US2270473A - Paper trimmer or the like - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 20, 1942.

P. PORCELLI PAPER TRIMMER OR THE LIKE Filed Aug. 29, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 In ventor fr/ci Force/h,

By 2mm.

Attorney Jan. 20, 1942. P. PORCELLI 2,270,473

PAPER TRIMMER OR THE LIKE Filed Aug. 29, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 In ventor a 77/624 orc e //l Ba pwmah A iiomey Patented Jan. 20, 1942 PAPER. TRIMMER OR THE LIKE Patrick Porcelli, Chicago. Ill.

Application August 29, 1940, Serial No. 354,749

I 8 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in paper trimmers or the like, and particularly to a safety attachment for the knife or blade of the trimmer or the like, and the primary object of my invention is to provide an arrangement of this character which not only positively operates toward more efficient and accurate cutting and trimming of the paper or the like, but acts as a clamp to prevent displacement of the paper on the board as the knife or blade passes from an open position through the cutting position and therebeyond, while at the same time acting to protect the edge of the knife or blade.

Other important objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from a reading-of the following description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein for purposes of illustration I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a general side elevational view of an arrangement in accordance with the present invention showing the blade or knife in open position.

Figure 2 is a top plan View of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing the knife or blade after having passed from the open position through the cutting position and therebeyond.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view taken through the blade or knife and the adjacent portion of the board.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 5 generally designates a conventional type of trimmer or cutter board which is adapted to rest on a supporting surface 6, the said board having a bracket 1 adjacent one corner thereof carrying a right angularly extending bolt 8 on which the adjacent end of the knife which is generally designated 9 is pivoted, the blade portion of the knife being beveled as indicated by the numeral I to provide the cutting edge I! and the working face I2. which works along the adjacent edge I3 of the table as illustrated in Figure 4, and other portion of the knife terminating at its free end in a suitable handle 14, all of which is substantially conventional in form and arrangement within the meaning of the present invention. As is well known, a single sheet or the stack of sheets of cardboard, paper or the like which are to be trimmed or out are laid on the table 5 with that portion thereof to be severed overlying the edge l3 with the knife in the upraised open position illustrated in Figure 1. To perform the cutting operation the handle I4 is grasped by the operator and the knife swung downwardly so as to shear the paper or the like along the table edge I3 between the table edge and the cutting edge of the knife.

In accordance with the present invention, the knife 9 is modified by the provision of a stud bolt I5 threaded thereinto at an intermediate point of the inner side of the blade portion, with the, smooth part of the bolt traversing a vertically elongated slot l6 formed in a combined blade guard and clamping member which is generally designated l1, the shank of the bolt having a washer I8 held in place against the side of the member I! by the head 19 on the said stud bolt.

The vertically elongated slot I6 is located intermediate the ends of the member I! which comprises an elongated generally rectangular cross section block of suitable material similar to or of wood which has the lower part of the inner face thereof beveled as indicated by the numeral 20 so as to present a reduced squared lower edge 2| upon the top of the table 5 immediately adjacent the blade portion of the knife 9 as illustrated in Figure 4, the meeting faces of the knife portion and of the member I! having substantial mutual engagement, so that relative movement of the knife and the element I! takes place with them substantially in contact.

An anchor 22 at one side of the member I1.

and adjacent the lower edge of the knife has stretched between it and an anchor 23 on the upper part of the adjacent end of the member I! a helical contractile spring 24 whose office is to depress the member I! to a position below the lower edge ll of the blade portion of the knife. Another contractile spring 25 is similarly stretched between the mentioned pivot bolt 8 at the inner side of the member I1 and another anchor 26 on the inner sideof the upper part of the adjacent end portion of the member H, these springs acting in concert to yieldably press the member I! to a normal position depressed below the cutting edge H of the blade portion of the knife.

The lower edge 2| of the member H is longitudinally outwardly and upwardly bowed or curved as indicated by the numeral 21, while the remaining portion of this edge is less greatly curved as indicated by the numeral 28, the curvatures being determined by the swing of the knife and its mounting, so that the lower edge 2| of the member I! will in effect engage the forward edge of the stack of paper or the like to be cut and roll rearwardly along the top of the stack,

at the same time that the member I1 is yielding upwardly against the resistance of the springs 24 and 25, so that the knife comes into cutting position with the stack of papers clamped down upon the board or table 5 by the member I1, and the stack remains so clamped as the knife moves beyond the cutting position to that illustrated in Figure 4. As the knife is elevated out of the position shown in Figure 4 the edge ll of the blade portion of the knife can substantially clear the top of the board before the member I! releases its clamping engagement with the stack of paper or the like, so that the stack is spared any disturbing contact by the knife in its movement toward open position and the stack is left in place for subsequent cutting operations.

Although I have shown and described herein a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not desire to limit the application of the invention to the precise structural and functional arrangements set forth, except as may be required by the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having described the claimed as new is:

1. In a paper cutter or the like, a table on which the paper or the like is laid, said table having a straight edge along which the cut is to be made, a vertically swingable knife having one end pivoted on said table, the lower edge of said knife being its cutting edge, said knife being arranged to swing downwardly from a raised position into and below shearing relation with said straight edge, a combined paper clamp and knife edge guard, said guard comprising a block lying along the inner side of said knife, securing means mounting said guard on said knife for vertical and rocking movements relative to said knife, said securing means comprising a headed stud anchored to project laterally from an intermediate point on the inner side of said knife, a vertical slot formed in said block through which said stud extends with its head bearing against the inner side of the block and spring means normally yieldably depressing said block with respect to the knife so as to cause a lower portion thereof to depend below the cutting edge of said knife, the lower edge of said block having a substantial rocker curvature as compared to the cutting edge of the knife.

2. A paper cutter or the like in accordance with claim 1 wherein said securing means is located intermediate the ends of both said block and said knife with elements of said spring means effectively connected with opposite ends of said block, one of said elements of said spring means consisting of a first helical spring stretched between an adjacent portion of said table and the adjacent end of said block and the remaining spring element consisting of a second helical spring stretched between the opposite end of said block and a relatively depressed part on said knife.

3. A paper cutter or the like in accordance with claim 1 wherein said securing means is located intermediate the ends of both said block and said knife with elements of said spring means effectively connected with opposite ends of said block, the lower edge of said block being longitudinally curved to rock upon and clamp the paper or the like on the table as the knife is swung downwardly from an elevated open posiinvention, what is tion through and beyond shearing relation with said straight edge.

4. A paper cutter or the like in accordance with claim 1 wherein said securing means is located intermediate the ends of both said block and said knife with elements of said spring means effectively connected with opposite ends of said block, the lower edge of said block being longitudinally curved to rock upon and. clamp the paper or the like on the table as the knife is swung downwardly from an elevated open position through and beyond shearing relation with said straight edge, said securing means permitting sufficient movement of said block relative to said knife to permit said block to retain clamping engagement with paper or the like on said table as the knife is elevated beyond shearing position and is moved partly'toward open position.

5. A cutter for paper or the like, said cutter comprising a support upon which the paper is laid, said support having a straight shearing edge, a bracket on said support projecting beyond said support in longitudinal extension of said straight edege, a vertically swingable knife whose lower edge is its cutting edge, said knife having one end thereof pivoted to said bracket and arranged to be swung to bring its cutting edge into and out of shearing relation with said straight edge, a paper clamping rocker having a longitudinally rocker curved lower edge to press upon the paper on said support while said knife is in intermediate and depressed positions, a pivotal and sliding connection securing said block on the inner side of said knife and enabling said block to rock and rise and subside along the inner side of the knife, said connection permitting said block to subside to a position in which its lower edge is substantially below the cutting edge of the knife and to rise to a position in which the lower edge of the block is substantially above the cutting edge of the knife, a first spring operating between said bracket and the forward end of said block for yieldably depressing the forward end of the block, a second spring operating between the rear end of said block and the knife for yieldably depressing the rear end of the block, said springs being operative to engage the forward end of the curved lower edge of said block with the paper on'the support in advance of other portions of the rocker edge as the knife is swung downwardly from open position toward closed cutting position and successively rearward portions of the rocker edge are pressed upon the paper and the tension of the springs increases toward closed position of the knife.

6. A cutter according to claim 5 wherein the upward curvature of the rocker edge of said block is relatively great adjacent the forward end of the block.

'7. A cutter according to claim 5 wherein the upward curvature of the rocker edge of said block is relatively great adjacent the forward end of the block and. relatively less adjacent the rear end of said block.

8. A cutter according to claim 5 wherein said first and. second springs are helical in form and stretched between the bracket and the forward end of the block and between the rear end of said block and the knife, respectively.

PATRICK PORCELLI.

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