie,,\,.s also sho,,v a radius 32 xhich is tangential to tile two 1 planes 14 and 16. tile radills heing for the purpose of positioninc the floor coveriFILI.

I'o cw a coverinu to fit the edue of' the floor at the bottom of a wall. the covering is pre-cut L o ersize so that it CIII-IS LIP Out Of the plane of the floor against the wall. The fitter encourages the covering, Into the corner so that it forms a radius between the floor and the wall. the size of the radius at this point being a function of the stiffness of the covering, together with the pressure exerted by the fitter. To Cut the covering the fitter rotates the blade mount to locate tile blade at the desired position. places the toot with the guides in firm contact with tile coverin- oil the floor and a-ainst the wall. and then. pushing the tool into the corner so that the co.ei-in,-, adopts the radius of the heel of the shoe. draws the tool along the wall to cut the covering uniformly alone, the lenath of the wall.

It should be noted that the correct position for the blade durine, cuttino is above the mid point or the covering's i-adILIS by an amount which depends upon tile size of the radius. The rotatable mount not on[v allows the fitter to adjust the blade.for a cut in one direction. e.g. to his but also allows hirn to adjust the blade for a cut in the opposite direction. so facilitating it's use in tight corners such as alcoves and recesses. etc: also the same tool can be used by both right and left handed fitters.

-)o The guides. which engage with the surfaces of the covering during use. may take different z: = C fori-ns such as wheels or rollers or nibs or any form of abutment.

6 of 6

Claims (1)

1. A C1111111c, tool collipt-isilll:

a shoe. iiicoi-poi-atlii,, a first guide and a second guide. for engaging surfaces lying in imitually perpendicular planes which meet at ajunction line; a bod,,.. connected to the shoe, for mounting a cutting blade; a handle which extends away from the body; and i hlade mount. housed within the body. the axis of which lies on a median plane which is 45 degrees fiorn and between both said mutually perpendicular planes.

A tool as claimed in claim 1. wherein said shoe is pivotally connected to the said body.

A tool as claimed in claim 2. wherein the said shoe is rotatable about a central axis which lies substantially parallel to the said.junction line.

4. A tool as claimed in claiiii 1. wherein the said blade mount is rotatable within the said hod-\.

A tool as claimed in claim 4. wherein the said blade mount is rotatable about a central axis lies substantially parallel to thejunction line.

6. A to(A as claimed in any preceding claim. wherein said shoe incorporates a radius along its lice]. the said heel being situate at the junction between the first and second guides.

7. A tool as claimed in claini 6. wherein said radius of said heel is between 5mm and 25nim, pi-cl'ct-al)l,. between 1Omm and 20mm. ideally 15mm, Ws size being determined in conJunclion with the intended relative positioning of the cutting blade during use.

R. 1\ tool as claimed in any preceding claim. wherein the said guides are in the form of wheels ol, 1()ilci-s.

9. A loo] as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the said guides are in the form of nibs or abutments.

10. A tool as claimed in any preceding claims, wherein the said mount is adapted to secure a cullIng hJade.

1 1. A tool as claimed in any preceding claim (except claim 10), wherein the said body is to Secure a cuttine, hlade.

11 A tool as claimed in any preceding claim. wherein the said cutting blade is mounted so as to extend towards the said junction line.

L,. A method Of CLIttilIC a floor covering. wherein the said cutting tool is used, in C0111bination with a cuttin. blade. with the said blade mount or said body positioned at either mtrenic of' movement. depending on whether the user is left handed, right handed, is using the tool with a forehanded action. or a backhanded action, or is cutting in a direction left to rIght as perceived by the user. or is using the tool cutting right to left as perceived by the user.

14. A ciittiii,-) tool substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying Cinmi wee