US2706070A - Ripping device for stitching - Google Patents

Description

Aprifi 12, 1955 W 'FREEARK 2,706,070

RIPPING DEVICE FOR STITCHING Filed Dec. 12, 1951 United States Patent RIPPING DEVICE FOR STITCHING Thelma W. Freeark, Columbia, Mo. Application December 12, 1951, Serial No. 261,325 1 Claim. (CL 223-1) This invention relates to appliances for use by seamstresses, the primary object being to provide a novel tool to aid in the removal of stitching.

Tailors, seamstresses, garment manufacturers, and those generally concerned with the field of clothing and the like, can well appreciate the need for a satisfactory device to aid in the removalof stitching differing from the ordinary razor blade or sharp knife methods, and capable of permitting rapid removal of stitching without damage to the cloth that follows from the manner of removing stitching now commonly practiced. Razor blades, knives, scissors and the like are not only dangerous and likely to cause injury to the user, but it is quite commonplace for the user to accidentally damage the cloth when such contrivances are used. Furthermore, the grain of the fabric is an important factor and should be kept in consideration at all times, but is virtually disregarded when removing stitching by the means now being employed universally.

it is the most important object of the present invention therefore, to provide a tool that is entirely fingermanipulated and capable of grasping the stitching in a manner to permit pulling the same and thereby breaking the thread to remove several stitches during each step.

A further object hereof is to provide a stitching remover that includes a pair of relatively shiftable members adapted to receive a thread end and a loop forming a part of one of the stitches and to firmly hold the same as the operator gently pulls in line with the warp or woof of the fabric to break the thread and thereby remove several stitches from the cloth.

Another object hereof is to provide an instrument of the aforementioned character wherein a long line of stitching may be quickly and easily removed while opcrating upon but one face of the fabric without leaving any loose ends or thread fragments on the cloth that must be later picked off by a tedious, time-consuming operation.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a stitching remover in the nature of a pair of crossed, pivotally interconnected elements having thread gripping means at one end thereof, the edges of the elements adjacent the gripping means being blunt to avoid cutting of the thread during gripping thereof and the remaining lengths of the blade portions of the elements being sharpened whereby the instrument may also be used as clippers so far as cutting the thread is concerned.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a stitching remover wherein is provided finger indentations on the blades and finger-receiving fluting on one of the handles of the relatively swingable elements, all for the purpose of aiding in the manipulation thereof.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a ripping device for stitching made pursuant to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an inverted, elevational view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a top perspective view of the instrument showing the manner of holding the same.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the manner of using the instrument; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, detailed, cross-sectional view taken on line V-V of Fig. 4.

While the stitching remover forming the subject matter of this invention and illustrated in the drawing, has much the same outward appearance as a small scissors, it cannot possibly be used as a scissors but only as a thread clipper because of the manner of operation by finger manipulation. Other important features are provided to adapt the device for use in removing stitching as will hereinafter be made clear.

To this end therefore, there is provided a pair of elongated, crossed elements 10 and 12 pivotally interconnected at the point of crossing by means of a pin or the like 14. A pair of handles 16 and 18 are thereby presented on one side of the pivot point 14 and a pair of blades 20 and 22 on the opposite side of the pivot pin 14. The outermost free ends of the blades 20 and 22 remote from the pivot pin 14 are blunt as at 24 in the manner shown clearly by Fig. 5 of the drawing, while the remaining lengths of the innermost edges 26 and 28 respectively, are sharpened for sliding interengagement upon manipulation of the tool. In other words, the sharpened lengths 26 and 28 are the only portions of the innermost edges of elements 10 and 12 that actually come into intimate contact during relative swinging movement or the elements 10 and 12. The proximal races of the blades 20 and 22 adjacent the blunt lengths thereof, are roughened as at 30 and 32 respectively in any suitable manner such as by raised knurling, and constitute the only portions of the proximal faces of elements 26 and 26 that interengage.

Means for manipulating the elements 10 and 12 in cludes finger-receiving indentations 34 and 36 on blades 20 and 22 respectively. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, the indentations 34 and 36 are disposed between the pivot point 14 and the corresponding blunt edges 24 and are concave to conform substantially to the digits of the hand when placed in use in the manner shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawing. The indentations 34 and 36 are on the outermost faces of the blades 20 and 22 and slope inwardly toward the innermost edges of the blades 20 and 22. But the innermost ends of the indentations are spaced from the corresponding sharpened edges to avoid in ury to the fingers during use.

As a further means to permit and aid in the manipulation of the tool, the outermost edge of the handle 18 is fluted to present a pair of finger- receiving undulations 38 and 40.

lt is preferred of course, that the entire instrument be made from suitable metal with the handles integral with the blades, but other materials might well be used to present a less expensive instrument. It is possible of course, to make use of synthetic plastic materials at least in the handles 16 and 15 by virtue of the fact that many methods are today being used for molding metallic parts with the synthetic materials.

In use, the instrument is grasped in the manner shown by Fig. 3 of the drawing. lt is noted that the tool lies within the palm of the hand 42, with thumb 44 in the indentation 34 of blade 20, the forefinger 46 within the indentation 36 of blade 22, and the 4th and 5th digits 48 and 50 within undulations 38 and 40 respectively. The outermost arcuate edge of the handle 16 bears against the palm of the hand 42, and thus, by squeezing of the handles 16 and 18 together or toward each other, the blades 20 and 22 are likewise swung toward each other and into overlapping relationship. The blades 20 and 22 are separated by applying pressure thereto between the thumb 44 and the index finger 46 and shifting these tWo digits 44 and 46 relatively while pressure is applied to the blades 20 and 22.

A line of stitching 52 in a piece of fabric 54, is shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing and in placing the tool in operation, the user first uses the sharp edges 26 and 28 to cut or clip the threads forming a part of the stitching 52 adjacent one end of stitching 52. Thread end 56 is thereupon grasped and pulled to present a loop. 58. By the presentation of three thread lengths 56 and 58, the threads from the sewing machine bobbin and the spool are grasped together, and the difliculty of holding the stitching is reduced. Thus, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing, the two thread portions forming the loop 58 and the thread length 56, are grasped between the blades 20 and 22 and particularly between the gripping means that is presented by the roughened faces 30 and 32 thereof.

The fabric 54 is held by the left hand above the line of stitching 52 and the right hand 42 is moved toward the operator. Such action rips both threads and simultaneously pulls the same out of the fabric, avoiding the necessity of going back to pick up small thread fragments that are normally left on the material by other methods of removing stitching. The pulling action leaves both the broken end of the thread and the loop on the fabric ready for the next ripping operation as the user proceeds downwardly along the line of stitching 52. Once the thread and the loop are gripped between the blades 20 and 22 at the roughened areas 30 and 32, the operator should pull in short, quick rhythmic motions with a snap to break both threads. By manipulating digits 44 and 46, the blades 20 and 22 can be easily and quick 1y separated to release the broken threads. Thereupon, when the operator is ready to grasp the thread end and the loop for another gripping operation, the handles 16 and 18 can be moved toward each other by merely closing the hand.

It is significant to note that ripping may commence anywhere in the line of stitching. It is noted that the blade 20 is pointed and relatively narrow as compared with the wider blade 22. Such pointed blade 20 may be extended into the line of stitching 52 until the thread breaks, or until the thread reaches the sharpened edge 26, whereupon the thread may be clipped. Here again, the thread should be clipped on both sides of the material 54 and pulled through to form a loop 58 and a thread end 56.

Many times the line of stitching 52 is not in line with the grain of the fabric, i. e. not coincident with the warp or woof, and in such cases, it is always preferable to rip with the grain. Through use of the instrument here of, it is possible to rip the line of stitching 52 in such manner with respect to the grain, thereby preventing separating of the threads of the material 54, avoid raveling and stretching of the fabric and preventing frayed edges and other damaging effects to the piece of goods. When the blades are closed as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing, the threads are firmly gripped by virtue of the roughening 30 and 32 and are not cut by the pulling action because of the bluntness or rounded edges adjacent the roughening 30 and 32 as at 24. Further, the closed instrument rests firmly and comfortably in the palm of the hand whereby the pressure is distributed evenly, thereby providing the necessary force to firmly hold the threads and permit the ripping action. It is preferred that the raised, roughened surfaces 30 and 32 grip the thread tightly without the necessity of finger pressure, thereby avoiding tiring of the operator during continued use.

The tool will fit any size hand and can be used evenly by left-handed operators with the same controlled action as when used in the manner herein illustrated. No damage will occur to the fabric 54 nor will the operator likely be injured as in the case of use of highly sharpened instruments. The speed at which a long line of stitching 52 may be removed is an extremely important factor not only when the tool is adapted for home use, but in factories where all types of stitchings are frequently partially or fully removed.

Accordingly, while but one form of my invention has been illustrated and described, it is manifest that such changes and modifications as may fairly come within the spirit of the invention as defined by the scope of the appended claim, are contemplated hereby.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

A stitching remover comprising a pair of elongated, crossed elements coextensive in length; means pivotally connecting the elements at their point of crossing, presenting a pair of blades on one side of the pivotal means and a pair of handles on the opposite side of the pivotal means, the proximal faces of the blades adjacent the ends thereof remote from the pivotal means being fiat and knurled, presenting thread gripping means disposed for overlapping interengagement when the handles are together, the innermost edges of the blades being blunt adjacent said gripping means and slidably interengageable throughout the lengths thereof between the pivotal means and the gripping means; means for separating the blades including directly opposed, concave indentations on the outermost faces of the blades substantially midway between said pivotal means and said gripping means, said indentations being dish-shaped, one complementally with the ball of the thumb and the other complementally with the first finger of a hand of a user, both indentations being inclined toward said innermost edges of the blades in merging relationship therewith, whereby the indentations open at one end thereof at said innermost edges of the blades; and means for aiding in movement of the blades together including finger-receiving fluting on the outermost edge of the handle corresponding to Ehe blade having the indentation for receiving said first nger.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Bell Aug. 29, 1950

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