GB2287899A - Guillotines - Google Patents

Abstract

A guillotine has a blade 20 pivotally movable past a stationary counter-blade formed by an edge of a baseplate 10. The baseplate carries two spaced blocks 12, 14 having facing vertical grooves 16 which receive, with a sliding action, a replaceable die plate 18 having a slot shaped to receive a metal strip 34 used to provide a neat edge to a carpet. The guillotine enables the metal strip to be cut to a desired length without deformation of the strip because the latter is supported in the die plate 18 during cutting. <IMAGE>

Description

TITLE: GtJILLOTINES This invention relates to guillotines and was devised to provide a guillotine for use by carpet fitters.

When a fitted carpet is laid, the edge of the carpet extending across a door threshold is usually finished by means of a metal strip, commonly called a door bar. Such strips are also used to provide a neat edge to a carpet where the latter adjoins another 900ring surface, such 2S tiles, linoleum or a wooden floor. The strips are cut to length by the carpet fitters, typically using hacksaws, but without proper support so the strips are sometimes cut inaccurately and may have their cross-sectional shapes deformed as a result of being unsupported during cutting. The invention aims to provide a guillotine which overcomes this problem.

According to the invention a guillotine has reception means to receive one of a plurality of different die plates eacn formed with a slot shaped to receive a carpet edge strip of a corresponding shape, so that by selecting an appropriate die plate and inserting it in the reception means the guillotine is able to support a strip of a corresponding shape to facilitate cutting of the latter.

The reception means may comprise facing grooves into which the selected die plate is slid, the selected die plate being capable of removal and replacement bv a different die plate.

In a preferred embodiment the facing grooves are formed in spaced blocks projecting upwardly from the edge of a baseplate of the guillotine, an arm being pivotally mounted with respect to the baseplate and carrying a cutting blade which moves past said edge which serves as a stationary counter-blade in the cutting action.

It will be appreciated that the use of an apprepriateiv shaped die plate means that the strip is supported and located during cutting. Nlore importantly. the provision of an appropriately shaped slot means that any projecting flange of the strip can be adequately supported underneath so that deformation ot' the cross-sectional shape of the strip during cutting is minimised.

The basepiate preferably bears parkings to assist positioning of the edge strip to be cut.

For example. the baseplate rnay have inscribed lines at predetermirAed angles to said edge ot' the baseplate. In the preferred embodiment to be described the baseplate has inscribed lines at 90 with respect to said edge and lines at 45 on each side of the 90 line.

Carpet edge strips are commonly available in a wide range of differing profiles and the guillotine is preferably provided with a selection of die plates having slots corresponding to the most commonly encountered cross-sectional shapes. For example, one die plate may have a slot of generally T-shape to accommodate the sort of strip used where two carpets adjoin (a so called dual grip), and another die plate may have a slot corresponding to the shape of a strip used where a carpet adjoins a smooth floor covering'such as tiles (a so called single grip). These dual or single grip strips have projecting tangs to retain the carpet, and the die plate is preferably recessed to accommodate these tangs when the strip is inserted in the guillotine.

Certain strips do not have these tangs and such strips are commonly called cover strips.

These strips typically have a convex top surface and longitudinally extending ribs on their undersides. To faciitate the cutting of these cover strips. the baseplate of the guillotine mav be grooved to receive the ribs, and these grooves may be at 90 to the edge of the baseplate and also mav be at 45 on each side of the 90 grooves.

.R guillotine forming a preferred embodiment ot' the invention wil! now be described, by way of example. with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a guillotine showing a representative carpet edge strip ready to be cut tO length.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary front elevation of the guillotine of Figure 1 but without the strip, Figure 3 is a plan view of the guillotine of Figure 2 but without a die plate, Figure 4 is a plan view of the die plate, Figure; is a plan view of an alternative die plate, Figure 6 illustrates how the die plate of Figure 4 is shaped to receive the carpet strip illustrated in Figure I, Figure 7 illustrates another die plate for receiving an alternative edge strip, Figure 8 iliustrates two further alternative cross-sectional shapes of carpet edge strip, Figure 9 is a view looking at the edge of the baseplate in elevation, showing how the baseplate is grooved to accornmodate a cover strip. and Figure 10 shows a die plate having a plurality of differently-shaped slots.

Referring principally to Figure i, the guillotine has a rigid metal baseplate 10 to which are fixed and from which project two spaced blocks 19 and 14 having facing vertical grooves 16 which receive, with a vertical sliding action, a die plate 18. The block 19 forms a pivotal mounting for one end of an arm consisting of a metal blade 90 and an extendable telescopic handle 99 terminating in a hand grip 24.

The arm is biased by means of a torsion spring 26 to the upright position shown in Figure 1 in which the arm engages a StOp or abutment in the form Of a projecting stud 98. Bv grasping the hand grip 94 and pivoting the arm about its horizontal pivot axis and against the spring 96 the user moves the blade 90 past the edge 3() Of the baseplate 10. this edge 3() forming ä stationary counter-blade.

The die plate 18 shown in Figure I is shaped with a slot 32 (Figure 6) which is generally T-shaped so as to accommodate tne central vertical stem and projecting ranges of a "dual grip" carpet edge strip 34. The strip 34 has, on each side, a projecting base flange from which project angled tangs 36 and the die plate 18 is slotted with recesses 38 to accUmmodate these. Figure 4 is a plan view of the die plate 18 shown in elevation in Figure 6. Each end of the die plate has a reduced thickness tongue 40 which locates with a sliding action in one of the grooves 16.

When a user wishes to cut the strip 34 to a desired lengths the die plate 18 is positioned in the guillotine, the edge tongues 40 of the die plate 18 being engaged with a sliding movement in the grooves 16. The strip 34 is pushed through the die plate i8 so that the length to be trimmed off as waste projects from the die plate and beyond the edge 30.

The user then places one hand on the baseplate to steady the guillotine, grasps the hand grip 94 and executes a cutting action by pivoting the blade 30 past the edge 30. The fact that the strip 34 is supported. anå in particular that the undersides of the projecting top range of the strip are supported, minimises deformation of the strip and provides a clean cut at the desired position along the length of the strip 34. The end of the strip 34 indicated at 34a in Figure I is waste. the remainder having been accurately cut to length without deformation.

Figure 7 illustrates an alternative die plate 18 slotted to accommodate a single grip carpet edge strip 4- having a curved edge range and a base flange bearing upwardly projecting tangs which are accommodated by a recess 44 in the die plate. The underside of the edge flange is supported by the die plate to prevent deformation of the edge flange during cutting.

Figure 8 shows two alternative profiles of carpet edging strip the shapes of which may be accommodated in further specialiv shaped die piates which can be removably inserted in the grooves 16 instead of either of the die plates 18 previously described.

The baseplate 1() is provided with an inscribed line 46 (Figure 3) at 90 to the edge 30 to facilitate accurate positioning of the edge strips tO be cut. Further inscribed lines AS at 45 on each side ot this 90 line enable the strip to be cut at 45G to provide an internal or external 45 mitre cut.

As best shown in Figures 9, 3 and 9, the baseplate 1() is formed with a pair of grooves 50 extending at 90 to the edge 30. This pair of grooves 50 accommodates the ribs 59 normally found on the underside of strips which do not have retaining tangs and are normally called cover strips. Such strips have the cross-sectional shape shown in broken lines at 54 in Figure 9. The baseplate has two further pairs of grooves 56* 58 (Figure 3) at 45 with respect to the grooves 50 to enable cover strips to be accurately cut at 45 , and to do this a die plate having a slot with angled edges, as shown as 60 in Figure 5, may be provided. Figure 5 shows the die plate which would be used to cooperate with a cover strip having ribs 50 placed in the grooves 58. It will be appreciated that a further die plate, having a slot angled in the opposite sense, would be necessary to support a cover strip having ribs located in the grooves 56.

Each die plate previously described is formed with a single slot so as to be usable with a particular shape of strip to be CUt. However. it is possible for a single die plate to have several slots of differing shapes. This reduces the number of die pates which need to be carried with the guillotine by the carpet fitter and also reduces the number of die plate changes.

A die plate 18 with four differently shaped slots is iilustrated in Figure 10. The die plate 18 again has tongues 40 for slidable engagement in the grooves 16.

For transport or storage of the guillotine, the blade 9() and handle '9 may be retainable in a safe and compact position in which the blade 70 lies adjacent the edge 30. This can be achieved hv the provision of a plunger mounted in the block 19 or 11 and having an end engageable in a hole in the blade 90 or handle 99, to retain the latter in a substantially horizontal position against the influence of the spring loading. Withdrawal of the plunger from the hole in the blade 90 or handle '() frees the latter. The provision ot' such a plunger also serves as a safety feature and the plunger could be associated with a lock to prevent unauthorised use of the guillotine.

Claims (10)

1. A guillotine having reception means to receive one of a plurality of different die plates each formed with a slot shaped to receive a carpet edge strip of a corresponding shape, so that by selecting an appropriate die plate and inserting it in the reception means the guillotine is able to support a strip or a corresponding shape to facilitate cutting of the latter.

9. A guillotine according to claim I, wherein the reception means comprise facing grooves into which the selected die plate is slide the selected die plate being capable of removal anå replacement by a different die plate.

3. A guiilotine according to claim ', wherein the facing grooves are formed in spaced blocks fixed to and projecting upwardly from the edge of a baseplate of the guillotine, an arm being pivotally mounted with respect to the baseplate and carrying a cutting blade which moves oast said edge which serves as a stationary counter-blade in the cutting action.

1. A guillotine according to claim 3. wherein the baseplate bears markings to assist positioning of the edge strip to be cut.

5. A guillotine according to claim -1. wherein the baseplate has an inscribed line at 90 with respect to said edge and lines at 55~ on e:ch side ol the 90 line.

tS. A guillotine according to claim 3. 1 or 5. wherein the baseplate is formed with grooves to receive longitudinally extending r hs on the underside of a strip to be cut.

7. A guillotine according to anv of the preceding claims. and in combination with a die plate having a slot of generally T-shape to accommodate a so-called dual grip strip.

8. A guillotine according to claim 1, wherein said die plate is recessed on one edge to accommodate upwardly projecting tangs on the strip.

9. A guillotine comprising a rigid baseplate, a blade pivotally mounted with respect to the baseplate, reception means on the baseplate presenting facing grooves, and a plurality of die plates each formed with a slot shaped to receive a carpet edge strip of a corresponding shape, each die plate being slidably receivable in the facing grooves so that by selecting an appropriate die plate and sliding it into the reception means the guillotine is able to support a strip of a corresponding shape to facilitate cutting of the latter.

10. A guillotine constructed and arranged substantially as herein particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings.