Cutting tool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10486248-B2
Application number	US-201715617298-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 8, 2017
Priority date	Jun 8, 2017
Publication date	Nov 26, 2019
Grant date	Nov 26, 2019

Abstract

A cutting tool according to some embodiments of the disclosure includes a stationary handle and a movable handle pivotally attached thereto, a blade receiving gear mounted on the stationary handle, a blade removably mounted to the blade receiving gear, and a spring-loaded slide plate mounted to the blade receiving gear for holding the blade in the blade receiving gear. The blade seats within a notch of the blade receiving gear and the slide plate engages with a notch in the blade. The slide plate can be removed without the use of tools from engagement with the blade to allow user to easily remove the blade from the cutting tool.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cutting tool comprising:
a stationary handle having a grip at an end thereof;
a movable handle having a grip at an end thereof, the movable handle being pivotally attached to the stationary handle;
a blade comprising a body having a cutting edge thereon and a leg extending from the body, the leg having a notched section formed therein, the cutting edge extending in a first direction;
a blade receiving gear pivotally attached to the stationary handle, the blade receiving gear comprising a body having a plurality of teeth on an edge thereof and a notch extending into the body of the blade receiving gear from an opposite edge thereof, the leg being seated within the notch;
a slide plate engaged with the body of the blade receiving gear, the slide plate being seated within the notch, the slide plate having a lock projection which is configured to seat within the notched section on the leg;
a spring engaged with the slide plate and the blade receiving gear, the spring configured to bias the lock projection of the slide plate into engagement with the notched section of the leg of the blade, the lock projection of the slide plate being biased into engagement with the leg of the blade in a second direction that is not parallel to the first direction; and
wherein the blade is removable from the blade receiving gear.

2. The cutting tool of claim 1 , wherein the spring is a coil spring.

3. The cutting tool of claim 1 , wherein the spring is a leaf spring.

4. The cutting tool of claim 1 , wherein the notched section is generally V-shaped.

5. The cutting tool of claim 1 , wherein the leg has a centerline which extends from a top of the leg to a bottom of the leg, and a bottom edge of the leg is angled relative to the centerline.

6. The cutting tool of claim 1 , wherein the slide plate has a tab portion which extends outwardly from the blade receiving gear, wherein in use a user's hand is capable of gripping the portion.

7. The cutting tool of claim 1 , wherein the body of the blade is substantially symmetrical on each side of the cutting edge.

8. The cutting tool of claim 1 , further comprising a handle lock attached to the movable handle, wherein when the handle lock is engaged, the movable handle cannot move relative to the stationary handle.

9. The cutting tool of claim 8 , wherein the handle lock comprises a lock wheel rotationally attached to the movable handle, the lock wheel having a projection thereon having first and second end surfaces, wherein the first end surface is generally aligned with an outer dimension of the lock wheel and the second end surface is spaced inwardly from the outer dimension, wherein the first end surface is configured to be engaged with the movable handle and disengaged from the movable handle.

10. The cutting tool of claim 1 , further comprising a holding pawl pivotally attached to the movable handle and configured to be engaged with the teeth of the blade receiving gear, and a driving pawl pivotally attached to the movable handle and configured to be engaged with the teeth of the blade receiving gear.

11. The cutting tool of claim 1 , further comprising a first plate having an elongated slot therein, the first plate being fixedly attached to the stationary handle, a second plate having an elongated slot therein, the second plate being fixedly attached to the blade receiving gear, wherein the blade receiving gear is pivotally attached to the stationary handle by a pivot pin, and further comprising a torsion spring having a coiled portion around the pivot pin, a first leg extending from the coiled portion and a second leg extending from the coiled portion, the first leg being seated within the slot in the first plate and the second leg being seated within the slot in the second plate.

12. The cutting tool of claim 11 , wherein the first plate is integrally formed with the stationary handle and the second plate is integrally formed with the blade receiving gear.

13. The cutting tool of claim 1 , wherein each grip has a length, and one of the grips is longer than the other grip.

14. The cutting tool of claim 13 , wherein the lengths of the grips are defined by a ratio of 1.25:1.

15. The cutting tool of claim 13 , wherein the grip of the movable handle is longer than the grip of the stationary handle.

16. The cutting tool of claim 15 , wherein the lengths of the grips are defined by a ratio of 1.25:1.

17. The cutting tool of claim 1 , further comprising a second blade attached to one of the handles.

18. The cutting tool of claim 17 , wherein the second blade is mounted to a blade storage assembly comprising a bar and a rotatable lock.

19. The cutting tool of claim 1 , wherein the stationary handle comprises first and second elongated members fixedly attached to each other, the blade receiving gear being pivotally attached between the first and second elongated members, each first and second elongated members having an elongated front portion, an elongated rear portion and an intermediate portion extending upwardly from a rear end of the front portion, wherein the blade is configured to seat between the intermediate portions of the first and second elongated members and the blade is configured to be rotated from in between the first and second elongated members.

20. The cutting tool of claim 1 , wherein each tooth of the blade receiving gear is defined by a radius, the radius of some of the teeth varying from the radius of other ones of the teeth.

21. The cutting tool of claim 1 , wherein each tooth of the blade receiving gear is defined by a radius, each tooth being defined by the same radius.

22. A cutting tool comprising:
a stationary handle having a grip at an end thereof;
a movable handle having a grip at an end thereof, the movable handle being pivotally attached to the stationary handle;
a blade comprising a body having a cutting edge thereon and a leg extending from the body, the leg having a notched section formed therein;
a blade receiving gear pivotally attached to the stationary handle, the blade receiving gear comprising a body having a plurality of teeth on an edge thereof and a notch extending into the body of the blade receiving gear from an opposite edge thereof, the leg being seated within the notch, wherein the blade is removable from the blade receiving gear;
a slide plate engaged with the body of the blade receiving gear, the slide plate being seated within the notch, the slide plate having a lock projection which is configured to seat within the notched section on the leg;
a spring engaged with the slide plate, the spring configured to bias the lock projection of the slide plate into engagement with the notched section of the leg;
a holding pawl pivotally attached to the movable handle and configured to be engaged with the teeth of the blade receiving gear;
a driving pawl pivotally attached to the movable handle and configured to be engaged with the teeth of the blade receiving gear; and
a release lever pivotally attached to the movable handle and configured to be engaged with at least one of the holding pawl and the driving pawl to disengage the holding pawl and the driving pawl from engagement with the teeth of the blade receiving gear.

23. The cutting tool of claim 22 , wherein the release lever is configured to be engaged with the holding pawl, and the holding pawl is configured to be engaged with the driving pawl to disengage the holding pawl and the driving pawl from engagement wi

Assignees

• Greenlee Textron Inc
• Greenlee Tools Inc

Inventors

• Nordlin William Frederick
• Vander Loop Benjamin R

Classifications

• B23D21/10 Primary

  with other cutting blades or tools · CPC title

• B23D29/002

  for cutting wire or the like · CPC title

• B26B13/28

  Joints (B25B7/06 takes precedence) · CPC title