U.S. patent number 3,774,495 [Application Number 05/221,749] was granted by the patent office on 1973-11-27 for sheet material cutting device and cutting block therefor.
Invention is credited to Morton Pomeroy Matthew.
United States Patent |
3,774,495 |
Matthew |
November 27, 1973 |
SHEET MATERIAL CUTTING DEVICE AND CUTTING BLOCK THEREFOR
Abstract
A sheet material cutting device which includes a cutting board
and a guide extending over the top of the board. A cutting block is
mounted for sliding movement along the guide. The cutting block may
include a base and a cutting blade normally biased away from the
board, but adapted to be pivoted toward the board into engagement
with a sheet positioned thereon. Where bevel cuts are desired, the
cutting blade is at a non-perpendicular angle to the cutting board
and the cutting blade is pivoted into angular engagement with the
sheet. A scale is mounted for movement with the cutting block. The
scale has a reference marking at the point where the cutting blade
engages a sheet and extends from the reference point in at least
one direction. The scale may be utilized to easily and accurately
determine points at which the beginning and end of a cut occur.
Inventors: |
Matthew; Morton Pomeroy
(Norwalk, CT) |
Family
ID: |
22829202 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/221,749 |
Filed: |
January 28, 1972 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
83/522.19;
83/468; 83/564; 83/581; 83/614; 83/638 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B26F
1/3853 (20130101); Y10T 83/8749 (20150401); Y10T
83/76 (20150401); Y10T 83/8822 (20150401); Y10T
83/858 (20150401); Y10T 83/8773 (20150401); Y10T
83/8857 (20150401) |
Current International
Class: |
B26F
1/38 (20060101); B26d 007/28 () |
Field of
Search: |
;83/522,581,563,564,614,620,638,468 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Abercrombie; Willie G.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A cutting block for a sheet material cutting device, said device
having a cutting board and a guide extending over the top of the
board comprising:
a base mounted for sliding movement along said guide;
a cutting means pivotally supported on said base, said cutting
means being normally biased away from said board, but being adapted
for pivoting toward the board to engage a sheet positioned thereon;
and
a scale mounted for movement with said base, said scale having a
reference marking at the point where said cutting means engages a
sheet when pivoted and extending from said reference marking in at
least one direction, said scale being graduated in units of linear
measurement starting at said reference marking and being adapted to
be directly indexed on an edge of said sheet material, whereby the
points at which the beginning and end of a cut occur may be easily
and accurately observed.
2. A cutting block of the type described in claim 1 wherein said
cutting means includes a blade holder having a blade supporting
face, means for clamping a cutting blade to said face, and a part
to which pressure may be applied to pivot said cutting means.
3. A cutting block of the type described in claim 2 wherein said
part to which pressure may be applied is positioned so that
pressure applied to said part after the cutting means has engaged a
sheet is operative to move the block along the guide in the
direction of the pressure.
4. A cutting block of the type described in claim 2 wherein said
blade supporting face is at a non-perpendicular angle to said board
whereby said cutting means makes bevel cuts in a sheet.
5. A cutting block of the type described in claim 4 wherein the
pivoting of said cutting means causes it to engage a sheet at an
angle; and
wherein the angle at which said cutting means engages a sheet is
equal to said non-perpendicular angle.
6. A cutting block of the type described in claim 5 wherein said
non-perpendicular angle is 60.degree..
7. A cutting block of the type described in claim 2 wherein said
scale is positioned parallel to said blade supporting face and is
spaced therefrom by a distance slightly greater than the thickness
of a cutting blade, whereby a blade positioned between the face and
the scale is held against lateral movement.
8. A cutting block of the type described in claim 1 wherein said
cutting means is supported at a non-perpendicular angle to said
board whereby bevel cuts may be made in a sheet.
9. A cutting block of the type described in claim 1 wherein said
scale extends in both directions from said reference marking.
10. A cutting block of the type described in claim 9 wherein there
are a pair of said reference markings, one for each direction in
which said scale extends, said reference markings being slightly
separated to compensate for the width of the blade.
11. A cutting block of the type described in claim 1 including at
least one scallop in said scale in the area of said reference
marking to provide maximum visibility of the blade in that
area.
12. A sheet material cutting device comprising:
a cutting board;
a guide extending over the top of the board;
a cutting block mounted for sliding movement along said guide, said
cutting block including a cutting means normally biased away from
said board but adapted to be moved toward the board into engagement
with a sheet position thereon; and
a scale mounted for movement with said block, said scale having a
reference marking at the point where said cutting means engages a
sheet and extending from said reference marking in at least one
direction, said scale being graduated in units of linear
measurement starting at said reference marking and being adapted to
be directly indexed on an edge of said sheet material, whereby the
points at which the beginning and end of a cut occur may be easily
and accurately observed.
13. A device of the type described in claim 12 wherein said scale
extends in both directions from said reference marking.
14. A device of the type described in claim 12 including a
stationary scale positioned on top of said board and extending from
near one end of said guide in a direction perpendicular
thereto.
15. A device of the type described in claim 14 wherein said
stationary scale extends in both directions from said guide.
16. A device of the type described in claim 12 including means for
supporting said guide to prevent lateral movement thereof.
17. A device of the type described in claim 16 wherein said means
for supporting is a bracket mounted to permit a large sheet to pass
thereunder.
18. A mat cutting device comprising:
a cutting board adapted to have a mat positioned thereon;
a guide extending over the top of the board;
a cutting block mounted for sliding movement along said guide, said
cutting block including a cutting means mounted at a
non-perpendicular angle to the board, said cutting means being
normally biased away from said board but being adapted to be
pivoted into angular engagement with a mat position on said board
and to be moved with said block along said guide to make a bevel
cut in said mat; and
a scale mounted for movement with said block, said scale having a
reference marking at the point where said cutting means engages a
mat when pivoted and extending from said reference marking in at
least one direction, said scale being graduated in units of linear
measurement starting at said reference marking and being adapted to
be directly indexed on an edge of said sheet material, whereby the
points at which the beginning and end of a cut occur may be easily
and accurately observed.
19. A mat cutting device of the type described in claim 18 wherein
the angle at which said cutting means is pivoted into engagement
with said mat is equal to said non-perpendicular angle.
Description
This invention relates to a device for cutting sheet material such
as cardboard or paper and more particularly to a cutting block for
such a device.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
U.S. Pat. No. 2,803,303 entitled "Paper Cutting Device and Board
Therefore", issued Aug. 20, 1957 to Morton P. Matthew, shows a
device for making straight cuts in soft sheet materials such as
cardboard or paper. This device consists of a cutting board having
an elongated guide resiliently supported upon the top thereof. A
cutting block is mounted for sliding movement along the guide and
has a blade projecting therefrom which is moved into engagement
with a sheet on the board when the guide is lowered toward the
board. A scale is provided along the board which is indexed on the
end of the block to indicate the length of a cut.
While the relatively simple device described above is adequate for
many purposes, there are various ways in which it can be improved
or modified to perform a slightly different function. First, while
the scale on the guide is useful for indicating the length of a
cut, indexing with this scale is on the end of the block rather
than on the position of the blade, and this scale is thus not
particularly suited for indicating the points on a sheet or mat at
which a cut begins or ends. Thus, if it is desired to, for example,
make a cut which begins one inch from a first edge of a sheet and
ends one inch from the opposite edge of the sheet with the device
indicated above, one must initially measure and mark the positions
on the sheet at which the cuts are to begin and end before placing
the sheet on the board for cutting. Even with the marks, it is
difficult to see the position of the blade on the sheet, and
extreme care must be used in making a cut to avoid overcutting.
The device of the above-mentioned Matthew patent could thus be
improved by providing a means on the device for indicating the
exact position of the blade on the sheet relative to an edge of the
sheet or some other predetermined point. Such a device should be
simple to use and should also be simple in design so as to be
relatively easy and inexpensive to add to the device.
The problem of making accurate cuts which begin and end at
predetermined positions of a sheet arises particularly when the
device is being utilized to cut display windows in mats of the type
utilized to mount pictures and the like. Heretofore, the cutting of
mats has normally involved an initial measuring and marking either
on the front or back of the mat. Since a shear can not be used to
make such apertures, a knife or other blade must be utilized.
However, it requires skillful knife manipulation to reproduce an
unwavering cut with accurate terminations. The problem is
compounded by the fact that bevel cuts are normally utilized for
mats, requiring the blade to be held at a precise angle. To ease
these difficulties, some mechanical mat cutters have been
developed. However, these cutters have normally been relatively
complicated and expensive and have generally still required an
initial measuring and marking of the mat.
A need therefore exists for a relatively simple and inexpensive
device for making bevel cuts in a mat without the need for initial
measuring and marking. In order for the device of the Matthew
patent to fulfill these requirements, its cutting block must be
modified, or a new cutting block provided, so as to enable the
device to make bevel cuts. At first glance it would appear that the
conversion from a straight cutter to a bevel cutter could be made
by merely mounting the blade in the cutting block of the Matthew
patent at the desired angle. However, an attempt to move an angled
blade directly into a sheet or mat, as is done with the straight
blade in the Matthew patent, could cause the blade to bend or
break. The cutting block must thus be modified to permit the blade
to be brought into the mat at an angle rather than straight down.
In order to permit proper meeting at corners, it is preferable that
this angle be selected so as to be equal to the bevel angle.
A primary object of this invention is thus to provide an improved
sheet material cutting device.
A more specific object of this invention is to provide a sheet
material cutting device which permits a position on the sheet or
mat at which a cut begins and/or ends to be quickly, easily,
directly, and accurately determined, eliminating the need for
premeasuring and marking a sheet and premitting cuts to be made
from the front of the sheet.
Another object of this invention is to provide a sheet material
cutting device adapted for making bevel cuts.
A further object of this invention is to provide a relatively
simple and inexpensive device for quickly, easily, and accurately
cutting mats.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with these objects, this invention provides a sheet
material cutting device which includes a cutting board and a guide
extending over the top of the board. A cutting block is mounted for
sliding movement along the guide. The cutting block may include a
base and a cutting means normally biased away from the board, but
adapted to be pivoted toward the board into engagement with a sheet
positioned thereon. Where bevel cuts are desired, the cutting means
is at a non-perpendicular angle to the cutting board and the
cutting means is pivoted into angular engagement with the sheet. A
scale is mounted for movement with the cutting block. The scale has
a reference marking at the point where the cutting means engages a
sheet and extends from the reference point in at least one
direction. The scale may be utilized to easily and accurately
determine points at which the beginning and end of a cut occur.
The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the
invention will be apparent from the following more detailed
description of a preferred embodiment of the invention as
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a top view of a sheet material cutting device of a
preferred embodiment of the invention, showing the device at the
beginning of a cut.
FIG. 2 is a top view of the cutting device shown in FIG. 1 showing
the device at the end of a cut.
FIG. 3 is a top view of a cutting block suitable for use for making
bevel cuts with a device of the type shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.
FIG. 4 is a left side view of the cutting block shown in FIG.
3.
FIG. 5 is a rear view of the cutting block shown in FIGS. 3 and
4.
FIG. 6 is a plain view of a typical work piece after performing the
cutting operations for fabricating a picture mat.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring now to FIG. 1, a cutting device of the general type shown
in the beforementioned Matthew U.S. Pat. No. 2,803,303 is shown.
The device consists of a board 10 which may be of wood, but is
preferably of a softer material, such as soft composition board so
as to be adapted to receive a pin or staple. Two scale sections, 12
and 14, are mounted along the upper edge of board 10 by screws 16.
As in the Matthew patent, the scale sections are slightly spaced
from board 10 so as to permit a disposable, board protecting sheet
to be fitted under the scales and held thereby. Plate 17, which may
be in two separate sections, is mounted on top of scales 12 and 14
and secured thereto by the screws 16. A leaf spring 20, normally
biased away from board 10, is mounted to plate 17 by rivets 22 or
other suitable means and has secured to its underside, by rivets or
similar means 24, an elongated metal guide rail 26. Guide rail 26
extends along the top of board 10 at an angle perpendicular to that
of scales 12 and 14. A bracket 28 is mounted on an arm 29 fixed to
board 10 and is positioned under the end of rail 26 opposite leaf
spring 20. The functions of this bracket will be described
later.
A cutting block 30, having a scale 32 and a cutting blade 34
supported thereon, is mounted for sliding movement along rail 26.
Cutting block 30 is shown in greater detail in FIGS. 3-5. Referring
now to those figures, it is seen that cutting block 30 consists of
a base 36 which has a guide rail receiving groove 38 (see FIG. 5)
in its underside and a perpendicular flange 40. A blade holder 42
is pivotably secured by pin 44 to flange 40. As may be best seen in
FIG. 5, blade holder 42 is mounted at an angle to the perpendicular
which angle is, for the preferred embodiment of the invention,
60.degree.. A screw 46, the head of which is of sufficient size to
be easily finger operable, secured blade 34, which may be a
standard utility knife blade, to holder 42. A trough 48 formed in
blade holder 42 aids screw 46 in holding the blade in position. A
cantilever spring 50 mounted in a groove 52 in blade holder 42
normally coacts with base 36 to bias the blade holder, and thus
blade 34, counterclockwise. Blade holder 42 is thus normally in a
raised position bringing the tip of blade 34 into a recessed
position behind scale 32. Blade holder 42 also has a pad 54 secured
to or, for a preferred embodiment of the invention, formed into its
leading face. Pressure applied to pad 54 as by, for example, a
person's thumb rotates blade holder 42 clockwise about pin 44 to
lower the blade into the position shown in FIGS. 3-5. Continued
pressure applied to pad 54 after the blade has been lowered causes
cutting block 30 to move on rail 26 in the direction the pressure
is applied (upward as viewed in FIG. 1). A set screw 55 in pad 54
may be adjusted to control the depth of cut in a mat 18. The screw,
when screwed in, bears against base 36 to limit the downward
movement of holder 42 and thus decrease the depth of cut.
Scale 32 secured to base 36 by screws 56 serves two important
functions. First, scale 32 is mounted so that it stands off
slightly from base 36 to form a close fitting slot with the base
through which blade 34 passes. Since the width of this slot is just
slightly greater than the thickness of the blade, the blade is held
against lateral movements on both sides. This prevents shimmying of
the blade and provides a straight cut. Scale 32 also, in a manner
to be now described, permits the starting and ending position of a
cut to be accurately determined. However before describing the
operation of the device, three additional features of scale 32
should be noted. First scale 32 has two zero markings which are
slightly displaced from each other. From the figures, it is seen
that this displacement is roughly equal to the width of the blade
which projects beyond the scale. The double zero markings are thus
effective to compensate for the width of the blade. Second, scallop
58 is provided between the two zero markings to provide maximum
visability of the blade. Finally, the forward or left-hand portion
of scale 32 not adjacent block 30 is raised slightly to permit this
scale to clear scale 12, leaf spring 20 and plate 17 when the block
is, for example, in the position shown in FIG. 2. Similarly, the
portions of scales 12 and 14 adjacent guide rail 26 are cut back
slightly to provide clearance for block 30 when a cut is made to
the top of the mat.
OPERATION
In operation, a mat 18 is initially positioned on board 10 by use
of scales 12 and 14. Thus, as shown in FIG. 1, mat 18 is positioned
so that the first cut is made along a line which is two inches from
the right edge of the mat and/or seven inches from the left edge of
the mat. Scales 12 and 14 permit the position of the cut line to be
precisely determined relative to either edge of the mat. Scale 14
may be dispensed with if mat positioning is to be done only along
the left edge of the mat.
When the mat has been properly positioned on board 10, guide rail
26 is moved down against the action of spring 20 into engagement
with bracket 28. Bracket 28 serves to maintain the long
cantilevered guide rail 26 perpendicular to scales 12 and 14,
preventing lateral motion thereof caused by side pressures
occurring during cutting. This assures a straight perpendicular
cut. Bracket 28 being mounted on arm 29 permits a long mat 18 to
pass between the bracket and board 10. Where mats longer than rail
26 are not to be cut, bracket 28 may be mounted directly under the
rail.
Rail 26 having the cross section shown in FIG. 5, being thicker in
the middle then the thickness of cutting block base 36, the bottom
edge of the rail can be permitted to come to rest on the mat. The
rail assures uniform spacing of the block from the mat and holds
the block slightly above the mat so that the block moving over the
mat does not mar it.
The next step in the operation is to position blade 34 for the
beginning of the desired cut. In FIG. 1, it is assumed that the cut
is to begin one inch from the lower edge of the mat. FIG. 1
illustrates how scale 32 is utilized to properly position blade 34
to begin this cut, being indexed on the lower edge of the mat for
this purpose. When the scale 32 indicates that blade 34 is properly
positioned to initiate the cut, the operator presses down on pad
54, preferably with his thumb, to rotate blade holder 42 clockwise
about pivot 44 against the action of spring 50. This rotation moves
blade 34 to the position shown in FIGS 3-5, causing the blade to
enter mat 18 at the desired point. Since blade 34 is pivoted into
contact with mat 18 rather than being pushed down into it, the
blade enters the mat at an angle. For reasons which will be
described shortly, this angle should be the same as the angle at
which the cut is beveled. For the embodiment of the invention shown
in the figures, this angle is 60.degree.. The angle at which the
blade enters the mat is established by the proper location of pivot
44 with respect to blade 34.
After the blade 34 has been rotated into contact with mat 18,
continued pressure on pad 54 is effective to move block 30 upward
as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 along rail 26. Since blade 34 is in the
mat at this time, a cut is made in the mat as block 30 moves along
the mat. It should be noted that the three aforementioned steps,
namely: 1. moving guide rail 26 downward, 2. rotating holder 42 and
blade 34 clockwise, and 3. moving block 36 to cut, are easily and
sequentially performed using only the index finger and thumb of one
hand applied to 36 and 54 respectively.
FIG. 2 illustrates the manner in which scale 32 is utilized to
easily and accurately determine the endpoint for the cut. Assume
that the cut is to terminate one inch from the top edge of mat 18.
Block 30 is thus moved along rail 26 until scale 32 indicates that
blade 34 is exactly one inch from the top of the mat. This is the
position shown in FIG. 2, with scale 32 being indexed on the top of
the mat. When this position is reached, pressure is released from
pad 54, permitting blade 34 to be removed from the mat by the
action of spring 50 on blade holder 42. A first bevel cut of the
type shown in FIG. 6 is in this manner effected.
For the second cut, the mat is again positioned on board 10 by use
of scales 12 and 14. Rail 26 is again lowered into operative
position and blade 34 positioned to the beginning of the cut by use
of scale 32. If it is assumed that the first cut in mat 18 is the
cut 62 shown in FIG. 6, and that the second cut to be made is the
cut 64, it can be seen that because of the selected angle for the
bevel, the corner 66 at which the cut would begin for cut 64 is at
a a 60.degree. angle. Thus, the blade entering the mat at this
angle prevents the blade from causing any overcut or other damage
to the mat when the blade enters. Clean corners are thus assured.
The sequence of operations described above would be repeated for
cutting the two remaining sides of the opening shown in FIG. 6.
A supplementary cutting block may be used in place of block 30,
with a fixed perpendicular blade, similar to that covered in the
before mentioned Matthew patent, so that the present invention may
be used to cut the outline of the mat to size before bevel cutting
the inside. Either or both of these cutting blocks can function on
the rail 26 without lips or other means reaching around and under
the rail so that one block may be quickly lifted off the rail and
exchanged with another block.
A relatively simple and inexpensive cutting device has thus been
provided which permits the start and end points for a cut in a
piece of sheet material to be quickly, easily, and accurately
determined without requiring any premeasuring or premarking of the
sheet or mat. A unique mat cutting structure utilizing the
teachings of this invention has also been disclosed. In addition to
the various possible modifications mentioned previously, it is
apparent that additional modifications in the specific elements
utilized for performing the various functions described above could
be made by one ordinarily skilled in the art while still remaining
within the teachings of the invention.
* * * * *