US673375A - Envelop-opener. - Google Patents

Description

No. 673,375. Patented May 7, ISGI. G. G. BAYH.

ENVELOP OPENER.

(Application filed JFeb. 4, 1901.)

(No Model.)

ZM 47m] /7 'NITED STATES GEORGE G. BAYHA, OF NIOBRARA, NEBRASKA.

ENVELOP-OPEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 673,375, dated May '7, 1901.

Application filed Febuary 4, 1901. Serial No. 45,901. (No model.l

T0 @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known thatrl, GEORGE G. BAYHA, a citizen of the United States, vresiding at Niobrara, in the county of Knox and State of Ne'- braska, have invented certain new and usefulv improvements in Envelop-Openers; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as Willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to knives or cutting devices; and it consists substantially in the improvements hereinafter more particularly described, andf-pointed out in the claims.

The invention is adapted to a great many different uses or' purposes, such as a cutter or trimming device for the edges of textile and other fabrics', 'including' paper, cardboard, and the like; but the particular use or purpose for which the same is intended is that of an opener for the ordinary envelops employed in correspondence through the mails and oth# erwise.

One object of the invention is to provide a simple and effective knife or cutting device whereby either the longer or shorter edge of an ordinary envelop can he cut off or severed from the body thereof with much greater facility andalsoin such manner that the contents of the envelop are left intact, while the envelop itself is not torn or lacerated and the usual marks of identification thereon are not obliterated or mutilated.

A' firther object of the invention is to provide a knife or cutting device of this characf ter which is easily and quickly handled or manipulated and one also that is exceedingly simple in construction and economical to manufacture, besides possessing the qualities of lightness, durability, and strength.

A still further object is to provide a device of this kind comprising the least number of parts or elements, which are readily taken ting device, the same being taken from the side at which the edge of the envelop or other article is inserted. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device, the knife orcutting-blade being shown in elevation and also being shown in the downward position it occupies when pressed upon. Fig. 3is a top or plan view of the device. Fig. 4 is a view of the bottom or under side of the top plate of the device to more clearly indicate the construction thereof. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of thedevice about on the line :c a: of Fig. 3. Fig. G is aperspective view of the removable knife r cutting-blade detached. Fig. 7 is a similar view of -the removable presser-foot detached. Fig. Sis a View of the knife or cutting-blade, taken from the opposite side to that shown in Fig. 6 and showing the double cutting edge of the blade. VYligz is a similar View to Fig. l, showing the presser? foot dispensed with.

Before proceeding with a more detailed 'description it may be stated that my improved knife or cutting device comprises a suitable block or handle,which also constitutes a guide for the edge of the envelop or other article to be operated upon, and working through an elongated opening or slot in said block or handle isa spring knife or cutting-blade which in the severance of the edges from envelops of ordinary thickness or less is pressed upon by the thumb or linger of the operator, sol as to be properly held down to its work. The degree of pressure is entirely proportional to the thickness of the envelop or other article to be cnt, since it will be apparent from the construction hereinafter specifically described that the thinner the article operated upon the less will be the normal pressure exerted by the said spring knife or cutting-blade. On introducing an euvelopof increased or considerable thickness the cutter or knife is necessarily placed nndergreater inherent or normal tensiomand hence the severance of the edge of a thick lenvelop or other article does not require the saine amount of extra or thumb pressure as when operating upon a thinner article. The said knife or cutter is preferably removable or detachableifor the purpose of sharpening and repair thereof, and should the same becoine too much worn. or broken it can be readily replaced at small cost. It has a'movement within and across the guiding-aperture for the envelop or other article, and the construction of the base of said aperture is such that the point of vthe knife or cutting-blade is permitted to entirely penetrate the article operated upon with absolute certainty, thusrcnr' dering the proper working of the device to 'be relied upon at all times. Means are provid'ed for so limiting the downward movementof the knife as to lalways prevent the point thereof from being forced into contact with the bottom of the guiding-aperture, which, -as is evident, would soon render the'knife dull, and whenever through repeated sharpening of said knife' or blade the pointA thereof' though not essentially, I also employ a springpressed foot for holding in place the envelop orl other article operated upon, so as to obviate any curling or warping tendency of the material of the article at points adjacent the cutting edges of the knife or blade, which, as is' evident, would' be likely to prevent a clean straightcut from being effected. Said presserfoot is also preferably removable or detachable, and it'will be understood that the same is dispensed with in some instances, as when the deviceis employed solely for cutting articles of more than ordinary bulk or thickness. The knife or blade is preferably sharpeped so as f o present both a forward and a rearward cutting edge, andthus can the-edge ofthe envelop or other article be severed when operated upon fromeithe'r direction. -Other vpeculiarities vof construction and operation f will more fully hereinafter appear; but it may be further added that thecornplete device is 'preferably triade or constructed of vauch size as toybe conveniently carried in the pocket-,similarly to an ordinary pocket-knife,

'or the device can be constructed o'r adapted to form a part of many of the ordinary forms vof pocket-knives at present in use. On the other hand, my improved device is of -itself also readily adapted for use as a part of the furniture of an ordinary writin `desk, and thus it becomes a useful article n oices of all kinds,or the device can also 1 be conveniently constructed in part with manyof the forms of paper-cutters, erasers, and other articles of desk furniture already in use.

Specific reference being4 had to the acco1n"\ jpanyiug drawings, wherein the several-parts areslmwn somewhat enlarged', A represents my improved knife olf-cutting devicepas a whole,-andf whl ch is .constructed of anysuiti able material'. *',Prefer'ably form the device of a block or handle a of some hard wood.;

which is of auyvdesired size and preferably without sharp or' angular edges or corners., vSaid'block or handle is formedvvith a base b,

amLforjts full length is constructed with a raised or elevated portion c, the width or thickness of which is about one-half the wldth of the said base b. -The upper surface of the baseis perfectly flat, as ip also the inner or vertical surface d of the said raised or elevated portion c, the two said surfaces being preferably at perfect right angles to each other, so as to evenly guide the edge of an envelop or other article when inserted in the device for the purpose of being severed or'cut olf. f" Secured to the' upper surface of the said raised or elevated portion c of the said block or handle by means of screws e or otherwise is a top plate f, which is of the same general shape and dimensions as the block a and which projects at one side beyond' the inner surface of the raised or elevated portion o, abovethe base b, and thus is-forrned a longitudinal aperture g. for the insertion of the edge of the article to be operated upon. The

-thickness of the articles to be operated upon is onlylimited by the height of said aperture, l

as is evident. The said top platef is formed or provided with a longitudinal opening or slot h, extending between points' 1 2, at suitable distances from the ends thereof, andat one end of said slot or opening a reccss't is formed `in the upper surface of said top plate, the e'nds of said recess being entirely open, 'while the sides or walls `thereof are preferably slightly divergent or spread vapartoutwardly at'm in. the direction of the end .of the said plate. Thus thesides or walls of the said recess are inclined toward each other inwardly, and preferably the said sides or lwalls are beveled at n to receive a correspondingly constructed wedge'or tenon lo, formed at the outer end of a spring knife o'r cutter B, the arm p of which is snugly received between the sides or walls of the elongated slot or opening h of the top plate,- as shown. By thus form# vforni of the recess 'i and tenon o prevent the knife from being forced too far'in wardly,while the beveled sides of the two prevent the knife vfrom dropping out of place even on inverting Aalso constitutes a firm bearing or fulcrum for \the Idesired working action of the cuttingblade or knife, the ar-ln p of the latter having' preferably a beveled cuttrg edge u, (see Fig.

,) so as tooper'ate equally whether the edge `fthe device. The saiddescribed connection Y ofconstruction and arrangement.

'(rial v operated upong and for this purpose of the envelop orotherarticle is drawn through the device in one direction or the other. The said blade s is of a height slightly in excess of the height of the longitudinal aperture g, so as to insure a complete cutting all the way through the thickness of the article or matethe base of the device is-formed with a notch or recess w, receiving the pointed end of the blade, as shown more clearly in Fig/2. The said arm p of the knife or cutter is formed-at its in ner end with a thumb or finger piece a', by which the blade` is pressed down to its work, and it is also formed at such end with a lug or stop a, which limits the downward movement of the blade by engaging or coniing into Contact with the edge 1 of the longitudinal opening or slot hin the said top plate In this way the point of the blade is prevented from ever coming into contact with the bottom of notch w, and the said point t of the blade is therefore not likely to soon become worn. If.however,l after repeated sharpening of th'e blade the height of the same is so reduced as to prevent the point 5t thereof from reaching down far enough, then this is remedied by simply filing away a corresponding amount of the un'der surface of the limitingr lug or stop u", whereupon the said point is permitted to descend to the same rextent as before. In this way the utility of the device is maintained for 4a very great length of time, as is evident. As indicated at Figs. 2 and 6, it will be observed that the outer side of the blade is perfectly smooth or fiat, while at Fig. S it will be further observed that. it is tne inner side only of the clade which is beveled yor ground olf` to a cutting edge. The said onterside or face of the blade is flush or even with the corresponding side of the spring-arm carrying the saine, and inasmuch as the thickness of the blade is less than the width of said arm (see Fig. 6) it follows that a space is left between the inner side of the blade and the vertical side d of the aperture g. Thus a gage is formed determining the extent or width of the margin ent olf or severed from the envelop, although of course it will be understood that my invention is notlimited tothese precise details The effect produced by the specific irm of blade referred to is that the inserted edge of an envelop is forced or drawn up more closely against thevertical wall of the said aperture y, whereas if said blade were thus beveled on both sides or on the outer side instead, the cifect would tend to be somewhat the oppo site and a perfectlystraight and-even cut would probably not be derived. However, this feature of my invention is also a minor one only and maybe followed in its exact details or not, as desired. Of course it will also be understood that the sides of the slot h constitute a guide for the movable arm p, and hence the part severed from the envelop will .i

of my invention.

be the same width throughout the full length thereof.

Vtop plate f, and preferably directly beneath thewedge-shaped recess t therein, I form or provide a similar tapering or wedge-shaped recess fi', (see Fi". 4,) the sides or walls of which are likewise beveled at fi", and in this said recess is received a correspondinglyshaped tenonz'r", formed at the end of acurved 'spring presser-foot C, see Fig. 7,) in like manv ner as 'the tenon o of the spring-arm p of the knife or cutter is received in the recess i.

The outer end of said presser-foot is thus fur- .A

nisheda bearing or fulcrnm, and the pressen foot is also thus rendered easily detachable or removable for any purpose whatever, while at the saine time it is not likely to slip out of place accidentally. The said presser-foot is bent o r curved at y, so that a portion of the same rests flatly on the base b of the device, andat a suitable distance from the free end thereof the same is formed withslot or opening 3, located above the notch w in the said base, and through which slot or opening 3 the point if of the said blade s works, as shown. Said piesseifoot is obviously self-adjusting to different thicknesses of envelops or other articles.

It is of course obvious that the construction and operation of the presser-foot and cutting-blade or knife 'can be altered in immaterial degree without departing from the spirit It isI further obvious that the details of construction of the remaining elements or parts of my improved device can also be similarly changed or altered.

To use or operate the device for cutting off the edge of a comparatively thin envelop, the said device is grasped so as to bring thesame between the thumb and forefinger ofthe hand in such manner as to enable a sufficient amount of pressure to be exerted upon the thumb-piece ofthe knife orcutter,whereupon the edge of the envelop is properlyinserted in the aperture g between the presser-foot and base and with the said edge close up against the straight vertical surface d of the raised or elevated portion c of the block a. (See Fig. 2.) In this way the envelop will be evenlygnided, and all that is necessary then to be done is to simply draw `the envelop against the edge of the knife in one direction orthc other, according to the manner'in which the same has been introduced, whereupon the edge of the latter will be severednr out off in an obvious manner. When anyarticle or envelop of increased thickness is inserted, the inherent tension of the knife-arm is thus IOO IIO

correspondingly increased, and therefore less thumb-pressure is required than in the case of a thin envelop, as. is evident. in Fig. 9, I am enabled to dispense with the presser-foot in some instances.-

It is apparent that my improved device is capable of a great many different embodiments and also that the same can be made sufficiently small and ornamental to be conveniently worn upon the watch-chain in the manner of a charm 01 pendant therefor.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. A knife orcntting device, comprising a block or handle having a longitudinal aperture in one side and a communicating slot in the top thereof, and a knife or blade workin g across said aperture and guided in the slot, substantiallyv as described.

,2. A knife or cutting device, comprisinga block or handle havingv a longitudinal aperture in one side, and a slot'or opening inthe top thereof, and a knife or blade working through'said slot and across said aperture, substantially as described.

3. A knife or cutting device, comprising a block or handle having a' longitudinal aperture and a longitudinal slot, and a springarm Working in said slot and having a knife or blade working across said aperture.

4. A knife or cutting device,.co1nprising a block or handle having a longitudinal aperture in one side and a communicating slot in the top thereof, and a pointed knife or blade working across the aperture and guided in the slot, the base of said aperture having means for preventing contact of the point of the knife therewith, substantially as described.

5. A knife or cutting devicecomprising a block or handle having a longitudinal aperture and provided with a movable knife or blade working across said aperture and having double cutting edges and tapering to apoint, substantially as described.

6. A knife or cutting device, comprising a block or handle having alongitudinal aperture, a movable knife or blade working across said aperture, anda presser-foot bearing upon the base of the aperture, substantially as described.

7.l A knife or cutting device, comprising a block or handle having a longitudinal aperture, a movable knife or blade working across said aperture and pointed at its lower end, the base of the aperture having a recess -for y receiving such pointed end,A substantially as described.

8. A knife'or cutting device, comprising a block or handle having a longitudinal aper-l ture, the base whereof is formedwith arecess, a movable knife or blade working across said aperture and tapering to a point, and a presser-foot bearing upon the said base and having a slot or opening communicating with i the said recess,"l substantially asdescribed.

As shown 9. A knife or cutting device, comprising a' block or handle having a longitudinal aperture, and a movable spring-arm having a thumb-piece, and provided with aknife or blade workingacross the'aperture,said thumbpiece constituting a stop for limiting the inward or downward Amovement o f the knife, and'also the medium through which compensation for .wear of the knife is effected, 'substantiallyas described.-

10. A knife or cutting device, comprising a block having a longitudinal aperture, and a movable spring-arm having a knife or blade workingacrosssaid aperture, said arm having a stop limiting the movement of the knife or blade in one direction, and said'stop constituting a thumb-piece for operating the arm, substantially as described'.

11. A knife or cuttingdevlce, comprising a block or handle having a longitudinal aper- 4ture and a longitudinal slot, and amovable spring-arm working in said slta'nd having a knife or blade working across said aperture, said arm having a stop abutting th'e block at one end of the slot, substantially as described.

12. A knife or cutting device, comprising a block or handle having a longitudinal apen-- ture, amovable spring-arm having athumbpiece, together with a movable knife or blade working across said aperture, said arm also having a stop limiting the downward Inovementof the blade, and a presser-foot resting on the base of said aperture, substantially as described. i

13. A knife or cutting device, com,prising the block or handle havingthe'base and the raised or elevated' portion, the top plate secured to said portion' and extending over the base, said plate having a longitudinal slot, and a spring-arm working through said slot,

and having at its free end a knifeor cuttingblade working across the space between the said top plate and base, substantially as de'- scribed.

14.. A knife or cutting device, comprising the block or handle having the raised portion and the base provided with the recess, the

' top plate secured to said raised portion and extending over the base, said plate havinga longitudinal slot, a spring-arm working through said slot and carrying a knife or blade work- -ing across the space between the base and top plate, and a presser-foot bearing upon said base and having a slot for the passage of the IIO end of the blade, substantially as described.

15. A knife or cutting device, comprising the block or handle having the longitudinal aperture, the top plate having the slot and formed .at one -end with the tapering dovetailed recess '5, and the spring-arm having a tenen correspondingly shaped and fitting s'aid recess and .carrying a-knife or blade working across said aperture, substantially as described.v 4

16. Aknife or cutting device, comprising the block or handle having the longitudinal aaiperture,thel top plate havingthe slot and' formed at one end on the under side thereof with ataperng dovetaiied recess, the springarm working in said slot and carrying a knife or' blade working acrdssithe said aperture, and a presser-foot bearing upon the baseof the aperture and formed at one end with a 'correspondingly-shaped tenn fitting said re- Vcess, substantially asdescribed.

17. -A knife or cutting device, comprising the block Or handle having the longitudinal aperture, the top plate having the slot and formed at one end on both the upper and lower surfaces thereof with a tapering doveailed recess, the' spring-arm working in said slot and carrying a knife or blade Workingv across the said aperture, said arm having a tenon of correspondingshape tothe upper recess and tting therein, and a presser-foot bearing upon the base of said .aperture and also formed at one end with a tenen of corre spending shape to said lower recess and fitting therein, substantially as described.

18. A knife or cutting device, comprising a blockor handle having a longitudinal apering dovetailed recess, a spring-arm working in the slot and having a knife or blade work' ing across the aperture, and a removable presser-foot bearing upon the base of the aperture and formed at one end with a jtenon shaped to fit said recess, substantially as described.

20. A knife or cutting device, comprising a block or'handle having a longitudinal aperv ture and a longitudinal slot, and an arm working in said slot having a knife or blade working across the aperture, the Outer side of said knife being smooth or flat, and the inner side thereof beveled to a cutting edge disposed a suitable distance from the vertical side of said aperture, substantially as shown and described. c

2l. Afknife or cutting device, comprising a block Or handle having a longitudinal aperture and a iongitudinal slot, and a movable arm guided in said slot and having a knife or blade workin g across the aperture, the said knife being less in thickness than the width of the arm,and having its outer side dat and ush with the corresponding side of the arm and the inner side thereof beveled to a cutting edge, substantially as shown and for the purpose described.

. n testimony whereof l ax my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE G. AYnA.

Witnesses:

E. A. HOUSTON, JOHN A. WILSON. y

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