Hand tool for splitting straw into strips

Details Hand tool for splitting straw into strips Hand tool for splitting straw into strips

1990-12-21

1992-06-09

Watts, Douglas D.

Cutlery

Cutting tools

Plural blade

30299, B26B 300

Patent

active

051195623

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a hand tool for splitting straw into strips. The hand tool includes a holder having a straight channel with a smooth channel wall, and a plurality of blades uniformly distributed about the periphery and oriented radially to the channel axis. The cutting edges of the blades face the front opening of the channel.
Such hand tools are useful for the production of straw mesh and other wickerwork of straw strips because such straw strips are most easily obtained by splitting straw longitudinally.
In a hand tool of this type disclosed in the German Gebrauchsmuster no. 84 36 292, the blades are normal to the channel radius. A stalk of straw to be split is coaxially placed on the star-like blade array and moved through the channel. Each blade is to generate a split along the stalk so that a strip of straw, which exits or can be drawn out of the rear end of the channel, is obtained between two neighboring blades.
It is desirable to split a stalk of straw into strips whose widths are as equal as possible. In the known tool, the stalk must, to this end, be moved through the channel exactly coaxially.


SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to design a hand tool of the type mentioned at the outset in such a manner that it is easier to manipulate and more reliable in operation.
The invention is characterized in that the cutting edges extend along the generatrices of a cone of circular cross section and to the channel wall. The cone converges towards the front opening of the channel and is coaxial with the channel axis.
Due to the arrangement of the cutting edges along the generatrices, the cutting edges cooperate to define a tip which faces the front opening of the channel and automatically functions as a centering tip for a deposited stalk of straw to be divided. The inclined disposition of the cutting edges further results in a cut under tension with a substantial improvement in the operational reliability as compared to the conventional hand tool.
If, upon insertion of a stalk of straw, it should happen that one of the contemplated longitudinal cuts is not initiated, the corresponding strip of double width slides along the blade until, at the end of the blade, it contacts the wall bounding the channel. No later than at this location, the straw is unable to resist the cutting action of the cutting edge any longer and is incised due to the thrust exerted from above. Once the delayed incision has been made, the cut, which is essentially a split, propagates, similarly to the other cuts, as the stalk of straw is pushed farther into the channel or the strips issuing from the other end of the channel are withdrawn. This action, also, significantly increases the operational reliability and reduces waste.
The geometric arrangement of the cutting edges--inclined, on the one hand, and to the channel wall, on the other hand--enhances the dividing action of the blades to such a degree that, as found in practice, plastic blades may be substituted for metallic blades. These plastic blades may be easily and economically made in the form of an injection molded plastic part which constitutes the entire hand tool. However, the invention is not limited to the use of plastic blades. The blades can also consist of metal.
The width of the channel is so large that the largest stalks of straw to be processed fit easily.
In order that stalks of straw with small diameter may be processed with the same hand tool, a design in which the cutting edges reach a central rod coaxial with the channel axis is recommended. The cross section of at least the front end of the central rod is smaller than the internal cross section of a stalk of straw to be split and the cross section of the channel is larger than the cross section of a stalk of straw to be split. The central rod is so narrow that at least the front end thereof readily fits in the interior of the narrowest stalk of straw to be processed.
The channel can have a circular cross section. However, to enhance guidance of the

REFERENCES:
patent: 992667 (1911-05-01), Kandlbinder
patent: 2329918 (1943-09-01), Leavens
patent: 2558579 (1951-06-01), Polk, Sr. et al.
patent: 2751864 (1956-06-01), Parker

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