US2676400A

US2676400A - Florist's knife

Info

Publication number: US2676400A
Application number: US212747A
Authority: US
Inventors: Darpinian Ernest Vaun
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1951-02-26
Filing date: 1951-02-26
Publication date: 1954-04-27
Anticipated expiration: 1971-04-27

Description

April 1954 E, v. DARPINIANV FLORISTS KNIFE Filed Feb. 26. 1951 INVENTOR. Ewvzsr M UHRPIN/HN Patented Apr. 27, 1954 UNITED :s TATE-s .ENT OFF! CE FLORISTS KNIFE Ernest Yaun'Darpinian, Modesto, Calif. Application February 26, 1951, Serial No. 212,747

2 Claims. $1 This inventionrelates'toa fioristsknife. One of the-objects of the'invention is the provisionof a -lorists knife that-is adapted tor'be quickly secured on the thumb of-theusenin-a*position This work has heretofore-beendone-by use of a knife held in the-'hand'of-the user. This means rat the fingers-of'the hand' thatholds the knife arenot usablefor-wrapping; wiring orarranging theflowers' until the iknife'is laid down. Each period of timethat elapses-betweenuses of the knife, when the knife is laid aside-and isyagain picked up, represents-a total loss "to the florist, and the totalof such periodsduring-a day may represent sui-ficient time to "havemade upseveral additional floral pieces.

It is also a-common occurrence for-a florist to inisplace his hand knife ortocover it upwith foliage or flowers "whenit is "laidon the work table. Not only is a considerable amount of time lost in finding the-knife, under such occurrence, but in many instances *the floral arrangement may-be disturbed or injured, requiring additional time to replace the disarranged parts.

With the present invention the knife is carried on the thumb of the rightor left hand, according to whether the user is'right" or left handed, or

- a knife maybecarried on both thumbs.

An object of the invention is the provision of such a knife for carrying on the thumb, and which knife wilt not interfere with the use of the thumb and fingers of'the handin-making floral pieces while it is on said thumb, and-which knife has safety means associated therewith that automatically prevents accidental cutting of objects when the knife is in use. This safety means automatically moves away from the cutting edge when the knife is used for cutting.

.Other objects andadvantages will appear in description and. inthewdrawings.

In the drawings,

liis an .enlargeduvertical sectional-view through the knifefland -the' finger stall showing *thesa-me on the thumb and in 'inoperative-posi- Cfl its

Fig. 2 is an'elevational View illustratinga flower stalk held in a--hand-ofthe floristand being cut by the knife.

Fig. 3 is a topplanviewrof the'finger-stall and knife.

Fig. 4 is a front elevationalview of'a preferred form of blade that may be'used showinga means for holding the'blade'to the thumb-to prevent being swung awayfrom the thumbin' a thorn stripping operation-or other similar operation.

In detail, the invention -as herein shown-comprises a finger stall l-thatmay beef-rubber or of other similar flexible, res'ilient material, and which may have a'reinforcing head -ZarOund'the open end.

Thumb stalls usually substantiallyconform in cross-sectional contour to thG 'CIOSSSSCtiOIIaI' contour of the thumb, there being a nail or rear side 3 that is adapted to extend over the-nail of the thumb, and a front-sided that extends over the ball of the thumb.

Carried on the nail side-of the present stall, is a-knife .-blade-5-(Fig.-'4) having arelatively Wide outer end portion S't-hat is substantially as wide as the nail of thethumb of the user, and which width is about the widthof the thumb.

The blade 5 also includes=an=elongated shank 1' that projects 'downwardlytherefrom; and lateral extensions t that are intermediate the opposite ends of the blade. These extensions-8 may have slightlyenlarged outer ends 9, and they'are bent to generally'follow the transverse cross sectional contour ofa thumb, or-ofstall I.

The shank i and extensions-'8 including a part of the enlarged end' tof the blade are imbedded in the material ofstall I. This may-be done at :the time the -stall is-molded. The said shank-l will extend longitudinally of the stall and down its nail or rearside to about-the first joint, and the outerend portion of the enlarged end'6 will project beyond theouter end of the main body of the stall l.

r The words -1nai-n-- bodyportien used with respect to the stall his intendedto mean the portion that engages the thumb to'the outer end of the latter. When the stall isslipped onto the thumb, it will only go on to the point where the main body portion extends partially over the outer end of the thumb to a distance abouteven with said outer end. It cannot bepulled onto the thumb any further than enough to enclose the thumb in themain body of the stall.

As aIrea-dymentioneda substantial part of the enlarged end 5 of the blade 5 extends beyondthe -ma-in body ofstall i l and" the-' outer "edge of v the projecting portion extends transverselymf the longitudinal axis of said stall about the width of the thumb. Said outer edge is sharpened thereby forming a cutting edge l that is preferably slightly convexly curved linearly thereof. The ends of said edge are not sharp, but merge into the rounded corners I2 of the blade where the blade is full width, so there are no sharp corners that would be likel to accidentally cut outside objects or snag such objects.

The main body of the stall, is formed with an extension l5 that is relatively restricted as compared with the diameter of said main body portion, so the thumb cannot extend into said extension. This extension l5 extends slightly past the cutting edge [0 of blade 5 and lies along said edge in close engagement with the blade. The side of portion 6 that lies closely to the extension it is bevelled as at it (Fig. 4) to produce said cutting edge, hence the said edge itself is practically in engagement with the extension 15.

By the aforesaid structure, the extension l5, which is hollow and of the same resilient, flexible material as the main body portion of the stall, constitutes a guard for said cutting edge. The stall may be safely carried in the pocket, or may be handled, or brushed against outside objects without fear of accidentally cutting anything, because sufiicient pressure must be applied to the extension l5 to move it away from said cutting edge before the cutting edge will cut. A direct axial movement of the blade, as in forcing the cutting edge across a stalk (Fig. 2) will result in collapsing the extension or so compressing it that it will move away from the cutting edge of the blade and the stalk will be out.

The fact that the extension is hollow will enable it to become an air chamber 21 over the end of the thumb, as seen in Fig. 1, thus trapping air in said chamber, which air contributes its elasticity to that of the material itself for tending to hold the extension in a position guarding said cutting edge, and for returning the extension to guarding position once it has been moved away. It should be added at this point that said elasticity is of great benefit in controlling the knife during a cutting operation as seen in Fig. 2. Were there no other resistance than that existing between the blade and the stalk, the blade might unexpectedly pass through the stalk and cut the finger 22 against which the stalk is pressed. But with the yieldable resistance supplied by the projection as and the air trapped therein, the movement of the blade is easily controlled and accidental cutting of finger 22 does not occur.

In a thorn stripping operation, the blade is held in the same position as in Fig. 2, but merely against the stalk having the thorns. The stalk is arranged so that the thorns point downwardly and the blade is then moved downwardly in a scraping manner over the stalk, thereby removing the sharp outer ends of the thorns.

Were the stall I alone relied upon to hold the blade during the operation above described, the blade might be pulled away from the thumb or loosened in the stall, or the stall could even be torn.

The purpose of the extensions 8 is to hold the blade to the thumb when a thorn removing operation is done. The extensions in combination with the blade form a partial ring that extends around the thumb, and if the thumb is relatively small, the extensions can be bent to snugly fit the same.

Fig. 3 shows the extensions in such annular arrangement. I

It is also pertinent to note that the side i of the stall should be relatively thin. This is to enable the operator to wrap, wire and otherwise handle the material going up to form a floral piece without losing the sense of feel that is a material part of making up a floral piece.

The rear or nail side, is of course, fairly thick inasmuch as it holds the blade l and takes the strain that is placed on the blade.

While the use of the knife has been described with respect to making up floral pieces, it is to be understood that the knife may be used in picking flowers or fruit or wherever the cutting of a stalk or material is desirable in the manner shown in Fig. 2.

I claim:

1. A florists knife comprising a finger stall of flexible, resilient material having a main body portion adapted to fit over the thumb of a user with one side over and against the nail of said thumb and with the opposite side against and over the ball of said thumb, a blade secured to said one side projecting beyond the outer end of said main body portion and having a cutting edge facing outwardly of the latter, an extension on said stall projecting outwardly of said main body portion and over the end of said thumb when the stall is on the latter and in engagement with said blade along said cutting edge providing a guard to prevent accidental cutting by said edge, said extension being resilient and yieldable under pressure thereagainst to move away from said edge when said extension and said edge are in engagement with an object to be cut and said edge forced through said object, said opposite side of said stall being elastic and relatively thin to enable the operator to readily feel objects held between the thumb and forefinger, and said one side of said stall being relatively heavy and having a portion of said blade embedded therein.

2. A llorists knife comprising a finger stall of flexible, resilient material having a main body portion adapted to fit over the thumb of a user with one side over and against the nail of said thumb and with the opposite side against and over the ball of said thumb, a blade secured to said one side projecting beyond the outer end of said main body portion and having a cutting edge facing outwardly of the latter, an extension on said stall projecting outwardly of said main body portion and over the end of said thumb when the stall ison the latter and in engagement with said blade along said cutting edge providing a guard to prevent accidental cutting by said edge, said extension being resilient and yieldable under pressure thereagainst to move away from said edge when said extension and said edge are in engag ment with an object to be cut and said edge is forced through said object, said extension being hollow and overlying the tip of the thumb to provide an enclosed air chamber when said stall is on said thumb.

References Cited in the file of this patent