US1000226A - Thumb-knife. - Google Patents

Description

E. D. ARWINE.

THUMB KNIFE. APPLICATION nun JULY 22, 1910.

Patented Aug. 8, 1911.

EUGENE D. ARWINEJOF SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA.

THUMB-KNIFE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 8, 1911.

Application filed July 22, 1910. f Serial No. 573,338.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENE D. ARWINE, residing at SanJose, in the county of Santa Clara and State of California, have invented a new and Improved Thumb-Knife, of which the following is a specification.

. My invention relates to improvements in thatclass of devices=for picking fruit and certain of the garden vegetables that are especially designed for being worn on the thumb or fingers of the hand and it has for .its'object to provide a device of the character stated of a simple and inexpensive construction, which while embodying the desired feature of rigidity, is so shaped that it does not interfere with the normal movements of the first joint of the thumb, or in any manner interfere with such member during the operation of plucking fruits or vegetables.

With other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, my invention comprehends a metallic thimble having a severing member ing the blank form shown inFig. 5, by ref-' at the outer end, and a flexible portion for extending back over the thumb joint provided with means for drawing the inner end of the said flexible member tightly onto the thumb.

My invention in its more subordinate features. embodies a thimble knife having the peculiar construction and combination of parts, hereinafter fully described, specifically pointed out in the appended claim and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1, is a perspective view of my device, and illustrates the manner in which it is used for plucking grapes. Fig. 2, is a similar view and shows the manner in which the thimble can be directed for severing the stems of apples, pears and the like. Fig. 3, is a longitudinal section of the device. Fig. 4, is a perspective view of the device looking at theunder side thereof. Fig. 5, is a view of the blank from which the thimble is bent up. Fig. 6,'is a plan ,view of a slightly modified arrangement of the cutting end. Fig. 7, is a transverse section on the line 7-7 on Fig. 3. Fig. 8, is a similar view on the line 88, and Fig. 9, is a view of a slightly modified form of the flexible end of the device.

In the practical application of my invention and in its preferred shape, the thimble is bent up from a single piece of metal hav- .in a. line ereuce to which it will be observed the blank (I is of substantially segmental shape, the outer or small end I) being cut square across parallel with the longest arc of the blank in iea-ted by the dotted line a: and the said end 7) is ,cut out to form V shaped notches cc that produce the angle extensions (Z (Z and a central blade like member I 0. About midway their length, the opposite angle edges of the blank have coneavities f, and at the inner or larger end of the blank is provided with a number of short slots 9 the purpose of which will presently appear.

The blank a, when bent up forms a thimble like sheath 1, and in bending the blank to shape the angle extensions are turned inwardly to form a closure 10 for the outer end of thimble, at a point back of the cutter or severing knife 6, the latter extending in the plane of the back or upper face of the thimble. The thimble 1 as will be clearly understood from the drawings in practice is of a length and size to snugly slip onto the outer end of the thumb and with its inner end positioned forward of the first thumb joint so that thenatura-l movement of the said joint is not interfered with.

Heretofore in devices of this kind, means I of holding means, frompractical experience,

I have found as objectionable, especially since they restrict the use of the thumb and particularly interfere with the joint movement thereof. In my invention, special provision is made for conveniently securing the thimble on the thumb and yet leave the thumb unrestricted for its natural movements. For this purpose I use a fabric sheath or stall 2 that extends down to near the cutting end of the thimble and is of such length that it continues far back over the outer joint of the thumb and the said sheath 2 has its outer end provided with a draw string 3, for tightly drawing the said outer end of the sheath onto the thumb, as will be clearly understood from the drawing,- it being also clear that an elastic hemmed in the outer end of the sheath, see Fig. 9,

will accomplish the same result. The cloth sheath 2 is made fast to the innerside of the metal thimble by the stitching 4 that passes through the several slots in the curved end of the thimble.

By reason of the peculiar construction of my invention, as described and shown, the picker can readily use the thimble for severing different kinds of fruit, and can easily adjust the angle or direction of thrust of the thimble knifeto suit the character of the stem to be severed; for example, when picking a bunch of grapes (see Fig. 1) the thimble may be extended in an almost straight line, while in gathering applesff oranges and similar fruit, the thimble can be readily shifted to bring the blade at the bottom to cut close to fruit by bending the thumb joint nearly atright angles to the base of the thumb. Again by reason of forming the knife edge and the thimble as stated, the knife is not in the pickers way while handling the fruit (as in conveying the fruit from the tree or vine to the storing box or receptacle).

While on the score of economy of manufacture, I prefer to make the knife edge an integral part of the thimble, it may be a separate member secured to the thimble in any approved manner, see Fig. 6.

By forming the sides of the blank from which the thimble is bent. "up with concaved recesses, a round hole 5 is provided in the bottom of the thimble that iscovered on the inside by the cloth sheath. This hole comes over the ball or palm of the thumb, and

thereby still further renders the thimble less cumbersome in its use as the ball of the thumb can be utilized for gripping branches,

stems, etc.

Vhile I have especially described my invention as designed for cutting fruit and vegetable stems, it is obvious it may be.

generally utilized for cutting twine when wrapping up merchandise and parcels.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to secure and claim by Letters Patent is:

A picking device of the character stated,

comprising a sheet metal blank bent to form. a thimble to inclose the end of a finger, one end of said thimble having a forwardly.

projecting cutter and the other end of said thimble being open and provided with an annular series of perforations, a fabric finger stall to completely cover the end of a an annular pocket, and means in said an--- nular pocket for drawing said open end of said fabric stall into tight contact with the finger of the user.

EUGENE D. Ali-WINE. Witnesses:

L. E. FE'I'REE, M. A. BUCK.

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