GB2128125A - Cutting device - Google Patents

Abstract

A cutting device comprising two elongate members (2, 4, Fig 1) each comprising a blade (10, 14) at one end and a handle (8, 12, Fig 1) at the other end, a pin (6) on which the members are pivoted so that the blades work with a scissor action for cutting purposes, the members being retained on the pin between an abutment part (18) at one end portion of the pin and a slotted clip (20) slidable in a groove (22) at the other end portion of the pin, the clip comprising a projection (32) which engages in a complementary recess (36) in one of the members so as to hold the clip in place on the pin. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Cutting device This invention relates to cutting devices and more especially it relates to cutting devices operable with a scissor action.

In order to provide for efficient cutting with a cutting device such as scissors, shears or secateurs having a pair of blades pivoted about a common pivot, it should be arranged that the blades are held together tightly enough to facilitate a cutting operation but not so tightly as to prevent pivotal movement between the blades in response to relatively light pressure.

The present invention has for an object to provide a cutting device of the kind comprising two pivoted blades in which the blades are held together in a simple manner so as to facilitate efficient cutting and easy assembly and dis-assembly of the cutting device.

According to the present invention a cutting device comprises two elongate members each comprising a blade at one end and a handle at the other end, a pin on which the members are pivoted so that the blades work with a scissor action for cutting purposes, the members being retained on the pin between an abutment part at one end portion of the pin and a slotted clip slidable in a groove at the other end portion of the pin, the clip comprising a projection which engages in a complementary recess in one of the members so as to hold the clip in place on the pin.

The groove in the pin may be a circumferential groove.

The diameter of that end portion of the pin remote from the groove may be reduced to define a spigot which passes through a complementary hole in one blade, the end of the spigot being deformed into the abutment part so as to secure the said one blade to the pin, the other blade being arranged to be pivotal about the pin between the spigot and the groove in which the clip is located.

The blades may be fitted in handles of a mouldable material such as a plastics material. Various types of mouldable material may be employed.

The handle which is fitted to the said other blade may be cut away to define a pair of substantially parallel undercut grooves along which the clip is slidable against the said other blade until the projection engages the complementary recess.

The complementary recess may be formed in the said other blade.

The complementary recess may comprise a raised portion over which the projection must be constrained to ride from a first position whereat the clip may be removed, to a second position where the clip is engaged in the recess so as to be held securely in place on the pin.

The clip may comprise a flat strip having at one end a slotted portion and at the other end the projection, the strip being bent back on itself to define a limb parallel with the slotted portion and further bent so that the projection extends orthogonally of the slotted portion and beyond the slotted portion.

The slotted portion may comprise a elongate slot open at one end and just wide enough to accommodate the pin.

Alternatively the slotted portion may comprise an elongate slot which in the region of one end of the strip opens into a circular aperture large enough to clear the pin whereby the slotted portion can be slid onto the pin.

The blades may be replaceable blades. Each replaceable blade may be secured to its handle by the pin passing through a hole in the blade.

Some embodiments of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure I is a front view of a pair of scissors; Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view th rough a line XX shown in Figure 1 of the scissors; Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view through a line YY as shown in Figure 1 of the scissors; Figure 4 is a perspective view of a clip for use with the scissors shown in Figures 1,2 and 3; Figure 5 is a perspective view of an alternative form of the clip shown in Figure 4; and Figure 6 is a perspective view of a pin for use with the scissors as shown in Figure 1, Figure 2 and Figure 3.

Referring now to the drawings, a pair of scissors comprises a first member 2 and a second member 4 pivotted about a pin 6. The member 2 comprises a moulded plastics handle 8 and a steel blade 10.

Similarly the member 4 comprises a moulded plastics handle 12 and a steel blade 14. The handle 8 has a thumb hole 8a and the handle 12 has a finger hole 12a. The blade 10 is embedded in plastics material 11 and the blade 10 is also provided with an extension piece 13 which extends into the handle 8 and around which the handle 8 is moulded. Similarly, the blade 14 is embedded in plastics material 15 and the blade 14 is also provided with an extension piece 17 which extends into the handle 12 and around which the handle 12 is moulded. Obviously, the cutting edges 10a and 14a of the blades 10, 14 respectively extend proud of the plastics material (as shown in Figure 2) so that the blades 10, 14 can effect their cutting action.

The diameter of one end portion of the pin 6 is reduced to define a spigot 16 on which the blade 14 is mounted, the spigot 16 being peened or spun over to define an abutment part in the form of a rivet head 18. The rivet head 18 serves to secure the blade 14 in position on the pin 6. The blade 10 is held in position on the pin 6 by means of a slotted clip 20. The clip 20 is located in a circumferential groove 22 which is formed in the pin 6 at its other end portion. The clip 20 comprises a flat strip having a wider slotted end part 21 which includes an elongate slot 24 in which the pin 6 is accommodated. The slot 24 may either have an open end 26 as shown in Figure 5 or may extend to define a circular aperture 28 as shown in Figure 4. The clip 20 may be made of a metal such as spring steel.

In use of the clip 20 shown in Figure 4, the circular aperture 28 is placed over the pin 6 whereby the slotted end part 21 of the clip 20 can be slid onto the complementary groove 22 in the pin 6. In use of the clip 20 shown in Figure 5, since the slot 24 has an open end 26, the open end 26 facilitates positioning of the slotted end part 21 of the clip 20 in the groove 22 of the pin 6.

The strip material which defines the clip 20 is bent back on itself to form a limb 29 which lies parallel with the slotted end part 21 of the clip 20 and which is further bent to define an end portion 30 which includes a projection 32. The handle 8 in which the blade 10 is secured is provided with a pair of undercut grooves 34 in which the wider slotted end part 21 of the clip 20 is accommodated. The blade 10 is provided with a recess 36 in which the projection 32 is received to lock the clip 20 into position. The recess 36 is associated with a raised portion 38 which separates it from another recess 40.Thus the clip 20 may be constrained to slide from a first position whereat the projection 32 is engaged in the recess 40, to a second position whereat the projection 32 is engaged in the recess 36, the projection 32 being required to ride over the raised portion 38 as it is constrained to slide from the first to the second position.

It will be appreciated that if the clip 20 of Figure 4 is used, when the clip 20 is in the first position, it may be removed from the pin 6 since the aperture 28 will align with the end of the pin 6. Alternatively, if the clip 20 as shown in Figure 5 is used, the pin 6 will lie between the projection 32 and an end of the clip 20 when it is in the first position and thus will be clear of the slot 24 such that the scissors can be easily dismantled for sharpening purposes for example and also easily assembled during manufacture.

The handle 8 is provided with a stop member 39 which is effective to keep the handles 8, 12 slightly apart during a cutting action and thereby to prevent a user of the scissors from trapping their skin between the handles 8, 12 as the blades 10, 14 close and cut.

The scissors as just before described may be used for any desired purposes so that they may be for example household scissors, hairdressing scissors, clothes making scissors, surgical scissors, or manicure scissors.lt will however be appreciated that a cutting device utilising a clip as just before described for securing the blades in juxtaposed relationship may also comprise any other twin bladed cutting device such as shears or secateurs.

Various modifications may be made to the scissors hereinbefore described without departing from the scope of the invention and for example the scissors or some other twin bladed cutting device may comprise replaceable blades. Also, the extra width of the wider slotted end part 21 of the clip 20 could be continued to either of bends 42,44 or 46 if desired. Further, different shapes may be employed forthe pin 6.

Claims (12)

1. Acutting device comprising two elongate members each comprising a blade at one end and a handle at the other end, a pin which the members are pivoted so that the blades work with a scissor action for cutting purposes, the members being retained on the pin between an abutment part at one end portion of the pin and a slotted clip slidable in a groove at the other end portion of the pin, the clip comprising a projection which engages in a complementary recess in one of the members so as to hold the clip in place on the pin.

2. A cutting device according to claim 1 in which the groove in the pin is a circumferential groove.

3. A cutting device according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the diameter of that end portion of the pin remote from the groove is reduced to define a spigot which passes through a complementary hole in one blade, the end of the spigot being deformed into the abutment part so as to secure the said one blade to the pin, the other blade being arranged to be pivotal about the pin between the spigot and the groove in which the clip is located.

4. A cutting device according to any one of the preceding claims in which the blades are fitted in handles of a mouldable material.

5. A cutting device according to claim 4 in which the mouldable material is a plastics material.

6. A cutting device according to any one of the preceding claims in which the handle which is fitted to the said other blade is cut away to define a pair of substantially parallel undercut grooves along which the clip is slidable against the said other blade until the projection engages the complementary recess.

7. A cutting device according to claim 6 in which the complementary recess is formed in the said other blade.

8. A cutting device according to claim 6 or claim 7 in which the complementary recess comprises a raised portion over which the projection must be constrained to ride from a first position whereat the clip may be removed, to a second position where the clip is engaged in the recess so as to be held securely in place on the pin.

9. A cutting device according to any one of the preceding claims in which the clip comprises a flat strip having at one end a slotted portion and at the other end the projection, the strip being bent back on itself to define a limb parallel with the slotted portion and further bent so that the projection extends orthogonally of the slotted portion and beyond the slotted portion.

10. A cutting device according to claim 9 in which the slotted portion comprises an elongate slot open at one end and just wide enough to accommodate the pin.

11. A cutting device according to claim 9 in which the slotted portion comprises an elongate slot which in the region of one end of the strip opens into a circular aperture large enough to clear the pin whereby the slotted portion can be slid onto the pin.

12. A cutting device substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.