US2773307A - Strap cutter - Google Patents

Description

H. T. MARTIN STRAP CUTTER Dec. 11, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 28, 1955 INVENTOR.

44g WW V 6 11.4 n??? Ann r n 1 H. T. MARTIN Deb. 11, 1956 STRAP CUTTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 28, 1955 INVENTOR.

United States Patent STRAP CUTTER Hollinshead T. Martin, Evanst on, 111., assignor to Signode Steel Strapping Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application February 28, 1955, Serial No. 490,733

9 Claims. (Cl. 30-194) The present invention relates to a new and improved manually operable cutter for severing the strap secured around or encircling bundles, bales, boxes, coils, packages and the like.

Many types of strap cutters have been proposed, and some of these have been marketed with considerable success. Most of them incorporate a pair of relatively movable shearing blades, usually pivoted together, with the blades having shearing edges which move past each other to sever the strap. Such shearing blades are necessarily heavy or thick in section and it is extremely diflicult, if not impossible, to insert them between the bundle and a tightly tensioned encircling strap. This is particularly true of straps binding the annulus of a coil of wire and the like.

The strap cutter of the present invention is well adapted to cut highly tensioned strap which closely encircles a bundle and even coils of wire or tubing, and it is equally effective in cutting the strap when there is little or no tension applied thereto.

It is, therefore, a principal object of the present invention to provide a new and improved strap cutter wherein the cutting elements may be easily applied to both highly tensioned strapping closely encircling a bundle and to strapping which is under little or no tension.

Another object is to provide a new and improved cutting tool including a pair of cutting elements, whose action is substantially transverse as respects the strapping to enable the elements to be placed between the strapping and a closely encircled bundle.

Another object is to provide a new and improved strap cutter wherein the cutter elements which are placed between the strap and the bundle barely project therebetween to minimize the possibility of damaging the bundle.

Another object is to provide a new and improved strap cutter having a plurality of cutting elements, two of which are adapted to be pivoted toward and away from each other and the third of which is located between the first two and moves rectilinearly in the tool.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the head of the cutting tool, forming the subject matter of the present invention, shown part way through a cutting stroke;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the working elements of the cutting tool in closed position and may be considered as being taken substantially along the line 22 of Fig. 6 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the tool in open position to receive the strap to be severed;

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Fig. 6 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing the tool in open position;

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view;

Fig. 7 is a medial sectional view and may be considered 2,773,307 Patented Dec. 11, 1956 as being taken substantially along the line 77 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 8 is an end elevational view showing the tool in open or strap receiving position.

Referring to the drawings, the tool is indicated as having a head 10 including a pair of transversely spaced face plates 12 and 14 which are held together by a pivot bolt 16 and nut 18 which project through aligned holes 20 in the plates 12 and 14. The cutting elements of the tool are actuated by a pair of handles 22 and 24, the lower or outer portions of which are not shown, to conserve space in the drawings, but which may be of any conventional construction. The handles 22 and 24 are provided with complementarily shaped and offset apertured ears 26 which overlap at those ends of the tool handles projecting between the plates 12 and 14, and through which extends a pivot pin 28 the outer ends of which are guided in grooves 30 formed in the inner faces of the plates 12 and 14.

A pair of identical, fiat, and relatively thin cutters 32, having apertured hub portions 33, are oppositely pivotally mounted between the plates 12 and 14 onthe pivot bolt 16. Each of the cutters 32 is adapted to be rocked toward and away from the other and is provided with a cutting edge 34 formed on a hooked jaw portion 56 thereof which is adapted to extend above top edges 38 of the plates 12 and 14. The hooked ends 36 form with the hub portions 34 recesses 37 to accommodate the strap S being cut as seen in Fig. l. The cutters 32 have only rocking movements and each are formed with ears 40 which are apertured at 42 to receive a pivotal connecting pin 44 which extends through an apertured car 46 on one of the handles 22 or 24 in accordance with which side of the bolt 16 the cutter 32 is mounted. The ends of the pins 44 slide on the inner faces of the plates 12 and 14 and are there retained against falling free. The cutters are so arranged that when the handles are brought together to the posi tion shown, for example in Figs. 2 and 4, the hooked ends 36 of the cutters are rocked toward each other and their tips 48, being offset, will overlap as shown in Fig. 2.

It will be observed from Figs. 1, 6 and 8 that the cutters 32 have their inner or adjacent faces spaced slightly apart to accommodate therebetween a rectilinearly movable cutter plate or blade 50 provided with a central slot 52 to permit movement thereof relative to the pivot bolt 16 and with arcuate cutting edges 54 at its upper or outer side which meet at the center of the plate 50 in a wide V shape. At either side of the slot 52 the plate 50 is apertured at 56 to receive a pin 58 which links it to one of the cutters 32, the pins 58 passing through suitable apertures in the cutters 32 and having a rather snug fit therewith and being retained against axial movement by the face plates 12 and 14. Since the pins 58 will move in an arcuate path about the axis of the pivot bolt 16, the apertures 56 are somewhat larger than the pins 58 to accommodate such arcuate movement. This is shown most clearly in Figs. 4 and 5. Consequently, as the handles are actuated to rock the cutters 32 about the pivot bolt 16 the pins 58 carry the cutter plate 50 rectilinearly outwardly or inwardly of the tool head between the cutters 32, and the cutting edges 54 cooperate and coact with the cutting edges 34 to shear the straps in the manner illustrated in Fig. l.

A pair of L-shaped links 60 are arranged generally parallel to the cutters 32, and'each has a first arm 62 pivoted by means of an aperture 64 to the pivot bolt 16 and a second and offset arm 66 formed with an aperture 68 to receive the pivot pin 44, thus connecting it to one or the other of the operating handles 22 and 24. It will be observed from Figs. 6 and 7 that the arms 62 lie adjacent the inner face of one or the other of the face plates 12 and 14, while the ofiset arms 66 lie to the inside of the handle cars 26. At their junctures the arms 66 and 62 are provided with an aperture 70 snugly to receive the linking pin 58, tying the cutter plate 50 to the cutter 32. Consequently, the support for the link 60 is insured and a positive drive is effected between the operating handles 22 and 2a and the cutter blade or plate 50 so that it moves forwardly or outwardly during the shearing stroke.

The shearing or severing action of this tool is shown in part in Fig. 1, which may be considered as looking at the strap from the bundle side thereof. After the strap 5 has been engaged between the jaws 36 of the cutters 32 and across the top edges 38 of the plates 12 and 14, the handles 22 and 24 are brought together. This movement rocks the cutters 32 so that their tips 48 move toward each other on substantially a straight line. At the same time the cutter plate 50 moves outwardly so that its cutting edges 54 move toward and across the cutting edges 34 of the cutters 32. As the strap S is confined among the three movable cutting elements, a pair of cuts C are made in the strap inwardly from the edges of and transversely across the strap by the two cutting edges 34 of the cutters 32 and the two cutting edges 54 on the plate or blade 50. Because the tips 48 of the cutters 32 are offset and overlap, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a short piece or bridge of metal B is left between the cuts C shown in dotted lines, Fig. 1. This bridge of metal B is as wide as the thickness of the cutter plate 50. When a highly tensioned strap is severed in this fashion, the tensional forces will be sufiicient to break this metal bridge and, therefore, the severing of the strap will have been complete. On the other hand, if the strap is not under high tension, or is under no tension whatsoever, it will be loose about the package. Then a slight twisting motion in the plane of the strap imparted to the cutter before it is opened or removed will very easily break or tear the bridge portion B.

It will be observed from Figs. 2 to 5 that the movements of the tips 48 of the cutters 32 are substantially toward each other. Since these cutters are formed from relatively thin flat plate and have shallow hooked ends 36 and bevelled tips 48, they will enter into a very close space between the strapping and the bundle or package which has been bound. This means that a strapping which is very highly tensioned about a package can be severed with no damage to the package and with the greatest facility. This tool has been particularly effective in severing the strapping placed about the annulus of a coil of wire or tubing, because the thin hooked ends can be entered between wire or tubing convolutions to engage about the strapping.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that the objectives which were claimed for this invention at the outset of this description have been fully attained.

While a preferred embodiment of the strap cutting tool constituting this inventionhas been shown and described, it will be apparent that modifications and variations thereof may be made without departing from the underlying principles of the invention. It is, therefore, desired by the following claims to include within the scope of the invention all such variations and modifications by which substantially the results of this invention may be obtained by the use of substantially the same or equivalent means.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A strap cutter including in combination, oppositely rockable plate-like cutting elements having spaced inner faces and cutting edges, a third plate-like cutting element arranged in the space between said first named cutting elements and slidable rectilinearly across and in contact withsaid spaced inner faces, said third cutting element having cutting edges cooperable with and movable past said cutting edges on said'first named elements, and operable means connected to all said cutting elements for actuating the same, whereby movement of all said cut ting edges in strap cutting direction will shear the strap in parallel and overlapping cuts ofiset a distance equal to the thickness of said third cutting element.

2. A strap cutter including in combination, oppositely rockable plate-like cutting elements having spaced inner faces and oppositely disposed hooked ends on which are formed cutting edges, the hooked ends of said cutting elements being overlapped at the end of a cutting movement, a third plate-like cutting element arranged in the space between said first named cutting elements and slidable rectilinearly across and in contact with said spaced inner faces, said third cutting element having cutting edges cooperable with and movable past said cutting edges on said first named elements, and operable means connected to all said cutting elements for actuating the same, whereby movement of all of said cutting edges in strap cutting direction will shear the strap in parallel and overlapping cuts oflset a distance equal to the thickness of said third cutting element.

3. A strap cutter including in combination, oppositely rockable plate-like cutting elements pivotally mounted on a common axis and having spaced inner faces and oppositely disposed hooked ends on which are formed cutting edges and which when moved through a cutting stroke have their hooked ends overlapped, a third platelike cutting element arranged in the space between said first named cutting elements and slidable rectilinearly across and in contact with said spaced inner faces, means connecting said third element to said first named elements for movement in synchronism therewith, said third cutting element having cutting edges cooperable with and movable past said cutting edges on said first named ele ments when said first named elements are rocked toward each other, and operable means connected to said first named elements for actuating the same, whereby movement of all of said cutting edges in strap cutting direction will shear the strap in parallel and overlapping cuts oifset a distance equal to the thickness of said third cutting element.

4. A strap cutter including in combination, a pivot pin, a pair of oppositely rotatable spaced cutters pivotally mounted on said pivot pin, a rectilinearly movable cutter blade positioned in thespace between said cutters, said cutters and said blade having cooperable shearing edges, means connecting said cutter blade to said pivotally mounted cutters so that when said cutters are pivoted toward and away from each other said cutter blade is moved rectilinearly, a pair of pivotally interconnected handles, and means operatively connecting said handles to said pivotally mounted cutters and said rectilinearly movable cutter blade.

5. A strap cutter including in combination, a pair of spaced parallel face plates, a pivot bolt extending through said plates, a pair of oppositely rotatable axially spaced cutters pivotally mounted on said pivot bolt, a rectilinearly movable cutter blade positioned in the space between said cutters, said cutters and said blade having cooperable shearing edges, the shearing edges on said rotatable cutters having their outer ends overlapped at the end of the cutting movement, means connecting said cutter blade to said pivotally mounted cutters so that when said cutters are pivoted toward and away from each other said cutter blade is moved rectilinearly, a pair of pivotally interconnected handles, and means pivotally connecting each handle to one of said pivotally mounted cutters, whereby movement of said rotatable cutters said cutter blade in said cutting direction will shear the :strap in parallel and overlapping cuts offset a distance equal to the thickness of said cutter blade.

6. A strap cutter comprising in combination, a pivot pin, a pair of oppositely rotatable spaced cutters pivotally mounted on said pivot pin, a rectilinearly movable cutter blade positioned in the space between said cutters, said cutters and said blade having cooperable shearing edges, linking pins connecting said cutter blade to said pivotally mounted cutters so that when said cutters are pivoted toward and away from each other said cutter blade is moved rectilinearly, a pair of pivotally interconnected handles, means pivotally connecting each handle to one of said pivotally mounted cutters, and a link pivotally connected to each handle, to said pivot pin, and to one of said linking pins.

7. A strap cutter comprising in combination, a pivot pin, a pair of oppositely rotatable spaced cutters pivotally mounted on said pivot pin, a rectilinearly movable cutter blade positioned in the space between said cutters, said cutters and said blade having cooperable shearing edges, means connecting said cutter blade to said pivotally mounted cutters so that when said cutters are pivoted toward and away from each other said cutter blade is moved rectilinearly, a pair of pivotally interconnected handles, means pivotally connecting each handle to one of said pivotally mounted cutters, and additional means connecting said handles to said means connecting said cutter blade to said pivotally mounted cutters.

8. A strap cutter comprising in combination, a pair of spaced parallel face plates, a single pivot retaining bolt extending through said plates, a pair of oppositely rotatable axially spaced cutters pivotally mounted on said pivot bolt and having hooked ends which overlap at the end of a cutting movement, a rectilinearly movable cutter blade positioned in the space between said cutters and slidable across the inner faces thereof, said cutters and said blade having cooperable shearing edges, means connecting said cutter blade to said pivotally mounted cutters so that when said cutters are pivoted toward and away from each other said cutter blade is moved rectilinearly, a pair of handles, a pivot pin interconnecting said handles, means on the inner faces of said face plates for guiding said pivot pin for movement in the same direction as said cutter blade, and means pivotally connecting each handle to one of said pivotally mounted cutters, whereby movement of said rotatable cutters and said cutter blade in strap cutting direction will shear the strap in parallel and overlapping cuts offset a distance equal to the thickness of said cutter blade.

9. A strap cutter comprising in combination, a pair of spaced parallel face plates, a combination pivot and retaining bolt extending through said plates, a pair of oppositely rotatable spaced cutters pivotally mounted on said pivot pin, a rectilinearly movable cutter blade positioned in the space between said cutters, said cutters and said blade having cooperable shearing edges, linking pins connecting said cutter blade to said pivotally mounted cutters so that when said cutters are pivoted toward and away from each other said cutter blade is moved rectilinearly, a pair of handles, a pivot pin interconnecting said handles, means on the inner faces of said face plates for guiding said last named pivot pin for movement in the same direction as said cutter blade, means pivotally connecting each handle to one of said pivotally mounted cutters, and a link pivotally connected to each handle, to said pivot bolt, and to one of said linking pins.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,290,707 Brooks Jan. 7, 1919 1,356,882 Pendleton Oct. 26, 1920 1,901,903 Edwards Mar. 21, 1933 1,920,413 McGary Aug. 1, 1933

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