US3924327A

US3924327A - Powered windshield track cutter

Info

Publication number: US3924327A
Application number: US509347A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jerry Clyde Edwards
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1974-09-25
Filing date: 1974-09-25
Publication date: 1975-12-09
Anticipated expiration: 1992-12-09

Abstract

A powered means for simultaneously cutting two seal portions of conventional windshield tracks. An L-shaped blade having both legs with sharpened edges is attached to an elongated frame member having a grasping portion thereof. A force transferring means is adapted to be operatively connected to the elongated frame member and to a powered force supplying means, such as an air hammer or the like. A collar on the frame member prevents movement of the force transferring means towards the blade during operation.

Description

United States Patent 11 1 1111 3,924,327

Edwards Dec. 9, 1975 [54] POWERED WrNDSHrELD TRACK CUTTER FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Inventor: Jerry Clyde Edwards, 3, BOX 2,791 1/1909 United Kingdom 30/312 h ph M 39350 513,568 12/1930 Germany [22] Filed: Sept. 25, 1974 Primary ExaminerAl Lawrence Smith [21] PP N03 509,347 Assistant ExaminerJ. T. Zatarga Attorney, Agent, or FirmCushman, Darby and 52 US. Cl. 30/277; 30/315 Cushma [51] Int. Cl. B26B 3/04; 8268 7/00 [58] Field of Search 30/277, 314, 315, 317, ABSTRACT 30/312, 294, 289 A powered means for simultaneously cutting two seal portions of conventional windshield tracks. An L- [56] References Cited shaped blade having both legs with sharpened edges is UNITED STATES PATENTS attached to an elongated frame member having a 513,077 1/1894 Bourland 30/312 grasping portion A force transferring means is 715,056 12/1902 Gruner 30/312 ux adapted to be operatively connected to the elongated 811,282 1/1906 Eriksson 30/312 X frame member and to 3 Powered force pp y g 1,043,729 11/1912 R0lfson.... 30/312 m Such as n air mm r r he lik A ollar n 2,337,236 12/1943 Gamble... 30/315 X the frame member prevents movement of the force 3,22 3 12/1965 Young l 4 30/277 X transferring means towards the blade during opera- 3,279,060 10/1966 Young 30/315 x m 3,398,613 8/1968 Gallotti.... 30/289 x 3,448,517 6/1969 Cothery 30/317 x 7 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures U.s. Patent Dec.91975 3,924,327

FOWERED WINDSHIELD TRACK CUTTER BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The general field of the invention is the cutting of materials with powered means, and the specific field of the invention is in the cutting of vehicle windshield tracks for the replacement of a windshield. While there are many powered means for cutting materials in the general field of the invention (see U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,003,237, 3,577,638, and 3,698,085 for example), none of said means are particularly adapted to the cutting of windshield tracks. The cutting of windshield tracks requires a tool that is easy to control to prevent movement away from the relatively narrow tracks to the vehicle body or the windshield itself [which would result in damage to the tool or the vehicle or both and makes removal of the windshield more difficult], and which can cut more than one member at a time. Also, because of the shape and location of conventional windshield tracks, access thereto is difficult with most conventional powered cutting means. In the specific field of the invention it has been common practice to cut conventional windshield tracks with hand tools. However, modern windshield tracks are difficult to cut in this manner, and the process is time consuming. Also many prior art devices for windshield removal such as shown in US. Pat. No. 1,863,897 are unsuitable for modern windshield tracks. Nor are prior art means (see U.S. Pat. No. 2,735,179 for example) for replacing glass panes for house windows suitable for windshield replacement since powered cutting of more than one member at once is not contemplated.

According to the present invention an assembly is provided that provides for effective powered cutting of windshield tracks, or other suitable members, facilitating quick and easy replacement of vehicle Windshields. Accordingto the invention a frame member for a cutting blade is adapted to be positioned by one of the operators hands so that the cutting edges of the blade are disposed in position to properly cut the windshield tracks. Such a frame member preferably includes a handle member disposed in a plane generally perpendicular to one cutting blade edge and parallel to the other cutting blade edge and adapted to be grasped by the operator. A means is also provided that is adapted to be connected to a power means (i.e. an air hammer) and transfer the force supplied by the air hammer to the cutting blade. Such means preferably comprises a chisel member having one end thereof fork-shaped and adapted to operatively engage the frame between the fork prongs, an elongated middle portion, and the other end thereof adapted to be connected to said power means. The middle portion of the chisel is disposed in a plane generally perpendicular to the handle of the frame during operation of the device.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide powered cutting means specially adapted to cut windshield tracks for facilitating quick and easy replacement of vehicle Windshields. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective diagrammatic view of an exemplary assembly according to the invention in use for cutting a windshield track;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the components of the exemplary assembly according to the present invention shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a detail perspective view of an exemplary cutting blade for use according to the teachings of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a detail perspective view showing the blade in FIG. 3 in operative engagement with a windshield track.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION An exemplary assembly according to the present invention for cutting windshield tracks is shown generally at 10 in FIG. 2;The major components of the assembly are a frame member 15 for a cutting means 25, and a chisel force-transferring means 30. A suitable force supplying means, such as air hammer 40, is adapted to be connected to one end of the force-transferring means 30.

The frame member 15 comprises an elongated bar 17 preferably having a handle 18 at one end thereof, and cutting blade receiving means 20, 22 at the other end thereof. A collar 19 is formed on the bar 17 at a point spaced from but close to a cutting blade receiving means 20 (shown in dotted line in FIG. 2). The collar 19 is adapted to receive portions of one end of the chisel member 30 and prevent movement of the chisel member toward the cutting blade 25 when the assembly is in use. Frame 15 allows precise guiding of the blade 25 in cutting a windshield track even though large forces are applied thereto, and also assures proper alignment of blade 25 for maximum cutting effectiveness.

The cutting blade receiving means preferably includes a slot 20 within the end 22 of the frame 15 below the collar 19. The end 22 of frame 15 and the blade 25 have openings therein for receipt of a suitable fastening means such as screw 23 when the blade 25 is received within the slot 20.

The blade 25 is generally L-shaped, having

flat surfaces

26, 27 forming legs thereof, the leg 26 being adapted to be received within the slot 20 and having screw-receiving opening 24 therein. Either one or both edges of each of

legs

26 and 27 such as

edges

28, 29 are sharpened, the edge 29 along the whole length of leg 27, and the edge 28 along the length of leg 26 that extends out of slot 20 in frame 15. The edges are so sharpened that they may out both the bottom seal 52 and the edge seal 53 of a windshield track, as most clearly shown in FIG. 4. The

seals

52, 53 are conventionally formed of rubber or the like glued or otherwise affixed to the windshield 54. Access thereto is limited by the very nature of the design, and cutting thereof with hand means is difficult.

Edge 29 of blade 25 may be sharpened in one of two manners so that cutting of seal 52 may be effected The top of edge 29 may be sharpened so that the blade will cut through the middle portion of the seal 52, or the bottom of the edge 29 may be sharpened so that the blade will cut the seal right at its point of engagement with the pinch weld 56. The type of sharpening used on the blade will depend upon the type of installation kit that will be used to effect installation of a new windshield once the old one has been removed.

The force-transferring member 30 may be of any suitable construction that allows effective, guided transfer of force from a force-supplying means (such as air hammer 40) to the cutting blade without allowing excessive play. Such a means preferably takes the form of a chisel member having an elongated middle portion 35, a pair of

fork prongs

32, 33 at one end thereof adapted to receive the bar 17 of frame while abutting collar 19, and a portion 37 at the other end of portion 35 adapted to be connected to a force supplying means, such as air hammer 40. Air hammer 40 may be of any conventional type, having a conventional coiled retaining spring portion 43 thereof for cooperation with the end portion 37 of chisel 30, an operating trigger 44, and a suitable connection 46 to a source of air under pressure.

Operation of the assembly according to the invention is as follows: A suitable cutting blade is connected to frame 15 by passing a portion of leg 26 of blade 25 into slot 20 of portion 22 and opening 24 in blade 25. The moulding of a windshield 54 is removed by conventional means, and the sharpened

edges

28, 29 of blade 25 are placed into engagement with edge and

bottom seals

53, 52 respectively of a windshield track. The frame 15 is disposed generally perpendicularly to the windshield 54 in such a situation, and the handle 18 of frame 15 is generally perpendicular to edge 28 and parallel to edge 29. The handle 18 facilitates steadying of the assembly when force is applied thereto.

The operator grasps handle 18 of frame 15 with one hand, and brings chisel member 30 which has been operatively attached to a suitable power source such as air hammer into operative engagement with frame 15 by having fork prongs 32, 33 thereof receive upstanding portion 17 of frame 15 while collar 19 is abutted. Operation of air hammer 40 via trigger 44 will then effect guided powered cutting of

windshield track members

52, 53 simultaneously with a minimum of time and effort, and allow easy replacement of the windshield 54.

While the invention has been herein shown and described in what is presently conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it will be obvious that many modifications may be made thereof within the scope of the invention. For instance, other suitable frame steadying means, blade attaching means, chisel movement preventing means, force-transferring means, and powered force-supplying means could be provided, and any conventional windshield tracks may be cut. Other modifications are also possible, thus the invention is to be accorded the full scope of the appended claims so as to encompass all equivalent structures and devices.

What is claimed is:

1. An assembly for cutting windshield tracks and the like comprising a. cutting means for simultaneously cutting two portions of a windshield track or the like, said cutting means comprising a generally L-shaped cutting blade having first and second legs of said L sharpened, said legs for cutting different portions of a windshield track simultaneously,

b. means for mounting said cutting means and for providing positive direction therefor, said means including an elongated frame member having a portion thereof for grasping by an operator and an end portion for mounting the first of the legs of said L-shaped blade,

0. power means for supplying a mechanical force to said frame member in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of elongation thereof, and

d. means for transferring a mechanical force from said power means to said cutting means through said frame member, said transferring means comprising (i) means for abutting said elongated frame member at a point thereof between the portion thereof for grasping by an operator and the general area of mounting of said cutting means to said frame member, and (ii) means for operatively connecting said force transferring to said power means.

2. An assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said portion of said force transferring means for abutting said frame member comprises a pair of fork prongs for receiving said frame member therebetween, and wherein said force transferring means further comprises an elongated middle portion.

3. An assembly as recited in claim 2 wherein said frame member has a collar thereon at the area of operative engagement of said force transferring means with said frame member, said collar for preventing movement of said force transferring means toward said cutting means during operation of said assembly.

4. An assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said power means comprises an air hammer.

5. An assembly for cutting windshield tracks and the like comprising a. a generally L-shaped cutting blade having first and second legs of said L sharpened, said legs for cutting different portions of a windshield track simultaneously,

. an elongated frame member, said frame member having a collar thereon,

c. means for mounting the first of the legs of said L- shaped blade to said elongated frame member, and means for transferring a mechanical force to said cutting blade by acting on said frame member in a direction substantially parallel to the plane of the sharpened edge of the first leg of said L-shaped blade, said means including a chisel member having (i) an elongated middle portion, (ii) a first end means for connecting said chisel member to a power force supplying means, and (iii) a second end means including a pair of fork prongs for generally loosely receiving said frame member and for abutting said collar so that said chisel member does not move towards said blade.

6. Means as recited in claim 5 wherein said frame member comprises an elongated portion disposed in a plane generally parallel to said first leg of said L-shaped blade, and a handle portion for facilitating control of said blade disposed in a plane generally perpendicular to said first leg of said blade.

7. An assembly as recited in claim 5 further comprising a power force supplying means operatively connected to said chisel member first end means, said power force supplying means comprising an air hammer.

Claims

1. An assembly for cutting windshield tracks and the like comprising a. cutting means for simultaneously cutting two portions of a windshield track or the like, said cutting means comprising a generally L-shaped cutting blade having first and second legs of said L sharpened, said legs for cutting different portions of a windshield track simultaneously, b. means for mounting said cutting means and for providing positive direction therefor, said means including an elongated frame member having a portion thereof for grasping by an operator and an end portion for mounting the first of the legs of said L-shaped blade, c. power means for supplying a mechanical force to said frame member in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of elongation thereof, and d. means for transferring a mechanical force from said power means to said cutting means through said frame member, said transferring means comprising (i) means for abutting said elongated frame member at a point thereof between the portion thereof for grasping by an operator and the general area of mounting of said cutting means to said frame member, and (ii) means for operatively connecting said force transferring to said power means.

5. An assembly for cutting windshield tracks and the like comprising a. a generally L-shaped cutting blade having first and second legs of said L sharpened, said legs for cutting different portions of a windshield track simultaneously, b. an elongated frame member, said frame member having a collar thereon, c. means for mounting the first of the legs of said L-shaped blade to said elongated frame member, and d. means for transferring a mechanical force to said cutting blade by acting on said frame member in a direction substantially parallel to the plane of the sharpened edge of the first leg of said L-shaped blade, said means including a chisel member having (i) an elongated middle portion, (ii) a first end means for connecting said chisel member to a power force supplying means, and (iii) a second end means including a pair of fork prongs for generally loosely receiving said frame member and for abutting said collar so that said chisel member does not move towards said blade.