GB2412345A

GB2412345A - Cutting device having displaceable pivoting blades and eccentric drive

Info

Publication number: GB2412345A
Application number: GB0505376A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Elias Lebessis
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-03-23
Filing date: 2005-03-16
Publication date: 2005-09-28
Also published as: DE102004014200A1; GB0505376D0; FR2868000A1; DE102004014200B4

Abstract

A cutting device, particularly for cutting wallpaper and carpet, has a fixed blade (6) and a movable blade (3). The cutting edges of the blades form a V-shaped angle with each other in which the material to be cut is inserted. The blades are fixed in a housing (2) which contains an electric motor (16) whose drive shaft (21) is connected to a parallel, eccentrically mounted pivot (22) which drives the movable blade. The movable blade is designed to swivel to and fro about an axis (5) and the fixed blade is longitudinally displaceable in the direction of its cutting edge and can be fixed in and released from a desired position.

Description

Universal Cutting Device The invention relates to a universal cutter for

in particular wallpaper and carpet flooring which has a cutting device consisting of a fixed blade and a movable blade which interacts therewith and whose cutting edges extend straight to form a V-shaped angle with each other into which the material to be cut is introduced, and which has a multi-part housing on which the blades are fixed and in which is mounted an electric motor with energy source whose drive shaft is connected to a parallel aligned eccentrically mounted pivot which drives the movable blade by means of a transfer part.

A device which has a simple light construction and is easy to carry around to cut wallpaper, more particularly ready- pasted wallpaper of any kind is already known from EP A O 120. With this known device wallpaper can be accurately cut off with a smooth clean line both at the usual transition places between the wall and ceiling or floor or skirting and also at critical transition places without having to be removed again from the wall.

With this known device the cutter which is held on the transfer part and can be displaced therewith executes an up and down lifting movement with each revolution of the motor. The movable cutter thereby slides along the fixed cutter.

With this known device however there is the problem that the width of that region in which the material to be cut is inserted is not variable and is therefore restricted.

From DE 197 04 688 C1 a universal cutting device is known which has an electric motor which drives a rotating cutter blade which is designed as a cutting disc which has a number of secant cutting edges arranged in a row around the periphery. The rotating cutter blade interacts with a cutting and guide blade which is able to pivot in order to change the angle which is formed by the cutting and guide blade as well as the secant cutting edge of the rotating cutting disc.

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a universal cutting device with which flat planar structures, such as for example wallpaper and carpet flooring, of different thickness can be cut smoothly and cleanly and which can be trimmed accurately to fit the relevant conditions.

This is achieved through a universal cutting device according to the instruction of the claims.

With the universal cutting device according to the invention the movable blade is mounted to pivot to and fro about an axis. The fixed blade which interacts therewith is designed longitudinally displaceable in the direction of its cutting edge and can be fixed in the desired position. Through the longitudinal displacement of the blade which is fixed in the operating position the inlet region of the V-shaped angle which the two blades form together, can be enlarged or reduced. The cutting device - 3 can thereby be adapted in optimum manner to the material which is to be cut. This region is selected in different sizes dependent on the thickness of the material which is to be cut.

When cutting, the movable blade is pivoted relative to the fixed blade. A type of scissor movement thereby takes place.

In order to enable the fixed blade to be longitudinally adjusted, this blade is preferably provided with an oblong hole whose longitudinal axis runs parallel to the longitudinal direction relative to the cutting edge. To fix the fixed blade in the desired position a screw or the like can project through this oblong hole and engage by way of example in a threaded bore in the housing or interact with a nut. Through the longitudinal displacement of the fixed blade it is further possible that with longer use of the universal cutting device according to the invention a "fresh" region of the cutting edge of the fixed blade is brought again into that region which interacts with the movable blade. It is also possible to provide an oblong hole as described above in the housing and to provide the fixed blade with only one bore. To fix the fixed blade a screw is then pushed through both the bore in the fixed blade and through the oblong hole and fixed in the desired position in the usual way, for example by a counter nut.

The fixed blade preferably has the shape of a narrow rectangular small plate whereby this small plate is - 4 preferably held at one end on the housing and at the other end tapers to form a free V-shaped point. Furthermore the fixed blade is preferably guided as regards its longitudinal displacement on the housing. This can be achieved for example in that the housing has a U-shaped groove or recess whereby the width of this groove corresponds to the width of the fixed blade.

The fixed blade and the movable blade are preferably mounted and attached on the universal cutting device so that the V-shaped angle formed by these two blades is located in an edge or corner region thereof and opens towards the material to be cut so that this material can be readily introduced into this angle.

The universal cutting device according to the invention is preferably provided with a straight work or bearing edge.

This bearing edge is formed on the housing roughly in the extension of the cutting edge of the movable blade, in relation to the rest position.

The straight bearing edge is fitted with at least two disc-like spaced rotatable wheels which are both arranged in one plane. The wheels thereby project beyond the bearing edge outwards and are attached so that a virtual tangent placed outside on these wheels forms the actual function bearing edge. In other words this virtual tangent is spaced somewhat from the bearing edge and runs parallel thereto.

On each side of the bearing edge there is a side wing - 5 which extends parallel thereto and is arranged perpendicular thereto.

The edge of the V-shaped point of the fixed plate-like blade opposite the cutting edge preferably extends in an extension of the virtual tangent placed against the wheels. With this design the following can be achieved.

When wallpapering the wallpaper is normally placed in a corner region of the walls so that two strips of paper overlap in this corner region. If it is desired that the wallpaper strips do not overlap however but abut one another at their edges then the universal cutting according to the invention can be brought into use.

Through the contact bearing edge or the wheels and through the edge of the fixed blade opposite the cutting edge the two wallpaper strips are pressed into the corner or into the angle. On actuating the universal cutting device the overhanging edges are then cut off so that the two wallpaper strips abut one another along the longitudinal edges.

The universal cutting device according to the invention is preferably provided with a rocker device which is attached for pivotal movement about an axis on the housing. One side of this rocker device thereby covers the movable blade as protection whilst the other side interacts with an actuating device.

The rocker device is preferably loaded on the side of the actuating device by the force of a spring which presses - 6 - the rocker device into a covering position in which the rocker device is lowered in the side pointing towards the movable blade onto the blade and covers same, whilst the actuating device engages secure in a recess in the rocker device. The rocker device can be pressed down on the side of the actuating device by the latter against the spring force and thereby assumes an operating position in which an electric contact is closed and the movable blade is driven. As a result of the rocker process and thus of the swivel action about an axis the rocker device is on the side pointing towards the movable blade lifted from the movable blade so that the latter is released to a more or lesser extent.

The spring is thereby preferably made of an electrically conductive material. It is thereby possible to produce the electrical contact by means of this spring.

The invention will now be explained in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings which show a preferred embodiment. In the drawings: Figure 1 shows a side view of a universal cutting device according to the invention in the operating state; Figure 2 shows that region of the universal cutting device shown in Figure 1 in which the cutting device is attached, namely in a secured state; and 7 - Figure 3 shows a sectional view along the line III-III of Figure 2.

Figure 1 shows a universal cutting device 1 according to the invention in the operating position. The housing 2 has in this side view roughly the shape of an isosceles triangle. In the area of the longest side of this triangle the housing 2 has roughly the shape of a hollow cylinder 12 in the inside of which is an energy source in the form of two batteries 13, 14 connected in series, an electric motor 15 and a transfer part 16 all arranged in line.

The hollow cylinder 12 is closed at one end by a cap 17 which is fitted with a spring 18 which exerts a spring force forwards (to the left in Figure 1) on the battery 13. The cap 17 can be connected to the hollow cylinder 12 in a manner known per se by rotating it or screwing it in.

Opposite the cap 17 the hollow cylinder changes into a front region 19 which tapers forwards into a point (Figure 2). Inside this front region 19 the transfer part 16 is mounted to pivot about an axis 20. The transfer part 16 thereby projects outward beyond this front region 19. In order to enable this the front region 19 has a recess through which the transfer part 16 extends outwards from the housing 2 or the front region 19. This recess divides the front region into two sections which extend like jaws sideways from the transfer part 16. The plane of this recess thereby lies in the plane formed by the triangular shape of the housing 2, namely in the plane of the paper - 8 in Figures 1 and 2.

The drive shaft 21 of the electric motor 16 changes into an eccentrically mounted pivot 22 and engages in a recess between two webs 23 which are formed on the transfer part 16. During rotation of the drive shaft 21 and the pivot 22 the transfer part 16 is pivoted to and fro about the axis 20 corresponding to the arrow 25.

The transfer part 16 is basically designed as a small plate with its plane lying in the plane of the triangle or paper plane. The webs 23 and 24 project upwards substantially perpendicularly from the plane of this small plate. A blade 3 is fixed opposite the webs 23 and 24.

This blade 3 is placed and fixed with one of its sides on the plate-like transfer part 16. The movable blade 3 has roughly the shape of an oblong rectangular small plate with the cutting edge 4 formed on a longitudinal edge of the plate. The transfer part 16 is thinned down in the bearing support region for the blade 3. In other words the plate like blade 3 is placed on the transfer part 16.

The upper face of the blade 3 then aligns roughly with the surface of the transfer part 16.

When the transfer part 16 is pivoted to and fro about the axis 20 this movable blade 3 thereby generates a scissor action in conjunction with the fixed blade which will be described below. The movable blade 3 is fixed on the transfer part 16 by means of a screw 5 and can be exchanged.

The fixed blade 6 is fixed underneath the front region 19 on a side arm 26 of the triangle forming the housing 2.

This side arm 26 takes the form of a flat strip with a certain thickness which extends from the front region 19 towards the side arm 26 of the said triangle. The plane of this strip lies in the plane of the triangle and thus in the paper plane.

The fixed blade 6 has like the blade 3 the shape of an oblong rectangular small plate. The cutting edge 8 of the fixed blade 6 is mounted opposite the cutting edge 4 of the movable blade 3 and thus forms a V-shaped angle 9 therewith. In other words the cutting edge 8 of the narrow fixed blade 6 is formed on a longitudinal edge of this plate-like fixed blade 6 which tapers to a point at its free end 27.

The fixed blade 6 is provided with a bore 7 in which a screw 10 is inserted which extends through an oblong hole 28 which is provided in the side arm 26. The fixed blade 6 thus lies at the side on the side arm 26 covering the oblong hole 28. This is shown in Figures 1 and 2 where the oblong hole 28 is illustrated by a dotted line. The oblong hole is thus located underneath the blade 6 which in relation to Figures 1 and 2 is set from above on the side arm 26.

The said screw 10 with its head (not shown) presses the blade 6 against the region of the side arm 26 underneath and fixes the blade 6 after tightening. The screw 10 thereby interacts with a nut (not shown) located on the opposite side of the side arm 26.

The fixed blade 6 is thus displaceable in the longitudinal direction according to arrow 11 and can occupy different positions and be fixed in these positions. Two corresponding positions are shown in Figures 1 and 2 once with a solid line and once with a dotted line. The same applies to Figure 2.

The distance of the free end or free tip 27 of the blade 6 from the opposite cutting edge 4 of the movable blade 3 has a variable size depending on the longitudinal position of the blade 6. In the retracted position this distance is small so that only thin flat surface materials such as for example thin wallpaper can be cut. If on the other hand the blade 6 is pushed out forwards then the distance is greater and thicker materials can also undergo a cutting action.

The blade 6 is inserted on the side arm 26 into a U-shaped groove 29 whose width corresponds roughly to the width of the blade 6. The depth of this U-shaped groove thereby corresponds roughly to the thickness of the blade 9. The blade 6 is guided in the longitudinal direction through the side edges of this U-shaped groove which lie opposite the side edges of the blade 6.

Two small wheels 30, 31 whose external edges are cogged are mounted rotatable underneath the blade 6. These small wheels are located inside a slot 32 which is formed in the side arm 26 (see Figure 3) and only project beyond the 11 side arm 26 by a certain amount. The virtual tangent 47 against these wheels 30, 31 (see Figure 1) is thereby located in the extension of that side edge ( as well as where necessary offset laterally parallel thereto) of the fixed blade 6 which is opposite the cutting edge 8 in the pointed region, namely in relation to that longitudinal position of the blade in which this is set further back (in Figures 1 and 2 shown with a solid line). The wallpaper is prevented from tearing during the displacement of the universal cutting device and thus during cutting through the small wheels 30, 31; in fact the small wheels 30, 31 roll down on the wallpaper.

Wings 33, 34 (Figure 3) extend laterally to the side arms 26 parallel thereto, with their plane running perpendicular to the plane of the side arm 26. These wings 33, 34 thereby assist in pressing the wallpaper or similar flat materials into a corner or into an angle, as shown in Figure 3.

The wings 33, 34 can also serve as a stop. If the side arm 26 is not guided along the angle dissecting line (see Figure 3) but is pivoted along the arrow in Figure 3 then the cutting process does not take place precisely in the angle but at the side spaced therefrom as well as parallel thereto.

A further side arm 35 is located opposite the side arm 26 and is likewise designed strip-like and connects the lower end of the side arm 26 to the hollow cylinder 12 in the region of the cap 17. The plane of this strip which - 12 constitutes the side arm 35 however lies perpendicular to the plane of the triangle described above and thus perpendicular to the paper plane of Figures 1 and 2.

The side arm 2 6 projects into the inside of the triangle and forms a central region 36 which is connected to the side arm 35. Between this central region 36 and the hollow cylinder 12 is an aperture 37 through which a user can push his hand (more particularly his fingers) to grip the hollow cylinder 12. The region underneath the hollow cylinder 12 is thereby undulating and represents a type of moulded handle 39.

The hollow cylinder 12, the side arms 26 and 35 and the central region 36 are thereby shaped or injection-moulded in one piece from a suitable material, preferably plastics. Integral with this is also that side or jaw of the front region 19 which is arranged on the right of the universal cutting device shown in Figures 1 and 2, and thus underneath the paper plane. The other side or other jaw of the front region 19 is fixed by a screw 38 which engages in a socket which forms the shaft for the axis 20 about which the transfer part 16 is pivoted.

At the top on or against the hollow cylinder 12 of the housing 2 is a rocker device 40 which can pivot about an axis 39. This axis 39 is arranged roughly in the front region of the electric motor 15 and extends perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the hollow cylinder 12. The rocker device 40 represents an oblong narrow strip whose main plane lies perpendicular to the plane of the triangle of the housing 12 and thus perpendicular to the paper plane of Figures 1 and 2. The rocker device 40 thereby has a front part 41 and a rear part 42.

At the top on the hollow cylinder 12 in the region of the electric motor 15 there is a moulded elongated cover 43 in which the rear part 42 projects. The hollow cylinder 12 and the cover 43 are for this purpose open to the front in the front upper region adjoining the front area. The cover 43 has a recess 44 in which an actuating device 45 is inserted which is mounted on the cover 43 to rotate about an axis 46. A section of this actuating device which is provided in the form of a specially shaped small wheel which will be described in detail below thereby projects beyond the cover 43 whilst the other section projects into the inside of the cover 43.

A spring 49 which represents a narrow metal band and is connected on one side electrically to the battery 13 in the region of the cap 17 presses from below against the rear part 42. This spring 49 forms underneath the actuating device 45 an upwardly projecting wave whereby the crest of the wave is in contact with the lower underneath face of the rear part 42.

In Figure 2, the rear part 42 of the rocker device 40 is pressed fully upwards. In this rest position a projection projects into a recess of the rear part 42. The projection 50 and a side edge of the recess 51 engage behind each other so that the rocker device 40 is secured in this position. - 14

On the front end of the front part 41 of the rocker device a side wing 52 is formed which extends parallel to the movable blade 3 above this blade and the transfer part 16 and covers the blade 3. In relation to Figures 1 and 2 this means that this side wing 52 is mounted above the blade 3.

The side wing 52 has in side view the shape of a triangle, whose longest side edge runs along the front part 41. The front side edge of this side wing 52 thereby runs roughly in the direction of the cutting edge 8 of the fixed blade 6.

The lower region 53 of the actuating device 45 extends in the position shown in Figure 2 roughly parallel to the upper face of the rear part 42 of the rocker device 40.

This lower region 53 changes at its rear end into a region 54 which runs roughly perpendicular thereto.

If the user now turns the actuating device 45 about the axis 4 6 then this actuating device 45 comes to bear at the edge between the lower region 53 and the vertical region 54 against the rear part 52 of the rocker device 40 and presses this rear part 42 downwards. The projection 50 thereby comes out of engagement from the recess 51. In fact the spring 49 is pressed down until it comes to bear against a counter contact 45 whereby the current circuit is closed and the blade 3 is set in motion. The latter situation is shown in Figure 1. -

As the rear part 42 is pressed down so naturally the front part 41 is also lifted up. The further the actuating device 45 is turned so the more the front part 41 is lifted and the more the blade 43 is released. At the same time the inlet region which is released by the side wing 52 is enlarged.

The actuating device 45 can be turned so far until the vertical region 54 runs parallel to the upper side of the rear part 42 of the rocker device 40. In this state the universal cutting device is quasi shifted into a permanent operating state. The two positions which the actuating device 45 can occupy in the operating state are shown in Figure 1.

Within the scope of the present documents the cutting edges 4, 6 are designated straight extending edges and this represents the preferred embodiment. It is however also possible that these cutting edges 4, 6 which form a type of scissors are slightly curved as is also possible with any other scissors.

Claims

1. Universal cutting device particularly for wallpaper and carpet flooring with a cutting device consisting of a fixed blade and a movable blade interacting therewith wherein the cutting edges of the blades which extend in a straight line form a V-shaped angle with each other in which the material to be cut is inserted, and with a multi-part housing on which the blades are fixed and in which an electric motor with energy source is mounted whose drive shaft is connected to a parallel eccentrically mounted pivot which drives the movable blade by means of a transfer part, wherein the movable blade is designed to swivel to and fro about an axis and the fixed blade is longitudinally displaceable in the direction of its cutting edge and can be fixed in the desired position and also released again.

2. Universal cutting device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the fixed blade has an oblong hole whose longitudinal axis runs in the direction of the longitudinal direction of the cutting edge.

3. Universal cutting device as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the fixed blade has the form of a narrow roughly rectangular small plate and the cutting edge is formed on a longitudinal edge thereof.

4. Universal cutting device as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the small plate of the fixed blade is held at one end on the housing and at the other end tapers to form a - 17 free V-shaped point.

5. Universal cutting device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a straight side arm forming a bearing edge is attached to the housing roughly in an extension of the cutting edge of the movable blade in the rest position, and at least two disc-like small wheels which are spaced from each other and are mounted in one plane are attached to the side arm to project beyond the side arm whereby the virtual tangent placed from outside against these small wheels forms the functional bearing edge.

6. Universal cutting device as claimed in Claim 5, wherein a wing extends on either side of the side arm to run parallel thereto whilst mounted perpendicular thereto.

7. Universal cutting device as claimed in Claim 5 or Claim 6 when dependent on Claim 4, wherein the edge of the V-shaped point of the fixed blade opposite the cutting edge extends roughly in an extension of the virtual tangent adjoining the small wheels.

8. Universal cutting device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a rocker device is attached to the housing and can swivel about an axis wherein the front part can cover the movable blade as protection and the rear part interacts with an actuating device.

9. Universal cutting device as claimed in Claim 8, wherein the rocker device is biased on the side of the actuating device by the force of a spring which presses - 18 the rocker device into a cover position in which the rocker device is lowered on the side pointing towards the movable blade onto the blade and covers same whilst the actuating device engages fixed in a recess in the rocker device and that the rocker device is pressed down against spring force on the side of the actuating device by the latter and occupies an operating position in which an electrical contact is closed and the movable blade is driven.

10. Universal cutting device as claimed in Claim 9, wherein the rocker device is detachably fixed in the operating position by means of the actuating device.

11. Universal cutting device as claimed in Claim 9 or Claim 10, wherein the spring is made from an electrically conductive material and the electrical contact is produced through this spring.

12. Universal cutting device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the housing has in side view roughly the shape of an isosceles triangle, the housing in the region of the longest side of this triangle has roughly the shape of a hollow cylinder inside which the energy source, the electric motor and the transfer part are mounted aligned one behind the other, that the cutting device is mounted in the angular region between the longest side and a side arm and forms the contact bearing edge on this side arm and in the centre of the region spanned by the triangle there is an aperture through which a user can pass the fingers of his hand to then grip round the hollow cylinder - 19 of the housing.

13. Universal cutting device substantially as herein described, with reference to any one embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings.