US3837078A

US3837078A - Wallpaper trimmer

Info

Publication number: US3837078A
Application number: US00339731A
Authority: US
Inventors: A Weppner
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1973-03-09
Filing date: 1973-03-09
Publication date: 1974-09-24
Anticipated expiration: 1991-09-24

Abstract

A wallpaper trimmer is disclosed as including a wallpaper slot and a blade holder disposed relative to the slot such that an inserted blade will trim the edge of untrimmed wallpaper thus replacing the presently used hand trimming and straight edge operation.

Description

1451 Sept. 24, 1974 United States Patent 1191 Weppner WALLPAPER TRIMMER [76] Inventor:

Primary Examiner-Al Lawrence Smith Assistant ExaminerJ. C. Peters [22] Filed:

Attorney, Agent, or FirmStanley J. Yavner D 384 9m m 3 xz M33 00 W No "O0 2 munu m mh c r. Ha e s l C WM UmF Ill 2100 555 [ll A wallpaper trimmer is disclosed as including a wall- [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS paper slot and a blade holder disposed relative to the slot such that an inserted blade will trim the edge of Gelleff.................................. untrimmed wallpap r thus replacing the presently 2,601,183 6/1952 UnS11'1g61'.....,..,...................... 30/293 used hand trimming and Straight g Operation FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 682,347 11/1952 Great Britain....................,... 30/293 1 Claim, 3 Drawing Figures WALLPAPER TRIMMER This invention relates primarily to wallpaper trimmers and more particularly to apparatus useful in removing the untrimmed edge of wallpaper stock while the wallpaper is in a pasted and folded condition.

It is quite common in todays available markets to purchase wallpaper which has an edge measuring anywhere from inch to 2 inches of unpatterned stock. The purpose of such untrimmed edge stock is primarily to avoid damage during transit or storage to the patterned area of the wallpaper. It is particularly noteworthy that more of the expensive patterns and stocks of wallpaper include such an untrimmed edge than those patterns and stocks of the inexpensive variety. Thus, it becomes increasingly important to provide an apparatus which reliably and efficiently removes the untrimmed edge prior to mounting the wallpaper onto the wall.

A typical wallpaper operation presently used to remove the untrimmed edge as described above involves taking a measured strip of wallpaper and placing it face down upon a wallpapering table. The back of the wallpaper is then covered with wallpaper paste. Before the paste drys, the wallpaper is typically folded such that the two end quarters of the sheet of wallpaper are back to back and paste to paste with the second and third quarters (the middle quarters) of the sheet of wallpaper. ln this way, the sheet of wallpaper may be handled without any paste being exposed and yet without any damage to the wallpaper occurring since the paste is not at this time dry. The manufacturer of untrimmed wallpaper usually provides markings to indicate the trimming location, with such markings being spaced every one or two feet along the length of the pattern. A straight edge is therefore placed on top of the folded and pasted wallpaper with its edge along the markings of the manufacturer as aforesaid. A blade holder with a single edged blade inserted is then moved along the straight edge so that the untrimmed portion of the wallpaper is removed.

The method as described above used typically by present day wallpaperers suffers frommany disadvantages. For instance, the metal straight edge used in the process may move slightly thus causing a trimming of too much or too little of the portion to be removed. Another disadvantage is that the cutting edge is held by ones hand, and even if the straight edge does not move, it is possible that the cutting edge can cause an undesired and/or uneven trimming operation. A still further disadvantage occurs when the wallpapering table is unavailable, since a flat surface is necessary for the presently used trimming procedure.

Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a wallpaper trimmer that is efficient and reliable and which avoids the disadvantages attendant to the presently used procedures for trimming wallpaper.

A further and more particular object is to provide a wallpaper trimmer which combines in its construction a straight edge and a cutting toolsuch that neither may be moved independently during the cutting operation, thus avoiding the primary pitfalls of the presently used structures for trimming wallpaper.

A still further object is to provide a wallpaper trimmer which avoids the necessity for a wallpapering table during the edge trimming operation.

These and other objects of the present invention are accomplished in one preferred embodiment which features a wallpaper trimmer useful in removing the untrimmed portion of wallpaper commonly a part of wallpaper stock. The wallpaper trimmer includes a main body section which is horizontally oriented and which defines a wallpaper slot through which the wallpaper stock is slidably inserted for the cutting operation. Attached to and upwardly extending from the main body section is a trimmer sidewall whose function it is to act as the handle for the trimmer operator as well as to mount both the main body section and the blade holder of the present invention. The blade holder includes dual mounting screws extending through the trimmer sidewall onto which is mounted a conventional single edge blade holder. The dual arrangement of screws is used to fix the orientation of the blade holder such that the blade inserted thereto provides an angle of approximately 45 with the plane of the main body section. Each screw is fitted with a first nut for backing the blade holder and a wing nut to facilitate transverse adjustment of the blade holder from the trimmer sidewall, such that various amounts of trim may be removed de-. pending upon the manufacturers pattern. The edge of the main body section nearest the blade holder is bevelled and marked with calibrations, for instance, from zero to two inches so that a predetermined amount of edge may be removed with each cutting. The trimmer is intended for use such that the wallpaper is moved through the slot with the left hand towards the cutting edge while the right hand holds the trimmer side wall. The terminal internal edge of the slot is machined so that the untrimmed edge of the wallpaper, as it slides through, becomes a reference edge for the cutting operation. Of course, the operators hands may be reversed so that the left one holds the trimmer sidewall and the right one moves the wallpaper through the slot towards the cutting edge.

The above brief description, as well as further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of the preferred, but nonetheless illustrative embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view ofa wallpaper trimmer according to the present invention showing particularly a cutting operation on a piece of untrimmed wallpaper;

FIG. 2 is a front sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 and showing particularly the angle that the cutting edge makes with the main body section during the cutting operation; and

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1 and showing the view of the wallpaper trimmer from the source of flow of wallpaper through the device.

Looking at the drawing in detail, the wallpaper trimmer generally designated 10 is shown as including a main body section 12 defining a horizontally oriented slot 14. The slot has upper, lower and inward walls, respectively 16, 18, 20 as defined by upper and lower main

body section flanges

22, 24.

Trimmer sidewall 26 extends upwardly from main body section 12 and is actually a part thereof as a result of an extrusion from a metallic material or the like. Trimmer sidewall 26 actually has a dual function; that is, to provide a handle for the deviceand also to mount a cutting tool for the device as will hereinafter be described.

Blade holder 28 is mounted by two

mounting screws

30, 32 which fix the blade holder 28 in a particular orientation with reference to main body section 12. Blade 34, of the conventional single edge variety is inserted to the slot 36 defined by blade holder 28. Back nut 38 threadably attached to screw 30 and back nut 40 threadably attached to screw 32 work in cooperation with

wing nuts

42, 44 to provide a transverse adjustability for blade holder 28 with respect to trimmer sidewall 26. Furthermore, calibrations, generally designated 46 on upper flange 22 of main body section 12, indicate the adjustment position for blade holder 28 depending upon the measurement of trim to be'removed from wallpaper 48 during the operation of the device according to the present invention. Furthermore, stabilizing

nuts

50, 52 are tightly threaded respectively on

screws

30, 32 against trimmer sidewall 26 in order to stabilize the disposition of blade holder 28.

In order to provide a more complete description of the present invention, a typical series of wallpaper trimming operation steps will now be set forth in detail: The wallpaper is first cut to a desired length and then pasted and folded as is done in the conventionally used operation for trimming. The paper is then folded over such that the end quarters of the length of wallpaper are backed onto the middle quarters to form a seam 54. The trimming operator then grasps the wallpaper trimmer by its trimmer sidewall 26 with his right hand and grasps'the wallpaper 48 with his left hand to move it in direction 56 through the device. Of course prior to such motion, the transverse adjustment for blade holder 28 is made according to the amount of trim to be removed from the wallpaper.

As the wallpaper 48 is moved through the device, it encounters cutting blade 34 which is arranged at approximately a 45 angle relative to main body section 12. The cutting blade is accommodated by means of bevel 58 provided in the cutting edge end of upper and lower main

body section flanges

22, 24.

It may be seen therefore that an efficient and reliable wallpaper trimming device is provided whereby the stiffness of the pasted wallpaper itself provides the accurate reference against inward wall 20 of slot 14.

What is claimed is:

l. A wallpaper trimmer construction for trimming an untrimmed edge of wallpaper by use of a cutting edge comprising a substantially planar main body section having opposed upper and lower flanges planar throughout their length defining therebetween a wallpaper slot, means for providing a handle for said construction, a cutting edge holder assembly connected by said handle means to said main body section and having a cutting edge holder for disposing a cutting edge perpendicular to the plane of said slot, all arranged and adapted to trim said untrimmed edge as wallpaper is moved through said slot toward said cutting edge holder, both of said planar flanges being bevelled at the edge thereof nearest said cutting edge holder to form an approximately 45 angle between the plane of said bevel and said main body section in order to provide support for said wallpaper at the point of contact of said wallpaper with said cutting edge.

Claims

1. A wallpaper trimmer construction for trimming an untrimmed edge of wallpaper by use of a cutting edge comprising a substantially planar main body section having opposed upper and lower flanges planar throughout their length defining therebetween a wallpaper slot, means for providing a handle for said construction, a cutting edge holder assembly connected by said handle means to said main body section and having a cutting edge holder for disposing a cutting edge perpendicular to the plane of said slot, all arranged and adapted to trim said untrimmed edge as wallpaper is moved through said slot toward said cutting edge holder, both of said planar flanges being bevelled at the edge thereof nearest said cutting edge holder to form an approximately 45* angle between the plane of said bevel and said main body section in order to provide support for said wallpaper at the point of contact of said wallpaper with said cutting edge.